After looking at the running backs in this year’s draft, I now move onto the top three tight ends in the NFL draft. Tight ends are an underappreciated position, as many fans and others, view them only as a bigger wide receiver. That is not true, as not only do tight ends have the catching ability, they can also be used as blockers which is a key role in the NFL.
Last year’s class didn’t have any prominent names that made a huge impact. However, in this year’s NFL draft, there is a couple of phenomenal tight ends. Who are they? Well, let’s find out. Here are the top three tight ends in the NFL draft.
Top Three Tight Ends in the NFL Draft
1. Kyle Pitts
The first tight end of the top three tight ends in the NFL draft is Kyle Pitts. There is no doubt Kyle Pitts will be the first tight end taken off the board and there is a chance he gets picked in the top 10. At 6’6″ and 240 pounds, Pitts isn’t your typical tight end. He is more of a hybrid wide receiver and tight end. Pitts is just a playmaker and, honestly, is one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in this year’s draft. By some scouts, Pitts is considered to be a top-three prospect in this year’s draft and even a generational talent.
What does Pitts offer? Well, what doesn’t he offer? His exceptional speed and size made him a nightmare to defend in college. Pitts is super athletic, as his route running ability is pristine. He has a spectacular catching ability and he wins most of the contested catches. Pitts is so talented and has all the traits that would make him a mismatch against opposing NFL defenses.
From a statistical view, Pitts was also nothing short of amazing. In just eight games this season, Pitts caught 43 balls for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also averaged 17.9 yards which is pretty unbelievable for a tight end. 2020 wasn’t just a breakout season, he has been consistent throughout his career. To prove that, in 2019, he had 54 receptions for 649 yards and five touchdowns, which are very respectable numbers. Pitts was the most valuable player to his team. The Florida Gators had some offensive struggles when he was out, but when he was back in, all those struggles vanished.
Kyle Pitts is talented, athletic, a playmaker, electric and I could go on. Pitts has all the desirable traits wanted in a tight end and wide receiver. With all his traits and his size, he might be uncoverable in the NFL. Teams should not pass upon him and with that in mind, there is a very low chance he escapes out of the top 15.
2. Pat Freiermuth
The second tight end of the top three tight ends in the NFL draft is Pat Freiermuth. Before the season, Freiermuth was expected to be the number one tight end off the board, but after Kyle Pitt’s spectacular season, Freiermuth has been slotted into most likely being the second tight end off the board.
This season, Freiermuth only played four games due to injury, but he played very well. In this season, he had 23 receptions for 310 yards. Despite his injury, Freiermuth has proven that he was one of the top tight ends in college and will be in this year’s draft through his consistency. That consistency includes him racking up 92 catches for 1,185 yards and 16 touchdowns in almost three college seasons.
Moving away from his statistics, at 6’5″ and 258 pounds, Freiermuth is a well-built tight end. That size directly correlates with his skills that are considered great by many. With his size, he isn’t the fastest, but he is extremely physical. This physicality allows him to box out defenders to make catches, then get yards after contact. His size also allows him to be a solid blocker, and go up for balls especially in the red zone, and outmuscle his defenders. Lastly, when Freiermuth gets the legs churning, he can be a ram plowing through defenders.
Freiermuth doesn’t have the speed and quickness that is desired by many, but his toughness and physicality can’t be argued. With his strength, he can easily become one of the league’s best contested catchers. A team in need of a red zone threat and physical presence on offense should look into drafting Pat Freiermuth because he has the talent to become one of the best.
3. Brevin Jordan
The third and final tight end of the top three tight ends in the NFL draft is Brevin Jordan. Jordan is a 6’3″, 245-pound tight end out of the University of Miami. Not many people know about him, but they should. He has great abilities that have allowed him the chance to be the second tight end taken off the board.
Speaking of these abilities, Brevin Jordan has a lot to offer. The number one thing is his blocking. He is one of the best blocking tight ends in this class, as his physicality makes him willing to block an edge defender. This is especially key in the play-action game, where he can block, then quickly slip out into the middle of the field and make himself a receiving threat.
Aside from blocking, Jordan is also well-known for his yards after the catch. He actually has 353 yards after the catch, which was the highest among tight ends and an impressive 15.2 yards per catch. This happened not only because of his strength but for a bigger guy, he has good quickness and agility, which allows him to force miss tackles or leap over defenders.
Brevin Jordan put up solid production in college. In three college seasons, Jordan managed to get 105 receptions for 1,358 yards and 13 touchdowns. That comes out to him averaging 35 catches for 452.7 yards per season, which is pretty stellar production for a tight end.
Brevin Jordan is an excellent blocker and excels at getting yards after the catch. He has proven in college to be a consistent producer and is willing to go up against any challenge, even against a powerful edge rusher. Brevin Jordan would fit perfectly with a team that uses play-action a lot and one that needs a blocker. With all that, look for Jordan to be drafted between the third and fourth round.
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