2025 NFL Draft: Tight End Prospect Rankings

2025 boasts an extremely talented tight end class that could potentially even see three players go in the first round. The tight end position can be one of the most difficult to project to the next level due to the position typically being valued less in college football, as well as their vast skillset having to be a receiving and blocking hybrid. I’ve done my homework though and without further adieu, these are the rankings of my top 10 tight end prospects this year.

1. Tyler Warren – Penn State

Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 6’6″, 255 lbs
2024 Stats: 104 receptions, 1,233 yards, 8 TD | 11.9 YPR
Value: Early First Round

Massive tight end with strong hands and a huge catch radius. Warren is a dream safety valve for a quarterback — his awareness and ability to find soft spots in coverage are exceptional. After the catch, he brings a physical, ground-and-pound style and is always looking to turn short gains into big plays. He can separate vertically and secure the ball with top-tier tracking skills.

In the red zone, he’s a nightmare — he knows how to gain leverage and finish. What separates him is his competitive fire; he consistently shows up in big moments and plays like he wants to make an impact every snap.

He has strong upside as a blocker, but still needs coaching to improve his hand placement and anchor — especially when matched up against faster defenders. He’s not the most technical route runner and doesn’t manipulate defenders at a high level.

Still, Warren is one of the best overall prospects in the entire draft. With continued development, he could be a dominant, do-it-all tight end in the league for a long time.

2. Colston Loveland – Michigan

Age: 21 | Height/Weight: 6’6″, 245 lbs
2024 Stats: 56 receptions, 582 yards, 5 TD | 10.4 YPR
Value: First Round

Loveland is a smooth mover with great acceleration for a tight end his size. He’s a natural hands catcher with a massive catch radius, and he isn’t afraid to lay out to make a play. He’s got good timing on his routes and creates solid separation.

Once the ball is in his hands, he runs angry and can even make guys miss. He’s versatile, able to line up all over the field, and he has a good feel for coverages to find weak spots and gain leverage.

That said, he needs to get stronger — he can get pushed around by bigger defenders in blocking situations. He also struggles with concentration drops at times. There’s some wasted motion in his routes and with the ball in his hands that can be cleaned up. He’s not overly physical when he doesn’t have the ball, and doesn’t use his size as well as he should. His production dipped after JJ McCarthy and Jim Harbaugh left, but the traits are still there.

Loveland is a well-rounded prospect with a high floor and ceiling who should be a day-one starter with plenty of room to grow.

3. Mason Taylor – LSU

Age: 20 | Height/Weight: 6’5″, 255 lbs
2024 Stats: 55 receptions, 546 yards, 2 TD | 9.9 YPR
Value: Early Second Round

Taylor has natural hands and elite concentration, allowing him to consistently turn upfield for extra yardage. His athleticism after the catch gives him real playmaking potential. He’s aware in zone coverage and knows how to get open.

A fluid athlete who changes direction without wasted movement, Taylor is extremely reliable on third downs and in pressure moments. His route running is snappy and can completely shake defenders. His body control and ball-tracking are excellent, and he’s got a wide catch radius to haul in passes from anywhere.

Tight end hasn’t traditionally been a priority at LSU, but Taylor made himself too good to ignore. He’s now the school’s all-time and single-season leader in receptions and yards for a tight end. Not to mention he is the son of Hall of Famer Jason Taylor.

Where he needs to improve is physicality as a route runner — he doesn’t always play to his size. He also struggles at times to gain leverage and win at the catch point. Blocking technique, especially hand placement, needs polish as well.

Overall Taylor is an athletic, polished prospect who I expect to have a much bigger impact in the NFL than he did in college. At just 20 years old, there’s a ton of upside and room to grow.

4. Harold Fannin Jr. – Bowling Green

Age: 20 | Height/Weight: 6’3″, 245 lbs
2024 Stats: 117 receptions, 1,555 yards, 10 TD | 13.3 YPR
Value: Second Round

Fannin is a route-running technician. He uses precise footwork and tempo changes to manipulate defenders, and his hands are elite — he just doesn’t drop the ball. After the catch, he’s explosive and constantly looking to turn upfield.

He has a strong sense of the field and works back to the quarterback well. While some might question the level of competition, Fannin has proven himself against top programs — he put up over 130 yards and a touchdown against both Penn State and Texas A&M.

No matter who’s across from him, he finds a way to win.

That said, his size is a concern. He lacks the length to dominate physically, and durability is a real question due to being undersized. Even though he’s a solid blocker for his size, it’ll be harder for him to hold up in the NFL trenches. He also isn’t as much of a red zone threat as you’d hope — sometimes struggling to gain leverage in tight areas.

Still, Fannin is a dynamic and reliable weapon who has shown growth every year. At just 20, he has a lot of development left and could be a steal if used correctly.

5. Elijah Arroyo – Miami

Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 6’5″, 250 lbs
2024 Stats: 35 receptions, 590 yards, 7 TD | 16.9 YPR
Value: Third Round

Arroyo is a route manipulator who sets up defenders with smart fakes and movement. He’s got reliable hands and can extend out of frame to make tough grabs. He has the potential to be a dangerous vertical threat thanks to his ball-tracking skills and ability to high-point the football.

In the red zone, he’s a mismatch — he knows how to use his length and aggressiveness to find leverage and make plays. Once the ball is in his hands, he turns upfield with purpose and physicality.

He plays with passion as a blocker, but he’s still developing there as his technique needs work. The big red flag is the injury history — knee issues have significantly limited his college tape even though he broke out in 2024. He also lacks burst off the line and doesn’t have a lot of quickness at the top of his routes.

Overall, Arroyo is a promising prospect who’s shown the flashes you want to see. If he can stay healthy and continue to develop, he has the potential to become a star in the right system.

6. Terrance Ferguson – Oregon

Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 6’5″, 250 lbs
2024 Stats: 43 receptions, 591 yards, 3 TD | 13.7 YPR
Value: Third Round

Ferguson has a great frame with the perfect blend of length and athleticism — and he turned heads by being the fastest tight end at the combine. He’s got the most explosive burst off the line in this class, and his acceleration and top-end speed allow him to create immediate separation.

He’s got reliable hands, quick turnaround ability after the catch, and a strong feel for vertical concepts. His body control and field awareness are also strong, and he can stretch the seam with his speed and solid route tree.

As a blocker, he shows real effort and good technique, but he’ll need to improve his anchor to consistently hold up against larger defenders. His route running can be inconsistent — he often rounds off cuts and lacks sharpness. Despite his size, he doesn’t play with the level of physicality you’d expect, especially in the red zone where he’s not as dominant as he should be.

Ferguson has a ton of upside. If he learns to play bigger and lands in a system that maximizes his strengths, he has a real shot to become a star at the next level.

7. Gunnar Helm – Texas

Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 6’5″, 245 lbs
2024 Stats: 60 receptions, 786 yards, 7 TD | 13.1 YPR
Value: Fourth Round

Helm is one of the most sure-handed tight ends in this class — just two drops over his entire college career. His catch radius and body control in traffic are big-time strengths, and he’s surprisingly efficient after the catch, consistently turning upfield for positive gains.

He brings physicality as a receiver and has no problem going up and winning contested catches. He’s also a dependable blocker who can be trusted in any game situation, and a smart red zone option who understands spacing and positioning.

However, his route tree is fairly limited and lacks the depth you’d like to see. Helm doesn’t separate well due to a lack of burst or top-end speed. He’s not a real threat down the seam and struggles with acceleration off the line.

Overall, Helm is a high-floor tight end who does a lot of the little things right, but his physical limitations cap his ceiling as a receiving threat.

8. Jake Briningstool – Clemson

Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 6’6″, 240 lbs
2024 Stats: 49 receptions, 530 yards, 7 TD | 10.8 YPR
Value: Day 3 Pick

Briningstool is a strong ball-winner with soft hands who excels on possession catches. He’s got a competitive edge and plays with real intensity, especially when blocking — always looking to punish the defender in front of him. He’s smooth off the line, covers ground quickly with long strides, and has solid acceleration.

He does a great job maintaining leverage throughout his routes and has excellent timing and body control to win jump balls. His short and intermediate route running is impressive, showing crisp execution and feel.

Still, there are red flags. He’s extremely underweight for his frame, which raises durability concerns at the next level. He gets nervous in the middle of the field and tends to anticipate contact, which can lead to drops. He also struggles to disengage against physical coverage.

Briningstool is a competitive, talented player with natural receiving skills, but he’ll need to bulk up and play with more confidence over the middle to make the leap.

9. Oronde Gadsden II – Syracuse

Age: 21 | Height/Weight: 6’5″, 240 lbs
2024 Stats: 73 receptions, 934 yards, 7 TD | 12.8 YPR
Value: Day 3 Pick

A former wide receiver who transitioned to tight end in 2024, Gadsden is one of the most unique weapons in this class. He’s a natural hands catcher who snatches the ball confidently and explodes into his routes. With advanced footwork and sudden breaks, he creates separation easily and becomes a matchup nightmare against linebackers.

He has ideal body control and can win jump balls consistently. After the catch, his receiver instincts take over — he has great vision and breaks arm tackles with ease. He’s a flexible offensive weapon that coordinators will love moving around the formation.

But there are serious concerns. Despite his explosiveness, he lacks burst off the line and doesn’t have that sudden acceleration. He’s still raw as a blocker and needs extensive coaching to become a complete tight end. He’s also underweight for the position and needs to bulk up.

Add in major injury concerns, and Gadsden becomes a high-risk, high-reward player. His upside is tremendous if everything clicks, but his floor is just as low.

10. Mitchell Evans – Notre Dame

Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 6’5″, 260 lbs
2024 Stats: 43 receptions, 421 yards, 3 TD | 9.8 YPR
Value: Day 3 Pick

Evans is a hands-catcher with a strong frame and a solid catch radius. His size and strength stand out, especially as a blocker — he gets leverage quickly and drives defenders off the ball. He uses his body well when running routes, creating space and positioning himself as a reliable checkdown option.

His body control is impressive, and he accelerates surprisingly well for his size. He plays with toughness and brings a physical edge that teams will value.

That said, Evans doesn’t offer much top-end athleticism or speed, which limits his receiving ceiling. His footwork at the top of routes is sluggish, and he lacks creativity or vision after the catch.

Most concerning is the injury history — a broken foot in 2022 and a torn ACL in 2023 make him a major durability question mark.

Evans has a lot of the traits teams love in a traditional tight end, and under normal circumstances, he’d be considered a high-floor player. But the injury concerns make him one of the riskiest bets in this class.