2022 NFL Draft – Tight End Rankings

Complete NFL Draft Rankings – TE:

You are currently viewing the best tight ends in the 2022 NFL Draft. Our top tight end prospects are selected after thousands of hours carefully scouting the best receivers and blockers in college football. Even though only about 15 will get selected in the draft, dozens are signed as free agents, and many more receive a training camp invite. Find who is a first round talent, and who is likely nothing more than a training camp body. Find TE draft sleepers, draft stars, who will be a bust, and who is being undervalued.

BNB Football is the best place for in-depth analysis of 2022 tight end prospects at all levels of college football. To view other positions, follow the links below.

(Last Updated: April 26, 2022)

2022:  | QB | WR | RB | FB | TE | OT | G | C | DT | EDGE | LB | S | CB | K | P | LS | OVERALL |

Trey McBride was the only division 1 tight end to eclipse the 1000 yard receiving mark this past year, and it’s easy to see why. At 6’4" 250 pounds, McBride has a very strong frame and plays with a very low pad level. He is extremely difficult to tackle in the open field, routinely taking multiple DBs with him. His hands are smooth, and he’s able to bend well into his routes. Top end speed was better than expected, running a 4.56 at his pro day. His frame and toughness bodes well to him being able to develop into a great blocking tight end, and his productivity in the receiving game is undeniable. He’s likely the most NFL-ready, and lowest risk tight end in the class.

2021 Stats

11 games: 1017 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 11.8 yards per reception

Charlie Kolar is one of the most slept-on prospects in the draft. Kolar was an All-American as a sophomore in 2019, and would have been drafted after last season had he entered. He decided to stick around Iowa State for one more year, and improved his receiving stats and blocking ability from 2020. Extremely productive with over 2000 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns in his career, Kolar has very impressive body control and footwork to make catches in the end zone. He’s a natural hands catcher who knows how to find openings especially against zone coverage. His blocking isn’t elite but is improved, and he shows a high football IQ and leadership. The issue for Kolar is a rather unimposing frame (despite being 6’6" 260), but he’s a strong blocker who put up a 4.67 40 time and impressive 6.98 cone drill.

2021 Stats

12 games: 756 receiving yards, 6 receiving touchdowns, 12.2 yards per reception

Jeremy Ruckert wasn’t heavily used by Ohio State, but has enough potential to end up as the top tight end in the 2022 draft when we look back on it. Ruckert has a big body at 6’5" 255, with good power as a run blocking Y tight end. When asked to run routes he looks smooth and natural, with good athleticism and an agility to make contested catches. Had he gone to a school with less dominant wide receivers, he easily could’ve been a number 1 or 2 receiving threat for a Power 5 team. Ruckert is one of the better blockers in the class, and still has plenty of room to grow as a 4th year junior.

2021 Stats

11 games: 309 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns, 11.9 yards per reception

Isaiah Likely is a good athlete with long arms and a big catch radius. Likely dominated the C-USA level for Coastal Carolina, putting up a very impressive 15.5 yards per reception, along with 912 receiving yards. Likely attacks towards the football and has good body control, along with natural hands and smooth route running. Likely is very intelligent both on and off the field, and shows a good approach to the nuances of the game. He’s primarily been used as a receiver out of the slot and hasn’t had to show much as a run blocker, which could both be issues.

2021 Stats

13 games: 912 receiving yards, 12 receiving touchdowns, 15.5 yards per reception

Greg Dulcich is a smooth moving tight end who is one of the best receivers in the class. Dulcich is a great route runner who excels on the second level thanks to his advanced body control and bend in his routes. He accounted for over a quarter of his team’s yards through the air, and put up solid overall athletic testing numbers. I’ve never been as high on him as others because of his poor blocking. His base is very weak and he gets too upright. Still, he has the frame to improve as a blocker and should be able to produce as a move tight end in two-TE formations right away.

2021 Stats

12 games: 725 receiving yards, 5 receiving touchdowns, 17.3 yards per reception

Complete 2022 TE draft rankings

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2022:  | QB | WR | RB | FB | TE | OT | G | C | DT | EDGE | LB | S | CB | K | P | LS | OVERALL |

Last year we had a truly generational talent in Kyle Pitts, which we don’t have in 2022. We don’t even have a unanimous 1st rounder. Even still, this is asolid tight end class. Plenty of draftable tight ends decided to return to school last year, resulting in this year being very deep. Despite not having a can’t-miss talent, a number of players have enough potential to become a cornerstone talent. The excitement for the class has definitely fallen off since the start of the season, but anyone looking for a TE2 or TE3 could be very happy with their day 3 options.