After Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq — a projected first-round pick by many — it's a wide-open 2026 tight end class. Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers and Ohio State's Max Klare round out the top three of the PFF Predictive Big Board at the position.
Dive into the latest PFF Big Board and the PFF Mock Draft Simulator to assess the 2026 NFL Draft tight end class for yourself.
Here’s a breakdown of what each top tight end brings to the table, along with the areas they’ll need to refine at the next level. For the full ranking of draft prospects, along with their three-year player grades and position rankings, click here.
TE1. Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
PFF Predictive Big Board Rank: 24
Strengths
- Impressive athlete for his size in fluidity and explosiveness
- Ideal versatility
- Very reliable hands
- Great feet in pass protection
- Reliable, consistent blocker in space
- Can angle second-level defenders when blocking
- Generally good grip strength when blocking
Weaknesses
- Will likely be overpowered by most NFL defensive linemen and linebackers
- Arm length is on the shorter side
- Could have more of a “make you miss” mentality after the catch
TE2. Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
PFF Predictive Big Board Rank: 45
Strengths
- Explosive player with good acceleration and top speed
- Route running significantly improved from his first season at the position in 2023. Can run any route now
- Excellent trick-play passer with quarterback background
- Some impressive catches on tape
- Blocking is not his forte, but he can be fiesty and effective against defensive backs
Weaknesses
- Small compared to NFL tight ends. More of a big receiver
- Poor contested-catch numbers over the past two seasons
- Active hands, but can still work on punch timing as a blocker
- Will likely consistently lose the strength battle against defenders as a blocker in the NFL
TE3. Max Klare, Ohio State
PFF Predictive Big Board Rank: 72
Strengths
- Fluid athlete with good overall explosiveness
- Nuanced route runner. Understands how to create separation
- Sure hands, even over the shoulder
- Good YAC potential on routes that allow it
- Blocking was more impactful in 2025 (though inconsistent)
Weaknesses
- Smaller size for an NFL tight end
- Overpowered by most defenders looking to shed blocks
TE4. Jack Endries, Texas
PFF Predictive Big Board Rank: 73
Strengths
- Tall, long prospect with long arms and a big catch radius
- Will stick his nose in there as a split zone blocker
- Above-average athlete with long strides for getaway/vertical speed
- Experiencein the slot and in-line
- Very sure-handed. Attacks the ball in the air
Weaknesses
- A little stiff as a lateral mover
- Good effort blocker, but not always effective vs. defensive linemen
- Needs more weight to improve blocking strength if he's to play more inline
TE5. Michael Trigg, Baylor
PFF Predictive Big Board Rank: 76
Strengths
- Appears to have long arms for a big catch radius
- Competitive athlete when he gets the ball
- Above-average athlete for the NFL level
- Has some true “wow” catches on tape
Weaknesses
- Effort looked hot and cold the past two seasons when he wasn't getting the ball
- Some frustrating drops (seven in 2025)
- Not much nuance as a route runner (just wants to win with athleticism/size)
- Low separation percentile vs. single coverage in 2024 and 2025
- Must improve at getting out of route breaks cleanly from contact
- Too high variance as a blocker. Needs to be more reliable (has the strength to be)
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