NFL draft preview: Strong class of tight ends looks to make an impact at next level
It’s an excellent class of tight ends for the 2025 NFL draft, and that could help shake things up in the league next season. The Buffalo Bills are no strangers to using 12 personnel, and the value on the position from offensive coordinator Joe Brady could give the Bills reason to draft with the...
This is the eighth in a series of position previews for the 2025 NFL draft. Today: Tight ends.
The tight end renaissance is here, and it’s not leaving with this draft class.
It’s an excellent class of tight ends for the 2025 NFL draft, and that could help shake things up in the league next season. Likely first-rounders Tyler Warren (Penn State) and Colston Loveland (Michigan) headline the versatile, do-anything group of prospects.
The Buffalo Bills are no strangers to using 12 personnel, and the value on the position from offensive coordinator Joe Brady could give the Bills reason to draft with the future in mind.
Around the league, there’s plenty to like about this group, which has potential starters sprinkled all over – even at a position that has a very challenging jump from college to the NFL.
Penn State tight end Tyler Warren pulls in a touchdown pass as Boise State safety Ty Benefield, left, defends in January. Rick Scuteri, Associated Press
Overall position ranking: 9/10.
Bills view: The Buffalo Bills have their starters, but they could use depth and injury insurance. Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox are set to return, with Zach Davidson and Armani Rogers rounding out the room. The Bills are just two drafts removed from taking a big swing on Kincaid, and the hope is he’ll take a step up in Year 3. Kincaid battled injuries in his second season, and his production didn’t make the jump the Bills wanted. Still, general manager Brandon Beane expressed the utmost confidence that Kincaid will return stronger from the ordeal, both mentally and physically. Quintin Morris, who previously served as the team’s third tight end, is a free agent. It’s not the top need for the Bills, but it’s a sneaky need in a year with options aplenty and for a team that likes to deploy two tight-end sets.
Bills need ranking: 6/10.
The best: Tyler Warren. The 6-foot-6, 256-pound Warren captivated Penn State crowds with his versatility and his tendency to excel at the unexpected. From trick plays to Wildcat packages, Warren can do it all. But he’s not just flashy and splashy. Warren is an ascending blocker and can handle inline duties for his future team. Big and fluid, Warren bounces off tackles and tallied 693 of his 1,233 receiving yards after the catch, per PFF, last season. The former high school quarterback is redefining what a tight end can look like. He can line up anywhere, and his talent is sure to entice NFL teams.
Names to know: In addition to Warren, Michigan’s Colston Loveland is getting plenty of first round grades. The long, lean, downhill threat shows a good run after catch, and he set a Wolverines single-season record for most receptions by a tight end, hauling in 56 passes. Loveland is big but lacks bulk, and that may impact him against NFL defenses. Still, he’s reliable and speedy, making him a good friend to quarterbacks.
At Louisiana State, Mason Taylor set out to make his own name. Mason is the son of former NFL Pro-Bowler Jason Taylor, who spent the bulk of his defensive end career with the Miami Dolphins. Playing on the other side of the ball, Mason set school records for a tight end at LSU with 1,308 career receiving yards and 129 career catches. He gets open and is reliable with a big catch radius. Although his single-game numbers weren’t typically garish, he’s consistent enough to always be a threat. Taylor attended powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas, a Fort Lauderdale school that boasts current Bills players Joey Bosa and Joshua Palmer as alumni.
Elijah Arroyo from University of Miami is proof of what one year can do for a player. Arroyo was a one-year starter at Miami with 13 starts in 2024 after appearing in just 21 games total (4 starts) in his first three seasons there. A knee injury derailed his 2022 season and sidelined him for eight games in 2023. He hasn’t had a ton of targets, but Arroyo averaged 16.37 yards per catch over his career. He had a strong Senior Bowl, and teams likely will think he has a lot of upside.
Intriguing: C.J. Dippre of Alabama had two notable zeros on his stat line last season – zero touchdowns and zero penalties. He spent two seasons at Maryland before transferring to Alabama for two years. Across four years of college, he had just three touchdowns – all during his sophomore at Maryland. Still, he’s a decent blocker and averaged 38.2 offensive snaps in Alabama’s run-heavy offense. Dippre is likely a fifth- or sixth-round prospect.
Sleeper: Luke Lachey, Iowa. If Lachey’s last name sounds familiar from an NFL perspective, it’s because his dad, Jim, was a star offensive tackle who won Super Bowl XXV with Washington over the Bills. The younger Lachey battled an ankle injury in 2023, but his athleticism and grittiness could help him compete at the next level.
TOP 10 TIGHT ENDS
Rank Name School Ht. Wt.
1 Tyler Warren Penn State 6-5 256
2 Colston Loveland* Michigan 6-6 248
3 Mason Taylor* LSU 6-5 246
4 Elijah Arroyo* Miami 6-5 254
5 Terrance Ferguson Oregon 6-5 247
6 Gunnar Helm Texas 6-5 241
7 Harold Fannin Jr.* Bowling Green 6-3 241
8 Mitchell Evans Notre Dame 6-5 253
9 Oronde Gadsden II* Syracuse 6-5 241
10 Moliki Matavao UCLA 6-6 260
* — Underclassman
