2013 Draft
Tight Ends
This page will be a work in progress and updated frequently. Come back often and watch it develop.

25	*Zach Ertz	TE	1	Stanford	rJr	6050	249	1st
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Prototypical all-around TE this year. Productive within a good Pro-ready system at Stanford. Pre-Combine Forty: 4.79. Combine Forty: 4.76. Reps: 24. Pro Day Forty: 4.62. Pro Day (Brandt)  — Ertz ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 and 4.62 seconds. He had a 35 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-6 broad jump. He kept the rest of his numbers from the NFL Scouting Combine. Ertz is very smooth in his routes and catches the ball very well. This is going to be an interesting player, likely getting selected at the end of the first round or early in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Had Tony Gonzalez not returned to the Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears not signed Martellus Bennett, Ertz — who is the No. 23-rated prospect in my Hot 100 and No. 2 tight end in Mike Mayock‘s position rankings — could have gone in the first round to one of those two teams. PFW Audibles - "Because they use11 and 87 in-line, Zach Ertz was not even in the game much as a blocker. He strugglles when he tries to block power.He gets pulled and jerked and knocked off his block attempts. " Based on NFL Draft Scout - He moves well for his size and does a great job using his body to shield defenders and his arms to extend and snatch the ball out of the air.  Where Ertz really impresses NFL scouts is his willingness to help his teammates, whether it's his persistence to get open or his effort-blocking at all levels of the field.
35	*Tyler Eifert	TE	2	Notre Dame	rJr	6054	250	1st
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Solid citizen (good nut not great) at everything,  but not as spectacular as the premier TE's of the recent past. Ran faster than expected forty at combine. Pre-Combine Forty:  4.80. Combine Forty: 4.68. Reps: 22. Pro Day (Brandt) - Eifert, who stood on his combine numbers, dropped the first ball thrown to him, then didn’t have another drop the rest of the day. He looks like a first-rounder Based on NFL Draft Scout - Solid frame with fluid body control and ball skills. Tough in a crowd - strong hands to make contested catches and a physical demeanor to come down with the ball in tight spaces. Adept at gaining position in coverage with very good footwork, taking pride in his routes and showing much improvement. Elevates well to high-point the ball, give him a chance and he’ll he'll come down with it Very good at mid-air adjustments/makesa lot of catches with his feet off the ground. Strong at LOS  to release and beat press coverage, using his hands and size very well. Excellent field awareness/ always knows where the sticks are. Turns to show his QB his numbers. Willing blocker who won't shy from contact with the aggressiveness and take-on strength to sustain, seal and finish in the run game. Lines up in-line, in the slot and outside the numbers, with the versatility to put his hand on the ground and hold his own in the trenches. Team-first guy (captain), who gives full effort  as a receiver or blocker. Broke just about every school receiving record for a TE . Won Mackey Award in 2012. Appears maxed out physically. Lacks elite quickness to consistently separate . Is still growing as a route-runner. Good, but not great, straight-line speed /can be caught from behind by linebackers. Drops too many passes at times and, while not a large concern, has room to improve. Still growing as a blocker and must  use better angles. Compared with Heath Miller.  While more athletic than Miller, has a similar skill-set with his ability to make tough catches in tight spaces, winning one-on-one situations. Also has the speed to be a threat vertically or down the seam.
80	*Jordan Reed	TE	3	Florida	rJr	6-3	6024	2nd
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Nice speed. Better pass catcher than blocker. Played the (Hernandez) "Joker" TE position in Gainesville. Pre-Combine Forty: 4.62. Combine Forty: 4.72. Reps: 16. Pro Day (Brandt) - He came to Florida as a quarterback and converted into playing tight end. He didn’t work out due to a left knee bruise and will work out on March 22. PFW Audibles -"...really just a big receiver. He's not as fast as the last kid to come out of there (Aaron Hernandez) but he's pretty athletic and catches well." Based on NFL Draft Scout - Fluid and flexible athlete with smooth body control and controlled balance. WR moves after the catch with quick, elusive feet and deceiving speed to run away from defenders. Smooth athleticism in his routes, creating separation with sharp footwork and quick body movements. Reliable hands and adept at holding onto the ball after a big hit/toughover the middle. Very good feel for his surroundings /can find open spots in coverage. Some power /will lower his pads through contact and pick up yards after contact. Former QB. Lacks an ideal frame with only average height and build for the position and needs to continue to add bulk to his body. He has room to improve his route-running and needs to continue to develop his receiving skills at the position. Must be more consistent as a blocker /too much of a grabber in the run game, attracting holding calls. Too many false-start penalties on his resume. Progressed immensely as a pass catcher, but will have a few drops here and there. Must consistently hold the ball tighter. Has battled numerous injuries over his career and there are some questions about how his body will hold up in the NFL. Compared with Aaron Hernandez. Both grew up and prepped in Connecticut before arriving in Gainesville. Reed shows the unique ability to create receiving mismatches as a "joker" TE against linebackers and defensive backs, similar to what Hernandez has done in New England.
98	Travis Kelce	TE	4	Cincinnati	rSr	6047	255	3rd-4th
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Good speed and nice size. Heady. Nice value in the 4th round. Pre-Combine Forty: 4.68. Combine Forty: DNP. Reps: DNL. Pro Day (Brandt) - He is not going to work out. He was injured and instead will work out April 4 at Woodward High School in Cincinnati. PFW Audibles - "...a trainwreck character-wise. He looks tight-hipped and straight-linish to me. I could see him eventually starting, but we wouldn't talk about this guy with his baggage until at least the third (round"). Based on NFL Draft Scout - Lines up both on the LOS and in the slot. Looks the part and has the athleticism to stretch the field and create after the catch, doing a nice job using his hands to snatch the ball out of the air. He showed his value in Cincinnati's win over South Florida - lined up inline and set up to block at the snap, selling to the defense that he was staying home in pass pro. However, once he caught the defender off-balance he swatted past him and released into the end zone, giving his quarterback a wide open target for the touchdown.
113	*Dion Sims	TE	5	Michigan State	rJr	6047	262	3rd-4th
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Huge human being. RAC a specialty. Perfecting his technique. Brandt sees him as possibly the best blocker of this TE class. Durability and off-field concerns. Pre-Combine Forty:  4.76. Combine Forty: 4.75. Reps: 22. Pro Day (Brandt) - Sims ran a 4.82-second short shuttle and a 7.07-second three-cone drill. He also did 26 strength lifts of 225 pounds on the bench press. He looked good running routes and catching the ball. Sims has lost a lot of weight (around 40 pounds since the end of the 2011 season), and emerged as potentially the best blocking tight end in this draft class. PFW Audibles - "... I thought Dion Sims was soft as a blocker for as big as he is. He gets downfield and catches well. He was a little dinged up this year. It was still disappointing to watch. I expected to see more from him." Based on NFL Draft Scout - Excellent size, speed, agility combo for the position. Tough to bring down after the catch and can rack up yards. Improved technique, including stance, between sophomore and junior seasons. But significant durability concerns. - limited by various injuries in 2010, (broken wrist, ankle injury, knee injury). Appears to have matured, but will need to answer questions about a felony charge that led to missing the 2010 season.
127	Ryan Otten	TE	6	San Jose State	rSr	6050	230	4th
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Lacks size; not very fast; still developing. Senior Bowl - Nothing special. Pre-Combine Forty:  4.78. Combine Forty: DNP. Reps: DNP. Pro Day (Brandt) - Five teams met with Otten. (Link to Gil's SJ blog didn't work). Based on NFL Draft Scout - Can be a legit downfield threat. Usually lines up with his hand on the ground at the LOS/Otten has also shown improvement as a blocker in both the run and pass game.
136	*Gavin Escobar	TE	7	San Diego State	rJr	6057	254	4th-5th
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Many rate him 3rd behind Ertz and Eifert. I haven't found much info on him yet.   Combine Forty: 4.84. Reps: DNL. Pro Day (Brandt) - -Escobar ran a 4.78 and 4.81-second 40-time and did 12 reps of 225 pounds. He had a really good workout and caught the ball really well. PFW Audibles - "I was down on Gavin Escobar as a blocker after watching the Boise game - he flashed and didn't work his feet. Then I ended up watching three more and thought he did a lot better. He's an interesting guy, especially the way this league is trending."
162	Chris Gragg	TE	8	Arkansas	Sr	6026	244	5th
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Impressive forty time for a man his size. Combine Forty: 4.50 Reps: 18. Pro Day (Brandt) - Gragg ran a 4.35-second short-shuttle and caught the ball really well. He had one phenomenal catch along the sidelines where he stayed in-bounds and most scouts didn’t think he could.
179	Nick Kasa	TE	9	Colorado	Sr	6057	269	5th-6th
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Good size; so-so speed. Good blocker. Works hard at craft. Some durability concerns. I'd be inclined to move him up into the Top 5 among TE's. Pre-Combine Forty: 4.76. Combine Forty: 4.71. Reps: 22. Pro Day (Brandt) - Kasa ran the short shuttle in 4.45 seconds and the three-cone drill in 7.18 seconds, and then stood on the rest of his numbers from the combine. He was worked out in the positional drills by New York Giants tight end coach Michael Pope. Former Colorado QB Tyler Hansen threw the ball to Kasa in his positional workout. Senior Bowl - Nothing special. Based on NFL Draft Scout - Thick, broad-shouldered athlete who physically looks the part. Surprising straight-line speed, good mobility and balance.. Physical, competitive run-blocker. Strong hands to turn and seal defenders from the ball-carrier and has an idea of what his opponent is trying to accomplish based on previous experience on defensive line. Developing pass-catcher who routinely finished practices during his senior season catching 100 passes from the JUGS machine. Has the size/speed combination to be an effective special teams performer. Clear untapped potential /could be an ascending player and matchup headache for defenses at tight end. Raw. Lacks awareness as a route-runner and too often fights the ball as pass-catcher. Plays a bit tight and bulky. Faster than quick and lacks flexibility and explosiveness to generate separation. Struggles nagginge injuries, raising concerns about his toughness. Compared with Kevin Boss - a potential diamond in the rough who, with a little polishing, has the size and speed to develop into a potential NFL starter.
193	Michael Williams	TE	10	Alabama	rSr	6-5	272	6th
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Nice size. Don't know his speed yet. Caught my eye at the Sr. Bowl. Combine: Results not listed. Pro Day Forty: 5.16. Pro Day (Brandt) - Williams ran the 40 in 5.16 and 5.21 seconds. He had a 25 1/2-inch vertical jump and an 8-foot-1 broad jump. He did the short shuttle in 4.87 seconds and the three-cone drill in 8.10 seconds. He also participated in the position workout. Senior Bowl - Looked pretty good as a receiver - nice size for a TE.
204	*Levine Toilolo	TE	11	Stanford	rJr	6081	260	6th
Combine Forty: 4.86. Reps: 17. Pro Day (Brandt) - Toilolo ran the 40 in 4.81 and 4.77 seconds. He had a 33 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-9 broad jump. He also performed 19 strength lifts. That number on the bench press is really good considering how long his arms are (he was measured at 34 1/2 inches at the combine). Toilolo — who is a good blocker — has a thin lower body, which will prevent him from being switched to right tackle in the NFL.
220	Vance McDonald	TE	12	Rice	rSr	6041	267	6th-7th
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Nice size. Not much speed. Good blocker. So-so hands. Pre-Combine Forty: 4.83. Combine : DNP. Pro Day (Brandt) - (Fast rising TE didn't disappoint). McDonald stood on his numbers from the NFL Scouting Combine. He did, however, participate in the positional workout, in which he started slowly. He had a couple of drops, but then caught everything. McDonald — who is explosive in the hips — also looked good in the blocking drills. It was a good show for the fast-rising tight end prospect, who has risen from virtual obscurity to likely being selected somewhere between picks No. 50-70 in the 2013 NFL Draft. This player could be very good in the NFL. Senior Bowl - I thought he looked pretty good. Based on NFL Draft Scout - Broad shoulders, long arms and big hands to extend and pluck the ball out of the air. Aggressive during blocking drills at the Senior Bowl, staying balanced through contact and flashing a finishing attitude. Typically catches the ball cleanly and shows impressive fluidity for his size. Often lined up split wide in the Owls' offense and is an experienced route-runner. While he's a willing blocker, questions remain whether he can hold up in-line. Will drop catchable balls when trying to run before catching.
228	Zach Sudfeld	TE	13	Nevada	rSr	6-6	261	6th-7th
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Decent size/speed/hands/route-running. 6 surgeries over past 5 years. A bit clunky. Pre-Combine Forty: 4.76. Combine: DNP. Pro Day (Brandt) - Sudfeld ran the 40 in 4.77 and 4.71 seconds. He had a 9-foot-5 broad jump, a 4.48-second short shuttle and a 7.00-second three-cone drill time. He also performed 11 lifts of 225 pounds on the bench press. Sudfeld had a really impressive workout. What he needs to work on is his strength. Sudfeld has the potential to compete for an NFL roster spot, but between now and training camp he has to get stronger. Based on NFL Draft Scout - Excellent size/strength combo for the position. Large target with natural receiving skills /will watch the ball into his hands. ...athleticism once he gets going, accelerating in-and-out of his breaks and creating some separation from linebackers or safeties. Missed almost two full seasons (six surgeries over his first five seasons, including shoulder, leg, knee and wrist). Lumbers a bit off the line of scrimmage.
240	Jake Stoneburner	TE	14	Ohio State	rSr	6033	252	7th
Big Red Sheet (Gollin) - Decent enough size, good speed and blocking/receiving skills. Very good speed for size. Pre-Combine Forty: 4.78. Combine Forty: 4.65. Reps: 18. Pro Day Forty: 4.53. Pro Day (Brandt) - He had a very good workout, showing off his catching skills with real smooth hands. Stoneburner posted 40 times of 4.53 and 4.56. Based on NFL Draft Scout - Tall athlete with good length and catching radius. Plays with excellent body control to adjust and come down with the catch, showing very good field awareness. Has usually strong hands and focus to snatch the ball out of the air and make some tough catches look easy. Makes plays after the catch, with good effort and power to pick up tough yards. Has smooth footwork in his routes and straight-line speed to make plays downfield. Some tenacity as a blocker and does well on the perimeter. Adept at finding the end zone, scoring once every 4.1 times he touched the ball. A bit stiff in the hips a/plays too tight at times, needing to stay balanced in/out of his breaks. Has a lean torso and body type, lacking an elite frame for the position. Not overpowering as a blocker and will have to do a better job moving his feet to mirror when left home in pass pro. A tad heavy-handed and,(though improved) known for holding penalties. Not overly aggressive in tight coverage and can be overmatched physically by linebackers, causing him to fight the ball  and have his share of drops. Career production isn't overly impressive. Compared to David Paulson - Neither has prototypical size for tight ends and look more like rocked-up wideouts, but do offer value as reliable possession targets
252	Joseph Fauria	TE	15	UCLA	rSr	6070	259	7th
Combine Forty: DNP. Reps: 17. Pro Day (Brandt) - Fauria ran the 40 in 4.72 and 4.82 seconds. He had a 35 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-0 broad jump. He did the short shuttle in 4.53 seconds and the three-cone drill in 7.49 seconds.
xx	DC Jefferson	TE	xx	UCLA	rSr	6060	255	7th-FA
BRS (Gollin) - Knew about him, living in the shadows of the Scarlet Knights, but didn't list him as a prospect. What I remember of him from informally watching  Rutgers football was that he came in with a gaudy reputation, but never really lived up to early expectations. Combine Forty: DNP. Reps: 17. (Hurt his pec during workouts and didn't do any more drills). Pro Day (Brandt) - Ran the 40 in 5.00 and 4.97 seconds. He had a 32 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-11 broad jump. He did the short shuttle in 4.62 seconds and the three-cone drill in 7.47 seconds. He did not do the bench press due to an injuy. He will be drafted by a team looking for a blocking tight end; he’s a good receiver, but a much better blocker.   NFL.com NFL.com -  Came to Rutgers as a heralded Top 20 HS quarterback but switched positions early in his freshman year (started 10 games at TE as a frosh). Good athlete with good length. Enough foot quickness to sit down in zones to present a big target... often uses his long strides to cover a lot of ground down the seam, where his height presents a challenge to defenders.... willing blocker on the edge who can bring force out of his stance...attempts to sustain throughout the play.   Not much production throughout his college career. Needs to prove his hands, body control and positioning - as a blocker and receiver. Route running needs refinement. Use of leverage and hands in his blocking not elite...better defenders can slip off his attempts. Lacks explosion from his stance.   Compated to Martellus Bennett   Jefferson redshirted at quarterback in 2008, but showed so much potential learning the tight end before the 2009 season that he started 10 games that year. He still never saw a lot of throws his way...his long-legged frame makes him a strider and costs him leverage in blocking. Still, his upside could earn him a late-round selection. .