Complete 2026 NFL Draft TE Rankings:
You are currently viewing our tight end rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft. The 2026 TE class doesn’t have too many big names, but can a few key sleepers save the class?
Our top tight end prospects are ranked 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.
We’ll provide you with inside information to help you know which tight ends will be stars, who will be a bust, and which sleepers will shock the world.
BNB Football is the best place for in-depth analysis of 2026 NFL draft tight end prospects at all levels of college football. To view other positions, follow the links below.
(Last Updated: March 5, 2026)
1. Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
TE | 6’3″ | 241 lbs | 3rd Year
Kenyon Sadiq Scouting Report
Kenyon Sadiq has emerged as one of the most physically impressive tight ends in the 2026 draft class throughout his three years at Oregon. Sadiq is an elite athlete with rare explosiveness and strength, highlighted by a 43.5″ vertical, 4.39 40 yard dash, and a 435 pound bench press that jump off the page for the position.
He moves exceptionally well for his size, showing easy acceleration up the seam and the ability to hurdle defenders in space. Sadiq plays with power as a blocker and brings real YAC potential after the catch, making him a potential mismatch piece.
He has a well rounded game and looks the part, but will need to clean up his drops and refine his route running if he’s going to live up to his billing as a 1st round tight end.
Kenyon Sadiq 2025 Stats
14 games: 51 receptions, 560 receiving yards, 8 receiving touchdowns, 11.0 yards per catch, 14.7% receiving share, 3 rushes, 6 rushing yards
2. Justin Joly, NC State
TE | 6’4″ | 241 lbs | 4th Year
Justin Joly Scouting Report
Since emerging as a sophomore at Connecticut in 2023, Justin Joly has steadily climbed the rankings to become of the best tight ends in college football heading into the 2026 NFL Draft.
Joly is a well rounded tight end with good size, functional athleticism, and a strong feel for finding soft spots in coverage. He is a reliable pass catcher with confident hands and body control, particularly on intermediate routes and in the red zone. Joly consistently shows toughness after the catch and enough burst to generate yards when given space. Despite having a somewhat narrow build, his blocking has improved year over year. He plays with good effort and leverage in-line, which helps his projection to an every down role.
Joly has a well-rounded game, but he is an average athlete and lacks any one truly elite skill which could pose an issue getting on the field early in his career.
Justin Joly 2025 Stats
12 games: 49 receptions, 489 receiving yards, 7 receiving touchdowns, 10.0 yards per catch, 15.3% receiving share
3. Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
TE | 6’4″ | 239 lbs | 5th Year
Eli Stowers Scouting Report
Eli Stowers has gone through quite the journey in his college career, beginning as a quarterback for two years at Texas A&M before transferring to New Mexico State and becoming a tight end before ultimately heading to Vanderbilt. He’s been one of the most productive tight ends in college football these past two years and was recognized with the 2025 John Mackey Award, given annually to the Nation’s top tight end.
Stowers is a smooth, fluid mover with receiver-like instincts, showing natural feel for spacing, route tempo, and working after the catch. His former quarterback experience shows up in his awareness and understanding of coverages, offering good matchup value against linebackers. He set records at the combine, and is oozing with athletic potential.
Almost all of his production is out of the slot, and there’s a reason for that. Stowers doesn’t consistently show the play strength to hold up as a blocker, particularly in the run game. He struggles to sustain his blocks and is largely only used to chip in pass protection.
Eli Stowers 2025 Stats
12 games: 62 receptions, 769 receiving yards, 4 receiving touchdowns, 12.4 yards per catch, 20.6% receiving share, 2 rushes, 2 rushing yards
4. Max Klare, Ohio State
TE | 6’4″ | 246 lbs | 4th Year
Max Klare Scouting Report
Max Klare exploded onto the scene as Purdue’s leading receiver in 2024. He transferred to Ohio State for this past season and had a slow start, but settled in to became a reliable 3rd option in Ohio State’s dangerous passing attack.
Klare is a smooth, athletic pass catcher with good size and natural receiving instincts, consistently threatening defenses up the seam and on intermediate routes. He shows reliable hands, good body control, and an understanding of spacing that allows him to uncover versus zone coverage. His fluidity jumps out on film, with the ankle flexion and loose hips you tend to see from the top receivers in the NFL.
At this point, Klare is more of a big bodied wide receiver than he is a tight end. He’s shown occasional flashes as a blocker but struggles at just about every aspect of pass protection, with poor core strength, anchor, footwork, and hand placement.
Max Klare 2025 Stats
14 games: 43 receptions, 448 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 10.4 yards per catch, 11.9% receiving share
5. Michael Trigg, Baylor
TE | 6’4″ | 240 lbs | 5th Year
Michael Trigg Scouting Report
Michael Trigg might have the most exciting highlight film in the 2026 tight end class, but the full evaluation is a bit more complicated.
Trigg can absolutely win above the rim and in traffic thanks to massive hands and a huge catch radius. He plays taller than his height thanks to his long wingspan. He flashes impressive body control and strength at the catch point, routinely coming down with contested grabs that few tight ends can make.
Trigg has struggled with a fair bit of drops and penalties, showing wavering effort at times. His route running and blocking effort can be uneven from snap to snap, and his narrow build is going to cause further problems as an inline blocker at the next level. He’ll need to be consistently engaged on a play-to-play basis if he’s going to become a starting TE at the next level.
Michael Trigg 2025 Stats
11 games: 50 receptions, 694 receiving yards, 6 receiving touchdowns, 13.9 yards per catch, 18.7% receiving share
6. Oscar Delp, Georgia
TE | 6’5″ | 245 lbs | 4th Year
Oscar Delp Scouting Report
Oscar Delp has been on the NFL radar for a long time, he just never really broke out in college. Delp came to Georgia as the top rated tight end recruit in the nation, and was able to earn a fair bit of snaps despite being in the same room as Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington.
Delp has prototypical size for the position and is a good all around athlete. He has a bit of wiggle in his routes to get open, and does a solid job of catching the ball with his hands and maintaining a large catch radius. He saw increased usage as an inline blocker this past year, and he responded pretty well. Delp showed some strength and improved technique as a blocker.
The production never stood out, even during times where Georgia was in desperate need of a pass catcher. But if he can continue his strides as a blocker, Delp has the well-rounded game you’d want to see for a long time NFL tight end.
Oscar Delp 2025 Stats
14 games: 20 receptions, 261 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 13.1 yards per catch, 8.5% receiving share
7. Joe Royer, Cincinnati
TE | 6’5″ | 247 lbs | 5th Year
Joe Royer Scouting Report
After three years of minimal action with Ohio State, Joe Royer transferred to Cincinnati where he immediately became one of the most productive receiving tight ends in the nation.
Royer brings good size, play strength, and toughness, functioning as a reliable in-line presence who can contribute as both a blocker and short area target. He shows solid hands and body positioning on underneath routes, curls, and play action concepts, often serving as a safety valve for the quarterback. He has the strength and understanding of leverage to have some nice blocks, but needs to do it much more consistently.
Royer won’t jump off the page with his athleticism, and doesn’t have much suddenness as a route runner or with the ball in his hands. If he can gain a bit of consistency as a blocker he should be able to maintain a long time career as a high end TE2.
Joe Royer 2025 Stats
13 games: 29 receptions, 416 receiving yards, 4 receiving touchdowns, 14.3 yards per catch, 13.8% receiving share
8. Jack Endries, Texas
TE | 6’5″ | 245 lbs | 3rd Year
Jack Endries Scouting Report
Jack Endries transferred from Cal to Texas and saw his role shift noticeably, spending more time aligned inline rather than being in the slot.
Endries is a well built tight end with good functional strength, solid hands, and a clear understanding of route spacing when released into patterns. He shows toughness over the middle and enough athleticism to be effective on short and intermediate targets, particularly off play action. His background as a productive pass catcher still shows up when Texas lets him work into space.
The transition to heavier in line blocking duties came with mixed results, as his effort is consistent but his leverage and sustaining ability can be inconsistent against stronger defenders. He is more positional than dominant as a blocker at this stage.
Jack Endries 2025 Stats
13 games: 33 receptions, 346 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns, 10.5 yards per catch, 10.6% receiving share
9. Sam Roush, Stanford
TE | 6’6″ | 267 lbs | 4th Year
Sam Roush Scouting Report
Sam Roush is a big, powerful tight end who shows potential as a blocker and receiver. A huge body at 6’6″ 265 pounds, Roush looks the part of an NFL Y tight end while also being one of the more productive options in the class.
Roush is a good mover who showed surprisingly explosive athleticism at the combine, including a 38.5″ vertical. You can see the athleticism in his first step, and he has reasonably good speed when running the seam. As a blocker Roush generally plays with good leverage and has the aggressiveness to finish his blocks.
Despite his size, he has exceptionally short arms that reduce his catch radius and upside as a blocker. He also has an incredible high drop rate and shows some tightness in his routes that will prevent him from ever being a great receiving option at the next level.
Sam Roush 2025 Stats
12 games: 49 receptions, 545 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 11.1 yards per catch, 20.5% receiving share
10. Eli Raridon, Notre Dame
TE | 6’6″ | 245 lbs | 4th Year
Eli Raridon Scouting Report
Eli Raridon is a big, athletic tight end who saw a big increase in his role this past season. He saw nearly as many snaps this past season as every other year combined, and his receiving production followed.
The 6’6″ 245 pounder has flashed as a blocker, displaying good hand usage and continued leg drive to open holes better than most tight ends in the class. He has a bit of a wiry frame that can add more muscle, and should help him take another step as a blocker. He has better explosiveness as an athlete than people tend to give him credit for, and has flashed an ability to win in contested catch scenarios.
Experience and injuries are going to be big question marks for Raridon. He has suffered multiple season ending knee injuries already which has slowed his development. He also is more of a straight line athlete, and doesn’t really offer much after the catch.
Eli Raridon 2025 Stats
12 games: 32 receptions, 482 receiving yards, 0 receiving touchdowns, 15.1 yards per catch, 15.7% receiving share
Complete 2026 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings
| RANK | NAME | SCHOOL | AGE | HT | WT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenyon Sadiq | Oregon | 3rd | 6'3" | 241 |
| 2 | Justin Joly | NC State | 4th | 6'4" | 241 |
| 3 | Eli Stowers | Vanderbilt | 5th | 6'4" | 239 |
| 4 | Max Klare | Ohio State | 4th | 6'4" | 246 |
| 5 | Michael Trigg | Baylor | 5th | 6'4" | 240 |
| 6 | Oscar Delp | Georgia | 4th | 6'5" | 245 |
| 7 | Joe Royer | Cincinnati | 5th | 6'5" | 247 |
| 8 | Jack Endries | Texas | 3rd | 6'5" | 245 |
| 9 | Sam Roush | Stanford | 4th | 6'6" | 267 |
| 10 | Eli Raridon | Notre Dame | 4th | 6'6" | 245 |
| 11 | Josh Cuevas | Alabama | 5th | 6'3" | 245 |
| 12 | Marlin Klein | Michigan | 4th | 6'6" | 248 |
| 13 | Will Kacmarek | Ohio State | 5th | 6'6" | 261 |
| 14 | Dae'Quan Wright | Ole Miss | 4th | 6'4" | 246 |
| 15 | Lake McRee | USC | 5th | 6'4" | 243 |
| 16 | Dallen Bentley | Utah | 4th | 6'4" | 253 |
| 17 | Tanner Koziol | Houston | 4th | 6'7" | 247 |
| 18 | Dan Villari | Syracuse | 6th | 6'4" | 243 |
| 19 | Nate Boerkircher | Texas A&M | 6th | 6'6" | 245 |
| 20 | Bauer Sharp | LSU | 5th | 6'5" | 249 |
| 21 | Lance Mason | Wisconsin | 4th | 6'3" | 246 |
| 22 | Matthew Hibner | SMU | 6th | 6'4" | 251 |
| 23 | DJ Rogers | TCU | 5th | 6'4" | 258 |
| 24 | John Michael Gyllenborg | Wyoming | 5th | 6'6" | 249 |
| 25 | Jack Velling | Michigan State | 4th | 6'5" | 245 |
| 26 | Carsen Ryan | BYU | 4th | 6'4" | 250 |
| 27 | Jameson Geers | Minnesota | 5th | 6'5" | 250 |
| 28 | RJ Maryland | SMU | 4th | 6'4" | 236 |
| 29 | Miles Kitselman | Tennessee | 5th | 6'5" | 251 |
| 30 | Rohan Jones | Arkansas | 4th | 6'3" | 240 |
| 31 | Seydou Traore | Mississippi State | 5th | 6'4" | 233 |
| 32 | Khalil Dinkins | Penn State | 4th | 6'4" | 251 |
| 33 | Jeremiah Franklin | Boston College | 4th | 6'3" | 245 |
| 34 | Jyrin Johnson | Bowling Green | 6th | 6'4" | 235 |
| 35 | Jacob Petersen | Toledo | 5th | 6'4" | 250 |
| 36 | Garrett Oakley | Kansas State | 4th | 6'5" | 235 |
| 37 | Matt Lauter | Boise State | 5th | 6'3" | 240 |
| 38 | Chamon Metayer | Arizona State | 5th | 6'4" | 255 |
| 39 | Jaleel Skinner | Louisville | 4th | 6'5" | 230 |
| 40 | Bruin Fleischmann | Air Force | 4th | 6'5" | 235 |
| 41 | Amari Niblack | Texas A&M | 4th | 6'4" | 245 |
| 42 | Cody Hardy | NC State | 4th | 6'5" | 270 |
| 43 | Boden Groen | Kansas | 5th | 6'4" | 240 |
| 44 | Connor Hulstein | Marist | 5th | 6'5" | 245 |
| 45 | Izayah Cummings | Appalachian State | 6th | 6'4" | 240 |
| 46 | Brandon Frazier | Auburn | 6th | 6'7" | 265 |
| 47 | Tanner Arkin | Illinois | 5th | 6'4" | 265 |
| 48 | Alex Bauman | Miami (FL) | 4th | 6'5" | 250 |
| 49 | Brady Hunt | South Carolina | 5th | 6'5" | 255 |
| 50 | Eddie Burgess | Upper Iowa | 4th | 6'4" | 240 |
| 51 | Evan Svoboda | Wyoming | 5th | 6'5" | 250 |
| 52 | Johncarlos Miller II | Texas Tech | 5th | 6'5" | 240 |
| 53 | Jordan Dingle | South Carolina | 5th | 6'4" | 240 |
| 54 | Drew Biber | Minnesota | 5th | 6'4" | 246 |
| 55 | Cameron Barmore | Arizona | 6th | 6'6" | 235 |
| 56 | Brett Seither | Georgia Tech | 7th | 6'4" | 236 |
| 57 | Cade Collier | SE Louisiana | 6th | 6'6" | 245 |
| 58 | Ethan Conner | Troy | 5th | 6'3" | 231 |
| 59 | Broc Lane | Utah State | 6th | 6'4" | 240 |
| 60 | Blake Bosma | Western Michigan | 5th | 6'3" | 235 |
| 61 | Jackson West | Western Kentucky | 5th | 6'4" | 245 |
| 62 | Chase Curtis | TCU | 7th | 6'5" | 239 |
| 63 | Tyler Moore | Iowa State | 5th | 6'5" | 256 |
| 64 | Carson Ochoa | Carroll (MT) | 6th | 6'3" | 240 |
| 65 | Charles Garrison | Northern Colorado | 5th | 6'5" | 252 |
| 66 | Jake Overman | Pittsburgh | 6th | 6'4" | 245 |
| 67 | Peter Cleary | Central Connecticut | 5th | 6'3" | 245 |
| 68 | Jace Henry | Nevada | 6th | 6'3" | 270 |
| 69 | Louis Hansen | Connecticut | 5th | 6'5" | 240 |
| 70 | Hudson Habermehl | UCLA | 7th | 6'7" | 245 |
| 71 | Will Swanson | Kansas State | 6th | 6'5" | 250 |
| 72 | Seth Adams | San Diego State | 6th | 6'2" | 260 |
| 73 | Emeric Boutin | Laval | 5th | 6'3" | 229 |
| 74 | DeShawn Hanika | Kansas | 7th | 6'6" | 255 |
| 75 | JT Byrne | Georgia Tech | 5th | 6'5" | 265 |
| 76 | Kahlil Ashley-Diarrah | Fayetteville State | 7th | 6'5" | 250 |
| 77 | Luke Bracey | NC Central | 4th | 6'4" | 265 |
| 78 | Ian Simpson | UC-Davis | 5th | 6'3" | 235 |
| 79 | Joey Gendreau | St. John's | 4th | 6'3" | 230 |
| 80 | Landen Lucas | Tulsa | 5th | 6'3" | 240 |
| 81 | Jack Neri | Monmouth | 6th | 6'3" | 245 |
| 82 | Kyirin Heath | Southern Miss | 4th | 6'4" | 226 |
| 83 | Travaunta Abner | Alabama A&M | 5th | 6'2" | 245 |
| 84 | Carson Williams | North Dakota State | 5th | 6'4" | 245 |
| 85 | Lance Rees | Indiana State | 5th | 6'5" | 255 |
| 86 | Brian Courtney | Tennessee Tech | 4th | 6'3" | 240 |
| 87 | Travon Jones | Prairie View A&M | 6th | 6'7" | 230 |
| 88 | Tanner Zimmerman | Benedictine (KS) | 4th | 6'5" | 235 |
| 89 | Dupree Fuller | Southern | 5th | 6'3" | 225 |
| 90 | Carson Towt | Notre Dame | 7th | 6'8" | 250 |
| 91 | Logan Frederick | Utica | 4th | 6'4" | 220 |
| 92 | Winston Williams | UC-Davis | 5th | 6'4" | 235 |
| 93 | Evan Shafer | Montana | 5th | 6'5" | 270 |
| 94 | Steven Mahar | Albany | 6th | 6'5" | 245 |
| 95 | Blake Lamb | Olivet Nazarene | 4th | 6'2" | 235 |
| 96 | Alex Williams | Western Illinois | 5th | 6'4" | 240 |
| 97 | Titus Lyons | Texas State | 5th | 6'3" | 245 |
| 98 | Javon Charles | Illinois State | 6th | 6'5" | 245 |
MORE NFL DRAFT RANKINGS
Traits That Make a Tight End Prospect Great
The tight end position is historically undervalued given how much they’re asked to do. Ideally, you’re looking for a prospect who helps as a blocker and receiver. Fluidity, hands, and blocking technique are among some of the most important factors to consider when scouting the top tight end prospects.
Some of the factors we consider when scouting are included below.
Fluidity
Fluidity is currently the most popular thing to look for in an elite tight end prospect. When you look at guys like Travis Kelce and George Kittle, they don’t have blazing speed or great underneath quickness. They’re just smooth movers with good core flexibility. You know it when you see it, and it isn’t coachable.
Hands/Catch Radius
Receiving is generally a more popular trait than blocking for tight ends in the draft, and you need to be able to catch the ball with a wide radius. They’re often the biggest target on the field, and require soft hands and the ability to be a red zone threat.
Blocking Aggression
Ideally a tight end enters the league with the blocking ability of an offensive tackle, but that doesn’t happen. Instead what scouts usually look for is an aggression with their blocking. Willingness to block is stage 1, the strength to maintain blocks is stage 2, and if they have those traits, they can usually be taught better form to hold up.
Route Running / Separation
Fluidity may aid in separation against linebackers, but route running is a fine tuned skill. You need to be able to get yourself open if you’re going to be valued as a receiver. If you don’t have enough quickness to consistently get open, learn to get separation with your strength. It doesn’t matter how you get open so long as you’re getting open.
2026 TE Draft Prospects FAQs
Who is the best TE in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Kenyon Sadiq has emerged as the best tight end in the 2026 NFL Draft. Sadiq looks the part of a long time NFL tight end, with absolutely elite athletic traits, a strong frame, and a willingness to block.
How good is the tight end draft class in 2026?
The 2026 tight end draft class is looking average. There’s a notable drop off after Sadiq, but there are still some solid players to be had in the 3rd or 4th round, with surprisingly strong late round depth.
