• Tyler Warren is the best after the catch: The projected top tight end in this year’s draft set Power Four records in yards after the catch this season.
• Colston Loveland is the best route-runner: The projected first-round pick runs routes like a slot receiver despite being 248 pounds.
• 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

With just a month to go before the 2025 NFL Draft, we continue wrapping up our preview of the class with prospect superlatives.

Here are the top tight ends in the class in various categories. 

Best Vertical Threat: Elijah Arroyo, Miami (FL)

Arroyo was a favorite target of Cameron Ward up the seams this past season. His 255 receiving yards on deep throws (20-plus yards) ranked second among Power Four tight ends. He has the requisite speed to challenge defenses vertically in the NFL and is always making them pay past the sticks. 

Hawes is essentially a sixth offensive lineman whenever he is on the field. He has the strength at 6-foot-5 and 253 pounds, and the technique to drive defenders off the ball and even hold up in pass protection. His 74.7 run-blocking grade in 2024 was fifth among Power Four tight ends, and he has the versatility to be an effective blocker from an inline position, fullback or as a puller.

Best Route-Runner: Colston Loveland, Michigan

Loveland has the physical dimensions (6-foot-5, 248 pounds) of a tight end, but he runs routes like a bigger slot receiver. He was charted as open on 84.7% of his targets in 2024, which placed him in the 93rd percentile aming all tight ends. Loveland has outstanding movement ability with quick hips and footwork to leave defenders grasping for air. 

Best After the Catch: Tyler Warren, Penn State

The near-consensus top tight end in the 2025 NFL Draft is a menace after the catch. His 690 yards after the catch in 2024 were 131 more than any Power Four tight end has posted in the PFF College era. Warren is dangerous with the ball in his hands as a runner as well, leading all FBS tight ends with 218 rushing yards. In fact, no other tight end had more than 85. His 30 total forced missed tackles were also the most by a Power Four tight end.

Best at the Catch Point: Caden Prieskorn, Ole Miss

Prieskorn has good size and length at 6-foot-5, which makes him outstanding on 50/50 balls. He has caught 11 of his 13 contested targets over the last two years, which places him in the 99th percentile of all tight ends. 

Fannin set records this past season for the Falcons, which is only possible because of his reliable hands. He has had 193 catchable targets throughout his career, which has led the nation since 2022. Fannin only dropped five of those passes for a career drop rate of 2.6%. 

Freakiest Athlete: Terrance Ferguson, Oregon

Ferguson scored above the 97th percentile in PFF’s Game Athleticism Score metric and backed that up at the NFL Combine as well. His 39-inch vertical placed him in the 95th percentile of tight ends while his 10-foot-2 broad jump was in the 86th percentile. Ferguson’s 10-yard split (1.55 seconds) also stood in the 91st percentile while his 40-yard dash (4.63 seconds) was in the 82nd percentile.