2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Brock Bowers leads an interesting tight end class

In the 2023 NFL Draft, we saw six tight ends drafted in the first two rounds which is the highest number we have seen since 2013. The 2024 class is nowhere near as deep as the 2023 class, but it will see a player at this position drafted higher than when Dalton Kincaid went with the 25th pick last year. That player will be Georgia’s Brock Bowers who is widely projected to go in the top ten.

In addition to Brock Bowers the class also has a few intriguing day three picks led by Ohio State’s Cade Stover who is one of the more well-rounded tight ends in the 2024 NFL Draft. The class also features a couple of outstanding pass catchers in Terrance Ferguson and Jaheim Bell. If a team is looking for more of a blocking tight end Illinois’s Tip Reiman could be an ideal fit. Overall 12 tight ends carry a draftable grade and in this article, we break down each one of these prospects.

2024 NFL Draft tight end class ranking No. 1-4

1. Brock Bowers, Georgia: There is no doubt that Brock Bowers is the top tight end in the 2024 NFL Draft. He has all the traits needed to develop into an All-Pro tight end starting with his impressive hands. He shows great grip strength and can either make the catch downfield or in tight coverage. He also is a threat with the ball in his hands having picked up 438 yards after the catch this year. One more positive with him is that despite being on the lighter side he is an aggressive blocker and can block on the line of scrimmage or out in space. My biggest concern with him is that he battled injuries this season, including an ankle injury that limited him to ten games. Another issue is that he is not the athlete or as explosive as a player like Kyle Pitts is, but he is a much more complete tight end. Draft Grade: First Round.

2. Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas: There is a big gap between tight end one and tight end two in the NFL Draft, but with that being said Ja'Tavion Sanders is still worth a second-round pick. Like Bowers, Sanders is a threat after the catch but unlike Bowers, his is more to speed than strength. Sanders will likely test as one of if not the fastest tight ends at the NFL Combine and he uses this speed to his advantage consistently getting separation in his routes and pulling away from defenders once the ball is in his hands.

In addition to his speed, Sanders is also an impressive athlete who took over 30 percent of his snaps this year aligned out wide. The team that drafts Sanders though is going to have to realize he is not going to offer much in the run game though. The main reason for this is a lack of strength, but he also lunges when blocking at times which hurts his effectiveness. Draft Grade: Second Round.

3. Jared Wiley, TCU

One of the biggest sleepers in the 2024 NFL Draft is TCU’s Jared Wiley who also happens to be one of the most complete tight ends in this year’s tight end class. As a receiver, he shows impressive quickness for a 6-foot-7 260-pound tight end and can be a vertical threat evidenced by his 81-yard touchdown reception against Baylor this year. In addition to his size, he also is a powerful tight end who is tough to take down after the catch. When it comes to blocking Wiley is an aggressive blocker who is always looking for someone to hit. He shows impressive strength in this area to and if he learns to play with a better pad level he could be one of the better blocking tight ends in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Overall, I give Wiley a second-round grade and could see him overtaking Ja'Tavion Sanders for the number two spot, which is way higher than some people have him rated as he currently carries a seventh-round draft grade according to NFL Mock Draft Database. Draft Grade: Second Round.

4. Cade Stover, Ohio State: A team looking for a classic in-line tight end is going to like what they find in Ohio State’s Cade Stover. Stover’s top trait may be the toughness he bring to the position. As a blocker he is able to hold up against defensive ends and shows the strength to push linebackers off the ball. When used as a receiver he is physical after the catch displaying a strong stiff arm, and the power to run through arm tackles.

While Stover should be able to make it as a backup tight end and key special team’s player there are some reasons why his game might be limited to that role. One of the reasons for this is his lack of speed which prevents him from stretching a defense. He also is a limited athlete who won’t create the matchup problems some of the more athletic tight ends in the 2024 NFL Draft will. Draft Grade: Fourth Round

2024 NFL Draft tight end class ranking No. 5-8

5. Theo Johnson, Penn State: Penn State’s Theo Johnson is an intriguing tight end prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. He is a good sized target who has the measurables to play as your classic in-line tight end. He also holds up well as a blocker showing the tenacity to finish his blocks regularly. Additionally, he displays the speed to work the seems in the passing game. However, he lacks ideal production having never had more than 341 receiving yards in a season. He also has had some contraction drops during his time at Penn State and is not the most agile tight end in the class. Draft Grade: Fifth Round

6. Brevyn Spann-Ford, Minnesota: The 2023 season was a down year for Minnesota tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford as he saw a drop in production when it came to receptions, yards, and average yards per catch. While part of this was the fact Minnesota’s passing game was far from proficient, Spann-Ford also deserves some of the blame. He battled drops especially early in the season having dropped four passes in the first three games of the year. While his hands will be questioned by NFL scouts they will have no concerns about his massive 6-foot-7 270-pound size. He uses this size to be a reliable target in the mid-range passing game, and to truck defenders once he makes the catch. He is also an aggressive blocker although he needs to work on his technique in this area so he doesn’t fall off blocks as often. Draft Grade: Sixth Round.

7. Jaheim Bell, Florida State: Florida State’s Jaheim Bell will likely fall in the 2024 NFL Draft, due to a lack of a natural position. He was not asked to play as an in-line tight end very much at Flordia State and his lack of size (6-3 239) will likely hurt his chances of fulfilling that role in the NFL. He also lacks the elite athletic ability to consistently win outside against NFL linebackers. His best fit may be as a fullback, which is not a very valued position at the next level. On the positive side though he is a natural receiver who shows naturally soft hands. He is also a physical runner after the catch and could see some carries if lined up as a fullback. Draft Grade: Sixth Round.

8. Tip Reiman, Illinois: The highest-graded blocking tight end on my board is Illinois’s Tip Reiman. He is also one of the biggest tight ends in the 2024 NFL Draft coming in at 6-foot-5 and 270-pounds and uses this size to dominate as a run blocker. In addition to his size, he shows impressive strength and plays with the nastiness offensive line coaches will love. While I love his blocking ability he is a bit of a one-dimensional player. As a receiver, he possesses only average speed and is not as agile as a lot of players in this class. Overall, look for Reiman to make it as a blocking tight end in the NFL. Draft Grade: Seventh Round.

2024 NFL Draft tight end class ranking No. 9-12

9. Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina: North Carolina’s Bryson Nesbit is another tight end who will likely be used as a pass catcher in the NFL. As a receiver, he shows the speed to work downfield having averaged 14.3 yards per catch this season. He also shows impressive agility and does a great job of making the tough catch on passes underthrown. As a blocker he has limited experience having mainly lined up outside for the Tar Heels. When asked to block he shows average power, and will most likely not be able to hold up against defensive ends or even linebackers in the NFL. Draft Grade: Seventh Round.

10. Dallin Holker, Colorado State: Colorado State’s Dallin Holker made a wise decision to transfer from BYU to Colorado State. In his three seasons with the Cougars, he had 42 career receptions and only three touchdowns. However, in his one season in Fort Collins, he led all FBS tight ends with 767 receiving yards and also accounted for 64 receptions and six touchdowns. While these statistics are impressive he only carries a seventh-round grade on my board. One of the reasons for this low draft grade is he possesses only average speed and athletic ability. He also is not an elite blocker and is not asked to play as an in-line tight end often. While his potential may be limited at the next level he is a good-sized target (6-5) who can make the tough catch in traffic. Draft Grade: Seventh Round.

11. Jake Briningstool, Clemson: The 2023 season was a breakout year for Jake Briningstool, as he set the school record for most receptions for a Clemson tight end with 50 catches, and also set the single-game receiving yard mark for a tight end with catching five passes for 126 yards against Miami. Despite these numbers though he will be looked at as a late-round draft prospect or undrafted free agent. The main reason for this is his lack of bulk coming in at 6-foot-6 and only 230 pounds. He also doesn’t offer much as a blocker despite giving good effort due to a lack of functional strength. Overall, look for teams to look at him as more of a big slot wide receiver, than your all-around tight end. Draft Grade: Seventh Round.

12. Isaac Rex, BYU: Issac Rex is a good receiving option who uses his 6-foot-6 255-pound frame to shield defenders from the ball. To go along with his size he also has solid speed and is a good mid-range passing target. His biggest flaw is his run-blocking ability. In this area, he doesn’t show much strength and has trouble breaking down in space. One more concern scouts will have with him is his long list of injuries he suffered in college. Draft Grade: Seventh Round