Last week, we discussed the top wide receiver prospects for next year’s draft. For the fourth edition of the summer scouting series, we’re turning to the other set of pass catchers: tight ends.
While this group could come into its own as the season progresses this fall, it’s relatively inexperienced compared to this past crop. In what’s projected to be a loaded 2027 class, the tight end group will have to carry its weight to support that sentiment.
1. Jamari Johnson/Oregon 6045/257 (fourth-year junior)
Analysis: Oregon laid claim to the first tight end taken in this past draft. His successor might have an even brighter outlook. Johnson was listed behind Kenyon Sadiq on the depth chart, but his impact was still clearly felt. Entering the 2026 season, Johnson sits alone as the gold standard for the dual-threat tight end in next year’s class.
Sadiq operated more as a perimeter move piece and slot hybrid in the Ducks’ offense. Johnson lined up in line as the traditional “Y” tight end nearly twice as often. His blocking ranks among the best in the class and makes him a true three-down threat when he makes the transition to the NFL. He displays exceptional hand placement and hip sink at the point of attack, allowing him to neutralize edge rushers and give his running backs clean lanes to press the line of scrimmage.
The blocking aspect of his game is impressive, but it’s not the hallmark of his profile. Johnson is an anomaly in the open field. His dense frame and exceptional contact balance allow him to exploit pursuit angles and generate explosives after the catch. Once he releases into a route and secures the ball, he transitions seamlessly into a powerful runner.
While he is the most complete tight end prospect in the country right now, he’s not without flaws. Unlike Sadiq, who’s a true vertical mismatch due to his lethal speed, Johnson is more limited in that area. He dominates underneath and in the intermediate, but he isn’t a true game-breaker in the same vein as Sadiq.
With recent draft picks Terrance Ferguson and Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon has produced quality tight end talent of late. If all goes well, Johnson will be next in line to maintain that lineage.
Preseason Draft Projection: Day One
2. Trey’Dez Green/LSU 6061/240 (third-year junior)
Analysis: While Johnson presents the most complete tight end prospect at this juncture, there’s an argument that he doesn’t have the highest ceiling in the class. Enter Trey’Dez Green, a true multi-sport freak athlete. Up until the spring of 2025, Green also played basketball for the Tigers. Despite having just one season fully dedicated to the gridiron, he managed to record seven touchdowns in 11 games. His raw athletic traits will make him a must-watch for talent evaluators this fall.
At 6’6”, Green possesses an enormous frame and a highly effective catch radius. Despite his size, he showcases movement skills that allow him to operate as an isolated “X” receiver and in the slot. As a weapon, he fits the modern NFL perfectly, and what teams ask of their move tight ends.
He’s built to terrorize linebackers up the seam with his long strides. In the red zone, he understands how to use his frame to post up smaller defenders and draw on his basketball history. He acts as an ultimate safety blanket, giving his quarterback a larger margin for error in ball placement.
While his basketball background has helped him in certain aspects of his game, it’s also led to technical flaws that must be corrected. Green currently lacks a consistent hands-catching technique and has demonstrated occasional lapses in concentration. He relies too heavily on his body to trap the ball rather than tracking it all the way through the catch point.
Now fully focused on his football development, Green is someone I expect to have a big season. Paired with gunslinger Sam Leavitt, he should see plenty of targets to put his potential on full display.
Preseason Draft Projection: Early Day Two
3. Terrance Carter Jr./Texas Tech 6021/245 (fifth-year Senior)
Analysis: After the top two players on the list, there’s a drop-off in the balance of production and potential. Carter offers more of the former. He returns to Texas Tech as perhaps the most dangerous open-field tight end in the nation. After spending his first three seasons at the University of Louisiana, he finished his first season as a Red Raider as the positional leader in both receiving yards (624) and missed tackles forced (23).
Barely standing over 6’2”, Carter is undersized to play as a traditional dual-threat “Y” tight end. Luckily for him, he excels at blurring the line between a bulky slot receiver and an H-back. He thrives on manufactured touches and runs routes with the fluidity of a wideout.
His biggest strength as a prospect is turning short, high-percentage throws into drive-sustaining plays. He is exceptional at fighting for hidden yardage. His contact balance is superb, showcasing the ability to easily absorb hits from second- and third-level defenders.
However, his projected role at the next level is strictly that of a receiving weapon. He lacks the strength to consistently hold his own against front-seven defenders. Unless he proves otherwise, he cannot be trusted to execute inline blocks or seal linebackers on pulling assignments.
Carter’s receiving prowess is among the best at his position. His size and strength currently limit his potential as a reliable three-down player. In his final collegiate season, reversing that notion will play a major role in boosting his draft stock.
***Preseason Draft Projection:***Day Two
4. Lawson Luckie/Georgia 6030/240 (fourth-year senior)
Analysis: Since the ascension of Brock Bowers at Georgia, the school has seemingly churned out prospects of a similar mold. Luckie and his former teammate, Oscar Delp, are not comparable to Bowers as prospects, but their size and play styles are similar.
By returning to Athens for his senior season, Luckie cemented himself as the veteran leader on the offense.
For much of his Georgia career, Luckie has played a reserve role. In fairness, there’s been stiff competition ahead of him on the depth chart. He’s compiled 41 receptions for 515 yards and eight touchdowns to this point. When analyzing his profile, he begins the run of players who favor production over pure potential.
Like his predecessors, Luckie is a fundamentally sound, highly disciplined player. He doesn’t possess Bowers’ game-breaking speed, but he wins in other facets. He demonstrates strong spatial awareness and route discipline for a player with limited experience. Rarely will you see him make mental errors when he’s on the field.
Paralleling Georgia’s tight ends of the past decade, his blocking prowess also makes him a candidate to be a plus contributor in the league. He’s shown a willingness to engage in the trenches and does so with precision. Even with the talent above him when he first arrived at Georgia, the coaching staff saw enough to find ways for him to contribute.
The biggest knock on his game is his lack of extensive experience. Simply put, there’s not enough tape on him to fully determine his ceiling. With a full season of play on the horizon, he’ll have plenty of opportunity to rise on this list.
Preseason Draft Projection: Early Day Three
5. Peter Clarke/Temple 6056/272 (fourth-year senior)
Analysis: In recent years, international scouting has become more prominent in the NFL. Seydou Traore was the first NFL Academy player selected in the draft when the Dolphins took him in the fourth round. Peter Clarke has a strong chance to be the second.
After excelling at the Group of Five level last season, Clarke opted to return to Temple for his senior season despite interest from larger programs. If PFF grades are your cup of tea, Clarke topped the list nationally with a 90.5 mark.
Though not a burner, he plays with a raw, physical intensity. At his size, he exhibits tremendous power in his game, which can be relied upon during inline situations. He dominates the man across from him on every snap. More importantly, his motor runs hot, which provides immense value in the run game. He finishes his blocks violently, driving defenders into the dirt.
As a receiver, he won’t be a high-upside threat like some of the players listed above him. However, with his blocking prowess, he doesn’t need to be. He shows enough receiving production and ability to punish defenses on play-action leaks or as an intermediate option over the middle.
Like Luckie, many of the questions in his profile stem from experience. Clarke is still mastering the technical details, such as reading zone coverage rotations and understanding option-route pacing. Ideally, I would have liked to see him at a more prestigious school where he could maximize his development. Nevertheless, his loyalty is commendable.
Unlike the players above, Clarke is the first tight end on this list who is primarily a blocking threat at this juncture. With another season to further develop the mental aspect of the position, Clarke could make a case to rise. With many teams favoring multiple tight end sets recently, he fits what teams look for in a supplemental role.
***Preseason Draft Projection:***Day Three
6. DJ Vonnahme/Iowa 6036/240 (third-year sophomore)
Analysis: Iowa has a legitimate case to be crowned “Tight End U.” From Dallas Clark to George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, and Sam LaPorta, Vonnahme is poised to be next in the lineage. His ascent is remarkable, considering he joined the Hawkeyes as a preferred walk-on. In Week 1 of last season, he wasn’t even listed on the official depth chart. That feels like a far cry from where he’s projected today. After finishing the season with 146 yards in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Vanderbilt, the buzz around him is real.
As an athlete, he’s very deceptive. Defenders tend to give him too much cushion before realizing he’s closed the gap. His athleticism creates opportunities to deploy him from the slot. He moves with a natural smoothness that allows him to slide into zones without telegraphing his cuts. He’s not an elite separator as a route runner, but he’s highly efficient, and going into his second full-time season, he should improve dramatically.
While his talent as a receiver is promising, his most NFL-ready skill set is his blocking. He understands how to use his 240-pound frame to leverage himself in the trenches. Despite having only one season under his belt, his technique is well beyond his years, particularly with his hand placement and leg drive.
Most concerns center on the production-versus-potential debate. Vonnahme has limited experience at the tight end position. He checks every box in terms of athleticism and talent, but he has minimal exposure.
Iowa’s coaching staff has a verifiable track record of developing tight ends. Vonnahme might be one of their bigger projects, but if he puts it all together, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him enter the top tier of this list.
Preseason Draft Projection: Day Three
7. Jeremiah Hasley/Duke 6026/245 (fifth-year senior)
Analysis: This list has already featured interesting storylines, from a breakout star who wasn’t listed on the opening-week depth chart to an international convert. Add a transitioned linebacker to that list. Entering college as a linebacker, Hasley made the switch to tight end in 2023. Last season, he enjoyed his breakout year, hauling in 40 receptions for 454 yards and six touchdowns.
Much like Clarke, Hasley’s play style is defined by his violent, physical temperament. Given his defensive background, he demonstrates excellent collision tolerance. In every aspect of his game, he approaches it aggressively. Whether the ball is in the air or he’s attacking tacklers with the ball in his hands, he does so with tenacity.
Similar to Steelers fifth-round draft pick Riley Nowakowski, Hasley’s game is better suited to an H-back role at the next level. He showcases excellent run-after-catch capability that can be dangerous when he leaks into the flat. He easily runs through arm tackles and initial contact, churning out yards at a highly efficient clip.
Before last season, Hasley had received only 14 career targets. He’s another player who has a lot left to prove before we can fully define what type of prospect he is. He’s still in the early stages of his development in route running and coverage recognition. Currently, he relies heavily on his athleticism and physicality rather than refined technique, and NFL defenders will exploit that tendency.
With the departure of Darian Mensah, it’s unlikely Hasley will put together a better statistical season in 2026. However, if he can show development in the intricacies of his game, he could be a player to watch next offseason.
***Preseason Draft Projection:***Late Day Three
8. Benjamin Brahmer/Penn State 6056/255 (fourth-year senior)
Analysis: After the hiring of Matt Campbell, it was reasonable to assume many of Iowa State’s top players would follow him to Penn State. That was the case with Brahmer, who was a three-year contributor for the Cyclones. His Iowa State career ended on a strong note: 37 catches for 446 yards and six touchdowns, earning a second-team All-Big 12 selection.
Standing well over 6’5”, Brahmer is a matchup nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators in the red zone. Right now, that’s where his primary effectiveness lies. He serves mainly as an intermediate chain-mover and red-zone specialist, using his massive frame to box out defenders. He’s virtually impossible to defend on goal-line fades and back-shoulder throws.
Despite his inherent mismatch ability in the passing game, his blocking suffers from the same reasons. He struggles to sink his hips and maintain a lower pad level. Shorter, more explosive edge defenders win the leverage battle and stall his forward momentum.
Due to his size and reliability in the passing game, he projects cleanly as a “Y” tight end in 12-personnel packages. He’ll be able to dominate the middle of the field while commanding double teams near the goal line.
Preseason Draft Projection: Late Day Three
9. Garrett Oakley/Kansas State 6045/248 (fifth-year senior)
Analysis: Based on early projections, Oakley is arguably the best blocking tight end in next year’s draft class. His ability as an inline blocker could earn him Day Two consideration, based on how teams valued similar players in this past draft. His stock is very boom-or-bust at this juncture. He could see a significant rise on this list if his receiving game catches up to his blocking. Right now, he offers genuine dual-threat potential.
Standing over 6’4” and weighing close to 250 pounds, he exhibits a prototypical frame. Despite his size, he also showcases surprising athleticism. When split from the formation, he presents a real mismatch that can outrun second-level defenders. Matched up against defensive backs, he uses his frame to box out and win the leverage battle.
Though his athleticism may catch defenders by surprise, his most advanced skill is his inline blocking. He engages defenders with his hands inside their frame and generates a solid base with his footwork. More importantly, he has shown the ability to sustain blocks into the second level. He anchors well against edge rushers flowing down the line.
However, he has a severe case of drops and underdeveloped route sophistication. There isn’t much tape of him winning on routes that demand sudden changes at depth, and he lacks consistent deception at the top of his stem. He also has 12 career drops, which ranks among the most in the country. His lapses in focus caused those drops, and they will hurt his stock if he doesn’t correct them this fall.
Oakley’s stock is strictly dependent on how much he’s able to showcase as a receiver under new head coach Collin Klein. If he can prove his receiving skill set is up to snuff, he’ll be one of draft season’s biggest risers.
Preseason Draft Projection: Late Day Three
10. Dorian Fleming/Maryland 6031/245 (fourth-year junior)
Analysis: Fleming shares a profile similar to that of some other names on this list. He’s a bit shorter in stature, but he shows excellent promise as a receiving threat. After leaving high school, where he primarily played quarterback and defensive line, he broke out in 2024 at Georgia State with 49 catches for 558 yards and six touchdowns before deciding to take his talent to the Big Ten. At Maryland, he ranked second in the conference with 40 catches during his first season with the team.
His route running is by far his best trait as a prospect. He moves very well and is fluid with his hips and footwork. He bends easily into his breaks and generates clean separation against linebackers. However, offenses primarily deploy him on short- to intermediate-range routes. On deeper assignments, he’ll often find himself coasting vertically rather than pressing the top of his routes.
Blocking and drop issues are what drop him to the last spot in these initial rankings. He shows a willingness to block and doesn’t give up immediately, but he lacks the mass and anchor strength to withstand more powerful rushes. Furthermore, he has registered 10 drops entering this season, which stands out compared to his 91 career receptions.
Fleming projects best as an “F” tight end who works the seam and the middle of the field. Unless he improves as a blocker or eliminates his drop issues, he’s an incomplete player at this point. This upcoming season will determine whether he’s been able to iron out the kinks in his game.
***Preseason Draft Projection:***Late Day Three – UDFA
***Honorable Mentions:***Luke Hasz/Ole Miss, Elija Lofton/Miami (FL), Dorian Thomas/California, Carter Nelson/Nebraska, Luke Reynolds/Virginia Tech
Previous 2027 Top 10 Lists
Quarterback
Running Back
Wide Receiver
Related Items:2027 NFL Draft, Benjamin Brahmer, DJ Vonnahme, Dorian Fleming, Garrett Oakley, Jamari Johnson, Jeremiah Hasley, Lawson Luckie, Peter Clarke, Terrance Carter Jr., Trey'Dez Green
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