NFL Draft Preview: At Tight End, Packers Need Blocker Now, More Later

The Green Bay Packers don’t have a single tight end under contract for the 2027 season.

Presumably, the Packers and Tucker Kraft will agree to a contract extension, but Luke Musgrave and Josh Whyle will be free agents after the upcoming season. Musgrave is coming off a second consecutive disappointing season and big-bodied blocker John FitzPatrick suffered a torn Achilles late last season and was not re-signed.

Here’s our preview of a strong class of tight ends. Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq will be long gone by the time Green Bay is on the clock at No. 52 – his over/under for draft position is 19.5, according to FanDuel Sportsbook – but perhaps a dozen players could go off the board by the end of the fourth round.

Our rankings lean toward the blockers, which the Packers might be looking for to replace FitzPatrick.

Sam Roush, Stanford

Height and weight: 6-foot-6, 267 pounds. 40: 4.70. Hands: 10. RAS: 9.94.

Roush is the latest tight end out of the Stanford factory. For teams looking for an old-school, Y tight end, Roush is the man. He’s an adept receiver with 117 catches the last three seasons, including 49 grabs for 545 yards (11.1 average) and two touchdowns in 2025. He ranked 14th out of 55 with 6.5 YAC per catch. However, his drop rate of 12.5 percent ranked 52nd.

His short arms impact his ability as a blocker; his rugby background makes up for it. He played 297 in-line snaps and 132 in the slot. Almost two-thirds of his routes originated from the line. He played a lot on the punt team before this past season.

Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers | Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Height and weight: 6-foot-3 3/4, 239 pounds. 40: 4.51. Hands: 10. RAS: 9.42.

Stowers is the definition of the “overgrown” receiver slotted into the tight end position. In two seasons at Texas A&M, one season at New Mexico State and two seasons at Vanderbilt, he started only 14 games. But he had big-time production with 62 receptions for 769 yards and four touchdowns in 2025.

He dropped four passes after flubbing only one (with 49 catches) in 2024. Of 55 FBS-level tight ends who were targeted at least 28 times, his drop rate of 6.1 percent ranked 29th. He tied for 19th with 6.1 yards after the catch per catch.

Stowers played 83 snaps as an in-line tight end last season. That’s not his gig. At his size, he’s a get-in-the-way blocker, at best. Really, he’s a matchup threat as a slot receiver. That’s where about two-thirds of his routes started.

Oscar Delp, Georgia

Height and weight: 6-foot-4 7/8, 245 pounds. 40: 4.49. Hands: 9 1/2. RAS: 9.83.

Delp is the roll-of-the-dice player at the position because of that 40 time. He caught between 20 and 24 passes during each of his final three seasons, capped by 20 catches for 261 yards (13.1 average) and one touchdown in 2025. He was used in protection on about one-third of his pass-game snaps.

Delp ranked 22nd with a drop rate of 4.8 percent (one drop) and was fifth with 7.8 YAC per catch.

Delp played 238 in-line snaps vs. 77 in the slot. He’s a decent blocker and has the mentality to improve as he gets stronger. Among the draft-worthy tight ends, he ran the highest percentage of his routes as an in-line tight end.

Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M

Height and weight: 6-foot-5 1/2, 245 pounds. 40: 4.78. Hands: 10 1/2. RAS: 8.90.

After five seasons at Nebraska, Boerkircher transferred to Texas A&M for his final season. His 19 catches matched his five-year total with the Cornhuskers. He had 198 yards (10.4 average) and three touchdowns.

Had he gotten enough targets to qualify for our rankings, he would have tied for 24th out of 55 with a drop rate of 5.0 percent (one drop) and 45th with 4.0 YAC per catch. Of his routes, 69.0 percent came in-line.

He’s a solid blocker with receiver upside. Even with an expanded role on offense, he played 134 snaps on special teams in 2025.

Eli Raridon, Notre Dame

Height and weight: 6-foot-6 1/8, 245 pounds. 40: 4.62. Hands: 10 3/4. RAS: 9.46.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Eli Raridon catches a pass during pregame warmups. | Edward Finan-Imagn Images

After his first two seasons were sidetracked by a knee injury, Raridon caught 11 passes in 2024 and had a breakout final season with 32 catches for 482 yards (15.1 average) but zero touchdowns. He was an incredible 8-for-8 on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield, ranking first in the draft class in catches and catch percentage.

Raridon ranked 41st out of 55 with a drop rate of 8.6 percent (three drops) and 25th with 5.8 YAC per catch. He ran roughly the same percentage of his routes from in-line as the slot.

Leverage is an issue as a blocker, especially when paired with his lack of heft, but he’s got a chance to be a reliable contributor with some time in an NFL training room.

Max Klare, Ohio State

Height and weight: 6-foot-4 5/8, 246 pounds. 40: 245. Hands: 9 1/8. RAS: None.

Klare spent his first three seasons at Purdue, where he caught 51 passes for 685 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. He ended his career at Ohio State with 43 catches for 448 yards and two scores to earn first-team all-conference honors. Klare dropped two passes, ranking 19th out of 55 with a drop rate of 4.4 percent and 31st with 5.2 YAC per catch.

He’s a decent blocker and probably will not get much better. His in-line snap count was about even with his slot snaps.

Justin Joly, N.C. State

Height and weight: 6-foot-3 1/2, 241 pounds. 40: DNP. Hands: 10 5/8. RAS: None.

Joly caught 166 passes in four seasons (two at Connecticut, two at North Carolina State). He caught 49 passes for 489 yards (10.0 average) and seven touchdowns as a senior.

Joly went from six drops in 2023 to only one in 2025. His drop rate of 2.0 percent ranked 11th out of 55 but was only 59th with 3.6 YAC per catch.

His in-line snap count was about even with his slot snaps. He lacks the size to be an impact on-the-line blocker and he was not much of a presence on special teams.

Will Kacmarek, Ohio State

Height and weight: 6-foot-5 1/2, 261 pounds. 40: 4.74. Hands: 9 3/4. RAS: 7.92.

After three seasons at Ohio, Kacmarek transferred to Ohio State for his final two campaigns. In 2025, he started 11 of 14 games and caught 15 passes for 168 yards (11.2 average) and two touchdowns.

Had he gotten enough targets, he would have tied for first with zero drops and finished with 5.6 YAC per catch. Most of his routes – 77.3 percent – came as an in-line tight end.

For teams looking for a blocker – the Packers, anyone? – Kacmarek could be the player. His snaps included 160 in-line and 21 in the slot. There’s more upside as a receiver but he’ll happily make his money doing the dirty work.

Josh Cuevas, Alabama

Height and weight: 6-foot-3 3/8, 245 pounds. 40: 4.65. Hands: 9 5/8. RAS: 7.23.

Cuevas spent his final two seasons at Alabama. In 2025, he caught 37 passes for 411 yards (11.1 average) and four touchdowns.

He tied for 36th out of 55 with a drop rate of 7.5 percent (three drops) and was 13th with 6.6 YAC per catch. Most of his routes (54.4 percent) started in-line.

He lacks the length (30 5/8-inch arms) to be a reliable in-line tight end but could contribute in a “move” role. He played 153 snaps on special teams in 2024 and a staggering 286 in 2023.

Jack Endries, Texas

Height and weight: 6-foot-4 5/8, 245 pounds. 40: 4.62. Hands: 9 5/8. RAS: 8.87.

At Cal, Endries caught 35 passes for 407 yards in 2023 and 56 passes for 623 yards and 2024. At Texas for his final season, he caught 33 passes for 346 yards (10.5 average) and three touchdowns.

Endries had zero drops; out of the 55 FBS-level tight ends who were targeted at least 28 times, he had the fourth-most catches without a drop. He tied for 38th with 4.9 YAC per catch. Almost two-third of his routes came in-line.

There’s a role for him as a pass-catching threat, but he’s probably never going to be a reliable on-the-line blocker.

Dallen Bentley, Utah

Height and weight: 6-foot-4 1/8, 253 pounds. 40: 4.59. Hands: 9 7/8. RAS: 9.26.

Bentley caught three passes in his first two seasons at Utah, then exploded for 48 catches for 620 yards (12.9 average) and six touchdowns in 2025.

Bentley’s hands went from 9 1/4 inches at the Combine (too small) to 9 7/8 at pro day. Whatever the size, he didn’t drop a pass in 2025. No tight end in the draft class had more catches without a drop. He tied for 28th with 5.4 YAC per catch. He tied for third with 10 forced missed tackles. Most of his routes (55.5 percent) came in-line.

He’s got the power to become a quality blocker with proper coaching. He doesn’t have much experience on special teams.

Carsen Ryan, BYU

Height and weight: 6-foot-3 3/8, 255 pounds. 40: 4.71. Hands: 10. RAS: 9.28.

After catching a total of 29 passes for UCLA (2022 and 2023) and Utah (2024), Ryan caught 45 passes for 620 yards (13.8 average) and three touchdowns as a senior.

Ryan ranked 18th with a drop rate of 4.3 percent (two drops) and was seventh with 7.5 YAC per catch. Most of his routes (55.9 percent) started in-line. He was just 2-of-9 in contested-catch situations but was second in the draft class with 11 forced missed tackles.

He might not have the athletic ability to catch 45 passes in the NFL, but his blocking ability could mean a strong NFL career. He played almost 300 snaps on special teams from 2022 through 2024.

Tanner Koziol, Houston

Houston Cougars tight end Tanner Koziol runs after the catch against Arizona State. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Height and weight: 6-foot-6 1/2, 247 pounds. 40: 4.70. Hands: 9 3/4. RAS: 9.58.

Koziol is a high-production tight end. In four seasons on the field (2022 through 2024 at Ball State and 2025 at Houston), he caught 237 passes for 2,234 yards (9.4 average) and 24 touchdowns. He caught 94 passes during his final season at Ball State and 74 passes for 727 yards (9.8 average) and six touchdowns for Houston.

Koziol ranked 13th with a drop rate of 2.6 percent (two) but was a woeful 45th with 3.9 YAC per catch. Only 37.0 percent of his routes started in-line.

While he’s not fast, he’s tall and explosive (36 1/2 vertical) and has big hands. Combined, he is a menace in contested-catch situations. He had 20 contested catches; no other player in the class had even 10. The question is whether he’ll be able to get open against more athletic NFL defensive backs or if he’ll be able to move NFL defenders as a blocker.

DJ Rogers, TCU

Height and weight: 6-foot-3 7/8, 245 pounds. 40: 4.65. Hands: 9 1/2. RAS: 7.40.

Rogers caught 19 passes during his first four seasons but 34 passes for 319 yards (9.4 average) and two touchdowns as a fifth-year senior. He is a checkdown sort of receiver and a get-in-the-way blocker.

Rogers ranked 27th with a drop rate of 5.6 percent (two drops) and tied for 36th with 5.0 YAC per catch. He tied for third with 10 forced missed tackles. Of his routes, 56.4 percent started in-line. On special teams, he played 311 snaps in 2023 and 2024.

Joe Royer, Cincinnati

Height and weight: 6-foot-5 1/8, 247 pounds. 40: DNP. Hands: 10 3/4. RAS: None.

Due in part to injuries, Royer was a nonfactor in four seasons at Ohio State. He transferred to Cincinnati and found his niche with 50 catches for 522 yards and three touchdowns in 2024 and 29 passes for 416 yards (14.3 average) and four touchdowns in 2025.

Royer is a big physical player with huge hands, which shows up as a receiver (zero drops in 2025) and blocker. He’s a powerhouse after the catch, ranking third with 8.9 YAC per catch, but not as much as a blocker. Almost 50 percent of his routes came from the slot.

Bauer Sharp, LSU

Height and weight: 6-foot-4 5/8, 249 pounds. 40: 4.63. Hands: 9 7/8. RAS: 9.16.

Sharp caught 29 passes at Southeastern Louisiana in 2023, 42 passes at Oklahoma in 2024 and 23 passes for 252 yards (10.5 average) and two touchdowns at LSU in 2025.

Sharp ranked 39th out of 55 with a drop rate of 7.7 percent (two drops) and 23rd with 6.0 YAC per catch. Of his routes, 57.2 percent started in-line.

A former quarterback, Sharp will be a work in progress as a blocker. He played 316 snaps on special teams the last two seasons could give him a chance to work on his game on offense.

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