NFL Draft: Top 18 Tight End Prospects for Packers

With a big hole at tight end, expect the Green Bay Packers to draft at least one with a premium pick. Get to know the top 18 prospects through stats, scouting and stories.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Apr 25, 2023 1:53 PM EDT

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers need to draft multiple tight ends. For the first time in a long time, an extensive list of quality tight ends will be available in the 2023 NFL Draft.

With Robert Tonyan having signed with the Chicago Bears and venerable Marcedes Lewis unsigned, only two tight ends on the roster have played in a game. Combined, Josiah Deguara (13 catches) and Tyler Davis (four) caught 17 passes in 2022.

“There’s so many demands on the tight end,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said between Aaron Rodgers-related questions on Monday. “Certainly, they have to know the entire passing trees and all the things we’re doing from that standpoint, but then also in the run blocking and pass blocking. So, it’s a very demanding position. Obviously, as you guys have seen how Matt (LaFleur) uses multiple tight ends, it’s very important to our offense.”

Here are our 18 six prospects. The analytical stats are from Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions.

1-A. Michael Mayer, Notre Dame

All photos in this story are by USA Today Sports Images

Measureables: 6-4 1/2, 249 pounds, 10 1/4 hands. 4.70 40, 4.44 shuttle, 7.62 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Mayer caught 180 passes for 2,099 yards and 18 touchdowns in three seasons, making him the most prolific tight end in the rich history of Notre Dame football. After catching 71 passes for 840 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021, he hauled in 67 passes for 809 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022 en route to being a consensus first-team All-American and one of three finalists for the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked first with 2.44 yards per route run and 14th with a drop rate of 5.6 percent. He was 17-for-26 in contested-catch opportunities – first in catches and fourth in percentage. He caught 8-of-11 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield, ranking No. 1 in catches and catch percentage (minimum four targets). He forced a missed tackle on 21 percent of his catches and averaged 4.9 yards after the catch. Oddly, he was among the most difficult to tackle but in the bottom third in YAC. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 0.5.

How he fits: Mayer is the best all-around tight end in the draft. There isn’t a three-down tight end as NFL-ready, a true plug-and-play starter.

“I'd say my receiving” is his best trait, Mayer said at the Scouting Combine. “Look, I can block anybody you need me to block, but I feel like my red zone, my third down, I can really go up and get that ball. I can make contested catches and I can really route people up. So, I can have that connection with that quarterback, also. He knows where I'm going to be. He knows how I'm going to run my route, and I know where that quarterback is going to be putting that ball.”

NFL Draft Bible says: A rare blend of size, athleticism, toughness and pure natural talent, Mayer is the definition of prototype at the tight end position. Mayer forces opposing defenders to make business decisions with the ball in his hands, as he runs at them like a Mack truck. The team captain brings a ferocious intensity and is a notorious hard worker.

Personal touch: In 24 games during his final two seasons in South Bend, Mayer led all FBS tight ends with 138 receptions for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns. He quickly earned the nickname “Baby Gronk.”

“We have a hell of a tight end (and) we want to feature him,” Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said. “There’s something to say about the way he works, the tenacity he plays with, the edge he plays with. Obviously, he’s extremely talented, but there’s a reason why he’s a great player. The mentality is there.”

The fathers of Mayer and longtime NFL standout and former Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph are friends. That led to Rudolph mentoring Mayer.

“There aren't many of those guys in football these days," Rudolph said of three-down tight ends. “(There’s) a lot of specialty-type tight ends, and (Mayer) is kind of that old-school build body type and he can do it all.”

He was one of a few college tight ends who participated in George Kittle’s Tight End U. "It's been great,” Mayer told Irish Sports Daily. “I went there and I'm like, 'Dang, there is stuff I need to work on.' I'm out here thinking I'm pretty good and I go train with them and there are things I need to work on.”

Mayer comes from a family of athletes. Older brother A.J. was a senior quarterback at Arkansas State in 2022. His father, Andy, played football at Miami (Ohio). A cousin, Luke Maile, is a Major League catcher. Grandfather Dick Maile was a star basketball player at LSU.

His road to the NFL’s first round almost didn’t happen. “He almost didn’t play high school football, which is crazy to think about,” Covington (Ky.) Catholic coach Eddie Eviston said. It was Andy Mayer who made it happen. “Andy, the dad, he called me one day,” freshman coach Ted Edgington told Notre Dame Insider, “and he says, ‘Hey, I really want Michael to play football, but he’s just only interested in basketball. Can you call him and talk to him about it? See if he’ll come out and play.’”

1-B. Dalton Kincaid, Utah

Measureables: 6-3 5/8, 246 pounds, 10 1/4 hands. No workouts (back).

Stats and accolades: After two years at San Diego, Kincaid transferred to Utah. He had a monster final season with 70 receptions for 890 yards (12.7 average) and eight touchdowns to earn third-team All-American. He had one of the all-time great games by catching all 16 targets vs. USC for 234 yards. Between the two schools, he was the FBS leader among tight ends with 2,484 career receiving yards and 35 career receiving touchdowns.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked second with 2.42 yards per route run and fourth with a drop rate of 2.8 percent. He was 9-of-18 in contested-catch opportunities and caught 6-of-11 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 29 percent of his catches and averaged 5.7 yards after the catch. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 2.7 – worst in the class.

How he fits: Kincaid will immediately replace Robert Tonyan’s production and offer a significant amount of upside. He’s a below-average blocker but the willingness is there, a scout said.

“I think I'm one of the best pass catchers there is, not only in the tight end position but kind of just in this draft,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “Obviously, I think that's my biggest strength. I think I'm developing as a blocker and I kind of only have room to grow in that aspect of my game.”

NFL Draft Bible says: Kincaid lacks elite agility, burst, play strength, and speed, but his reliable hands, ball skills, savvy route running, improving blocking, and nonexistent fear of contact make him an attractive high-floor player who should hear his name called on the second day of the draft.

Personal touch: Kincaid played only one year of high school football. It’s not that Kincaid was new to the sport, though. As a kid, he’d bounce on the family trampoline, with his father tossing footballs over the protective net.

“We had a trampoline in my backyard so I would dive and catch the balls he threw to me,” Dalton explained to Pac-12.com. “Three drops and we were done, but the better I got at catching that became two drops, then one drop.”

In the world of college recruiting, a player’s junior season is the most important. Since Kincaid didn’t play until he was a senior, he didn’t receive a single scholarship offer. Thus, Kincaid landed at San Diego – a nonscholarship, FCS program.

“Some of the coaches pulled me aside and said, what do you want to do with this? Do you want to pursue this as a career later on?” Kincaid told NBC San Diego. “I didn’t expect to play. I thought I was going to redshirt and do the normal route, as most freshmen do. Getting playing time and being effective I just fell in love with football more and more as the season went on.”

Kincaid didn’t go through predraft testing. A back injury – one that didn’t require surgery – meant a premature end to his college career. He’s been cleared by doctors and will be ready for OTAs.

“Honestly, it’s more for my dad. He enjoys it a lot more,” Kincaid said of the hype at pro day. “If I was to go in the first round, I think it would be awesome,” he said. “I think it would be a great reflection of this program. That would mean the most to me — reflecting coach (tight ends coach) Freddie Whittingham, coach (Kyle) Whittingham and coach (Andy) Ludwig and what they’ve all sacrificed and done to get me in this position. If anything, I’d be super-grateful to have that opportunity, so they carry that with them, as well.”

3. Darnell Washington, Georgia

Measureables: 6-6 5/8, 264 pounds, 11 hands. 4.64 40, 4.08 shuttle, 9.88 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Washington caught 45 passes for 774 yards (17.2 average) and three touchdowns in three seasons. With future NFL first-round tight end Brock Bowers, the Mackey Award-winning tight end, commanding most of the targets in the passing game, Washington was a bit of an afterthought but still caught 28 passes for 454 yards (16.2 average) and two touchdowns in 2022.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked sixth with 1.77 yards per route run and 16th with a drop rate of 6.7 percent. He was 2-for-5 in contested-catch opportunities and caught 3-of-6 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 18 percent of his catches and averaged 7.2 yards after the catch, fourth-best. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 0.5.

How he fits: If Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer is the best three-down tight end in the draft, Washington could become that in a couple years if his receiving skills catch up to his blocking skills.

“I feel like I feel like I got lots of untouched talent when it comes to that area,” Washington said of being a receiver. ‘In high school, I was getting the ball like 60 times a season. So, going from there to coming to college, not so much in that area. So, I feel like when I tap into that potential, I feel like it's going to be crazy to see.”

NFL Draft Bible says: Washington has a massive frame with ideal functional strength that gives him an advantage over most opponents. He appears to have exceptional arm length, which contributes to his commanding profile as a blocker. As a receiver, displays good concentration at the catch point and adjusts to the ball over and around defenders.

Personal touch: Washington is the big man on campus and he’s willing to throw a block party: Wearing No. 0, Washington was listed at 6-foot-7 and 270 pounds.

“The combination of the athleticism and displacement, there are probably none” to compare Washington to at the position, Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “We had some guys when I was at Alabama, (such as) Michael Williams, that were big, more blocking guys, offensive tackle type guys. He has a receiving skillset that is unique, combined with that size.”

That talent didn’t come without work. A five-star recruit, Washington was a catch-first player coming out of Las Vegas. The emergence of Bowers turned Washington into a “role player,” as he told Dawg Nation.

“You go back to my high school film, I didn’t block, I was a receiver. When I came here, I’d never blocked against a guy like Travon (Walker) …. or a guy like Azeez (Ojulari). My mindset flipped from high school, where I want to be physical at the point of attack. … My first game here, my first time blocking somebody, it wasn’t really pretty. I was like, I have to flip the switch. My want-to got bigger, my why got bigger, and things like that.”

Washington is more than just an extra offensive tackle, Smart said. His highlight-reel catch at the Scouting Combine provided some enticing evidence of that potential.

“They’re getting a large human being that’s a target that can block and do so many things,” Smart said at Georgia’s pro day. “He’s done a tremendous job. I think his weight was 264 at the Combine. He played at high 270s, even 280s. He’s a much bigger passing threat than people probably understand when he’s at 264. I think he becomes a weapon in that league. He’s such a great target and he’s hard to cover. They’re going to get a really good player on and off the field. Excited to see him do well.”

4. Luke Musgrave, Oregon State

Measureables: 6-5 7/8, 253 pounds, 10 3/8 hands. 4.61 40, 4.41 shuttle, 9.77 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Musgrave caught 47 passes for 633 yards and two touchdowns. Not in 2022 but in his career. A 6-foot-6 ball of potential, he got off to a red-hot start by catching 11 passes for 169 yards (15.4 average) and one touchdown in the first two games of 2022 but missed the rest of the season due to a knee injury.

Analytical stats: For his career, Musgrave caught 47 passes. According to PFF, he averaged 3.38 yards per route in 2022 and 1.38 for his career. He dropped one pass in 2022 and nine for his career, a too-high final rate of 16.1 percent. He used his length to catch 7-of-18 contested catches. He was never much of a threat after the catch, with two career missed tackles and 3.8 YAC per reception. On passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield, he was 3-for-3 in 2022 and 4-for-10 in 2021. In the run game, his blown-block rate was 0.0 percent (0.8 in 2021 and 1.4 in 2020).

How he fits: If Utah’s Dalton Kincaid is the best receiving threat in the draft class, then Musgrave has the upside to eventually unseat him.

“I just love the versatility that comes with it,” he told The Draft Network of playing tight end. “You’re not just a receiver. You’re not just an offensive lineman either. You’re a little of both. You have to do both of those at an extremely high level. You have to be able to block these pass rushers that are getting paid millions of dollars to sack the quarterback. You also have to defeat guys in coverage that are getting paid millions of dollars to cover wide receivers. You really have to do both.”

Sports Info Solutions says: Musgrave projects as a starting Y-TE at the next level in a system that allows him to be an inline blocker and run a varied route tree. He can make catches underneath or use his speed to stretch the defense. His blocking is just sufficient at the moment, but he has the traits to develop in that area.

Personal touch: Musgrave is from a legendary Oregon football family. His father, Doug, played quarterback at Oregon and an uncle, Bill, also played quarterback at Oregon before embarking on professional careers as a player and coach.

“You learn so many lessons playing football. It really helps you out in life. From toughness to character, hard work, and dedication, I’ve learned so many valuable lessons along the way,” he told The Draft Network recently.

“One thing I hold near and dear to my heart is the toughness aspect. My dad always told me to never lay down on a football field unless you physically can’t get up. As long as you can stand, never lay down. I’ve never laid down on a field. I take pride in that.”

At Bend (Ore.) High School, Musgrave competed in football, lacrosse, track and ski racing. His mom, Amy, was part of the U.S. developmental ski team in the 1980s.

“I've been skiing since I could walk. It's my mom's big sport,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “It definitely helped me a lot. I can attribute my big legs to it. It really did help me. I've got big quads because of it and I'm thankful I did it. … Football and ski racing were my big sports growing up. So in the winter it was ski racing and in the fall and summer it was football. The fact I was going up there doing something fun and unique was really what got me into it.”

Musgrave is a natural at just about everything he does. After playing golf for eight months, he got himself to a 6.9 handicap. So, he worked himself into a credible blocker at Oregon State because that’s what fit the offense.

“My mindset was I’m going to do whatever I can do to win, and try to be unselfish and work on the thing that I had an opportunity to work on,” Musgrave said at Pac-12 media day.

After missing most of his final season with the knee injury, he returned to action for the Senior Bowl. He was the fastest tight end at the annual all-star game. “I want them to see I am a better player than what I was before my injury,” he told Dawgs By Nature at the game. “I’m completely healthy. I can offer versatility and am a competitor. Some have said I am just a blocker but I’m not. I have a full range of my skill-sets. I can be moved around the formation because that’s where I really shine as a player.”

5. Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State

Measureables: 6-4 3/4, 254 pounds, 10 hands. 4.69 40, 4.29 shuttle, 9.67 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Kraft was a first-team FCS All-American in 2021 with a monster season of 65 receptions for 773 yards (11.9 average) and six touchdowns in 15 games. He tuned out some big-school overtures and returned to SDSU for 2022. In a season detoured by an ankle injury, he caught 27 passes for 348 yards (12.9 average) and three touchdowns in nine games for the FCS national champions.

Analytical stats: None available for the FCS product. According to NFL Draft Bible, he had nine drops and was guilty of nine penalties during the 2020-2021 seasons.

How he fits: Kraft is one of the few ready-to-go three-down tight ends in what’s a strong overall class.

“He makes a huge impact,” quarterback Mark Gronowski said before the FCS title game. “He’s one of the best run-blockers on our team. And as a receiver, he changes the game. He’s a huge target – I can put it anywhere within five yards of him and he’ll catch it. And after a catch you know he’s going to get an extra five, 10, 15 yards because he’s so hard to tackle.”

NFL Draft Bible says: Kraft lacks elite speed and burst, but his large frame, upside as a blocker, and ability to win contested catches suggest he’ll contribute to a team in several ways early in his career.

Personal touch: After his All-American 2021, college football’s big fish descended on the small pond that is South Dakota State. Kraft was offered six-figure NIL deals but voted for loyalty rather than his wallet.

“At one point I was one click away from entering my name in the portal,” he told Hero Sports. “But the last few conversations I had … made me realize that I built relationships in the last three years that are insurmountable compared to a six-figure deal to go play somewhere else. And my draft stock isn’t going to rise if I went and played in the SEC or the Pac-12. I was already at that point as a top tight end in the next year’s draft.”

While he didn’t get rich, he did win a national championship.

“There’s a lot of lessons and stories that will be shared from Tucker’s situation,” said coach John Stiegelmeier. “Tucker’s a small-town kid who’s had a great career at South Dakota State, had an opportunity to go on and make a lot of money with other schools and he chose to be loyal and stay committed to South Dakota State football.

"When those things come up in the future we’ll point to Tucker and say, ‘Look what he did and still had an opportunity in the NFL.’ He’s a great teammate and has a great future in football.”

The testing numbers listed above are from the Scouting Combine. He beat them at pro day; his vertical, for instance, went from 34 inches to 36 and he lopped about one-tenth of a second off his 40.

“Well, I wanted to run a faster 40 because that’s where the money is made,” Kraft told The Brookings (S.D.) Register. “I feel like I made myself a little bit of money today. And then I wanted to jump higher because I know I can.”

6. Sam LaPorta, Iowa

Measureables: 6-3 1/4, 245 pounds, 10 1/4 hands. 4.59 40, 4.25 shuttle, 9.01 RAS.

Stats and accolades: LaPorta caught 53 passes for 670 yards and three touchdowns in 2021 and followed that with 58 receptions for 657 yards and one touchdown in 2022. As a senior, he was the Big Ten’s tight end of the year and one of three finalists for the Mackey Award, which goes to the nation’s top tight end. His four-year totals were 153 receptions for 1,786 yards (11.7 average) and five touchdowns. Among Iowa tight ends, he ranks first in catches and second in yards.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked third with 2.16 yards per route run and 23rd with a drop rate of 9.4 percent. He was 6-for-16 in contested-catch opportunities and caught 2-of-6 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 33 percent of his catches, second-best in the class, with a class-high 20 total misses, and averaged 6.3 yards after the catch. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 0.0.

How he fits: LaPorta does everything at a quality level. You just wish he was a little taller to better handle in-line duties, but he has two years of film showing his mismatch ability as a receiver.

“I think I'm a competitive blocker at the point of attack,” he said at the Combine. “Playing in the Big Ten, playing at Iowa especially, we demand a lot from our tight ends. If you're not going to block, you're not going to be out there. So, I think I'm competitive. I'm 40 or 50 pounds lighter than some of these big defensive tackles or ends that I'm blocking. So, maybe not devastating, but I definitely think I'm competitive and I seem to win a lot with leverage and hand placement.”

NFL Draft Bible says: Height and weight of a traditional in-line tight end. Has also played flexed out and as an H back. Provided yards from underneath and intermediate routes, including crossers, posts, and seven routes. Smooth at the top of his route, showing precision in his footwork. Best blocking comes against defensive backs and linebackers, showing the propensity to seal and create alleys.

Personal touch: LaPorta ranks second in Illinois high school history with 50 career receiving touchdowns. He floated under the recruiting radar; the Hawkeyes learned about him through the coach of the nearby high school that produced A.J. Epenesa.

“He loves football. Like he loves playing. He loves being out there on the field. He enjoys getting his ankles taped,” coach Kirk Ferentz said of LaPorta, who he compared to Dallas Clark. “He kind of likes everything about this, and he's got a real good energy, a good vibe.”

A lot of excellent tight ends have played at Iowa, including Clark, George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant.

“Everybody has a different story,” Ferentz said. “George Kittle was a skinny guy when he got here, 200 pounds, 205, whatever he was, and found a groove and became a really good player for us. Then he just kept on growing. Noah got here and played as a freshman ... T.J. did redshirt, drove the defense crazy on scout team, made a lot of plays against the defense but never played as a freshman.

“But then Sam was kind of somewhere in between. He was with us last year doing good things on special teams, and with each week, we saw a little bit more and more confidence, and we got a little bit more and more trust in him. Then when we actually started playing him, (he) did some good things, and then he just kept getting better and better. I would venture to say by the end of the year he was a pretty good player for us, and now it's just a continuation of that process.”

7. Luke Schoonmaker, Michigan

Measureables: 6-5 1/4, 251 pounds, 9 hands. 4.63 40, 4.27 shuttle, 9.86 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Schoonmaker set career highs with 35 receptions for 418 yards in 2022, averaging 11.9 yards per catch and scoring three touchdowns as a fifth-year senior to earn third-team all-Big Ten.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked fourth with 2.15 yards per route run and 13th with a drop rate of 5.4 percent. He was 2-for-7 in contested-catch opportunities and caught 2-of-3 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on just 3 percent of his catches and averaged 5.4 yards after the catch. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 1.9.

How he fits: Schoonmaker is a do-it-all tight end. He’s not Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer in any regard but there really isn’t anything that he can’t do at an acceptable level. You’d like to see him better in contested-catch situations and after the catch.

“I think just being able to do both aspects of the position, blocking and in the pass and being able to be in line or in the slot really well,” he said of his best attributes at the Scouting Combine. Of blocking he said: “It's honestly a fun thing to do. I had a lot of fun over the years just being able to be a part of that part of the offense, plenty of different kinds of blocks in there. Again, really being able to do what's asked of me.”

Personal touch: Schoonmaker grew up playing quarterback before switching from throwing passes to catching them for his senior year of high school.

“He was really a wide receiver body-wise,” his high school coach and professional agent, Joe Linta, told CT Insider. “He really developed his body over the last couple of years. He is a man. He looks like an NFL tight end. His speed, his length, long arms, just the way he runs and catches.”

Schoonmaker wasn’t enthusiastic about the switch at first. “When he first talked to me about it, I was really loving quarterback,” Schoonmaker said. “I was really passionate about it. He saw my ceiling as a tight end. I took his word. As a I got to play a little bit in high school, I was like, oh, this is fun.”

It took a lot of work to get to the 251 pounds he weighed at the Combine.

“He does a great job with everybody,” he said of director of strength and conditioning Ben Herbert in a story by MLive.com. “I came in around I think 220-ish. I’m like 250 (pounds) now and I feel great with where I’m at. I feel fast and physical at the same time. We do those before and after pictures, and everybody just looks like a monster after you go through what he puts us through.”

8. Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion

Measureables: 6-7 3/8, 255 pounds, 10 1/4 hands. 4.55 40, 4.12 shuttle, 10 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Once upon a time a hot recruit at Penn State, he spent three seasons with the Nittany Lions before transferring. In his debut season at ODU, he was first-team all-conference. His 73 receptions ranked second among the nation’s tight ends. He turned those into 692 yards and five touchdowns. In five games in 2022, he caught 12 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns before a season-ending knee injury.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked 19th with 1.26 yards per route run and 21st with a drop rate of 7.7 percent. He was 2-for-6 in contested-catch opportunities and was not targeted on a pass thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced just one missed tackle and averaged 3.8 yards after the catch.

How he fits: Kuntz is the Hail Mary of this draft. You either make the pick and it’s going to fall incomplete or it’s going to be a spectacular touchdown. Kuntz has all the physical tools to be a dominant player at the position. Not just good but dominant. But he had only one good year in his five college seasons, and that was against lower-rung competition.

“From the day I first stepped foot on a college campus to now, there’s a night and day difference in my abilities as a blocker,” he told The Draft Network recently. “I’d say the same thing about my skills as a receiver, as well. … I’m that three-down tight end that teams are coveting. Excelling as both a blocker and pass-catcher has been extremely beneficial for me. The main goal is to be great at both. I want to continue improving in both areas.”

Personal touch: Kuntz was one of the top tight end recruits in the nation and landed at Penn State. Buried on the depth chart, he transferred to Old Dominion. After catching three passes in three years, he caught 73 in his debut season for ODU.

How athletic is Kuntz? He was No. 1 in Relative Athletic Score in this draft class and he won the state championship in the 110-meter hurdles in high school.

Athletics is in the DNA. His father played football at Maryland. Older brothers Christian and Brandon played at Penn State.

"It was always competitive in our house," he told ODU Sports. "Whatever we did, someone would usually end up crying from either getting hurt or getting their feelings hurt from losing."

9. Brenton Strange, Penn State

Measureables: 6-3 7/8, 253 pounds, 9 5/8 hands. 4.70 40, 4.46 shuttle, 9.06 RAS

Stats and accolades: Strange set career highs with 32 receptions for 362 yards and five touchdowns in 2022, giving him three-year career marks of 70 grabs, 755 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was third-team all-Big Ten as a redshirt junior.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked 13th with 1.45 yards per route run and fifth with a drop rate of 3.0 percent. He was 5-for-8 contested-catch opportunities and caught 2-of-3 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 22 percent of his catches and averaged 7.3 yards after the catch, No. 3 in the draft class and No. 1 in our top 16 prospects. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 1.1.

How he fits: Strange fits best in the Josiah Deguara-style utility role, a player capable of playing some fullback, some H-back, some slot receiver and some old-school fullback.

“Basically, every single team, they just love how I’m a versatile piece and that’s kind of what I was for Penn State, too,” Strange said at pro day. “Not every week you’re going to see me get the ball, like, five or 10 times a game. But some weeks you are. So, I do a lot more things that are kind of unseen in the game, and they realize that and they know I’m a moveable piece. I could play fullback. Whatever it is, that’s what I told them I want to do to help a team be successful, even play on special teams, too.”

Personal touch: Strange was a 210-pound receiver and linebacker in high school. “Brenton’s a hard worker, on and off the field,” teammate Caedan Wallace told The Centre Daily Times. “... Off the field, he’s just really in the books. He’s doing extra work after practice. He’s grinding during his lifts. He’s a trustworthy teammate, and I feel like that’s another aspect that helps him step up into that position.”

He grew into a force. “He’s very physical in the run game — he’s a guy that gives us a really physical element in our blocking schemes and the things that we want to do,” coach James Franklin said. “But he also can make plays with the ball in the air. So, he’s exactly what we’re looking for at that position.”

The YAC numbers are impressive.

“No one person should ever take me to the ground,” Strange said after the Auburn game. “I’m 6-foot-4, a little less than 250 pounds. One defender should never tackle me. That’s always been my mindset.”

10. Josh Whyle, Cincinnati

Measureables: 6-6 1/2, 248 pounds, 9 1/2 hands. 4.69 40, 4.40 shuttle, 8.97 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Whyle caught 86 passes for 1,011 yards and 15 touchdowns during his final three seasons. He caught six touchdown passes in 2020 and six more in 2021 before catching a career-high 32 passes, which he turned into 326 yards and three touchdowns in 2022. He was first-team all-AAC as a senior and Cincinnati’s all-time scoring leader among tight ends.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked 23rd with 1.11 yards per route run and fifth with a drop rate of 3.0 percent. He was 2-for-7 in contested-catch opportunities and was not targeted on a pass thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 13 percent of his catches and averaged 5.2 yards after the catch. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 0.0 percent.

How he fits: The Packers obviously are enamored by Whyle’s potential to grow into a do-it-all performer. He’s already a tall, sure-handed target. The frame, in time, could allow him to grow into more of a bully in the run game.

“You're going to get a coachable player, a hard-working player, a tough player and a guy that really cares about the locker room. I think that's where great success starts,” Whyle said at the Scouting Combine.

Personal touch: Cincinnati hasn’t produced many NFL tight ends. But, the few it has produced, have been quite good. Among them: future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce, 11-year pro Brent Celek and Green Bay’s Deguara. Whyle scored more touchdowns than any tight end in Bearcats history.

“I came in and having Trav (Kelce) that went there, Celek – he went to my high school, as well – and then I got to see Josiah (Deguara),” Whyle said. “It really made me feel like, ‘Oh, I can do this.’ We have a sign up in our room that says, ‘Through these halls walk the best tight ends in the country.’ And that’s just kind of a belief, and that’s just kind of how I try to go around the building through my five years there, and just kind of continue it on for the younger guys so they feel the same way.”

Whyle was picked to Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks” list for The Athletic. Before the draft, he trained with potential first-round picks Michael Mayer and Darnell Washington.

“Going into Senior Bowl, I feel like the question that's been on my name has been about my weight and how it's fluctuated throughout the years,” Whyle said at pro day. “I came into Senior Bowl a little heavy and weighed in at 260 pounds. I just want to show the coaches that I am comfortable playing a little bit heavier. You can still split me out, put me in the box, and do whatever with me. That’s been my biggest thing. I weighed in a little bit lighter here and at the combine, so maybe I can get a tick off my time, but that’s been the biggest thing.”

11. Will Mallory, Miami

Measureables: 6-4 1/2, 239 pounds, 9 3/8 hands. 4.54 40, 4.40 shuttle, 9.04 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Mallory caught 115 passes for 1,544 yards and 14 touchdowns during his career. He steadily became more productive, with five receptions in 2018, 16 in 2019, 22 in 2020, 30 in 2021 and 42 (for 438 yards and three touchdowns) in 2022. He earned second-team all-conference in 2022. Among tight ends in school history, he finished third in career receptions, second in career yards and tied for first in career touchdowns.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked seventh with 1.68 yards per route run and 11th with a drop rate of 4.5 percent. He was 5-of-13 in contested-catch opportunities and caught 3-of-5 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 17 percent of his catches and averaged 7.2 yards after the catch.

How he fits: Mallory is out of the Robert Tonyan mold as a catch-first tight end with surprising speed, the ability to stretch the field and good hands. He’ll need to improve his blocking, however – something he knows.

“You don’t ever want to be labeled as just a pass-catching tight end,” he told The Sun Sentinel before the Scouting Combine. “You want to be able to do it all. Something that I’ve wanted to improve is in the run game, and obviously being a threat in the pass game. I’m not there yet, but I want to keep improving and show teams that I can contribute to the run and pass game.”

Personal touch: Mallory’s father, Mike Mallory, is a longtime college and NFL coach. He played his college ball at Michigan and recently returned to his alma mater to help with special teams. His grandfather, Bill Mallory, was a longtime college coach, including a successful run at Indiana.

“I got a different experience than probably his players did,” Will told The Herald Bulletin in 2020. “He was obviously one of the most kind, caring people that I’ve ever known, but I guess I was fortunate I didn’t get some of that tough coaching that he gave his players.

“Growing up in a football family was great. We miss him dearly, but for sure the impact that he’s left on other people’s lives and certainly on mine I’ll keep for the rest of my life.”

Among Mike Mallory’s stops was with the New Orleans Saints. That’s when Jeremy Shockey and Jimmy Graham were in the tight end room. “Just kind of seeing them and then other Miami players, too -- Jonathan Vilma was on the team -- I had a chance at an early age to see these guys and what kind of players they were,” Will said.

12. Davis Allen, Clemson

Measureables: 6-5 7/8, 245 pounds, 10 hands. 4.84 40, 4.45 shuttle, 8.56 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Allen caught 88 passes for 951 yards and 12 touchdowns for his career, with most of the production and all of the touchdowns came during his final three years. As a senior team captain, he caught 39 passes for 443 yards (11.4 average) and five touchdowns to earn third-team all-ACC.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked 10th with 1.57 yards per route run and third with a drop rate of 2.5 percent. He was an incredible 11-of-12 in contested-catch opportunities – his 91.7 percent success rate making him the only tight end at better than 70 percent – and caught 4-of-8 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 10 percent of his catches and averaged 5.0 yards after the catch. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 0.3, fourth-best.

How he fits: It might be a tie between Utah’s Dalton Kincaid and Allen for best hands in the draft. Allen’s are like magnets. With height and big hands, he’s like a giant magnet. He needs to get stronger in the run game but he’s got some legit three-down potential. You just wish he was a bit more explosive; he’s going to have a hard time generating separation against NFL defenders.

“I'm someone who can do a little bit of both,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “I pride myself in being able to put my hand the ground and block and be able to go up and make a play in the in the passing game for sure. I pride myself in trying to master the little details of the position.”

Personal touch: Allen’s father played linebacker at Georgia and a younger brother played at Air Force.

“I looked up to both of them,” he said at the Combine. “My brother used to watch my dad's game film all the time. When it was his turn to play high school and get recruited, I watched him every day. I was at every practice, every game I was waterboy, and so I was probably his biggest critic, probably a little too mean. But I definitely looked up to both of them.”

He was a star linebacker in high school but chose to play tight end.

“You’ve got to be physical. That’s one of the things that coach … preaches is, ‘You got to be smart, but you got to be physical, too.’” Allen said in 2019. “My dad played linebacker in college and my brother played on the defensive side in college, so all I was taught growing up was you got to be physical. I love that part about linebacker so getting the opportunity to display some physicalness. I’m all about that.”

The 40-yard dash is a big deal … usually. Not to Allen, who ran a slow 40 at the Combine but chose not to run it again at pro day.

“I think the game tape speaks for itself,” he said at pro day. “I think it’s great to come out here and run a great 40 and all that, but can you play ball? I hope my game film shows that.”

13. Payne Durham, Purdue

Measureables: 6-6 5/8, 253 pounds, 9 3/4 hands. 4.87 40, 4.51 shuttle, 6.52 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Durham had a breakout junior season with 45 receptions for 467 yards and six touchdowns, then beat it with 56 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns to earn second-team all-conference in 2022. That gave him four-year totals of 126 receptions, 1,275 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked 21st with 1.33 yards per route run and eighth with a drop rate of 3.4 percent. He was 8-for-14 in contested-catch opportunities and was not targeted on a pass thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 16 percent of his catches and averaged 4.7 yards after the catch.

How he fits: Durham is an enormous target with excellent hands in the passing game and a decent blocker in the running game. He’s not a downfield threat and he’s not much of a YAC threat, either, but his size means he’ll frequently be open for an accurate quarterback.

“Just continue to become a better blocker,” Durham said at the Scouting Combine. “At Purdue, that was my way on the field early, and if it’s that way at the next level, then it suits me well. Just being a better blocker, and then short-space separation. Being a safety valve for the quarterback in the red zone and on third down.”

Personal touch: Durham’s path to the draft started in the most incredible fashion.

When Reggie Stancil took over as the football coach at Peachtree High School in Suwanee, Ga., he tried to recruit Durham from the school’s lacrosse team, where Durham excelled. He had scored a school-record 68 goals and had scholarship offers.

“Coach Stancil came up to me and said, ‘You’re Payne Durham, I’ve heard about you and watched you play lacrosse a little bit. I want you to play football,’” Durham told GwinnettPrepSports.com. “I said, ‘I don’t know. I’ve never played in high school.’ I had a Peachtree Ridge lacrosse shirt on. He pointed at it and said that won’t get you into college for free. But this one will. And he pointed at his Peachtree Ridge football shirt.”

It all boiled down to one 3-point shot.

“I got introduced as head coach at the pep rally and saw him in the dunk contest,” Stancil said. “After it was over, I said, ‘If I hit this 3, play football. If I miss it, I’ll never talk to you about football again.’ I nailed (the shot).”

So, Durham played football. And the scholarship offers started flowing.

14. Joel Wilson, Central Michigan

Measureables: 6-3 5/8, 242 pounds, 10 1/4 hands. DNP 40, 4.24 shuttle, 4.33 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Wilson caught 75 passes and scored 12 touchdowns during his final two seasons, including 44 grabs for 445 yards and six touchdowns in nine games in 2022. He was third-team all-conference despite missing the final few games with an injured ankle.

“It’s a blessing to come out here after having the injury that I did. To come out here and feel great moving around and everything,” Wilson said at pro day. “The one thing that I didn’t do was the 40 [yard dash]. But aside from that everything felt really good. No pain and I’m starting to feel like myself again.”

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked 14th with 1.43 yards per route run first with a drop rate of 0 percent. He was 6-of-11 in contested-catch opportunities and caught 0-of-2 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 20 percent of his catches and averaged 3.8 yards after the catch. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 1.4.

How he fits: Wilson’s a bit undersized but he’s got the athleticism to get open and the giant hands to catch anything in the vicinity. He’ll need to toughen up as a blocker. A year of NFL strength training could help.

Personal touch: At Petosky (Mich.) High School, Wilson was a three-sport star. In football, he ranks second in school history in passing yards and passing touchdowns. CMU gave him a Division I offer as a tight end, and he pounced.

“He played out of position in high school,” then-CMU coach John Bonamego told CM Life. “We had him in one of our one-day camps and towards the end of the day we had him run some (tight end) routes in one-on-one.

“It was probably the best investment the kid and family ever made was $50 to send him to the camp because it sold us on him.”

15. Brayden Willis, Oklahoma

Measureables: 6-3 1/2, 241 pounds, 9 3/4 hands. DNP 40, 4.36 shuttle, 4.65 RAS.

Stats and accolades: After catching 36 passes and scoring six touchdowns in his first four seasons, Willis caught 39 passes for 514 yards (13.2 average) and seven touchdowns in 2022 to earn second-team all-Big 12.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked 18th with 1.37 yards per route run and 19th with a drop rate of 7.1 percent. He was 3-for-8 in contested-catch opportunities and was not targeted on a pass thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 36 percent of his catches, tops in the class, and averaged 7.2 yards after the catch. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 0.7.

How he fits: Willis is a finisher. He finishes as a blocker and he finishes with the ball in his hands, as evidenced by the YAC numbers. He’ll impact games as a traditional tight end, slot receiver and fullback, and his mentality should be a plus on special teams, where he logged almost 400 snaps the last two years.

“I had a coach in high school that was a huge advocate for blocking,” Willis told The Draft Network recently. “His mentality for blocking was spread throughout the entire team. I’ve adopted that mentality ever since. I became a great blocker at a very young age. That’s what we took pride in. … That mentality followed me to Oklahoma. I took pride in doing everything I did at Oklahoma. Whether that was catching touchdowns or executing a block that sprung a big run, I loved every part of it. You only have so many opportunities.

Personal touch: While on a recruiting trip, a coach from a nearby high school told then-Sooners coach Lincoln Riley about Willis.

“That’s one of those kind of stories you look back on like, ‘Man, I’m glad we found that guy,’” Riley told The Oklahoman.

It was a tough year for the Sooners but Willis was the “alpha” of the team and embodied all that’s good with the longtime powerhouse.

“I’m not gonna see the fruits of my labor right now,” he told OU Daily. “I’m not gonna see it this season. But in a couple of years, BV [coach Brent Venables] is gonna win that big thing, gonna win that title, and I’m gonna look back and be like ‘I did that. I had a hand in that. I started that. It was my start of that era that allowed that to happen.’”

Football has been Willis’ passion for years. As his sister, Reddic, a soccer player at Texas State, told The Tulsa World: “I have this picture. He was probably three at the time and he got to play flag football at the old Cowboys stadium. His face is just lit up.”

16. Cameron Latu, Alabama

Measureables: 6-4 3/8, 242 pounds, 9 1/2 hands. 4.78 40, 4.32 shuttle, 6.24 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Latu opened his career at linebacker before switching sides of the ball. He caught 26 passes for 410 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021 and 30 passes for 377 yards and four touchdowns in 2022.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked 26th with 1.03 yards per route run and 22nd with a drop rate of 9.1 percent. He was 2-for-5 in contested-catch opportunities and caught 2-of-5 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 7 percent of his catches and averaged 4.2 yards after the catch. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 1.8.

How he fits: With a limited background at tight end, there’s some upside to be tapped by a quality position coach. He catches the ball well and blocks well but not at nearly a high enough level to be considered among even the mid-range tight ends.

“(Scouts) just like the energy I bring,” Latu told Bama Online. “They like how I can finish, how I can do everything, like from standing out wide as a receiver. I can be attached, I can be off the ball. I can play anywhere on the field. And also probably the ability to do it all, for real. That’s how I feel. I feel like I can do it all. I’m a great addition to any team because I can do that. I’m very versatile.”

Personal touch: With 29 tackles for losses as a junior at Olympus High School in Holladay, Utah, Latu emerged as one of the nation’s top recruits among defensive ends. He redshirted at Alabama in 2018 before making the transition to tight end before the 2019 season.

“I would say my hands as far as catching because I had to really get on the JUGS every single day and catch balls after practice,” Latu told Bama Online. “But I would say my mentality towards the game, I used to really be a guy that used to not handle adversity well. I’d drop a pass, I would get mad. My self-esteem would go down. But I really grew in that area. It doesn’t matter. You’re still the same player just because you dropped a pass. Next-play mentality, all that stuff.”

He spent his early years in Minnesota, where he played rugby. In high school, he qualified for state in wrestling.

“I watch a lot of film,” he said at the Senior Bowl. “Not only the opposing team for the next game, but I watch film on NFL guys like George Kittle. I think he has balanced play and like how he blocks in. He is a good pass catcher and can dominate a game by himself. He has a great personality and you can tell he likes playing the game. By the way, all tight ends have great personalities.”

17. Noah Gindorff, North Dakota State

Measureables: 6-foot-6, 266 pounds, 10 hands. No workout (ankle).

Stats and accolades: In 53 games over five seasons, Gindorff caught 44 passes for 522 yards and 12 touchdowns. He earned some FCS All-American honors in 2021, when he caught 17 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns. As a sixth-year senior in 2022, he played in only three games and caught six passes for 74 yards and one touchdown before he had a second surgery to repair to repair a broken ankle originally sustained in 2021.

Analytical stats: None available for the FCS prospect.

How he fits: The Bison love to run the football, and that means tight ends have to block. When healthy – and that health is going to be the key – he ranks among the best run blockers in the entire class. If you had to replace Marcedes Lewis and you felt good about his ankle, he’d be worth a shot.

“I could have gone someplace else and maybe got those 10 targets a game,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “But playing in the offense I played in helped me round out completely as a player and gives me an opportunity to develop all assets of my game.”

Personal touch: The injury not only ruined his final season but a shot to compete with the big boys at the Senior Bowl.

"We had a day this fall when (Senior Bowl Executive Director) Jim Nagy came to Fargo to hand out Senior Bowl invites,” he told InForum recently. “He messaged me and said, ‘You had one with your name on it if you didn't go down.’ It almost makes you feel better, but it doesn't. It’s just another thing you're missing out on, something you've dreamed about and had it taken away.”

Gindorff missed most of his final season, the Senior Bowl, the Scouting Combine and NDSU’s pro day. He had a personal pro day last week, which the Packers attended.

18. Ben Sims, Baylor

Measureables: 6-4 5/8, 250 pounds, 9 1/2 hands. 4.58 40, 4.41 shuttle, 8.38 RAS.

Stats and accolades: Sims was an honorable mention on the all-Big 12 team in 2021 and 2022, when he had matching 31-catch campaigns. His 12 career touchdown receptions are the most ever by a Baylor tight end, which led to his predraft visit.

Analytical stats: Of 34 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked 31st with 0.83 yards per route run and 19th with a drop rate of 6.1 percent. He was 0-for-3 in contested-catch opportunities and caught 1-of-5 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield (but 5-of-8 in 2021). He forced a missed tackle on 16 percent of his catches and averaged 3.5 yards after the catch.

How he fits: Sims can block and catch but he doesn’t do either well enough to merit much more than a late-round pick. His size and athleticism are appealing, though.

Said Baylor coach Dave Aranda: “You would want someone that can be attached to the core, attached to the five O-linemen, and have combo blocks with them, can pass protect versus a defensive end if need be, and can also flex out and be fleet enough afoot as a receiver to run through or run by a re-route, make a play in space, make somebody miss if need be. That’s a guy that can do all of it.”

Personal touch: Sims is a big fan of 49ers star George Kittle. As he said at Big 12 Media Days: “Most recently, it’s been George Kittle. I like to watch a lot of film on the San Francisco 49ers because what they do is very similar to how we run our wide zone scheme. But Kittle, you can see when he blocks he has an intent to him. He doesn’t just get in the way. He wants to dominate you and he wants to put you on your back and he wants to be the guy that’s making that wide-zone play work. And his energy on the field is unmatched, how he plays, the way he treats his teammates. He’s a great teammate and a great player and a great person.”