Can you believe it? We’re just two weeks away from the 2022 NFL Draft. It seems like only yesterday that Steven McCash and I were sitting down in Mobile watching the Senior Bowl and gearing up for the whole draft process to start. Now, we’ve made it to ‘analysis paralysis’ season, when every prospect has been picked over so much that we’re losing sight of the overall player. Up next? We’ve got the final stretch of “sources reporting” season when we start hearing that certain teams are interested in certain players. Nonetheless, sort of by accident, I ended up watching a ton of the tight ends in this draft class. I expect the Tennessee Titans will be in the market for one come draft time, and I wanted to familiarize myself with the class.
It’s a good one. There may not be a Kyle Pitts in this year’s class, but it’s a deep crop of guys that should be in contention for a team’s TE1 spot right away. This year’s class is loaded with potential, and while I don’t think any of these guys will go in the first round, they should provide good value for a team that selects them in the middle-to-late rounds. So, since I inadvertently watched practically this entire class, I figured I’d rank ’em. That’s what we do as writers on the internet, right? We rank things – so, here is my list of the top 10 tight ends in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Top 10 Tight Ends in the 2022 NFL Draft
1. Trey McBride – Of all the tight ends in this year’s class, I think McBride is the most complete, and the most likely to boom. here’s nothing that McBride isn’t willing or capable of doing. I love his knack for getting open, running routes, his sure hands, and his willingness to get out there and throw a block. Critics say he’s not a “move tight end,” and that most of his production comes inline, but he has the traits to grow into a move tight end, if that’s even how a team wants to use him. Like I said, it’s ‘analysis paralysis’ season. This isn’t one to overthink – McBride’s the top dog.
2. Greg Dulcich – Dulcich has the size, range, and catch radius to be a prime target in an NFL passing game. He’s also a smooth, fluid route-runner. This guy’s game just screams “WEAPON!”
3. Jelani Woods – Woods may have the highest ceiling of anyone in this draft class – from looking at what he is now to what he could be if he continues to fill out, he could develop into a difference-maker. He’s athletic and hard to get down in the open field.
4. Jeremy Ruckert – Ruckert is a well-balanced all-around tight end. He’s tough as a blocker and explosive in finding and attacking the open field.
5. Isaiah Likely – Likely has the pure talent you look for in a receiving threat at tight end, and has the athleticism to manufacture big plays. But, he has some work to do in his blocking to round out his game.
6. Cole Turner – I’m higher on Turner than a lot of folks are, but he was a real surprise from the Senior Bowl, where he improved his stock by being a willing blocker and making explosive plays when called upon.
7. Cade Otton – I like Otton a lot as a polished, technically sound tight end that can do a lot of things well. I’d like to see a little more physicality out of his game.
8. Charlie Kolar – Kolar is a big dude that uses savvy more than explosiveness to create separation. He plays with a lot of “know how,” but isn’t very elusive in the open field after the catch.
9. Grant Calcaterra – Calcaterra is an impressive athlete with good ball skills and acceleration. He has some legitimate concussion concerns that keeps him out of the “elite” conversation in my book.
10. Jake Ferguson – Big bodied and sure handed, Ferguson may not be the most explosive athlete at the position, but he can be a security blanket for somebody.
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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