2021 class · 11 prospects

Tight end TE

Athletic profile + receiving share + age. Volatile because role usage swings the projection.

Likeliest career, by the outcome model.

How many tight ends land in each career bucket as the model's single most likely finish. This is a different question from the board grades below — a prospect can be a Day 3 grade and still have “starter” as his likeliest outcome. The tails (elite, bust) are where the model separates; the middle two buckets sit close to a coin flip.

Elite
1
Pro-Bowl-caliber career
Starter
3
Multi-year NFL starter
Role
6
Rotational / depth
Bust
1
Likeliest outcome is a bust
Likeliest career across the TE class
Elite
1
Starter
3
Role
6
Bust
1

The board.

All 11 tight ends with a draftable grade on Draftanomics's 2021 board, tier by tier.

Blue Chip0 players

No blue-chip tight end this cycle — Kyle Pitts is the class's best, and he carries the next grade down.

1st Round1 player

Only Kyle Pitts carries a first-round grade at tight end — the Florida product projects No. 15 overall. The drop behind Pitts is the story — Pat Freiermuth does not come off the board for another 31 picks. The room is higher on Kyle Pitts than we are: consensus No. 2 to our No. 15.

15
Kyle Pitts
Florida· 6'5" · 245 lb· consensus #2
A first-round grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 2.
1st Round
bust risk 1%
Day 23 players

Pat Freiermuth out of Penn St. fronts a three-man Day 2 tier at No. 46 overall, with Tremble and Long filling it out. After Long the board breathes — Brevin Jordan projects 19 picks later. Inside the tier, the model's fight is Tommy Tremble: it says No. 80, the room says No. 135.

46
Pat Freiermuth
Penn St.· 6'5" · 251 lb· consensus #46
A Day 2 grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 46.
Day 2
bust risk 7%
80
Tommy Tremble
Notre Dame· 6'3" · 241 lb· consensus #135
A Day 2 grade the room hasn't caught up to — consensus No. 135.
Day 2
bust risk 12%
102
Hunter Long
Boston Col.· consensus #155
A Day 2 grade the room hasn't caught up to — consensus No. 155.
Day 2
bust risk 21%
Day 37 players

Brevin Jordan leads a 7-deep Day 3 group — the meat of the TE board — starting at a projected No. 121 overall. One caution flag: the bust model — a group it reads well at tight end — puts Zach Davidson at 53 percent.

121
Brevin Jordan
Miami (FL)· 6'2" · 247 lb· consensus #118
A Day 3 grade with the room in agreement — consensus No. 118.
Day 3
bust risk 31%
123
Zach Davidson
Central Missouri St.· 6'6" · 245 lb
A Day 3 grade, No. 123 on our board.
Day 3
bust risk 53%
231
John Bates
Boise St.· 6'5" · 250 lb
A Day 3 grade, No. 231 on our board.
Day 3
bust risk 23%
240
Noah Gray
Duke· 6'3" · 240 lb
A Day 3 grade, No. 240 on our board.
Day 3
bust risk 19%
241
Tre' McKitty
Georgia· 6'4" · 247 lb
A Day 3 grade, No. 241 on our board.
Day 3
bust risk 15%
242
Kylen Granson
SMU
A Day 3 grade, No. 242 on our board.
Day 3
bust risk 19%