The tight end position has drastically evolved of late in the NFL, and it's become extraordinarily top-heavy. Thankfully, for aficionados of the position, the 2023 draft provided the league with the best tight end class in quite some time. It's vastly deep group for a position in need of it at the professional level.
Let's rank the five rookie tight ends who'll be most productive in the 2023 season.
5. Darnell Washington, Steelers
Washington is much different from every tight end below, in size and play style. He's a moose at nearly 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds -- with room to grow -- and elects to run through tacklers more often than dodging them in the open field. Also, with a wingspan in the 98th percentile at the position among combine participants since 1999, throw it anywhere in Washington's zip code and he's coming down with the football. Those 11-inch mitts come in handy in that regard too.
Washington isn't going to separate like his contemporaries. He's going to block defensive ends and linebackers more consistently than all of them, he can make a living utilizing his massive frame to box out defenders to give Kenny Pickett a large target area, and once he catches the ball, look out. Washington will throw in the occasional hurdle too. He's a freaky athlete relative to his size. It'll be a major challenge yanking looks away from George Pickens, Diontae Johnson, and Pat Freiermuth. I believe he'll be a red-zone monster and surprise with how sneaky efficient he is after the catch.
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4. Luke Musgrave, Packers
I was lower on Musgrave than most, but being completely frank, he was the most enigmatic tight end prospect in the class because we only saw him in two games during the 2022 season. Not getting that true final season film and statistical profile was a bummer.
While he didn't run as fast as many expected -- 4.61 at close to 6-foot-7 and 253 pounds -- he does glide on the field and in the little action Musgrave got at Oregon State last year, he demonstrated a flair for the acrobatic catch. I'm concerned about his yards-after-the-catch capabilities, a key element to the position today, because he simply didn't show plus talent in that area in college. Despite that, his head coach in Green Bay, Mike LaFleur, has proven to be interested in scheming production for the tight end position. Robert Tonyan anyone? Tonyan went from being undrafted out of Indiana State to an 11 touchdown scorer in 2020. Musgrave very well could be next in line, and I trust Musgrave when he has to make snags with arms extended in traffic. This very well ultimately be fellow tight end Tucker Kraft, by the way.
3. Michael Mayer, Raiders
While stylistically dissimilar, Mayer reminded me of former Notre Dame star tight end Tyler Eifert because of the squeakiness of their games on film. Mayer caught everything in his freshman season in South Bend. He can separate from underneath coverage despite a lack of sheer explosiveness, and he's sneaky powerful and agile after the catch.
Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow are two massive roadblocks to Mayer's Year 1 productivity. We are all fully aware of Josh McDaniel's past with tight ends in his offense. It's not like Mayer will hardly see the football. His game was about as pro-ready as they come at the position, and Jimmy Garoppolo's spread-it-around style indicates Mayer could have a fine albeit far from spectacular debut in the NFL. His high floor was the most appealing part of his profile as a prospect.
2. Dalton Kincaid, Bills
The Bills know they have to be more dynamic and deeper on offense, which is why they made Kincaid the first tight end off the board in April. He was the most explosive tight end in the class with the sharpest, natural route running skills, and his magnetic hands are what quarterbacks dream of. Missing from the 2022 Bills offense was the reliable, possession presence Cole Beasley brought from 2019 to 2021 (yes, Beasley was brought back late in 2022 but wasn't exactly the same). Kincaid can resemble Beasley against zone and when linebackers attempt to match him in man. Stefon Diggs will remain the focal point in Josh Allen's aerial attack, but the Bills operate best offensively when the football is dispersed more evenly than it was last season.
Kincaid will have a rock-solid rookie year on one of the best offenses in football.
1. Sam LaPorta, Lions
The Dan Campbell-led Lions love running the ball and playing old-school, hard-nosed football, don't they? Well, not really. Jared Goff attempted the sixth-most passes during the regular season in 2022. David Montgomery and especially Jahmyr Gibbs in the backfield lend credence to the idea that the Lions may be more reliant on the run game in 2023, burgeoning star offensive coordinator Ben Johnson isn't suddenly going to morph into your grandpa's playcaller. The ball will be in the air often with Goff this season.
And Amon-Ra St. Brown will garner the most targets. Former first-round pick Jameson Williams will get up to speed after his six-game suspension for gambling. Beyond that, the Lions depth consists of Marvin Jones on a reunion tour and Josh Reynolds. In other words -- there's opportunity galore for LaPorta in Year 1. He is a thick, dynamic athlete with George Kittleian attributes after the catch. For real. LaPorta will be the most productive rookie tight end in a blast of an offense in Detroit this season.
