This Draft Class Has One Tight End Nobody Is Talking About | CouchGMs

2026 NFL Draft · Tight End Rankings

This Draft Class Has One Tight End
Nobody Is Talking About.

We scraped ESPN and PFF and DraftTek and ran 18 prospects through a dual-score model and the results broke every consensus ranking. Here's what the data actually says.

↓ The #7 pick will surprise you

Draft Board

The Full Picture at a Glance

— Round 2 —

Eli StowersRound 2

— Round 3–4 —

Matthew HibnerRound 3–4

Dae'Quan WrightRound 3–4

— Day 2–3 / Sleepers —

Justin JolyDay 2–3 · High Upside

Kenyon SadiqDay 3

— Round 5 / Late Picks —

Michael TriggRound 5

Tanner KoziolRound 5

One name to know before you scroll: Justin Joly (NC State) is the player the model flagged as a model-breaker. He was the only prospect who broke the scoring system,; Day 2 to 3 is criminally undervaluing what he can do.

How We Did It

The Methodology

We scraped physical measurements from DraftTek and career stats and game logs from ESPN via Selenium and snap alignment data from PFF. Every player name was regex-normalized to prevent merge errors. The result is a unified dataset covering receptions, yards, touchdowns, carries, height, weight, inline snaps, slot snaps, and games played with all stats normalized per game and per reception.

Inline Grade Features

TD/game · 15+ avg-yard games · Inline rate · Weight · YDS/game. Inline and slot rates weighted at 1.2x and all other features equally weighted.

Slot Grade Features

40+ yard games · Height (in.) · Slot rate · TD/reception. Final prospect score is an average of both grades scaled 0 to 100.

Archetypes

Tight ends are categorized as Inline, Slot, or Hybrid based on where they scored higher or balanced across both models.

Data Sources

DraftTek (measurements), ESPN via Selenium (stats and game logs), PFF (snap alignment). Names standardized via regex for cross-source merging.

Results

Prospect Rankings

Click any card to expand

Michael Trigg

TE · Baylor · Sr · 6-4 · 240 lbs

Slot · 100 ▼

Michael Trigg was 4th among all TEs in TDs per reception and yards per reception and he finished 2nd in touchdowns per game. He had 14 games of 40+ yards throughout his college career and was tied for 8th in the class. Trigg was 5th in games where he averaged 15+ yards per reception and 5th in yards per game at 42.26. He lined up in the slot ~72% of his last season and was productive enough to score the highest in this class. His film backs it up with reliable hands and several jaw-dropping receptions and the agility to play physical after the catch. His biggest red flag is five college seasons without a true standout year. Lack of top-tier speed and strength will limit him from being a true every-down mainstay. Round 5 grade but a borderline starter with the right scheme fit.

Round 5 Grade

Score100/ 100

YDS / Game42.3

Slot Rate71.8%

40+ Yd Games14

Matthew Hibner

TE · SMU · Sr · 6-5 · 252 lbs

Hybrid · 97.7 ▼

Hibner ranked 14th in yards per game with 28.24 receiving yards and 7th in TDs per game and 2nd in TDs per reception. His 14.37 yards per reception was the best in the class. A deceptive athlete with good speed to create separation and pick up yards after the catch. His arm length helps him secure inaccurate passes and he has the weight to handle physicality at the line. He shined as an H-back on delayed releases. Two-thirds of his snaps were in the slot but his red zone efficiency and yards per reception grade him as a hybrid. He would thrive in 12-personnel with a chance to grow into an every-down TE. Round 3 to 4 pick with high upside.

Round 3 to 4 Grade

Score97.7/ 100

YDS / Rec14.4best in class

Slot Rate66%

Eli Stowers

TE · Vanderbilt · Sr · 6-4 · 235 lbs

Slot · 93.6 ▼

Stowers was the only TE with a slot score near Trigg's. He surpassed 40 yards in 19 games which was 3rd best in the class. His 45.46 receiving yards per game was 2nd overall and his TD per game ranked 6th. At only 235 lbs there are real concerns about developing into an every-down threat after the catch. He projects more as a volume pass catcher who can outrun linebackers underneath. Best fit is a team with established weapons that needs a reliable third option. Mid to late second round pick.

Round 2 Grade

Score93.6/ 100

YDS / Game45.52nd in class

40+ Yd Games19

Tanner Koziol

TE · Houston · Sr · 6-7 · 240 lbs

Slot · 87.0 ▼

The most accomplished TE in this class from a career totals perspective. His 47.53 yards per game and 0.51 TDs per game led all prospects. Also 9th in TDs per reception. Inline score suffered due to the worst yards per reception in the class and a 237-pound frame. His numbers are driven by volume over efficiency so think a high-floor backup with specific utility in the right system. Round 5 grade.

Round 5 Grade

Score87.0/ 100

YDS / Game47.51st in class

TD / Game0.511st in class

Kenyon Sadiq

TE · Oregon · Jr · 6-3 · 245 lbs

Slot · 85.2 ▼

If combine measurements were accounted for Sadiq would likely move up these rankings. He ranked 5th in TDs per game and 2nd in TDs per reception. He had 9 games of 15+ YPR which was 7th in the class. His production doesn't fully reflect the athletic ability and at 6'3 he'll likely have difficulty developing into a consistent downfield threat. Day 3 pick and developmental project with versatility and big-play upside comparable to Jonnu Smith.

Day 3 Grade

Score85.2/ 100

TD / Rec2ndin class

15+ YPR Games9

Dae'Quan Wright

TE · Ole Miss · Sr · 6-4 · 255 lbs

Inline · 84.6 ▼

Wright had the highest inline grade in the class and I'd consider him a genuine value in this draft. Ideal size at 6'4 and 255 lbs. 4th in 40+ yard games with 17 of them. Ranked 1st in games averaging 15+ YPR and 2nd in YPR overall at 14.19. His slot score was lower but he showed more than enough on slot snaps to project as an every-down tight end with development. Round 3 to 4 pick.

Round 3 to 4 Grade

Score84.6/ 100

Inline Grade1stin class

YDS / Rec14.22nd in class

Justin Joly MODEL BREAKER

TE · NC State · Sr · 6-3 · 263 lbs

Inline · 84.0 ▼

Justin Joly is the sleeper and he was the only player who broke the model. He was 2nd in 40+ yard games with 23 and 4th in games averaging 15+ YPR. He averaged 43.96 yards per game which was 3rd among all TEs. 4th in TDs per game and 10th in TDs per reception. Led NC State in receptions this past season and finished 2nd the year before ahead of the talented KC Concepcion. The data penalized him for not specializing inline or in the slot but he can do both plus H-back. Day 2 to 3 pick with featured weapon upside. If one name on this list ends up looking like a steal it's this one.

Day 2 to 3 Grade · High Upside

Score84.0/ 100

YDS / Game44.03rd in class

40+ Yd Games232nd in class

This Draft Class Has One Tight EndNobody Is Talking About.

The Full Picture at a Glance

The Methodology

Inline Grade Features

Slot Grade Features

Archetypes

Data Sources

Prospect Rankings

This Draft Class Has One Tight End
Nobody Is Talking About.