2008 NFL Pre-Draft Tight End Rankings

From an NFL perspective, it seems that gone are the days of hulking TE’s that were little more than extra offensive linemen in the NFL. Teams are looking for guys who can not only block, but catch the ball really well. To that end colleges seem to be producing more pass catching TE’s than in years past. In today’s NFL the position requires you to be a legitimate threat to stretch the seam and be a part of the passing game. That’s good fantasy football news for those of us who play fantasy as the 2008 NFL Draft class at Tight End offers up several very intriguing prospects. The problem is that there is little assurance that any of them will become another Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, Todd Heap, Dallas Clark, or Jason Witten. Those who look to the rookie tight ends to come in and provide immediate fantasy football help will be rolling the dice when their draft’s come around.

1) Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M, 6’6”, 259 lbs: This former basketball player has the size and speed (4.68 in the 40) to get down the field and be a pass catching threat. Has good hands and is naturally athletic. Still making the adjustment from basketball to football though and needs work running his routes. While big, isn’t as physical with defenders as you’d expect. Has a lot of upside to be a great pro TE.

2) Fred Davis, USC, 6’3”, 255 lbs: A former WR who has bulked up to play TE, Davis runs smart routes and has great receiving skills. The primary knock on Davis is his blocking skills. Just doesn’t seem to have an aggressive attitude for blocking like he does when he’s running patterns. Fast enough (4.69 in the 40) to stretch the seams, Davis has continued to show improvement each season and is a top pass catching TE in this 2008 NFL draft class.

3) Dustin Keller, Purdue, 6’2”, 242 lbs: Productive pass catching TE with surprising speed (4.55 in the 40) and reliable hands. Athletic, Keller can contort himself to make difficult catches. A functional blocker, but by no means a guy who lines up at the line of scrimmage and can effectively take on opposing DE’s and LB’s. A bit shorter than the prototype for the position, Keller could make a switch to more of an H-Back position in the pros.

4) Martin Rucker, Missouri, 6’4”, 251 lbs: Good, athletic pass catching TE with size and runs good routes. Not all that fast though (4.71 in the 40). Inconsistent hands and college numbers are misleading as he didn’t line up in the traditional TE spot often rather being lined up in the slot in a spread offense. Disinterested as a blocker.

5) John Carlson, Notre Dame, 6’5”, 255 lbs: Good at just about everything, but great in just about no categories, Carlson is more in line with the traditional “catch a couple of passes and block the rest of the time” type of TE’s that aren’t as prevalent in today’s NFL as they were years ago. Intelligent, runs good routes, has good hands, plays hard, blocks better than most at his position, and possesses a real head for the game. Not fast though (4.72 in the 40) and won’t be a downfield threat.

Others to keep an eye on:

Kellen Davis, Michigan State: Great athlete with the size and speed desired (6’6”, 262 lbs, 4.60 in the 40) but has character issues and doesn’t play as tough as size would indicate. If he really tried hard, he’d be an excellent pro, but he’s a gamble.

Jermichael Finley, Texas: Athletic with good height and speed, Finley only weighs 243 lbs and is not physically as tough as he should. Not polished as a route runner and gives inconsistent effort as a blocker. Needs some refinement to his game, but has the skills to surprise.

Craig Stevens, California: Strong, smart blocker who gives top effort. Doesn’t play to his timed speed though and isn’t a great pass catcher.

Brad Cottam, Tennessee: Big and tall (6’7 ½”, 270 lbs) with rare speed (4.63 in the 40) for a guy his size, Cottam is a boom or bust type of player who has a lengthy history of injuries that prevented him from having better numbers in his college career.