If you need a tight end for the 2020 season, the NFL draft will not be your answer. There are a few players who can make an impact day one, but besides that, it is a relatively weak class. Here are my top 10 tight end rankings for the 2020 NFL draft.
- Quarterback
- Running Back
- Wide Receiver
- Tight End
- Interior Offensive Line
- Offensive Tackle
- Defensive Tackle
- Edge Rusher
- Linebacker
- Corner Back
- Safety
1. Thaddeus Moss, LSU
The top tight end in this class, Thaddeus Moss has great power at the point of attack, and can make some noise in the passing game. He doesn’t have great YAC ability, but if he can get open down the seem, Moss will snag it with a solid catch radius.
2. Brycen Hopkins, Purdue
Brycen Hopkins can be a solid NFL starter if used correctly. Teams will need to line him up in the slot to best use his athletic ability. He has great hands, but isn’t particularly solid in the run game.
3. Adam Trautman, Dayton
A small school tight end from Dayton, Adam Trautman is incredibly versatile. He has length, burst, and is solid in the run game. Trautman is fairly raw in his development but can be a solid red zone threat.
4. Hunter Bryant, Washington
If you need YAC ability, Hunter Bryant is your guy. He thrived off shallow crosses at Washington and can be a dynamic receiver in the NFL. You shouldn’t rely on him in the running game, but these “one trick ponies” are becoming more common in the NFL.
5. Cole Kmet, Notre Dame
Cole Kmet has great hands with a solid size advantage over small defensive backs. He isn’t a great blocker in both the run and passing game, but if used on obvious passing down, you can mitigate these weaknesses.
6. Cheyenne O’Grady, Arkansas
Cheyenne O’Grady was incredibly hard to rank. Off field issues stopped his season short in 2019, but his on field ability is incredible. He is a great receiver with a large catch radius, good hands, and the ability to rack up yards after the catch. Teams will be taking a massive risk drafting O’Grady given his dismissal from Arkansas last season.
7. Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt
Jared Pinkney isn’t elite at any one skill, but he possesses above average blocking and receiving ability. His upside is likely capped, but he has a solid floor to be a secondary tight end option in an NFL offense.
8. Devin Asiasi, UCLA
Devin Asiasi is great in open space, but struggles to bring the ball in when the catch is contested. This hinders his upside to be a red zone threat, but if used in the open field, Asiasi can be a solid receiving option.
9. Colby Parkinson, Stanford
I don’t think Colby Parkinson will make an immediate impact in the NFL, but with time, Parkinson can carve out a solid role. He isn’t explosive, but he possesses solid hands and great leaping ability for red zone usage.
10. Josiah Deguara, Cincinnati
An incredibly tough athlete, Josiah Deguara is a developmental prospect who should be drafted late in day three. He doesn’t have great YAC ability, but he can be a decent vertical threat in offenses that like to throw it deep.
