The Eagles should look to invest in a Dallas Goedert successor.
Tight end play is integral to the modern NFL offense. Every play caller would love to have a guy who can block in-line, run past linebackers, and out-muscle defensive backs. It’s worked pretty well for the Chiefs over the last few years.
It’s historically been a rarity for tight ends to come into the league and immediately produce, but that conventional wisdom might be changing. Brock Bowers completely turned the league on its head with a record breaking rookie season in 2024. Sam LaPorta changed the Lions offense in his first year. It feels like ancient history, but Kyle Pitts put up a 1,000 yard season in 2021 before the Falcons seemingly forgot he existed. Needless to say, it is possible for a tight end to come in year one and have a big impact.
The Eagles might be in the market for a tight end this draft. Dallas Goedert is reportedly on the trade block and the team has only made low-level free agent signings to address the position. This is a talented class, and the Eagles may take advantage. Here are the top players in the group.
1) Tyler Warren, Penn State
If a tight end in this class is going to come in on day one of their NFL careers and turn around an offense, it’ll be Tyler Warren. Warren was a monster on the Penn State offense in 2024. He was simply too big and strong for defenders struggling to cover him.
Warren has a huge frame at 6’5” and nearly 260 pounds, which he carries around well. Despite having shorter arms for the position, Warren has no problem boxing out defenders and making tough catches in traffic. His size is also a contributing factor in being a dependable run blocker.
Warren is a good, not elite athlete. He has build-up speed in a straight line, but lacks elite burst or bend to be a high level route runner. He is able to separate through being physical early in the play and can find the ball no matter what, so his athleticism is hardly a concern.
NFL Comparison: Jeremy Shockey, New York Giants
2) Colston Loveland, Michigan
Colston Loveland is going to give NFL teams something different than Tyler Warren, but still give them an excellent player.
Loveland is tall and lean at 6’5” around 240 pounds with long arms. He has a great catch radius and can make grabs in traffic. However, his game is far more predicated on finesse. He is a smooth, effortless athlete who runs great routes to get open at all levels of the field. With the ball in his hands, he can run by defenders with ease.
He is not overly strong, which shows up in his blocking. He is a high effort player in this regard, but just lacks the bulk to back it up.
In the NFL, he will thrive as a big slot type of player who could occasionally line up as a traditional tight end.
NFL Comparison: Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
3) Terrance Ferguson, Oregon
Terrance Ferguson looks like a tight end at 6’4” and a muscular 250 pounds. He is athletic, with real ease of movement at every phase of the play.
He is tough to bring down after the catch, making him a threat on short passes to go a long way afterward.
In Oregon’s offense, he wasn’t asked to run a lot of complex routes, nor did he put much good blocking on tape. Ferguson is obviously very talented, but needs to improve in some key areas to go from a very good role player to a true TE1 type.
NFL Comparison: Jonnu Smith, Miami Dolphins
4) Mason Taylor, LSU
If I had to bet, I’d say Mason Taylor’s best football is still very much ahead of him. Not only is he among the youngest players in the class, his NFL pedigree is serious. He is the son of NFL Hall of Famer Jason Taylor and the nephew of Hall of Famer Zach Thomas… Not bad!
As a player, Taylor has a ton of obvious talent. He is well built, very athletic and looks smooth as silk out in the field as a receiver.
Blocking leaves a lot to be desired, especially given his bigger frame. While he has room to grow, Taylor will thrive in the NFL with a team patient enough to let him continue growing.
NFL Comparison: Jared Cook, Tennessee Titans
5) Elijah Arroyo, Miami
Knee injuries played a big part in keeping Elijah Arroyo off the field for a good part of his college career. However, he was quite impressive in 2024 when he stayed healthy.
The 6’5”, 250 pounder moves a lot smoother than he should at that size and was a big play threat in the Miami offense because of it. Arroyo averaged over 16 yards per reception, which is impressive for a wide receiver, let alone a tight end. He got down the field with ease and made big catch after big catch.
Arroyo is underwhelming as a blocker despite physical tools that would suggest otherwise. He is very talented, but needs to refine his game to stay on the field as a number one tight end.
NFL Comparison: Jordan Cameron, Cleveland Browns
The Rest
6) Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
7) Harold Fannin Junior, Bowling Green State University
8) Gunnar Helm, Texas
9) Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse
10) Jalon Conyers, Texas Tech
