DRAFT TRACKER 2021

While the player comparison for the purposes of this scouting report is Darren Waller, Pitts may have the traits and talent to create mismatches similar to those created by Calvin Johnson and Tyreek Hill. His rare blend of size, athleticism and ball skills are reminiscent of Megatron’s. His ability as a pass-catching tight end could force defenses in his division to alter the way they construct their roster. He’s a tough matchup for most linebackers and too big for most cornerbacks. He offers offensive coordinators the ability to align him all over the field and, like Waller, can become a highly targeted, highly productive pass catcher from the tight end position. He puts in effort as a blocker but with limited success. That’s not what makes him special, though. Along with Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence, Pitts has a chance to become the biggest game-changer in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Highly intriguing early entry tight end who appears to be scratching the surface of his future impact. He's not the same level of player, but Tremble's blocking toughness and athletic profile are reminiscent of Kellen Winslow Jr.'s when he entered the league. Tremble is a gritty, capable blocker at the point of attack and will really move the needle as a lead and move blocker in space. However, he lacks development as a route runner and has hands that fail to inspire confidence as a pass catcher. His versatility as a run blocker will allow offensive coordinators to shift him around formations and create favorable matchups in the passing game. If he's able to simply improve his hands status to average, his speed and athleticism should create chunk play opportunities. He has Day 2 value with Day 1 upside.

Big, athletic tight end with the potential to be a combo player at the position, helping as a run blocker and pass catcher. Freiermuth needs to tighten up his technique as a run blocker but his foot quickness and agility led to some splashy recoveries and block finishes that foreshadow his future potential. He's athletic and has good build-up speed down the seam to attack the second level. However, he's average in separating underneath. Will need to do a better job of accessing his basketball background and putting a body on defenders to "block out" and create space for the throw. He'll need to have his season-ending injury vetted, but he has Day 2 talent for teams looking to bolster their 12 personnel package or add production from their Y tight end.

Pass-catching tight end with decent speed and plus ball skills but a concerning lack of consistent aggression in his play. Long is much too passive and unskilled as a run blocker at this point of his development to consistently help against NFL competition. He also needs to get better at controlling his catch space with body control and physicality. However, when the ball is in the air, he plays with a plus level of tracking and focus to make tougher catches look easy, including throws that are down near his feet. He doesn't look like a burner, but he does have success running the seam and working over routes, so play speed should not be an issue. He's unlikely to ever be much of a blocker, so he must learn to become more competitive and feisty in fighting for his space and the football.

Potential Y tight end if he can improve blocking technique and grit at the point of attack. Jordan can work the field in-line or from the slot and has improved his route-running over time. His play speed is average, as is his burst to separate, so learning to own the catch space and fend off draped coverage at the top of the route might be essential for his long-term success. He's best at creating looks for his quarterbacks on simple outs, crossers and slants. He has decent size and athleticism to add modest yardage after the catch. Many of his catches came on short throws or coverage busts, so some of the production might need to be taken with a grain of salt. He has decent pass-catching talent but needs to bolster the run blocking to become a TE2.

Former dual-threat quarterback who flipped to tight end during his time at Central Michigan and continued at that spot as a Virginia graduate transfer. He has some ability as a run blocker thanks to his play strength and above-average length. If he can work with better inside hands, he should continue to improve in that area as a pro. Despite his background as an athletic quarterback, Poljan looks somewhat labored moving in space and is a little stiff when attempting to attack 50-50 balls. His upside as a pass catcher appears limited, but he might have the size and toughness to make it as an in-line blocker with some zone-beater value underneath in the passing game.

Gray understands leverage and how to create some tilt in coverage but doesn't have play speed or separation burst to do enough with it. While he's not going to have the size or strength to block defenders when firing off the ball, he has enough athleticism and grit to offer some assistance as a move blocker from the slot or wing position. He has late-round potential and could find a team fit as a TE3/4.

High-cut college wingback commonly referred to as a "move tight end." Yeboah isn't big or strong enough to handle in-line blocking duties but might offer enough as a positional blocker to get by in space or on the move. His build-up speed can leave linebackers in trail position and he has big-play capability once he opens up his stride before or after the catch. He's a bit of an enigma as a pass catcher with below-average catch focus, leading to drops on simple throws. However, he possesses above-average ball skills on contested throws downfield. If he can improve a little bit as a blocker or as a pass catcher, he has a chance to become a decent backup.

Run-blocking tight end with good toughness and grit, although he needs more meat on his bones to stand up to NFL competition at the point of attack. Kampmoyer might need to alter his approach in attacking his initial block, as his hands get to the target a little too slowly for the NFL game. He has good core power and grip strength to battle and create some sustain but needs to prove he can do the same thing as a lead or move blocker. Kampmoyer does his job as a pass catcher, but there's nothing special about that area of his game. He won't uncover against man coverage but respect for his run-blocking ability should open some play-action doors. He has late-round potential as a TE3 for offenses that feature heavy use of 12 personnel groupings.

Matchup tight end with acceleration and athleticism to create passing windows and make noise with his yards after catch. He's a little tight getting into breaks, so a scheme that allows him to keep striding throughout the route is preferable. While he offers playmaking potential, the hand-eye coordination looked a bit shaky as a pass catcher. Granson doesn't have the strength to do much blocking near the line of scrimmage, which limits how he can be used, but he might be functional enough from the slot. He has Day 3 potential and intriguing upside.

Move tight end or H-back with in-line experience who offers up some potential as both a run blocker and pass catcher. He's a little tight in the hips, which hinders some of his short-area route work and blocking leverage at the point of attack. He's got some juice to work the seam and has desired ball skills despite his shorter arms. He's going to struggle blocking defensive ends, but is a willing combatant and has the potential to get linebackers blocked on the edges and defensive backs blocked out in space. Moore-McKinney could offer value as a late-rounder or priority free agent.

Gangly and ungainly, Davidson is an enigma as a one-year wonder with mega production seemingly coming from nowhere. He's a towering figure with slender body composition, offering a desired combination of speed and athleticism to work all three levels of the field with a natural advantage in the catch-radius department. While he has the tools to become a better route runner, he is in the developmental stage currently. The biggest concern is his lack of lower-body mass and lack of functional strength to offer up at least decent wall-off potential as an H-tight end or big slot. His potential as a pass catcher and his roster value as a backup punter could play into his chance of making the back-end of a roster or a practice squad.

Stoll battled through injuries, rendering his 2020 season as almost irrelevant for the purposes of evaluation. However, there is enough tape from 2018 and 2019 to pair with a strong pro day to believe he has a shot to be drafted. He plays with good route speed, has soft hands and is a very physical run finisher. He lacks desired size and strength to be an in-line blocker, so he might need to work as an H-back. If he can prove himself as a blocker, he could find his way onto a roster.

Pass-catching tight end who can be asked to do some minor positional blocking up front, but he's better as a move blocker. McKitty's play speed doesn't always match his real speed, which is a problem in terms of his separation and ball tracking. He's better up the seam and on the move than he is getting in and out of breaks. If he can get stronger and learn to play faster as a pass catcher, he might have a chance as a developmental TE3.

Eubanks possesses in-line tight end size but finesse tight end play traits. He has the speed to attack the seam and create occasional mismatches with linebackers, but will need to play faster and with more snap out of his turns as a route-runner. He can be a little slow to present to the quarterback, which creates challenges for him when throws are put right on top of him. He has both the agility and frame to improve as a contested-catch winner if he can improve his competitiveness. He's more likely to wall off a defender than knock him off the spot as a drive blocker. His size and athleticism could be appealing as a developmental H-back, but he'll need to be better than his 2020 tape to make a roster.

Numerous prospects each year have basketball backgrounds from their high school days, but few have it show up on tape like Angeline does. Keep in mind his blocking demeanor is more basketball player than tight end. He currently lacks the toughness and play strength to sustain blocks at the NFL level. As a pass catcher, he uses his long strides to climb past linebackers and is able to work vertically and across the hashes on intermediate routes. He's athletic catching on the move with soft, sticky hands and uses his basketball footwork when separating near the end zone. He's basically a bigger, taller receiver, but there's talent to consider as a pass-catching option.

Soehner's size is reminiscent of an undersized tackle, but in reality he's an in-line tight end with the type of frame to potentially compete for a future role as a blocking tight end if he can improve his hand usage and core strength. He's a one-speed route runner who can work into the soft spots of the zone as a pass catcher but won't be able to uncover against man. His NFL future will likely depend on how well he can block.

In-line tight end prospect with good size and adequate strength but lacking consistency in centering and sustaining blocks. Farrell isn't going to dazzle anyone with play speed or athleticism and does most of his pass catching as a safe option in the flat or in the underbelly of zone coverage. Farrell needs to work on run-blocking technique, including his footwork, as a role as a dirty-work blocker is his most likely path to a roster spot.

Lynn checks in somewhere between an in-line tight end and a move tight end. He's high cut with tremendously long arms which makes him look gangly, but he actually has better size than it appears. He has a basketball background, but needs to prove that he can play with plus quickness and agility on a regular basis as a pass catcher. He has physical traits to become a more effective point-of-attack blocker, but needs to play with better effort and grit to do it. Move-blocking duties are more his thing, with an ability to make smooth adjustments to moving targets. He won't be a prolific pass catcher, but he has a chance to handle what is asked of him as both a blocker and pass catcher if given more time to develop.

Pass-catching tight end with a basketball background that could be more successfully capitalized upon at a little lighter weight. Wells is more of a positional, get-in-the-way blocker at this time and while he can certainly improve, that isn't where his value rests. One viewing of his high school basketball highlights on YouTube and it is easy to see where the ball skills and in-air athleticism come from. The short-area foot quickness is a little disappointing, which limits his route work and yards after catch underneath. Wells is an investment that could pay off down the road if a team can get the most out of his athletic potential and polish this potential gem.

In-line tight end with good size and room for more muscle mass. Bates has an athletic background in his high school past, but his play speed tends to be inconsistent as a route-runner. He's lacking the foot quickness to uncover underneath, but he might be able to work up the field with more development. Bates will need to get more physical and improve his hand usage and footwork to become a functional blocker as a pro.

Beyer was touted as a breakout candidate by Iowa staff members on multiple occasions, but he failed to truly take off. Through no fault of his own, Beyer had to wait behind the likes of George Kittle, Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson and lost much of 2018 due to injury. He's a former wideout with good athleticism and soft hands, but still needs to prove himself as a pass catcher, since there isn't much career production. He's a willing blocker, but fails to play with the hand grip and technique to stay connected to blocks for as long as he will need to. The 24-year-old doesn't fit neatly into a tight end type, which could create a challenge for his NFL prospects.

Gangly pass-catching tight end coming into the 2021 draft with no 2020 tape after suffering an Achilles injury just before the season kicked off. He has good yards-per-catch numbers and quality ball skills, but is unable to separate against tight man coverage and struggles to finish contested catches. He's a poor blocker at the point of attack.

Morris switched from receiver to tight end in 2019 but his weight gain and tape from 2020 did him no favors in the evaluation process. He looked slow and extremely stiff in his lower body and a trip back to his 2018 and 2019 tape is required to see a more athletic and capable pass catcher. He's below average as a route runner and unable to create enough separation against tight man coverage as a receiver or tight end. He might need to drop weight, improve his flexibility and continue working on his blocking to have a shot in the pros.

Blocking tight end lacking the size and strength that teams desire. Forristall gives good effort both at the point of attack and in space but doesn't have the necessary power to consistently sustain blocks near the line of scrimmage. He's a pure zone-beater as a pass-catcher who needs the scheme to help him uncover. He's been part of many talented teams, but he will be a longshot to play as a pro.