The lines are often blurred these days between what makes a wide receiver and a tight end. In-line blockers are becoming increasingly out of favor for tight ends that can line up in the slot or out wide. Guys like Jimmy Graham of the New Orleans Saints, who is almost never asked to block, make the definition ambiguous even though “tight end” is the position for which he is listed. Regardless, the position is what it is and without further delay, here is a comparison of the top tight ends and tight ends in the 2014 NFL Draft class.
1. Eric Ebron, North Carolina
Eric Ebron will be the first tight end selected off the board. He is strong and well-built. He has speed and uses it in combination with his strength to out-match his opponents. His great hands and coordination allow him make tough catches often. Comparisons to Jimmy Graham are outlandish because Ebron has stiff hips that prevent him from being the fluid and explosive athlete that Graham is and his frame is no where near as long. None the less, he does create match up problems for the defense. He has the size and strength to be a capable in-line blocker, which he sometimes shows. Other times he seems to have no interest in blocking for his teammates. Also he plays too high and frequently gets beat by players with better leverage. Ebron is an intriguing athlete but the hype around him is too high. Consider that Florida State wide receiver, Kelvin Benjamin, has similar size (slightly larger frame with a little less bulk) and is also a capable (and very willing) blocker. If a team is looking for the next Jimmy Graham type tight end then why not go for Benjamin instead? He has much more fluid hips, like Graham, and is seen as a mid-to-late first round pick. Ebron is often seen as a mid-to-early first round pick so the value is in Benjamin’s favor too. He is a very talented player but this draft is full of great offensive play-makers. Teams looking for a dangerous weapon in the passing game would be better served picking off the top five or six wide receivers before turning to Ebron. Those who think they can and want to refine his blocking potential may want to consider him a bit earlier. Either way, Ebron is the most physically gifted “tight end” in this draft.
2. Xavier Grimble, USC
Teams looking for a real tight end will like Xavier Grimble. His ability to block is unrivaled by the rest of the tight ends in this class. He has nice size and bulk for and in-line blocker and keeps his feet moving from start to finish. He is more than willing to block and thrives at it. He was also used in pass protection quite a bit at USC and did a solid job at that. As a receiver he is at his best working the short and intermediate range. He can work the middle of the field and make catches in traffic. He runs with power once he has the ball and is tough to bring down. Unfortunately, he has durability concerns. Also he does not have the explosive athleticism that is so highly coveted among the position in the modern NFL. His stats were pathetic this past season but a large part of that is because he was so often kept in to block on passing plays as well as being slowed down by injuries. He is very underrated. If healthy, Xavier Grimble is the ideal classic tight end. He will make running backs happy and provide a nice safety net for quarterbacks.
3. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington
Austin Seferian-Jenkins is a large tight end with long arms. Quarterbacks will love his catch radius. He is a decent but not great athlete. He has the ideal size to be an in-line blocker but does not show the desire or skill to be one consistently. He clearly prefers to be in tight end category. Like Ebron, Seferian-Jenkins is swimming a sea of great pass catching options in this draft so his value is diminished. He has a high ceiling due to his size but will need to work harder at blocking to become a more complete player.
4. Jace Amaro, Texas Tech
Jace Amaro is a capable and willing blocker. That is not something said very often about tight ends from Texas Tech. This is still a spread system that frequently puts him in the slot but he put in the effort to block down field whenever he got the chance. He also showed a commendable effort when they did use him as an in-line blocker. Unfortunately, he plays tall and with far less strength than one would expect from a guy so big. Amaro has a huge catch radius and runs with authority with the ball. He is not very athletic and gets most of his production from his size and effort. He has some tools to use but unless he adds strength, it may be tough to find a large role for him in the NFL.
5. Crockett Gillmore, Colorado State
Arguably the most ideal frame in the class belongs to Crockett Gillmore. At 6’6″ he dwarfs most defensive players and has very long arms. He has nice hands and can make catches in traffic. His motor runs constantly high, especially as a blocker. He is not a very fluid athlete and needs to add strength to be an effective blocker at the next level. Luckily he has the frame to support a lot more muscle. Gillmore is a developmental prospect but can be a very effective NFL tight end one day.
6. Arthur Lynch, Georgia
A jack of all trades, master of none. This is the best way to describe Arthur Lynch. At Georgia he could do it all but did not excel anywhere. He is an average athlete and will need to add strength as a blocker. He runs solid routes but is not very explosive. He does not create any match up problems. His best bet is to bulk up and keep working on his routes, hands, and blocking technique to make a roster.
7. Colt Lyerla, Oregon
Colt Lyerla has not played football in a while. Last season he was suspended for a game, then left the team for “personal reasons”, and was then arrested for possession of cocaine. To say the least, Lyerla’s career was derailed. He is attempting a come back and is working to make an NFL team. He had an impressive combine but the underwear Olympics should be taken with a gain of salt. His limited film shows that he has nice hands and is tough to bring down once he has the ball. He is a willing blocker but lacks the size and strength to do it well. He is fairly athletic but not enough to win match ups with that alone. His biggest challenge will be convincing teams that his off-field issues are behind him. After that his best chance is to keep working on his routes and hands to become an effective receiving tight end at the next level.
Photo courtesy of http://www.rantsports.com/ncaa-football/files/2013/12/xavier-grimble.jpg
