{"id":4702,"date":"2023-04-17T21:44:26","date_gmt":"2023-04-18T01:44:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/?p=4702"},"modified":"2023-04-24T07:58:01","modified_gmt":"2023-04-24T11:58:01","slug":"nfl-draft-2023-tight-end-class-strongest-in-a-decade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/nfl-draft-2023-tight-end-class-strongest-in-a-decade\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Draft 2023 – Tight End Class Strongest in a Decade"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tight End Class Strongest in a Decade\"\"<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Frank Coyle\/ Head Scout<\/strong>
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

This year’s tight end class is a bumper crop of prospects that will command many early selections especially over the first two days of the three day event. This position has played a bigger role in today’s passing game with prospects lining up at several positions. They possess size and speed to create major mismatches in coverage and become favorites in a club’s passing game.\u00a0 Many are one-dimensional receivers with minimal blocking skills. \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Draft Insiders’<\/em> 2023 NFL Draft Yearbook has over 200+ Scouting Reports Ready Now<\/h3>\n

Tight Ends<\/em><\/strong> – Grade: A\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Positional Overview<\/em><\/strong>: <\/strong>This year\u2019s group of tight ends ranks among the best in recent decades and features a few highly regarded players who will come off the board in the early rounds. Our #1 prospect is Michael Mayer with Dalton Kincaid ranked equally high. Mayer is a well-developed receiver with an early starting grade and an excellent addition to a passing game. Kincaid is highly developed receiver who could be a mid-1st round selection. He has the prototypical skill set for today\u2019s position. Both Darnell Washington and Luke Musgrave are emerging prospects with early starting grades. Musgrave is a developed playmaker with impact run after the catch ability. Washington is a physical specimen with all the talent to be a well-rounded complete player at the position. This class should see another 2-3 players selected in the top 100 selections. Both Sam LaPorta and Tucker Kraft are high quality prospects and carry NFL starting grades and figure on the mid-2nd day of the NFL Draft. LaPorta is a multi-purpose tight end\/H-back who fills key roles in an offense. Zach Kuntz had an outstanding NFL Combine and displayed all the physical skills to win a starting role with a high level of development as a blocker and receiver. He could be selected in the early middle rounds and possible surprise top 100 selection. Several middle round prospects like Luke Schoonmaker, Will Mallory, Davis Allen and Josh Whyle will be among the best value picks in this amazing class. As many as 18-20 players could be drafted with most in the middle to later rounds. This position plays a huge part in pro-offenses being used in a few hybrid roles.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0NFL Teams in need<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Cowboys \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 5. Commanders
\n2. Packers \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 6. Dolphins
\n3. Lions \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 7. Cardinals
\n4. Titans \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 8. Bengals<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 NFL Premier Player <\/em><\/h3>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Travis Kelce<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Blue Chip – Michael Mayer
\nBlue Chip – Dalton Kincaid
\nRed Chip – Darnell Washington
\nRising – Zack Kuntz
\nFalling – Cameron Latu
\nUnderrated – Sam LaPorta \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>
\nOverrated – Davis Allen
\nSleeper – Tucker Kraft
\nBoom\/Bust – Brenton Strange
\nHidden Starter – Will Mallory
\nLong Term Gem – Zack Kuntz \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>
\n\u00a0<\/em>
\nPositional Traits<\/em><\/strong>
\nBest Athlete – Zack Kuntz
\nBest Hands – Dalton Kincaid
\nFastest – Luke Musgrave
\nQuickest – Michael Mayer
\nInline Blocker – Darnell Washington
\nBlock on Move – Josh Whyle
\nRun after Catch – Luke Musgrave
\nCatch in the Crowd – Sam LaPorta
\nBall Instincts – Dalton Kincaid
\nMost Developed – Michael Mayer<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Top Tight End Prospects\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

1 Michael Mayer \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Notre Dame
\n2 Dalton Kincaid \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Utah
\n3 Darnell Washington \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Georgia
\n4 Luke Musgrave \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Oregon State
\n5 Sam LaPorta \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Iowa
\n6 Tucker Kraft \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 South Dakota State
\n7 Zack Kuntz \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Old Dominion
\n8 Luke Schoonmaker \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Michigan
\n9 Will Mallory \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Miami
\n10 Brenton Strange \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Penn State
\n11 Davis Allen \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Clemson
\n12 Josh Whyle\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cincinnati
\n13 Payne Durham \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Purdue
\n14 Cameron Latu \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Alabama
\n15 Kyle Patterson \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Air Force
\n16 Leonard Taylor \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cincinnati<\/p>\n

\"image_print\"Printer Friendly<\/span><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tight End Class Strongest in a Decade Frank Coyle\/ Head Scout This year’s tight end class is a bumper crop of prospects that will command many early selections especially over the first two [read more…]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1451,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,22],"tags":[32],"class_list":{"0":"post-4702","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ahead-of-the-curve","8":"category-nfl-draft-prospects","9":"tag-draft-insider-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4702","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4702"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4702\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4727,"href":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4702\/revisions\/4727"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/draftinsiders.com\/DraftInsiders\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}