- Eli Stowers is the early TE1 favorite: Vanderbilt’s star is the early top tight end prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft as the most valuable player at the position over the past two seasons, per PFF’s Wins Above Average metric.
- Four transfers make the cut: Four tight ends on this list switched schools this offseason, former Cal walk-on Jack Endries.
- Subscribe to PFF+: Get access to player grades, PFF Premium Stats, fantasy football rankings, all of the PFF fantasy draft research tools and more!
Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
The 2025 NFL Draft featured an excellent tight end class that was historically good at the top. Colston Loveland went 10th overall to the Chicago Bears, and Tyler Warren went 14th overall to the Indianapolis Colts, making the class the first since 1992 to feature two tight ends in the top 15 picks.
An early evaluation of the 2026 class shows that it’s not nearly as good at the top, lacking a projected first-round pick. However, there are still plenty of intriguing players who can make that leap. Here are 10 tight ends to know as we enter summer scouting for the 2026 NFL Draft. Please note that this is simply a list — not a ranking of the top tight ends.
Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Once a four-star quarterback recruit, Stowers has made the transition to tight end look seamless. No returning tight end in college football has been as valuable as him over the past two seasons, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric.
The New Mexico State transfer is an elite athlete, placing above the 99th percentile in PFF's Game Athleticism Score metric. That movement ability makes him especially dangerous after the catch, as Stowers ranked third among Power Four tight ends with 13 forced missed tackles and fourth in yards after the catch (373) this past year.
Jack Endries, Texas
Endries began his career with California as a walk-on and is now one of the best tight ends in college football entering his redshirt junior campaign at Texas.
His 1,030 receiving yards since 2023 are the sixth most in the nation at the position and the most among returning tight ends who’ve played for a Power Four school during that span. Endries has strong hands for the position, dropping only one pass in 2024 while catching nine of his 12 contested targets.
Max Klare, Ohio State
Klare is back in his home state of Ohio after a very productive year at Purdue. He tallied 684 receiving yards as a redshirt sophomore, the fourth most among Power Four tight ends and the most among returning tight ends. His 34 receiving first downs plus touchdowns are tied with Stowers for the most among returning Power Four tight ends, as well.
After serving as the clear No. 1 option for the Boilermakers, he could thrive in a Buckeyes offense where defenses will be keying in on other weapons.
Justin Joly, North Carolina State
Joly transferred to NC State from UConn last year and remained one of the top receiving threats at tight end despite the jump in competition level. His 661 receiving yards this past season were the fifth most among Power Four tight ends, and he ranked sixth among FBS tight ends in contested catches (11) and forced missed tackles (12).
Joly’s 1,247 receiving yards since 2023 are the third most among all tight ends in college football, trailing only Harold Fannin Jr. and Tyler Warren. While undersized (6-foot-3 and 235 pounds), he is an elite athlete and separator.
Tanner Koziol, Houston
After a stellar junior season at Ball State, Koziol originally transferred to Wisconsin this offseason before reentering the portal and ending up at Houston. No returning FBS tight end was more valuable in 2024 than the Illinois native, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. His 94 catches trailed only Harold Fannin Jr. and Tyler Warren at the position, while his 840 receiving yards were the fifth most.
At 6-foot-7, Koziol thrives on 50-50 balls. His 26 contested catches last year were nine more than any other tight end in college football.
Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
While Sadiq served as the Ducks’ No. 2 tight end as a sophomore behind Terrance Ferguson, what he showed on limited snaps warrants a place on this list.
His 80.9 PFF overall grade this past season ranked ninth among all tight ends in college football. The Idaho native was also one of two tight ends in America who earned top-15 PFF grades both as a receiver anda run blocker. The other was Harold Fannin Jr., a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Despite playing only 350 snaps in 2024, Sadiq still finished as one of the 15 most valuable tight ends in college football, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric. He’s the biggest breakout candidate at the position and should become a household name next season.
Miles Kitselman, Tennessee
Following a year at the JUCO level and two seasons at Alabama as a backup, Kitselman had a breakout senior year after transferring to Tennessee.
He finished 2024 as the seventh-most-valuable tight end in the nation, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric, and ranks fourth among returning tight ends. Kitselman was also one of four tight ends in the country with top-25 PFF grades as a receiver and a run blocker. He hasn’t dropped a pass in his career and is capable of displacing defenders in the run game at 256 pounds.
Jack Velling, Michigan State
While Velling’s first season as a Spartan wasn’t as productive as his sophomore year at Oregon State, his body of work over the past couple of years keeps him on this list.
Velling has scored nine touchdowns since 2023, tied for the fifth most among Power Four tight ends. His 849 receiving yards in that span rank 20th, and only five FBS tight ends have been more valuable than Velling since then, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric.
Luke Hasz, Ole Miss
Hasz is staying in the SEC after transferring from Arkansas.
His 82.3 PFF receiving grade across his first two seasons ranks 10th among all tight ends in college football and fourth among 2025 returners. Hasz has a 147.7 passer rating when targeted in that span, placing third him among FBS tight ends. He is a very good athlete at 241 pounds who has yet to drop a pass in his career.
Oscar Delp, Georgia
Delp is one of three Bulldog tight ends to know for next year’s draft, joining Lawson Luckie and Pearce Spurlin III. While none of the three will replicate what Brock Bowers accomplished for the program at the position, they all have NFL upside.
Delp is an elite athlete for the position, placing above the 99th percentile in PFF's Game Athleticism Score metric. That has helped him rank in the 99th percentile in separation rate and separation rate against single coverage in his career. Delp still needs plenty of development, particularly in run blocking and at the catch point, but he has a very high ceiling.
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