DRAFT TRACKER 2025

The ultimate "whatever, whenever" player in the 2025 draft with the size, athleticism and competitive spirit to make good on his intentions. Warren plays with swagger and “best player on the field” energy. He imprints on games with alignment versatility, allowing opportunities for play-callers to stress the defense. Despite his size, he’s quick enough to beat man coverage underneath and plays with good recognition of holes in coverage. He has the ball skills and toughness to win contested catches and withstand punishing contact. He’s very capable as a lead/move blocker but will need a little improvement at sustaining blocks when blocking in-line. Warren can access all three levels of the field but is best served short and intermediate. He possesses elite football character and plays with a confidence that can be contagious. He has a chance to become one of the best tight ends in the league.

Talented young tight end with the athletic ability and ball skills to become an elite talent as a pass catcher. Colston plays the game like a big wideout, capable of separating from man coverage and making plays on all three levels. He has good play speed and runs a route tree full of branches, allowing creative play-callers to move him around as a mismatch option. His routes can be a little hurried and lacking in detail but that should change with coaching. He’s graceful in-air and catches the ball with good timing and strong hands. He will keep filling out his frame but is unlikely to ever become more than average as a blocker. Colston’s collection of athletic traits and catch talent creates a high ceiling with the opportunity to become a high-volume target and future Pro Bowler.

Ascending tight end with plus catch talent and Hall of Fame bloodlines. With just three seasons under Taylor’s belt, more growth is expected in both his game and frame. He’s a smooth athlete with adequate acceleration and the tools to become a more effective route runner in time. He feels defenders around him and catches with sudden hands and elevated focus when needed. He can handle blocking duties on the move or in space, but in-line action will be a challenge for him. His game needs polish, but Taylor has the ability to become a higher-volume target for a team looking to upgrade at the “F” tight end spot.

Arroyo enters the evaluation process with questions to answer after a knee injury took chunks of two seasons from him. He displayed a willingness as both a point-of-attack and move blocker, but his technique and play strength will need upgrading. He’s an average athlete who struggles to beat man coverage but appeared to get faster and more fluid as the 2024 season wore on. He plays with awareness in space and secures throws with sure hands in traffic. Arroyo is a move tight end whose medical and athletic testing need to check out to give him a legitimate shot at being a productive pro.

Enigmatic prospect featuring record-breaking single-season catch production despite a straight-legged playing style. Fannin’s lack of functional bend forces him on more linear tracks and cuts his route tree in half, but it doesn't keep him from getting around the field and through the pattern with good speed. Fannin’s hands are automatic and he’s a competitive runner after the catch, but he needs to prove he can beat tight press-man coverage. He won’t block much, but his ability to stretch the field from the slot and make the tough catches give him a shot as a potential TE2 with upside.

Productive pass catcher with good size but an alarming lack of tenacity and fire when it’s time to run block. Ferguson saw adequate short-catch volume but was rarely asked to venture beyond the front yard as a route-runner. He has not shown enough technique or toughness to neutralize an NFL edge defender at the point of attack, but he can hit targets as a move blocker. Ferguson could improve in that area with additional coaching, but he might need to find the grit needed to compete against NFL tough guys as a run blocker to realize his full potential.

Fidone is long and linear with impressive athleticism but just two years of game experience due to injuries over his first two seasons. He’s a willing blocker with pretty good technique but needs to add strength to handle the work in-line. He needs to become more elusive with his release and more physical at the catch point, but he’s fast and fluid through his routes. He has the ability to uncover and stress the defense beyond the first level. Fidone’s effort, athleticism and ability to improve a passing game give him a chance to become a TE2 in the NFL.

Combination tight end who came back strong from a season-ending knee injury in 2023 and got better and more productive as the season progressed. Evans is willing as a blocker and has the size to help in that area, but he would be more consistent with better pad level and strain to finish what he starts. He catches passes aligning in-line or from the slot and frames up defenders to create catch space when contested. He has good ball skills and put a couple of spectacular catches on tape, but he will lose effectiveness beyond the second level. Evans’ size and dual-capacity ability on all three downs gives him a chance to become a starter with average catch production.

A combination tight end with good size and soft hands, Helm developed rapidly in the high-scoring Texas offense. He is a capable route runner who can be used on all three levels but was allowed free releases and frequent open looks that he won’t see as a pro. His size, hands and feel for space make him a quarterback-friendly target capable of moving the sticks at opportune times. He’ll need to thicken his lowers and improve his hand usage to handle in-line blocking chores in the NFL. Helm projects as a future TE2 with three-down potential.

Hawes is a thump-and-drive tight end with the technique and fire to help make a difference in the run game as both a lead/move blocker and at the point of attack. Hawes proved he could move from the Ivy League to the ACC and fit right in despite the step up in competition. There are correctable areas as a run blocker but his demeanor and size make it easier to project his move to the NFL in that area. He’s limited as a route runner and pass catcher, so a roster spot will need to be secured with a steady diet of physicality. Hawes has Day 3 value with a chance to earn NFL snaps.

A sixth-year senior who spent his final two seasons at South Carolina, Simon possesses the speed and quickness to challenge man coverage and work into deep sideline pockets of the zone. He was frequently used on play-action drags and quick-game throws underneath. He has good run-after-catch talent and makes an honest effort as a blocker. He lacks an ideal frame, but Simon’s spike in production over the final six games of the 2024 season could help spark interest from teams looking for a pass-catching tight end with upside.

What Briningstool lacks in mass he makes up for with toughness in both phases. He’s a possession-based tight end who majors in zone-beaters but will struggle to separate against man coverage. He operates in space with good body control and strong hands at the catch point and does an adequate job of keeping defenders on his hip. Despite a high pad level he can help as a run blocker both connected to the line and in space. He’s not a true “Y” or “F” tight end but is capable enough in all areas to become a factor in two-tight end sets.

Combination tight end capable of lining up in-line or as a move tight end. While Lachey can do both, he lacks the core strength and consistency of a typical “Y” tight end and has average quickness to escape man coverage on the next level. He has experience operating underneath and as an intermediate target, using proper leverage in his routes and good body control, along with strong hands, when contested. He has NFL size but needs to prove he can more consistently sustain as a run blocker in order to become a trustworthy, three-down player in the league. Unless that happens, he’s likely to be fighting for a role as a TE3 or TE4.

Combination tight end who can help here and there as both a blocker and pass catcher. Dippre is a big target underneath and can win contested catches. His play speed appears to be average and he struggles to avoid contact when getting through his route. Dippre was used as a connected blocker and moving lead blocker at Alabama. He has the size to take on pro run-blocking challenges, but the aggression and finish is lacking. Dippre won’t stand out in either phase, but he’s adequate in both and has traits that should give him a chance to make a team.

Receiver-to-tight-end convert who comes from NFL bloodlines. Gadsden is more of a big slot receiver than a pass-catching tight end. He gets hung up on press coverage and won’t outrange NFL man coverage downfield, but his wingspan gives him a distinct advantage at the catch stage. He creates throwing windows when he’s allowed to stay on the move and he battles for contested catches. He needs to get stronger and become a little more competitive as a blocker but there’s enough receiving talent for him to be picked on Day 3 of the draft.

Big in-line tight end whose flashes as a pass catcher helped to improve his draft stock. Matavao possesses a pro frame. He gets into routes and early break points with above-average quickness. His play speed has an expiration date, though, and coverage tends to close him out if the route lasts too long. Matavao will do what he’s asked as a run blocker but lacks pad level, hand placement and aggression at the point. The frame and athleticism could help him make a roster, but sticking around might require an upgrade as a run blocker. 

With his size and athletic talent, Conyers could become an NFL surprise if he commits himself to the work off the field. The route-running needs work and he’s faster than quick, but he has the size and ball skills to win when contested. His build-up speed allows for better throwing windows over the second and third levels than it does underneath against tight man coverage. He can add yards after the catch and has impressive tape out of the Wildcat at Arizona State, but the run blocking runs hot and cold. The size and talent are there for a roster spot, but sticking around might be up to Conyers.

Ouzts is built like an ironworker who has a squat rack in the garage. He’s compact and muscular but surprisingly athletic in routes and on move blocks. He can align as a wing and fits up blocks with good technique and balance, but he gets discarded by longer opponents. As a lead blocker he sees the run lane like a running back and adjusts well to strike moving targets. He can run routes if needed and should play on kick return, punt cover and field goal teams. A move to fullback will give him a chance to compete for a roster spot.

Tight end prospect with a broad upper body, muscular arms and adequate demeanor to block. Bartholomew will primarily function as an in-line tight end but can be set in action as a move blocker when needed. He’s unspectacular as an athlete with soft hands and an average catch radius. His block aggression is admirable, but Bartholomew will need to get stronger and improve his block sustain to make a roster.

Developmental project coming from the basketball world and attempting to prove he can stick in football. With only 57 career snaps, there will obviously be an emphasis on fundamentals and technique early in his career. His ball skills are natural, though, and his athleticism is a huge plus. He’s a likely practice squad stash early in his career, but we’ve seen a number of hoopers make the transition over the years. Lohner could be the next in line if he proves he has the toughness for the NFL game.

Yurosek has the body type of a pass-catching tight end but he might have a better chance to make the league as a run blocker. He’s a willing blocker at the point of attack with good short-area movement to stay centered and connected to the block. He lacks base strength, so tenacity will give way to pure power unless he gets stronger in his lower body. His movements in space can be unorthodox and he might not have enough separation quickness to make much of a mark as a pass catcher. Yurosek has an uphill fight on his hands, but a willingness to block gives him a chance.

Developmental “F” tight end with traits and athletic testing that could be worth a look from NFL teams. Runyon is long-legged and high-cut. He might need to spend time in the weight room filling out his frame. He has pro speed and is an explosive leaper on jump balls but doesn’t run routes or own the catch space like he needs to. He has some pop as a move blocker but is still too inconsistent in that area. His ability to develop his body and game might determine his chances of making a team.

Latu is a tall tight end who has gained 20-plus pounds since his freshman season, but he still needs to keep getting stronger. He’s willing as a blocker and gets into block fits with good positioning and technique. However, he lacks the play strength to compete against an NFL opponent at the point of attack. He has good hands and a wide catch radius but lacks separation quickness underneath and the speed to outrun man coverage in space. Latu is not a clean fit as a Y or an F tight end, which makes his NFL projection challenging.

Prieskorn has the size and frame of an in-line tight end, but he lacks the grit and blocking ability to man that spot in the NFL right now. Most of his catch production came from scheme or zone beaters. He’s sluggish into his routes and lacks the separation talent to get open against NFL man coverage. As a run blocker, he can neutralize more passive defenders but struggles with opponents who are aggressive and strong. He has quality ball skills but the blocking and aggression will need to pick up to warrant a roster spot.

Kuithe comes into the league as an undersized, 25-year-old rookie with a concerning history of injuries. He is too small to work in-line but can be used as a lead blocker or from the slot, where he can snatch up and subdue defenders in space. Kuithe is a productive pass catcher with good route acumen, speed to work downfield and run-after-catch talent. He also drops too many catchable throws and struggles badly to win combat catches. Size, age and injury history work against his chances of being drafted but he’s a quality football player worthy of an opportunity in camp.

Though listed as a tight end, Nesbit is more of a bigger, taller slot receiver. He’s long but tight-hipped and will struggle getting off of press and in and out of breaks on time. When running routes requiring fewer break points, he’s able to pick up speed and create downfield opportunities for his quarterback. His hands can look sloppy in one game and then he’ll make challenging catches the next. He’s been productive, but he can’t help as a blocker and will have to prove he has the strength and consistency to make it in the league.