DRAFT TRACKER 2012

Allen was a two year starter at tight end for Clemson where he won the Mackey award as the nations top TE before declaring early for the draft. He was a first-team All-ACC selection and has great size for the position and even better speed. He is a polished and accomplished route runner who understands how to play the position and will be an immediate threat at the next level. He is a more classic, line-attached tight end who can work upfield out of a three point stance without having to rely on aligning in the slot. He has a rare combination of size, speed, athleticism, and overall understanding of the intricacies of the position.

Fleener is the one senior tight end in the nation who has consistently shown the type of talent that will allow him to start early at the next level. He uses his 6-6 frame well when running routes and separating from defenders. He has been the go-to target in the red zone for Andrew Luck the past few years. Fleener understands route concepts and has the competitiveness and size also to be an effective inline blocker. Some may question his true talent given his size and being fortunate to be on the receiving end of many Luck passes, but the Stanford senior is an attractive prospect who could be taken towards the end of the first round.

Charles is a big, athletic and flexible tight end in the mold of some ends that have found success being mismatches of late in the NFL. He has decent size for the position and runs pretty well. He started 95 percent of his games the last two years and had over 500 yards receiving as a junior. He is capable of blocking on the line immediately and is a very reliable short-yardage pass-catcher. If he can put on a little bit more size to increase the effectiveness of a mismatch running against linebackers in the short game, it's likely he could be drafted as early as the third round.

Egnew is an athletic, tall prospect similar to recent NFL successes in that he is somewhat underweight but creates mismatches up and down the field. A converted receiver, Egnew has struggled with traditional tight end responsibilities such as blocking in-line and being an overall run-game presence. He is athletic for his size and presents a speed mismatch on linebackers and a size mismatch on safeties, which will ultimately define his value in this year's draft. If Egnew runs well at February's combine, look for him to ascend as a high-value mismatch-creator.

Green has been a late riser and could progress even more if he continues to show the type of athleticism he showed in his senior year. Although he comes from a smaller conference, Green has been a very productive pass-catching tight end and has displayed the type of athleticism that makes him a mismatch at the next level and the type of player a team could fall in love with and take with a risk-pick earlier in the draft. All things considered, he has displayed sixth-round talent up to this point and is a developmental project at the position.

Paulson has been a reliable pass-catching tight end for Oregon. He struggles to get open, but he plays well within the Ducks' scheme to make plays when the ball is thrown. He has been a consistent and durable starter who has always been capable of keeping the chains moving within the offense. He can make the spectacular catch and has sixth-round talent based off his experience and capabilities in-route.

Rodriguez is an interesting prospect in that teams will have to find abnormal ways to get him the ball in space at the next level. He transferred from West Virginia to Temple after only one semester, and it was an obviously advantageous move for both parties. He stands out as having the physical traits to not be denied a spot on a team in the NFL. Rodriguez has true tweener size and isn't an obvious tight end or fullback. He is a serviceable player at the next level in the short passing game, as he is a reliable pass catcher and has a deceptive wiggle to make guys miss and get the short first down.

Reliford is a big tight end who has serious size for the next level. Unfortunately, he doesn't use this size to his advantage when it comes to the physical aspect of his game. He has a lot of worker to do as a blocker on the line of scrimmage. He can be a soft player at times who truly has only been a receiving option for the Seminoles. Based off his size and athletic ability, Beau has sixth-round value, and a team will need to tap into his nasty side for him to reach his potential.

Provo was best with the ball in his hands at Syracuse. He uses his fluid athletic ability to make plays in the passing game and is able to separate well from defenders, though he is not a great blocker. He is more of a short-area receiver who makes plays with defenders on him or close by. His lack of strength hurts his blocking ability and overall value, but he is a try-hard player.

Igwenagu is an intriguing prospect who never really found a consistent position at UMass, but contributed as a tight end and could play the role of a hybrid H-back type player in the NFL. He can run well for his size and is crafty in getting open, catching the ball, and moving up the field. He isn't a deep threat and gets his production in close, mostly on short first downs. He could be a late-round flier for a team looking to use him on short passing downs.

Dunsmore is an intriguing offensive weapon from Northwestern, a college tight end who shows the frame and skill set to be used in a variety of ways at the next level. Much like Chris Cooley in Washington, or the development of Aaron Hernandez this year in New England, Dunsmore has the ability to be a threat from various spots on the field and be a reliable short-yardage option to pick up first downs and create mismatches.

Peterson is an undersized tight end who really is more of a tweener, as he was used in both wide receiver looks and at tight end at LSU. He definitely won't be a blocking bruiser working off the line of scrimmage at the next level, and is more of a mismatch candidate who will need to work out of the slot to get looks against slower linebackers or smaller safeties in the NFL. He is a good athlete, but hasn't shown the consistency or production to warrant a top pick; but given the nature of NFL offenses at the moment, being mismatch driven, Peterson has late-round talent and could rise even higher to the middle rounds to a team that wants to develop his talents.

Harkey was rather unheralded for much of his career at UCLA, where he only had one pass thrown his way as a senior and was used mostly as an extra blocker. Has good size as a blocker, but it is unlikely he will work upfield much as a pass catcher in the NFL.

Hanna is a thick tight end who is much more of a crafty receiving threat than he is a blocker, and has been consistent throughout his two years as a starter at Oklahoma. He is a good catcher and can adjust well to poorly thrown balls, even with a man draped over him. Hanna is a straight-line runner who isn't very good at maneuvering in his routes, but his speed is deceptive and he just possesses the "it" factor when it comes to making a catch at the top of his routes. He is a limited prospect who could be taken in the late rounds of the draft, but will come in, compete and potentially make a team based off his willingness to play special teams and ability as a pass-catching tight end. He only had two catches for 18 yards against Iowa in the Insight Bowl, which wasn't far off his average and about what type of player he is: Reliable to make a few tough catches, but not going to have any sort of "Rob Gronkowski-type production" from the position anytime soon.