Ranking the five rookie tight ends who will be most productive in 2023, headed by Kyle Pitts

The tight finish place has drastically modified within the NFL over the previous decade, and it’s turn into terribly top-heavy. Whereas we haven’t had outstanding tight finish courses within the final two drafts, the league is getting probably the most proficient receiving prospect on the place in Falcons go catcher Kyle Pitts. 

And there are others from the 2023 draft who’ve the receiving acumen to make an influence early of their NFL careers. Let’s rank the 5 rookie tight ends who’ll be most efficient in 2023. 

Harris was labeled as a decent finish throughout the pre-draft course of, however that was only a beneficiant title for a 6-foot-5, 219-pound large slot receiver. Nevertheless you need to categorize him — which can be important for fantasy soccer this season — Harris examined like an outstanding athlete on the UCF professional day just a few months in the past. 

He ran 4.43 with a 40 1/2-inch vertical, a double-take worthy 6.51 three-cone time, and a broad soar within the 93rd percentile amongst receivers on the mix since 1999. And his story is fascinating; Harris is actually one in every of a sort. He didn’t catch a go in his one yr of highschool soccer and was set to play soccer at Florida Gulf Coast earlier than altering his thoughts to attempt to stroll on the Western Kentucky soccer staff. He later transferred to UCF and averaged 23.6 yards per catch on 19 grabs as a junior earlier than scoring eight touchdowns at 18 yards per seize on 30 receptions in 2023 for the Knights. 

The UCF system is exclusive too — loaded with large splits for receivers and tons of elementary vertical routes. However Harris flashed the power to trace it over his shoulder and routinely ran by defenders down the sector. After dropping Gerald Everett in free company, the Rams could have some competitors for the first depth behind Tyler Higbee. And whereas 2023 fourth-round decide Brycen Hopkins was a prolific pass-catching tight finish at Purdue, he doesn’t have the identical juice at Harris. Additionally, final season Sean McVay utilized not less than two tight ends on 34% of the Rams offensive performs, the second-highest fee in soccer. 

Did I feel Jordan was an incredible tight finish prospect? No. However to be picked in Spherical 5? Appeared like superior worth for the Texans as a result of Jordan has loads of Eric Ebron to him. 

He’s not probably the most sudden, light-footed athlete but shines after the catch as an H-back. In 2023, he pressured 9 missed tackles, which tied for the fourth-most on the place in his draft class, and his 9.3 yards-after-the-catch-per-reception common was the sixth-best in all the class. 

One more reason Jordan made this record — the Texans roster is an absolute state of flux. It appears like each single job is open. This can be a staff with nearly 50 new gamers on it, and “projected” starter Tyrod Taylor received’t shrink back from on the lookout for his tight finish. In Taylor’s longest beginning stint — in Buffalo from 2015 to 2017 — the Jordan-like Charles Clay caught 49 or extra passes every season.

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I’ll be the primary to confess I wasn’t as excessive on Tremble because the plenty. By the point the draft rolled round, Tremble was the consensus tight finish No. 3 within the 2023 class, and he finally was the fourth tight finish picked within the draft. 

What I didn’t like about Tremble was his low-volume receiving manufacturing and the occasional drop. He solely caught 35 passes for 401 yards with 4 scores in his two seasons with the Combating Irish. A few of that was as a consequence of a noticeable run-heavy offensive philosophy at Notre Dame. And whereas it hindered Tremble’s pass-catching growth, it allowed him to hone his expertise as a blocker. And Carolina goes to need to run it with a wholesome Christian McCaffrey again in 2023. 

Tremble’s blocking chops will get him on the sector, and there isn’t a star tight finish in entrance of him on the roster. No disrespect to the naturally proficient Ian Thomas: he hasn’t blossomed — but. Whereas new Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold has a longtime rapport with wideout Robby Anderson from their time along with the Jets, Darnold additionally demonstrated a proclivity to focus on his tight finish as a rookie in 2018, when Chris Herndon had 39 receptions for 502 yards and a hefty 9.0 yards-per-target common.

Freiermuth enters the NFL with critical upside as an entire, three-down participant due to his already chiseled body and flashes of route-running and tackle-breaking skill he showcased at Penn State. His statistics decreased in every of his three seasons with the Nittany Lions, however the eight-touchdown freshman yr with almost 15 yards per catch can’t be forgotten.

Whereas I don’t view him as a critical separator or tight finish who’s significantly quick for the place, he may be an asset within the short-to-intermediate passing recreation. He’s a high quality blocker too. 

And, sure, the Steelers nonetheless have Ebron as their prime tight finish. However new offensive coordinator Matt Canada is a significant two-tight finish proponent. Freiermuth, the No. 55 total decide, goes to be on the sector and a definite a part of the Pittsburgh offense as a rookie. 

1. Kyle Pitts, Falcons

This can be a half-speed layup within the layup line. Pitts is probably the most dynamic receiver taking part in the tight finish place we’ve seen since not less than Vernon Davis in 2006 if not longer. 

With Julio Jones now in Nashville with the Titans, Pitts goes to gobble up 100-plus targets as a rookie. Calvin Ridley would be the No. 1 wideout, however Pitts will problem him for that distinction this season. 

The route-running savvy he performs with is of Professional Bowl-caliber. His catch radius is bigger than a Chevy Tahoe. He has 4.44 velocity at almost 6-6 and 245 kilos. Laboratory-experiment kind stuff with Pitts. Oh, and Matt Ryan led the NFL in completions and makes an attempt final yr. A good finish hasn’t received Offensive Rookie of the 12 months since Mike Ditka (!) in 1961, however Pitts might change that in 2023.