2022 NFL Draft: Iowa State Tight End Charlie Kolar Dominates In Loss

Iowa State TE Charlie Kolar had a dominant performance in the Cyclones loss to the Sooners. He’s still on the 2022 NFL Draft map.

The 2022 NFL Draft tight end class hasn’t quite lived up to expectations in the 2021 season, outside of Colorado State’s Trey McBride of course. The production hasn’t been there for many guys, and that’s not all on them, but big games are good to see live. Iowa State’s Charlie Kolar has really come on of late, and is still well on that radar.

He caught two touchdowns along with eight passes for 76 yards against Texas Tech last week, but Kolar took it to another level against Oklahoma Saturday. He caught 12 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown as the Cyclones fell short on the road, 28-21.

Kolar has been a great college tight end for the Cyclones in his career, and is someone that quarterback Brock Purdy trusts late when he needs a play to be made. He uses his frame well against man coverage to maintain leverage, and dominates at the catch point and secures the ball through contact. Kolar was great high pointing the football in this game, and found some holes against zone coverage for big gains.

There are still some concerns with Kolar’s game regarding the 2022 NFL Draft. The functional athleticism isn’t there in terms of creating space with his breaks, and he struggles after the catch to make defenders miss. It’s hard to envision him working inline either, as he’s built like a red zone/receiving threat.

Still, there are roles for players like Charlie Kolar, and the production certainly helps evaluators and analysts think about the way he can carve out a role in the NFL. He certainly made a statement for the 2022 NFL Draft as a receiving threat, and he’ll get the chance at the Senior Bowl to prove he can hang at the next level.