Patriots 2023 Draft Preview: Tight Ends
Maddie Meyer. Getty Images.Current roster: Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki
Positional overview: The time has come once again for your annual reminder that the Patriots put more emphasis on tight end than any other War Room in the league. Despite what the relative lack of production at the position since about 2017 would lead you to believe. Most teams draft about 2.5 receivers for every tight end, which makes perfect sense given the math of your basic offensive formation. In Bill Belichick's 23 drafts in New England, he's taken a total of 19 receivers, 11 of whom came in the 4th round or later. While drafting 16 tight ends, six in the first three rounds, two of those 1st rounders. The gigantic swings-and-misses that were Devin Asiasi (91st) and Dalton Keene (101st) in 2020 necessitated spending big money on Hunter Henry, and wasting huge money on Jonnu Smith, to the point they had to trade him, and his contract, for some FTX crypto. Which makes this position a priority, even with the quality acquisition of Mike Gesicki, as both he and Henry are not signed past this season.
It's important to note as well that if you're looking for your Patriots tight ends for 2024, the time to draft them is now. Traditionally it's taken a one-year apprenticeship in this system to get acclimated. Even Rob Gronkowski, who was forged in the fire of a dying star by a dwarf king to be the perfect Patriots tight end, didn't truly become Gronk until his second season. It makes it all the more intriguing that the architect of the offense that became elite with Gronk's development is Bill O'Brien. He's good at this.
As much as you'd love a pluperfect physical specimen like Gronk who can run routes and catch like an elite receiver and block like a Pro Bowl tackle, those are rare finds. And as we learned from the memo Belichick produced on a Swingline typewriter when he was running the early '90s Browns:
… if you have to choose, go for the receiver type every, single time. You can always find an Michael Hoomanawanui type out there looking to earn a paycheck by run blocking. And the hybrid TE/WR has only gotten more valuable in the 30 years since he pulled this out of the typewriter carriage.
Fortunately, this is a buyer's market for tight ends, as the 2023 group is considered as strong as any position in the draft, generally receiving A grades from all the websites and publications both for it's top-tier talent and depth. What there isn't is a consensus on the pecking order. So as we go into this, if I declare this guy is projected as a 1st rounder and that guy is a 3rd or whatever, I'm going by NFL Mock Draft Database, which is … well, a database of mock drafts. It basically compiles all the biggest mocks and ranks accordingly.
The Consensus 1st Rounders:
Michael Mayer, Notre Dame. 6-foot-4 1/2, 249 pounds, 4.70 40-time
In a country where we continue to send our manufacturing overseas, at least we can count on the Fighting Irish to keep producing highly regarded tight end prospects. Cole Kmet in 2020. Tommy Tremble in 2021. And this year Mayer, who got more reps as a freshman than Tremble did and broke the program's record for career receptions. He's not an elite route runner, and does have to hit the brakes somewhat to power down into his breaks, but he is the best YAC guy in his class, withri a thick frame that makes it hard to take him down without firing a tranquilizer dart into his haunch. He's also the most complete package on the board, with a powerful blocking style that helps him hold his own against the fat bodies in tight spaces, knock linebackers off their pursuit and bury safeties. As a bonus (like you need one), if the plan is to draft and develop someone, Mayer will still be 22 when the season starts.
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Compares to the Other Leading Brand: Jason Witten
Dalton Kincaid, Utah. 6-4, 246 lbs, 4.70
Kincaid stands out in that he's the only tight end on the board the Patriots formally met with, holding a private workout with him. He's the best of the route runners among his peers, an easy mover with a burst to get behind the second level on seam routes, and even ranks ahead of Mayer on some draft boards because of it. He's got position versatility, lining up attached to the formation, as well as the boundary X-receiver in 3x1s. And he had the production to show for it, with 890 yards on 70 catches, eight of which were for scores. He's probably the prototype in his class of the TE/WR combo. And maybe it's just me, but I would love a tight end named "Dalton" who would provide me the opportunity to use the 150 Road House references that Keene never did.
Compares to the Other Leading Brand: Noah Fant
Darnell Washington, Georgia. 6-7, 264 lbs, 4.64
A 5-star recruit and Top 25 overall, Washington is the best blocker on this list, as his size would indicate. Dickie V. always called big guys "Aircraft Carrers," well Washington is an Imperial Star Destroyer among tight ends. He's a mismatch no matter where you put him, and Georgia split his time between in-line tight end about two-thirds of his passing snaps, and in the slot the rest. Still, he only had 45 receptions in his career, but for an average of 17.2 yards per, and 14 missed tackles. He's fast once he gets going, with the long strides to beat trailing coverage up the seams, but sometimes seems to take a while to find that gear. So he's very much an eye-of-the-beholder prospect. Still, it's not like guys with his physical profile fall onto your lap every day. He's probably a late 1st rounder, from a big Patriots feeder program. So definitely one to watch.
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Compares to the Other Leading Brand: Jelani Woods
Likely Day 2 Projections:
Luke Musgrave, Oregon State. 6-6, 253 lbs, 4.61
Just to illustrate how all over the map these rankings are, Musgrave is listed as the No. 1 tight end on no less a site than NFL.com. But I've found others where he's a low as sixth. But the Mock Database does not lie. His superlative in the Class of '23 yearbook is Best Hands, with the ability to hand catch away from his body without double clutching, and a catch radius like Vitruvian Man (NSFW, art and science) for high pointing balls. For a guy his size, he's not exactly a big mover of bodies, with most of his mass situated above his belt line and sort of Spongebob legs that prevent him from delivering much power in the blocking game. But he does bounce off tacklers and can take a hit. He's still a bit of a mystery as his season was cut short with a knee injury after just two games, giving him only 22 for his career. Which I guess helps explain why everyone is in such disagreement over him. He could be a huge value pick or the kind of bust that gets scouts sent to the XFL. It's anyone's guess.
Compares to the Other Leading Brand: Adam Trautman
Sam LaPorta, Iowa. 6-3, 245 lbs, 4.59
LaPorta just has so many of the traits the Patriots look for in a player at any position. He's been the most valuable player on the Hawkeyes each of the past two seasons. He was their team captain. His intangibles are off the charts (and not just because by definition, you can't chart an intangible). In addition to leading Iowa in receptions twice, he'll do the grunt work that Americans supposedly are no longer willing to do. He's another guy who lines up inside or in the slot. And he's got the size/speed profile of a tight end. If he has a downside, it's his hands, as his 217 career targets included 14 drops. So that'll have to improve. But if you're looking for a factor that truly makes him interesting to New England, he posted a sub-7.00 3-Cone Drill at the Indianapolis Dog & Pony Show, one of only two tight ends to do so. I'm also partial to him because because I can't get Frankie Pantangeli's voice yelling "Chich! La porta!" out of my head when he wanted Don Chichi to open the door. Again, that's just me.
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Compares to the Other Leading Brand: Dustin Keller
Small School Studs:
Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State. 6-5, 254 lbs, 4.69
Forget LaPorta. Think of the fun they'll have around Foxboro with this last name. There's not a big surplus of 250 pound guys in the FCS running sub-4.7s, and Kraft's production reflected that. As did the way the Jackrabbits utilized him. They got the ball in his hands as an iso-receiver, in the slot, in the backfield, and Jet sweeps. And it worked, as he not only broke 25 tackles on his 102 receptions over the last two seasons, he made First Team All-American with 65 receptions, 773 yards and six TDs. He also demonstrated power and skills as a run blocker, leaving the usual questions about whether it was all him or the lack of competition that always comes with these DII guys.
Compares to the Other Leading Brand: Pat Freiermuth
Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion. 6-7, 255 lbs, 4.55
Forget LaPorta and Kraft. Think of the fun we'll have with … actually strike that. He's been hearing it his entire life. Instead, let's focus on the combination of size, speed and athleticism with this guy. He broke the tight end competition in Indy, with the fastest 3-Cone at just 6.87, the highest Vertical, the longest Broad Jump, and 0.01 off the lead in the 40. You'd assume that would make him an elite deep threat, but he's so far shown to be more of a big target in the short- and intermediate game. He does have the size and leap to pull down highpoint catches. But he could stand to bulk up a little to operate in the curls and flats areas of NFL defenses. Which kind of sounds like a perfect thing for him to do while sitting behind two veterans for a season.
Compares to the Other Leading Brand: Dallas Goedert
Big School Sleepers:
Luke Schoonmaker, Michigan. 6-5, 251 lbs, 4.63
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More evidence of how little agreement there is on this group: NFL.com has Schoonmaker as their No. 5 tight end. I dunno. He was productive in a tough conference, with 35 catches and 418 yards. He's more of a traditional Y-type tight end, with the bulk of his snaps coming attached to the formation. And he's one of the better run blockers in this class. In his routes, he's more of a straight-line runner than someone who's going to do a lot of change-of-direction and option routes under zones. But he does show an understanding for finding seams in the defense and giving his quarterback a target. He's kind of a high floor/medium ceiling guy. He's also from Connecticut, so would bring that much-desired regional interest to New England's tight end position we haven't had since .. never mind. Forget I brought it up. Moving on …
Compares to the Other Leading Brand: Dawson Knox
Brenton Strange, Penn State. 6-4, 253 lbs, 4.70
I'm getting too caught up in the last names thing, but this would set an NFL record for most Stranges drafted by a team in consecutive years. But they'll never be able to catch up to the number of Joneses, so forget it. He's the definition of a guy who played against elite competition and proved to be solid, not spectacular. He averaged 11.3 yards per reception each of the last two seasons, with an impressive catch % of 32 receptions on just 38 targets. His strongest suit is blocking and toughness in the run game. But is likely to go later on to develop as the second banana in a two-tight end offense. Which the Pats are hoping to create for about the 10th year in a row.
Compares to the Other Leading Brand: Tyler Conklin
Also Deserving of a Mention, but I Don't Have a Category for Him:
Josh Whyle, Cincinnati. 6-6 1/2, 248 lbs, 4.69
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You can look at that height/weight profile and see where Whylie's limitations are. But there's nothing wrong with him that can't be solved at an NFL training table. And he's a better blocker than you'd expect from a guy almost 6-7 and less than 250 pounds, and could be particularly effective on the back side. He's got elite hands, with only six drops in his five seasons. He's made All-Conference several times, and is as experienced as anyone with 36 games just in the last three years alone.
Compares to the Other Leading Brand: Tyler Higbee
The Obligatory Alabama Mention:
Cameron Latu, Alabama. 6-4, 242 lbs, 4.64
Did you know that Latu played for Nick Saban? And that he and Belichick are pals? Mac Jones also played there. Though Latu didn't play on the 2020 championship team. He did play 26 games over the last two seasons, with 56 catches, 785 yards and 12 touchdowns. So there's that. He could be a last day selection or a camp invite.
Compares to the Other Leading Brand: Whoever
The Perfect Patriot: Kincaid. You can make the case for Mayer as well. And Lord knows they don't shy away from Georgia Bulldogs, so Washington is in the mix. But I think they've targeted Kincaid for a reason. And that's because he's what they're looking for at the position for the next 5-10 years.
Whom the Patriots Will Draft: Kincaid. If he's available, of course. But just as a surprise twist, I'm also adding LaPorta, in a much more successful version of what they tried with Asiasi and Keene. I mean, talk about a guy who fits their system and checks all the boxes on their tight end punch list, LaPorta is it. Kincaid early, LaPorta in that sweet spot of the mid-2nd round to the late 3rd where they love to move up and down the draft board. These are the kinds of players they love in a position of need.
Earlier previews: