NFL Draft: revisiting the last 15 TE’s who were taken in Round 1

Tight ends can be used in a variety of ways. NFL teams can deploy them in the run game for their blocking skills, or split them out wide to create mismatches in the passing game. With reports indicating that Georgia tight end Brock Bowers is set to be drafted with a high pick, we’ll take a look back at the last 15 tight ends taken in round one of the NFL Draft. All statistics are sourced from Football Reference.

The Buffalo Bills have to be thrilled with the production they got from Kincaid in his first NFL season in 2023. According to Sports Illustrated, he set a franchise record for receptions by a tight end as a rookie, with 73. That figure was also the fourth most grabs for a rookie tight end in NFL history.

The narrative for Pitts’ career has centered around his skill set being misused by his coaches with the Atlanta Falcons. Sports Illustrated commented that new head man Raheem Morris has to get Pitts more involved, while SportsGrid alluded to his frustrating usage. The Falcons are hoping that veteran passer Kirk Cousins can bring out the talent most NFL fans believe Pitts possesses.

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Hockenson has been one of the best tight ends in the NFL since being drafted in 2019. In six seasons, he has 341 catches for 3,547 yards and 23 touchdowns. He was traded to the Minnesota Vikings midway through the 2022 campaign, and the team views him as a big part of their future. They signed him to an extension that reset the tight end marked in August 2023, as per USA Today.

Fant may best be remembered for being a part of the blockbuster trade that sent Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. Fant and a lot of other compensation were sent to the Seattle Seahawks in that transaction. Seattle has been happy enough with Fant’s production, as Sports Illustrated reported that they signed the tight end to a two-year deal in March 2024.

Hurst has bounced around the NFL since being selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2018 Draft. NFL fans are hoping that Hurst can return to the field fully healthy, as he suffered a scary head injury with the Carolina Panthers in 2023. According to a report by AP News, Hurst suffered from post-traumatic amnesia after a concussion.

Howard has been somewhat of an enigma. A 2016 Bleacher Report piece tabbed Howard as “lazy” during his time with the University of Alabama, but ESPN also saw massive potential by tabbing him as a future star in 2018 after his first NFL season. Howard hasn’t played in the NFL since 2022, when he suited up for 13 games with the Houston Texans.

He had some injury concerns with the New York Giants early in his NFL career, as detailed by The Athletic. However, Engram seems to have found a home with the Jacksonville Jaguars, as ESPN has reported on the confidence boost he’s experienced with his current team. The tight end set a career high in catches in 2023 with 114 grabs.

It feels like Njoku has spent much of his Cleveland Browns tenure on the precipice of being moved out of town. Heavy pegged him as a cut candidate in July 2023, and ClutchPoints talked about Cleveland denied his request to be traded before that. Perhaps him staying put was best for both sides, as Njoku had since best campaign in the NFL in 2023.

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One season of Ebron’s eight-year NFL career sticks out like a sore thumb. He caught 13 touchdown passes with the Indianapolis Colts in 2018, far outpacing any other campaign on his ledger. The Athletic wrote a lengthy profile on the tight end, who was also given credit for being a team leader during his standout performance in 2018.

Eifert’s career arc is somewhat similar to Ebron’s, although his standout campaign came much earlier. In his third NFL season with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2015, Eifert also caught 13 touchdowns, en route to posting 615 yards. However, injuries were a struggle for Eifert, who appeared in just one game in 2014, and a combined 14 games from 2016-2018 for the Bengals.

Gresham made two Pro Bowls in his NFL career, in 2011 and 2012 with the Cincinnati Bengals. In nine career NFL seasons, he caught 377 passes for 3,752 yards and 29 touchdowns. Back in 2020, Sports Illustrated named Gresham one of the 20 best Oklahoma Sooners to play in the NFL.

Pettigrew ended up spending all seven seasons of his NFL career with the Detroit Lions. The Atlanta Journal Constitution once called him an X-factor, which makes sense considering that he played alongside future Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Pettigrew’s best statistical season came in 2011.

Keller had a brief five-year career with the New York Jets. His longevity in the NFL was dramatically cut short in the 2013 preseason, when he suffered a career-ending knee injury. He was with the Miami Dolphins at the time, but never suited up for a regular season game with the team. According to the Miami New Times, he tore his ACL, MCL and PCL.

Olsen is best known to current NFL fans as a broadcaster, but he had a successful 14-year career as well. Most of his stint in the league came with the Carolina Panthers, where he spent nine seasons. He eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving in three consecutive seasons from 2014-2016. The Athletic wrote a piece in January 2024 wondering about Olsen’s role on Fox, with Tom Brady set to join the network.

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Davis and Lewis were selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft, and each had lengthy careers. Davis played 14 years in the league, and was tabbed as an athletic freak by Muscle and Fitness. Meanwhile, Lewis has played 18 years in the NFL, and appears to be set to come back again for his age-40 season. WGN reported that he won’t retire if a team signs him for the 2024 campaign.