Saints 2023 Draft Prospect: Luke Musgrave
In 2021, nineteen NFL tight ends had better individual production than the New Orleans Saints combined trio of Adam Trautman, Juwan Johnson, and Nick Vannett. Converted wideout Johnson had a breakout season in 2022, catching 42 passes for 504 yards and a team-high 7 touchdowns. Trautman, a 2020 third-round choice, is the best blocker among the group but a short yardage receiver at best.
Newly signed Saints QB Derek Carr liked to target his tight ends over his first nine years with the Raiders. Johnson could have a big year with Carr, but the Saints also brought in free agent TE Foster Moreau for a visit. This could indicate that the team is interested in adding a more traditional tight end.
The 2023 draft class looks deep at tight end. Utah's Dalton Kincaid and Michael Mayer of Notre Dame could be first round picks, but as many as four others could be off the board before the end of Day 2. Here's a look at one of those prospects.
TE - Luke Musgrave
Oregon State
6'6" 253-Lbs. (Sr.)
Sep 4, 2021; Oregon State Beavers tight end Luke Musgrave (88) catches a pass over Purdue linebacker Jalen Graham (6). Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
Nephew of former NFL QB and current coach Bill Musgrave, Luke was a lightly used reserve in his first two collegiate seasons. After a combined 14 catches for 160 yards in 2019 and 2020, he'd pull in 22 passes for 304 yards in 2021. He'd come into 2022 as one of the position's top prospects and had 11 receptions for 169 yards in the first two games, but missed the rest of the year with a knee injury.
A terrific athlete, Musgrave had a strong showing at February's NFL Scouting Combine. Among all participating tight ends, he ranked fourth in the 40 (4.61 seconds), first in the 10-yard split (1.54), fourth in the vertical jump (36 inches), and third in the high jump (10'5").
Musgrave's athleticism and ideal size make him one of this year’s top-rated players at his position. However, he's never shown that he can produce at a high level for an entire season. Limited experience (a career best of just 350 snaps in 2021) makes him a somewhat unknown as far as his potential ceiling.
A willing blocker, he'll also need to improve his strength at the point of attack to be an effective run blocker. As a receiver, he doesn't provide a big catch radius despite his frame. He'll also need to use his speed better on routes to get more separation at the NFL level.
Musgrave has solid technique and effort as a blocker, which gives him a big upside with improved strength. However, teams are most interested in him because of what he'll add to their passing game.
Part of his modest production was the fact that Oregon State doesn't use their tight ends as receivers often. Musgrave's fluid athleticism, outstanding short-area quickness, and impressive speed should create a threat to defenses over the middle and deep down the seam. He's also an outstanding runner after the catch, creating big plays after short receptions.
Musgrave disguises his patterns well and has the ability to run a full route tree. He has naturally soft hands and shows terrific concentration in traffic. His sharp route precision will be even more lethal once he maximizes his speed.
Sep 3, 2022; Oregon State Beavers tight end Luke Musgrave (88) makes a catch against Boise State Broncos safety JL Skinner (0). Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
While not extremely physical, Musgrave still uses his body well to shield defenders from a pass. His leaping ability gives him an added advantage on contested throws and he secures a reception immediately while absorbing contact.
Luke Musgrave doesn't bring high production into the 2023 NFL Draft. However, he does bring a much higher upside than many others at the position. His natural abilities as a receiver and fluid athleticism that makes him a mismatch for defenders could make him a reliable and highly productive target for an NFL quarterback for several seasons.
