Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has been dropping hints since the combine that New England will be selecting a tight end at some point in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Back in February, Vrabel mentioned that it was a deep tight end class this cycle, then followed that up by expressing his appreciation for the position at the NFL's league meetings earlier this month. Along with Vrabel's respect for the position, starting TE Hunter Henry is heading into the final year of his contract at age 31. Henry will now be joined by free-agent addition Julian Hill, who is more of a blocking option, so getting a possible successor to Henry while adding some receiving upside could elevate the offense.

"I love them. Give me nine of them. Get them all. Bring as many tight ends as we can get," Vrabel said earlier this month. "Just trying to find the right guy. Some of them are receiving, some of them are more at the line of scrimmage. We'll just try to come up with one that fits us best and see where we can draft them."

As the Pats HC mentioned, the key to identifying which tight end the Patriots might target comes down to the skill set. From this perspective, offenses are trending toward well-rounded tight ends because the jumbo slot receivers struggle to create mismatches in the passing game. If defenses don't need to respect the offense's ability to run out of tight end-heavy formations, they can keep their lighter personnel on the field, which doesn't get tight ends matched on linebackers like the offense wants. Defenses aren't taking the bait because a pass-catcher has "TE" next to their name, so those receiver-only tight ends have become situational players, while the well-rounded guys keep defenses guessing run or pass.

With that in mind, here are my rankings of this year's tight class in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Note: I base pro comparisons on playing style. When you watch this guy play, who does he remind you of and why? Don't look at them as setting expectations for career production.

Tier One - The Lone True First-Rounder Likely Out of the Patriots Range

1. Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon (6-3, 241)

Consensus Ranking - 17, Pro Comparison - big-school Harold Fannin Jr.

The Oregon product is a cut above the rest as the only sure-fire first-rounder in this year's class. Although he has excellent traits, Sadiq isn't a perfect prospect. His frame is on the smaller side for a first-rounder, and his 1.62 yards per route run isn't necessarily an eye-popping number. For comparison, Tyler Warren (2.78) and Colston Loveland (2.67) were well over that figure in their final collegiate seasons before going in the top-15 in the 2025 draft.

Having said that, Sadiq is a rare athlete who should flourish in an offense equipped to unlock his mismatch potential. The 21-year-old's elite athletic profile (9.58 RAS) and straight-line speed (4.39s 40) translate on his vertical routes (wheels), seam runs, and crossers, while flashing some separation quickness on skinny posts out of the slot. He also has great contact balance and open-field speed, making him a YAC monster. Despite his size, Sadiq can block. He has great body control and runs his feet through contact to crack the ends, seal edges, and block on the move. Sadiq has the potential to be a high-impact playmaker, but it seems like a pipe dream that he'll be available when the Patriots are on the clock (No. 31 overall).

Tier Two - The Intriguing Day-Two Cluster for the Patriots

Assuming Sadiq is off the board before they pick at the end of the first round, the Patriots will likely be picking from this tier if they prioritize tight end on day two of the draft.

2. Oscar Delp, Georgia (6-5, 245)

Consensus Ranking - 91, Pro Comparison - Sam LaPorta

With Delp, the team that drafts him inside the top-100 will be betting on his athletic upside leading to more receiving production at the pro level. The Georgia product is an elite athlete (9.83 RAS) with 4.49 speed. His explosiveness flashes in his seam runs, crossers, and as a ball carrier, where he simply has too much speed for second-level defenders to keep up. There's an impressive playmaking gear to his movements, and he has the competitive toughness to block at the point of attack or on the move, where his athleticism shines again. Delp has the high-end flashes of an elite tight end prospect, but with only 70 career catches over four collegiate seasons (20 receptions for 248 yards in 2025), we are projecting that his production will take off in the pros. It's not unheard of for this position.

3. Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt (6-4, 239)

Consensus Ranking - 52, Pro Comparison - Oronde Gadsden II

Stowers is an explosive athlete (9.49 RAS) who creates separation at the top of routes and is an impressive ball carrier, possessing running back-like burst, contact balance, and nimbleness to weave through the defense. Those movement skills helped him catch 62 passes for 769 receiving yards while averaging 2.55 yards per route run last season. Stowers's receiving profile is elite, but he brings next to nothing as a blocker, so you have to ask yourself this: Do you like him for receiver or tight end reasons? As a slot receiver, he's a mismatch, but it's hard to envision him having a three-down role because he's not a competent run blocker. Some teams view Stowers as a receiver, which makes sense, seeing that nearly 65% of his snaps came as a detached receiver last season.

4. Max Klare, Ohio State (6-4, 246)

Consensus Ranking - 74, Pro Comparison - Hunter Henry

Klare is a move tight end with good straight-line burst and a knack for creating separation within the framework of the offense. Although he opted out of athletic testing, which is a bit concerning, Klare has enough juice on tape to separate on crossers, find soft spots in zone coverages, and flashes release quickness out of the slot to find leverage wins. Although it's not his strong suit, he competes as a run-blocker and has enough body control and power to stalemate his assignment. Klare will make his money as a receiver, where his ability to use rubs, stacks/bunches, and delayed releases helps him take chunks out of the defense, while his feel for the passing game suggests he'll be a reliable chain-mover.

5. Sam Roush, Stanford (6-6, 267)

Consensus Ranking - 108, Pro Comparison - Dawson Knox

Roush is an enticing prospect due to his huge frame and elite athletic profile (9.93 RAS), but there are some concerns. As a receiver, Roush can build to top speed to stretch the seams and win on intermediate crossers. However, he's a bit clunky with a delayed sink-and-cut on his horizontal breaks, which allows defenders to under-cut his routes, and his lack of length limits his catch radius, taking wins above the rim mostly off the table. As a run blocker, Roush is the best in-line blocker in this tier, with the ability to seal edges, move the line on double teams, and he is an extra tackle as a pass blocker. However, his sawed-off frame once again hurts him, limiting his ability to keep defenders out of his frame and sustain blocks, the same issues we talk about with OTs. Roush's arm length (30.58") and wingspan (76.38") are among the shortest ever measured at the combine for a tight end, but he's an explosive mover for 267 pounds.

Tier Three - Early Day Three Targets for the Patriots

6. Jack Endries, Texas (6-5, 245)

Consensus Ranking - 147, Pro Comparison - Brenton Strange

Endries runs a 4.62-second 40-yard dash to win foot races across the field or down the seams, uses his frame well to box out defenders at the catch point, and has great ball skills to finish through contact on throws outside his frame. Texas featured him as a move blocker on counter schemes, where his pulls up to the second level or to kick out the play-side end were clean, flashing the ability to cover up defenders as a blocker on the move. Endries will probably need runways to use his speed as a linear receiver and to generate power as a run blocker, but Endries has legit starter upside early on day three.

7. Eli Raridon, Notre Dame (6-6, 245)

Consensus Ranking - 129, Pro Comparison - Luke Musgrave

The Notre Dame tight end factory is at it again. Raridon was touted as the next elite Irish tight end prospect before tearing the same ACL twice, which stalled his development. He is healthy now and running a 4.62s 40-yard dash on his way to a 9.6 out of 10 relative athletic score. He's a huge downfield target with massive hands (10.75"), and the speed to stretch the seams, run slot fades, and play-action crossers. As a blocker, Raridon is high-cut and needs more consistent hand placement but shows flashes of in-line blocking ability. Although he's still a work in progress as a blocker and receiver, Raridon has the frame and athleticism to hit his stride as a pro.

8. Justin Joly, NC State (6-4, 241)

Consensus Ranking - 121, Pro Comparison - Ja'Tavion Sanders

​I'm a bit lower than the consensus on Joly. Like Sanders, Joly is a linear athlete who can run vertical routes (seams) and finish in traffic with strong hands at the catch point. He has some alignment flexibility to line up in the slot, out wide, or on the wing. However, he did much of his damage against zone coverages or schemed-open shot plays, while there isn't much separation quickness in his game to run angular routes, and his blocking assignments will need to be managed. There's a receiving role for Joly, and he's actually a solid pass blocker, but the smaller frame and rigid changes of direction limit his upside.

9. Michael Trigg, Baylor (6-4, 240)

Consensus Ranking - 118, Pro Comparison - Mike Gesicki

Trigg has had an odd pre-draft process and reportedly has some character concerns. He was limited by a hamstring injury, resulting in a 27.5-inch vertical jump (fifth percentile) after sitting out testing at the combine. As a slot receiver masquerading as a tight end, it's not a great sign that Trigg dodged athletic testing. On film, Trigg is a mismatch out of the slot where he has the separation quickness of a receiver to beat out-leveraged defenders on slants, crossing routes, and seam runs with a second gear after the catch. He was also a good red-zone threat in college with strong hands and a huge catch radius (99th percentile wingspan) to make acrobatic grabs. That said, if you draft Trigg, it comes with the understanding that he's a pass-game player only.

10. ​​Dallen Bentley, Utah (6-4, 253)

Consensus Ranking - 188, Pro Comparison - Tyler Conklin

Bentley is one of "my guys" as a blocking tight end with some legit receiving upside (9.31 RAS). He is a nimble mover at his size and has good build-up speed to run the seam and hunt voids in short zones. He catches the ball with soft hands, tracks it well over his shoulder, and has a good feel for the run game. Bentley paces out his second-level climbs, stays square and runs his feet through contact, while also having the athleticism to get out in front of sweeps and screens as a blocker on the move. Although he only had one year of receiving production in college, there's an NFL future for him as a blocker and underneath outlet.

11. Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M (6-5, 245)

Consensus Ranking - 166, Pro Comparison - Daniel Bellinger

Boerkircher is a high-effort run blocker with enough separation quickness to uncover at the first two levels. He blocks with good balance, posture, and footwork to square up lead blocks and climb to the second level, while finishing blocks with a nasty play demeanor. There seems to be some route-running ability there, especially on digs and outs or finding underneath soft spots in zone coverage, but Boerkircher only had 38 career catches in five seasons in college (19 catches for 198 yards in 2025). Is there more receiving upside there? That's the question.

Tier Four - Favorite Late Day Three Sleepers for the Patriots

12. Marlin Klein, Michigan

Consensus Ranking - 184, Pro Comparison - Cade Otton

As a German-born prospect, Klein only made 12 starts at Michigan and is in need of seasoning. However, he has legit juice as a vertical threat (4.61s 40) and is a natural athlete with fluid movements. There were some really impressive routes on Klein's tape, including an out-and-up touchdown where he showed route-running chops to set up the double move. Plus, he competes as a blocker with good power behind his pads and strong hands to generate movement. If he cleans up his blocking technique, Klein could feast on scheme-aided vertical routes off play-action and misdirection (boots).

13. Tanner Koziol, Houston (6-7, 247)

Consensus Ranking - 208, Pro Comparison - Terrance Ferguson

Although he struggles to create separation with 28.7% of his targets being contested last season, Koziol has the best hands in this TE class. He hauled in 20-of-27 contested attempts (74.1%) with only two drops on 94 targets. He'll post up on defenders and use his length to catch everything within reach, while also being a go-to red zone target. You'd just like to see more physicality in the run game, and for his solid 40-yard dash (4.70s) to translate into more separation more often, which could come with better speed variance and spatial awareness as a route runner.

DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer