Tight Ends
The were eleven TEs selected in the 2021 draft, as follows:
Round 1 - 1
Round 2 - 1
Round 3 - 3
Round 4 - 2
Round 5 - 4
Pitts was the apex in 2021, with everyone else trailing far behind. This is no indictment on the others not named. Pitts was/is just that good. The group offered up some good to serviceable talent, with most being role-players that will be plugged in here and there.
The 2022 draft should boast more than the eleven selections we saw in 2021. This is a well-distributed crop of guys, where talent can be found in the middle to later rounds. A number of these guys should be able to secure roster spots on NFL rosters as cheaper depth plays.
1) Jalen Wydermyer | 6'5 | 255 | TE | Texas A&M
9/4 Kent State - Wydermyer wasn't targeted as much as usual, but still hauled in 4 passes for 36 yards. He ran good routes and was able to get open often.
9/11 - Colorado - Wydermyer looked the part, catching 4 balls for 66 yards. He ran good routes, made himself a nice big target for his QB. He was difficult to cover across the middle.
2) Isaiah Likely | 6'4 | 245 | TE | Coastal Carolina
9/10 - Kansas - Likely didn't look like he was carrying his listed weight, and was used more like a WR than a TE. That said, he showed off nice speed and was able to run coverage off on his routes. He had 5 receptions for 40 yards.
3) Jeremy Ruckert | 6'5 | 250 | TE | Ohio State
9/2 Minnesota - Ruckert wasn't targeted often, caught just 1 ball for 15 yards. On that play, he showed patience on his delayed release, and was able to get decent yardage after the catch. He didn't look dynamic, but was solid. He also landed a couple decent blocks to help his RBs on perimeter runs.
9/11 - Oregon - Ruckert caught 3 balls for 36 yards, had one drop on a contested ball. He was decent enough when utilized, but really wasn't part of the game plan.
4) Cade Otton | 6'5 | 240 | TE | Washington
9/11 - Michigan - Challenging night for Otton, as he went up against a very good defense. He still showed his chops, catching 3 balls for 33 yards. He looked the part of a very solid TE, one capable of performing at the next level.
5) Jahleel Billingsley | 6'4 | 230 | TE | Alabama
9/4 Miami - Billingsley didn't see action until midway through the 3rd quarter, as it was rumored that he wasn't taking to coaching and executing his assignments. He showed off average blocking skills and didn't record a catch.
6) Sam LaPorta | 6'4 | 250 | TE | Iowa
7) Jacob Ferguson | 6'4 | 247 | TE | Wisconsin
9/4 Penn State - No player on the Wisconsin squad impressed me more than Ferguson did. While his stat line of 9 receptions for 52 yards is outstanding for a TE, it was his play in racking up those yards that stood out. He ran good routes and displayed solid athleticism coupled with a lot of toughness. As a blocker, he not only proved to be willing but pretty effective on a number of his snaps. He looked like one of the nation's best TE's in this game, a solid Day 3 option.
8) Charlie Kolar | 6'5 | 250 | TE | Iowa State
9/11 - Iowa - Kolar was solid with 4 receptions for 34 yards. He showed that he can be a good intermediate target.
9) Greg Dulcich | 6'4 | 242 | TE | UCLA
8/28 - Hawaii - Dulcich really wasn't part of the game plan, catching just one ball for 15 yards. He looked the part on his routes, but the QB play from DTR was subpar overall.
9/4 - LSU - Dulcich had a very good night. He caught three balls for 117 yards. His long reception for 75 yards showed off some wheels, but I was just impressed by how often he was able to get open on other plays. He consistently beat LB Damone Clark when he was in coverage.
10/2 - Arizona State - Dulcich stole the show as far as receiving options are concerned. He caught 9 balls for 136, and was simply too gifted for ASU's back half to contain. He ran with enough speed to get separation, caught the ball cleanly.
10) Trey McBride | 6'4 | 255 | TE | Colorado State
11) Josh Wyle | 6'6 | 235 | TE | Cincinnati
12) Grant Calcaterra | 6'5 | 247 | TE | SMU
9/18 - LA Tech - Calcaterra had a good game. He paced all receivers in receptions and yards, amassing 7 and 103 respectively. He showed solid speed in the open field, enough to get separation within zones.
13) Austin Stogner | 6'6 | 255 | TE | Oklahoma
14) James Mitchell | 6'3 | 242 | TE | Virginia Tech
9/3 North Carolina - Mitchell had a solid game. He went just 3 for 36, but he ran solid routes and showed some speed and elusiveness in space. His TD later in the game showcased his ability to get open and help his scrambling QB.
15) Will Mallory | 6'5 | 245 | TE | Miami
9/4 Alabama - Mallory caught just 2 balls for 12 yards. His QB had little in the way of opportunities to get him the ball, so there's not much to go off of.
16) Peyton Hendershot | 6'4 | 255 | TE | Indiana
17) Cole Turner | 6'6 | 240 | TE | Nevada
9/4 California - Tuner had a good game. He ended up with 7 receptions for 75 yards. He ran his routes well, finding his niche within zone coverage. He moved well and flashed solid athleticism for the position.
18) Trae Berry | 6'6 | 244 | TE | Boston College
19) Braden Galloway | 6'4 | 240 | TE | Clemson
9/4 Georgia - Galloway caught 3 balls for just 13 yards. He also had a drop, failed to free himself of tight coverage.
20) Daniel Barker | 6'3 | 251 | TE | Illinois
21) Brant Kuithe | 6'2 | 235 | TE | Utah
22) Chase Allen | 6'6 | 240 | TE | Iowa State
9/11 - Iowa - Allen had just 1 catch for 2 yards. He was a non-factor in this game, did nothing distinguishable.
23) Nick Muse | 6'4 | 250 | TE | South Carolina
24) Teagan Quitoriano | 6'5 | 260 | TE | Oregon State
9/4 Purdue - Quitoriano had just 2 catches for 42 yards, one of which was a trick play for 34 yards. He was primarily used as a blocker, where he had mixed results.