2026 Draft: Tight Ends

[manxman2601]

Cade Otton if the Bucs let him loose.

I can't speak to free agents. I don't study them enough. That's something I'll just wait for come early March and rethink the draft following that.

 

[PatsFan2]

I can't speak to free agents. I don't study them enough. That's something I'll just wait for come early March and rethink the draft following that.

Cole Kmet Career Stats - NFL - ESPN

Complete career NFL stats for Chicago Bears Tight End Cole Kmet on ESPN. Includes scoring, rushing, defensive and receiving stats.

www.espn.com

I always liked him too still young and they have Loveland now. The Bears are rich in a lot of areas we are poor at.

 

[dliverey44]

Cole Kmet Career Stats - NFL - ESPN

Complete career NFL stats for Chicago Bears Tight End Cole Kmet on ESPN. Includes scoring, rushing, defensive and receiving stats.

www.espn.com

I always liked him too still young and they have Loveland now. The Bears are rich in a lot of areas we are poor at.

Huge fan of Kmet, he is a good blocker and has really good hands. He is also a pretty good route runner. I am super intrigued by Delp, he was a good locker in college in both the run and pass game. Dude is super athletic

I am also very interested to see if CJ Dippre has progressed, he is pretty athletic and a strong blocker (at least in college).

I wonder if this is one of the areas that Vrabel was targeting when he said younger and cheaper

 

[Huckleberry1]

Oh really!

Tyler Warren (high 1st round pick) - 76 receptions
Harold Fannin Jr (on team with no WRs) - 72 receptions
Colston Loveland (high first round pick) - 70 receptions
Hunter Henry - 69 receptions

If you can find me a draft TE that can come in and guarantee that level of production year one in a Josh McDaniels offense then I'd be fine cutting Henry but I doubt you can. The more sensible move would be to find someone who can play the Austin Hooper role year one that can graduate to the Henry role year two. Like Delp. I just don't think it's wise to take away one of Maye's favourite receivers right now.

You'll have to excuse Patsfan2, he doesn't know what he's talking about, which puts him at a huge disadvantage when he's talking to people who know what they are talking about. .

 

[manxman2601]

I am fascinated by Rohan Jones' 26.7 yards per reception so I decided to research it's historical context. I decided to look to see whether any TE can match it. PFF's records go back as far as 2014 and only one, a TE from Air Force, beat it since then. No-one else came close.

I then included WRs going back to 2020. Again, only one, a WR from North Texas, beat it. Don't forget, Jones plays in the SEC.

I then chose to look at two high profile, low volume deep threat WRs to see how they compared.

Rohan Jones - 20 catches - 26.7 y/rec
2025 Nyck Harbor - 30 catches - 20.6 y/rec
2024 Dont'e Thornton - 26 catches - 25.5 y/rec

Look, I acknowledge that 20 catches aren't a lot when projecting to the NFL, and I realise I'm an outlier in liking Jones, not just here but generally across draft punditry and that I'm probably wrong in thinking he'll be an interesting NFL player. however, that 26.7 y/rec stat is such a unique stat, it seems worthy of a late round/UDFA swing to me.

I am very intrigued, and if he runs in the 4.5s or better at his pro day, I'll be all in.

 

[Clonamery]

I am fascinated by Rohan Jones' 26.7 yards per reception so I decided to research it's historical context. I decided to look to see whether any TE can match it. PFF's records go back as far as 2014 and only one, a TE from Air Force, beat it since then. No-one else came close.

I then included WRs going back to 2020. Again, only one, a WR from North Texas, beat it. Don't forget, Jones plays in the SEC.

I then chose to look at two high profile, low volume deep threat WRs to see how they compared.

Rohan Jones - 20 catches - 26.7 y/rec
2025 Nyck Harbor - 30 catches - 20.6 y/rec
2024 Dont'e Thornton - 26 catches - 25.5 y/rec

Look, I acknowledge that 20 catches aren't a lot when projecting to the NFL, and I realise I'm an outlier in liking Jones, not just here but generally across draft punditry and that I'm probably wrong in thinking he'll be an interesting NFL player. however, that 26.7 y/rec stat is such a unique stat, it seems worthy of a late round/UDFA swing to me.

I am very intrigued, and if he runs in the 4.5s or better at his pro day, I'll be all in.

Hopefully, they will draft/sign 2-3 TEs that are completely different.

 

[stelfans]

I am fascinated by Rohan Jones' 26.7 yards per reception so I decided to research it's historical context. I decided to look to see whether any TE can match it. PFF's records go back as far as 2014 and only one, a TE from Air Force, beat it since then. No-one else came close.

I then included WRs going back to 2020. Again, only one, a WR from North Texas, beat it. Don't forget, Jones plays in the SEC.

I then chose to look at two high profile, low volume deep threat WRs to see how they compared.

Rohan Jones - 20 catches - 26.7 y/rec
2025 Nyck Harbor - 30 catches - 20.6 y/rec
2024 Dont'e Thornton - 26 catches - 25.5 y/rec

Look, I acknowledge that 20 catches aren't a lot when projecting to the NFL, and I realise I'm an outlier in liking Jones, not just here but generally across draft punditry and that I'm probably wrong in thinking he'll be an interesting NFL player. however, that 26.7 y/rec stat is such a unique stat, it seems worthy of a late round/UDFA swing to me.

I am very intrigued, and if he runs in the 4.5s or better at his pro day, I'll be all in.

I like it but he isnt really a TE is he? At that size he's basically Hollins. But hey if he becomes that i think we would be perfectly fine with it.

 

[manxman2601]

I like it but he isnt really a TE is he? At that size he's basically Hollins. But hey if he becomes that i think we would be perfectly fine with it.

I don't disagree and I'd like him to be an inch taller but at 242lb listed, he's significantly bigger than Harold Fannin. He's probably a faster Jaheim Bell. Not someone you take early but someone worth a late round swing.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

Hopefully, they will draft/sign 2-3 TEs that are completely different.

I'm all in on this thinking.
I want 2 TEs in the draft/UDFA
One receiving threat and one all around guy.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I'm all in on this thinking.
I want 2 TEs in the draft/UDFA
One receiving threat and one all around guy.

If I thought there were TE's worth bringing in I'd support it, but I'm not seeing it. Guys like Likely and Cade Otten simply aren't as good as Henry is, and although they invited a record number of TE's to the Combine only 1-2 are worthy of anything more than a Day 3 pick.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

If I thought there were TE's worth bringing in I'd support it, but I'm not seeing it. Guys like Likely and Cade Otten simply aren't as good as Henry is, and although they invited a record number of TE's to the Combine only 1-2 are worthy of anything more than a Day 3 pick.

I think there are some very intriguing pass catching TEs. Whether you like Delp, Kozoil, Villari, Gyllenborg.....etc. I see potential there.

 

[manxman2601]

Carsen Ryan, BYU, 6-4, 250

I'm not blown away by his film particularly and he doesn't look super-athletic however, Ryan is...

Highest graded run blocker outside of the pure blocking TEs

Highest graded TE not named <cough>Rohan Jones<cough>

Outside of one game where he had two drops, zero drops in all the other games.

45 receptions, 620 yards, 3 TD.

I don't think he's exceptional in anything, but he's as solid an all-rounder as there is in the draft.

 

[Clonamery]

Carsen Ryan, BYU, 6-4, 250

I'm not blown away by his film particularly and he doesn't look super-athletic however, Ryan is...

Highest graded run blocker outside of the pure blocking TEs

Highest graded TE not named <cough>Rohan Jones<cough>

Outside of one game where he had two drops, zero drops in all the other games.

45 receptions, 620 yards, 3 TD.

I don't think he's exceptional in anything, but he's as solid an all-rounder as there is in the draft.

Plus.....moustache.

 

[scott99]

This is a very deep TE class, but outside of Sadiq, I’d be surprised if another TE goes round 1. I think the other GOOD TEs, there will be a run on them in rounds 2 & 3.

 

[manxman2601]

Plus.....moustache.

Then draft him! Carsen, Larison, J Rod.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

This is a very deep TE class, but outside of Sadiq, I’d be surprised if another TE goes round 1. I think the other GOOD TEs, there will be a run on them in rounds 2 & 3.

TEs are a hard evaluation.
Just look back at GBs 2023 draft.
They took Musgrave at 42 in the 2nd rd and then Kraft at 78 in the 3rd (their 2nd 3rd rd pick after Reed).
Kraft was projected to be an average starter with all around skills.
Musgrave was projected a good stater with better receiving skills than Kraft.
They've both missed NFL games, but Kraft has been the far superior player to date.
GB didn't pick Musgrave 36 picks before Kraft thinking Kraft would be the better player.
I have no doubt that there will be a couple of these TEs this year outside of Sadiq that end up really good pass catchers.

 

[mayoclinic]

I have no doubt there will be successful TEs out of this draft.

I have no idea which ones will succeed.

 

[mayoclinic]

I have never seen a position group which is more confusing to me.

 

[manxman2601]

How much are Brock Lampe and CJ Dippre factoring in to your thoughts? Lampe as replacement for Westover, Dippre as TE 2?

I keep thinking we need a Hooper replacement that can graduate, after a year in the trenches, to a Henry replacement. But maybe we already have the Hooper replacement in place.

 

[stelfans]

How much are Brock Lampe and CJ Dippre factoring in to your thoughts? Lampe as replacement for Westover, Dippre as TE 2?

I keep thinking we need a Hooper replacement that can graduate, after a year in the trenches, to a Henry replacement. But maybe we already have the Hooper replacement in place.

Im not sure about Dippre. Was expecting to see someting from him this year.
But i want Lampe and Larison in the mix next year.