Draft Preview 2026: Tight Ends

March 20, 2026

by Alex Zeese

NFL Draft prospects: Tight End

Washington may have a solid tight end room already before the draft, so I don’t think it’s likely to be a high priority for the team, but this class has some interesting prospects. Given the team’s current draft picks, I would not expect them to take a tight end before round 4.

1st round prospect:

Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon, 6’3″ 241 lbs, 4.39 40 time
2025: 51 catches 560 yards 8 TD’s

There’s really just one player who should be a round 1 prospect at tight end. If Washington wasn’t picking in the top ten, I’d say he should be seriously looked at. Sadiq is elite athletically and has all the makings of the next superstar tight end in the NFL. Think Antonio Gates and/or Vernon Davis.

He has elite speed: he had fastest 40 time ever for the position. He will be that Wing/slot type of tight end who you probably won’t see blocking on many pass plays, who can find that spot to sit in the middle of the field. He can play on the line, but that’s not when he will be at his most dangerous. He’s a projected top 20 pick, so we probably won’t see him in Washington.

Day 2 prospects:

Eli Stower, Vanderbilt, 6’4″ 239 lbs, 4.51 40 time.
2025: 62 catches 769 yards 4 TD’s

His frame reminds me of Jordan Reed. If Washington ended up drafting a tight end, then this is the 1st guy I think they could look at. While he makes a lot of big plays lining up as a wide receiver, he also can do some dirty work from the traditional tight end spot, and Vanderbilt ran some gadget tight end screens his way, too.

Even if you ignore his big plays, he also has a lot of ability to do the short stuff, the crossing routes, and things that give quarterbacks a safety blanket. Washington probably won’t get him, and let’s hope none of our rivals do either, because he will be a matchup nightmare.

Max Klare, Ohio State, 6’4, 246 lbs
2025: 43 catches, 448 yards, 2 TD’s

He has a long stride and good game speed once he has the ball. If you want a guy who can get some YAC and make big down the field plays more than a dirty work type, this may be that guy. Was more productive at Purdue than Ohio State.

Michael Trigg, Baylor, 6’4″ 240 lbs
2025: 50 catches 694 yards 6 TD’s

He plays physical, lots of contested catches where he just outphysicals a corner or safety. Lots of running through guys, works outside the numbers a lot. Makes a lot of one-handed catches for a tight end, but it doesn’t seem like he gets a lot of yards after the catch.

3rd/4th round guys:

Justin Joly, NC State 6’4 241 lbs,
2025: 49 catches 489 yards 7 TD’s

Of the guys I see listed in that 3rd-4th round range, he may be my favorite, and probably in that range where I could see Washington go for a tight end. Jolly is very athletic for a tight end will try to cut a little to make guys miss rather than run them over, almost like a running back. Great after the catch type. He would be on my watch list just because of that ability to juke and move around. If you have not watched this guy, go check him out, just fun.

Joe Royer, Cincinnati 6’5” 250 lbs.
2025: 29 catches 416 yards 4 TD’s

While a few of his big plays come running vertical routes, he played in the trenches a lot, making a good share of plays as an H-Back and traditional tight end, drifting into the flats, and has the ability to turn a 5-yard pass into a big gain. He had an eye-popping yards per catch compared to most tight ends from last year.

Dallen Bentley, Utah, 6’6” 250 lbs, 4.62 40 in the combine
2025: 48 catches 620 yards 6 TD’s

I get the feeling he won’t be a big playmaker in the NFL, but he has good size. He had a productive Senior year, but did nothing 2 years prior.

Sam Roush, Stanford, 6’5 260 lbs, 4.70 40 in the combine
2025: 49 catches 545 yards 2 TDs

He seemingly had a bad combine from what I’ve read, and his stock fell. But he has that big body build of a classic tight end and not one of these wide receiver/tight end hybrid types. He’s a bigger tight end, at 260, if you want some beef.

Eli Raridon, Notre Dame, 4.62 in the combine 6’7” 251 lbs
2025: 32 catches 482 yards 0 TDs

Good downfield catcher overall. His height makes him look lean, the build of a WR type rather than a tight end type, not a gangly 6’7 either. It is kind of shocking and a bit of a flag that he gets so few touchdowns.  One would think at that height he would be a go to target.

Oscar Delp, Georgia, 6’5” 245
20 catches 261 yards 1 TD

He looks like a solid traditional tight end, has the size you want. But he does have not a lot of production overall as a receiver.

Jack Endries, Texas, 6’4” 245 lbs, ran a 4.62 40
2025: 33 catches 346 yards 3 TDs

He goes down at 1st contact too much for my taste, so make sure that he’s either wide open or past the sticks before he gets the ball. But he has reliable hands, and he can move if he has space.

Late draft or UDFA prospects:

While there are a bunch of late-round prospects, I’ll point out two guys who had impressive speed in the combine, and I would look at them for special teams and developmental prospects. From what I can tell they are in that 7th round range. Both ran a low 4.5 second 40 yard dash, which makes their low draft prospect status a bit surprising.

RJ Maryland, SMU 6’4” 240 lbs
2025: 27 catches 332 yards, and 2 TD’
Some big plays padded those numbers. He is a bit more traditional. I think he’s got some H Back in him. He can get to the flats and get open. While he occasionally will be able to split out and get downfield.

Jaren Kanak, Oklahoma, 6’2” 233 lbs
2025: 44 catches 533 yards 0 TDs

He is an interesting guy who looks a bit small to play tight end in the NFL, even though he’s listed at 6’2′.  He’s an athlete who played quarterback, then linebacker, and most recently tight end. He has 4.52 speed. I don’t know how, but I bet he would be an interesting, unique weapon for a creative coach, and guys who played both ways in college always make for good special teams players in my book.

Here are some other tight ends in the draft:
Matthew Hibner- SMU
John Michael Gyllenborg- Wyoming
Marlin Klein – Michigan
Bauer Sharp – LSU
Josh Cuevas – Alabama
Riley Nowakowski- Indiana
Tanner Koziol- Houston
Sam Roush- Stanford
Khalil Dinkins- Penn State
Will Kacmarek- Ohio State