If you’re a team in need of a star tight end, the 2023 NFL Draft class has what you need. This class not only has a bonafide first-round prospect, but it also boasts plenty of depth in the Day 2 and 3 ranges. As of now, who are the top 10 TEs in the 2023 NFL Draft? Let’s take a look.
Top 10 TE in the 2023 NFL Draft
10) Josh Whyle, Cincinnati
Josh Whyle is one 2023 NFL Draft prospect whose production might not match the perception at times. He’s never eclipsed 30 catches or 400 yards in a season — but his high touchdown efficiency is a snippet into what he can offer for NFL teams.
On just 79 career catches, Whyle has 15 touchdowns — averaging nearly one score per every five receptions. At 6’6″ and 250 pounds at most, Whyle’s slightly leaner frame won’t always translate well in contact situations. But his brand of athleticism is very appealing, and a defining foundational portion of his profile.
At his size, with the length he has, Whyle is visibly explosive, and also has the agility and foot speed to set up defenders before surging up seams. And when high passes come his way, he counteracts his lean frame with astounding grace and body control.
Whyle has the feel of a prospect who could be an even more productive pro if an NFL team can build on his tools.
9) Sam LaPorta, Iowa
The fact that Sam LaPorta manages to be productive in Iowa’s offense as a receiving threat is a positive in and of itself. Despite crippling struggles at quarterback and on the offensive line, LaPorta has fought through to accrue 44 catches for 458 yards and a score in 2022.
At a school that’s often been dubbed “TEU” for producing talents like George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, and Noah Fant, LaPorta figures to be the next in line. He’s not quite as dominating of a physical specimen as his predecessors, but there’s an easy path for him to become a quality starter at the NFL level.
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First and foremost, LaPorta brings ample value as a blocker. That’s almost a given for Iowa tight ends. But he’s also a smooth and controlled athlete at 6’4″, 249 pounds, with visible burst in space and the lateral twitch to supplement a surprisingly complete release package. He’s quietly a complete threat who could be a steal in the 2023 NFL Draft.
8) Jaheim Bell, South Carolina
The production has not come for Jaheim Bell like many thought it would in 2022. After registering 30 catches for 497 yards and five scores, Bell has just 16 catches for 184 yards with the 2022 campaign winding down.
Even without the production, however, the talent remains evident in flashes for Bell. And his unique mold of talent is something that gives his stock some security, especially in the modern NFL.
At 6’3″, 230 pounds, Bell moves with an entirely different speed than most tight ends — both as a linear mover and within his cylinder. With incredibly fast feet, snappy athleticism after the catch, and a hyper-dense frame, he has elite RAC potential if utilized effectively.
7) Luke Schoonmaker, Michigan
If there’s one tight end who’s going to go far higher in the 2023 NFL Draft than most people expect, it’s Michigan’s Luke Schoonmaker. Schoonmaker has had fans in the scouting community dating back to the early summer months. And this season, he’s only added more fans with his play.
Schoonmaker’s production isn’t eye-popping. The Wolverines TE has 30 catches for 315 yards and two scores. But that’s more than enough of a sample size to let Schoonmaker’s traits shine through, both as a receiving threat and as a blocker.
Schoonmaker has impressive foot speed and accelerative capacity at 6’6″, 250 pounds. He’s also shown off smooth body control in stride when corralling throws over the middle of the field. But what will truly win over NFL coaches is his high-level blocking ability. He’s one of the best blockers in this TE class — urgent, assignment-sound, physical, and unflinchingly consistent.
6) Cameron Latu, Alabama
The encore season for Cameron Latu after 2021 hasn’t been quite as productive. Granted, the 2021 season set a high bar, as Latu broke the school record for touchdowns by a TE in a season — putting up 26 catches for 410 yards and eight scores.
Last year, Latu proved his ability to convert as a red-zone threat. He’s still seeking consistency in other areas of his game — namely with his hands. But drops and hand technique aside, Latu has a very desirable skill set as a 2023 NFL Draft prospect.
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Latu’s unique past as a former edge rusher gives him exciting upside as a route runner. He has the ankle flexion to accelerate on breaks and use space efficiently, with the necessary athleticism to capitalize after the catch as well. Things are still coming together for Latu, but his background will sell him as a developmental piece.
5) Darnell Washington, Georgia
He’s hard to miss and nearly impossible to match with defensive personnel. There’ll be questions about how purely Darnell Washington translates to the modern NFL. But there’s no denying the dominant traits that he possesses.
Standing at 6’7″ and upwards of 280 pounds, Washington towers almost everyone on the football field. That size comes with predictable deficiencies as a separator and short-area athlete, but Washington can overwhelm defenders in the red zone and up the seam with his frame and smooth-catching instincts.
With just 19 catches and 332 yards this season, Washington’s production alludes to what might be a slightly capped ceiling as a receiver. But he’s a potentially dominating situational threat, who doubles as a quantifiably elite run blocker with relentless physicality.
4) Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
A knee injury has kept Luke Musgrave off the field for most of the 2022 campaign. In a way, however, that makes it even more impressive that he’s already shown enough to be considered a potential early-round draft pick in 2023 if he declares.
Musgrave kicked off the 2022 season with two high-end receiving performances, scoring 11 catches for 169 yards and a touchdown through the first couple weeks. It looked like Musgrave was on the cusp of a breakout, and while he wasn’t able to realize that breakout, NFL teams will still be tantalized by the tools.
At 6’6″, 250 pounds, Musgrave is a phenomenal athlete — a documented Feldman Freak with a recorded 4.51 40-yard dash and a 36.5″ vertical. He’s explosive and flexible as a route runner, a speed threat against DBs in space, and an extremely natural contortionist when the ball comes his way.
3) Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State
After a 2021 season that saw Tucker Kraft rack up 65 catches for 773 yards and six touchdowns for the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, Kraft was penciled in as one of the top TEs in the 2023 NFL Draft class. As an FCS prospect, it would’ve been easy for him to go overlooked. But Kraft’s talent demanded otherwise.
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An injury suffered against Iowa early this year kept Kraft on the sideline for over a month. But he’s since returned and has picked up 12 catches for 181 yards and two scores over the past three weeks since coming back into the fold.
At 6’5″, 255 pounds, Kraft has an NFL frame, and he wears that weight very well. Not only is he an able receiving threat beyond his frame, but Kraft doubles as a high-level RAC weapon with alignment versatility, burst upfield, and steady contact balance and leg churn.
2) Dalton Kincaid, Utah
When you think of the most productive collegiate tight ends, Michael Mayer is often the first one that comes to mind. But over the past half-decade of seasons, no tight end has been a more prolific producer than Utah’s Dalton Kincaid.
Across a five-year career that spanned two seasons at San Diego and three with the Utes, Kincaid has amassed 151 catches for 2,347 yards and 34 touchdowns. He was a touchdown machine for the Toreros, but he’s ascended into an early-round TE prospect with his play in 2022, both as a receiver and as a blocker.
Thus far through the 2022 campaign, Kincaid has 46 catches for 614 yards and seven scores. At 6’4″, 240 pounds, he has above-average size with an impressive overall wingspan.
What’s even more impressive is how he uses that span. Kincaid gets open easily, stresses DBs downfield, and elevates and extends for catches with awe-inspiring control and authority.
1) Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
There are a host of exciting tight end prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft class. But there’s only one who checks virtually all the boxes, and that’s Michael Mayer.
For starters, Mayer has the production. He had 71 catches for 840 yards and seven scores in 2021. So far this year, he has 51 catches for 624 yards and seven additional scores. He’s converted on his traits with steady production. For Mayer, you can project that production to the NFL in a TE1 role.
Mayer has the size at 6’4″, 265 pounds, and with that frame, his effortless receiving ability commands attention. Mayer has elite catching instincts and hand strength, clamping down on high-difficulty catches. But he’s also a fleet-footed route runner with superb zone awareness. He has the athleticism to work from different alignments as well, and the burst to find separation through seams. He’s a tenacious blocker on top of it all.
Mayer has the profile of a tight end who’ll be a steady safety blanket in the NFL for a long time, and his ability to convert on big plays can make him an asset for his team.
Honorable Mentions
- Brevyn Spann-Ford, Minnesota
- Payne Durham, Purdue
- Cade Stover, Ohio State
- Benjamin Yurosek, Stanford
- Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion
- Luke Ford, Illinois
- Noah Gindorff, North Dakota State
- Brenton Strange, Penn State
