The 2026 NFL Draft has wrapped up, and preparations for the 2027 NFL Draft are underway. Specific to the tight end position, five of them ended up picked in the first two rounds, with four of them coming in the final 11 selections of Round 2.
Both classes have a high bar to reach that was set from the 2025 group of tight ends. Of the top 12 tight ends in receiving yards last year, four of them came from the rookie class. However, there’s a lot of confidence from NFL teams in the 2026 tight end class. Will that same confidence translate to the 2027 class?
I’ve ranked several positional groups between the 2026 and 2027 draft classes, as of this writing. Now, it’s time to focus on a position that’s seen a steady increase in value in recent years. These are my top 10 tight ends combined from this year and next year.
10) Sam Roush, Stanford, 2026
Finishing fifth in the FBS in PFN TE Impact Scoring last year, Sam Roush combined high-level receiving production with target efficiency and impressive in-line blocking. His physicality at the point of attack helped lead the way for Stanford’s rushing attack, and his class-leading 9.95 Relative Athletic Score demonstrated his elite leaping ability and straight-line explosiveness.
It was perhaps surprising that the Chicago Bears used a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on a tight end, seeing as though they already had Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet. That said, Roush should see plenty of playing time in multiple tight end sets, and he has the potential to succeed Kmet down the line. His blocking tenacity makes him a great fit on the Bears’ offense.
9) Oscar Delp, Georgia, 2026
Though he didn’t get many reps to show it in college, Oscar Delp has plenty of receiving upside. He’s an elite athlete with great deep speed and burst coming out of his breaks as a route runner. He’s also quite battle-tested as a run blocker, too, showcasing good pad level and impressive churn from his lower half.
Delp was a third round pick by the New Orleans Saints, where he figures to back up veteran Juwan Johnson initially. That said, Delp’s high-end athleticism and experience as a blocker should get him on the field quickly. In the long run, he has the potential to be a quality starter.
8) Marlin Klein, Michigan, 2026
A native of Cologne, Germany, Marlin Klein moved to the United States to play high school football. Considering he won a national championship with Michigan and got drafted into the NFL, that gamble turned out to be a big success. He’s most experienced as an in-line blocker who can push defenders off the line of scrimmage, but he demonstrated impressive speed and fluidity on the seam when he got the chance to run routes.
I thought I was higher on Klein than most, but I clearly wasn’t as high on him as the NFL was. The Houston Texans used the No. 57 overall pick on him, bringing him in to back up Dalton Schultz for 2026. With his premier athleticism and comfortability as an in-line blocker, however, I think he carves out a niche for himself early in Houston’s offense.
7) Terrance Carter Jr., Texas Tech, 2027
It appears that Brendan Sorsby will be suiting up for Texas Tech in 2026, and as controversial as that may be, that’s great news for Terrance Carter Jr. The Red Raiders’ star tight end is coming off a season with 55 receptions for 624 yards and five touchdowns, and he’ll have an upgrade at quarterback to work with this year.
Carter is smaller for a tight end, being listed at 6’2″ and 245 pounds. However, he accelerates well off the snap and can stretch the field both vertically and horizontally with speed in the passing game. He’s the best YAC tight end I’ve watched in the 2027 NFL Draft class thus far, showing off elite agility and contact balance. His size could knock him, but Carter’s 2025 tape showed Day 2 value.
6) Justin Joly, NC State, 2026
After standing out at UConn for two years, Justin Joly made the jump seamlessly to NC State for his final two years. He’s a little smaller for a tight end, but is a fluid athlete with great hands who knows how to work himself open against zone coverage. His receiving value made him an impact performer at the collegiate level
I was a little surprised to see Joly fall all the way to the fifth round, but I like that he ended up with the Denver Broncos. They currently don’t have a long-term solution at tight end, which could provide an opportunity for Joly to step into the starting lineup. If that time comes, don’t be surprised if he holds onto that starting role.
5) Max Klare, Ohio State, 2026
A high-level producer for Purdue in 2024, Max Klare is an athletic and fluid tight end with a high ceiling on passing downs. His numbers dropped a little with his move to Ohio State, but his tape remained strong with his body control across the middle of the field and ability to work himself open against zone.
Klare faces steep competition to having a sizable role on offense in 2026, given how crammed the Los Angeles Rams’ tight end room is. That said, he has a great opportunity to step into a big role once Colby Parkinson and Tyler Higbee leave the team. He’ll still have to battle for touches with Terrance Ferguson in the long haul, but I projected Klare slightly higher as a draft prospect coming out.
4) Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt, 2026
Eli Stowers was one of the top athletes at tight end in this year’s draft class, as his incredible Combine outing indicated. He’s a bit raw as an in-line blocker, having previously played quarterback in college, but he offers great vertical speed and the explosiveness as a route runner to create separation coming out of his breaks.
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Going into 2026, Stowers projects as the Philadelphia Eagles’ second-string tight end behind Dallas Goedert. However, Goedert is past 30 years old and is in the final year of his current contract. Stowers projects as the long-term answer at tight end in Philadelphia, and their using a second-round pick on him in the 2026 NFL Draft is indicative of that.
3) Trey’Dez Green, LSU, 2027
In his first year as LSU’s starting tight end, Trey’Dez Green showed off incredible potential. The 6’7″, 240-pound weapon caught 60.0% of his contested catches in 2025, bringing a new definition to the term “50-50 ball”. He ended up with 33 catches for 433 yards and seven touchdowns as a true sophomore, and he’s now a potential early-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
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Green’s a little skinny, which provides for some lower-half strength issues as a blocker. That said, he’s an athletic player with a large catch radius, thanks to his long arms and impressive height. He adjusts his tempo well against zone coverage to sit in soft spots of the defense, and he’s coordinated and physical at the catch point. If Green can bulk up an extra 10-15 pounds, a first-round selection isn’t out of the question for him.
2) Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon, 2026
Kenyon Sadiq is an elite athlete who can separate from man coverage, has reliable hands as a pass catcher, and battles hard as a run blocker for a smaller tight end. Though a little smaller for his position, his ability to stretch the field, win above the rim, and create separation against any coverage looks give him immense receiving upside.
I was hardly surprised that Sadiq ended up selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, though his landing spot of the New York Jets came out of left field. Despite the presence of Mason Taylor in that tight end room, I think Sadiq will be the heavier targeted of the two and will have the chance to fulfill his All-Pro potential in the Big Apple.
1) Jamari Johnson, Oregon, 2026
Much like Sadiq before him, Jamari Johnson showed elite traits as Oregon’s second-string tight end last year. He was particularly productive in the playoffs with eight catches, 149 yards, and a touchdown in the Ducks’ two games. He’s a sure-handed pass catcher with elite vertical speed, ball skills, and lateral quickness coming out of his breaks.
Despite Sadiq having started over Johnson in 2025, I have the latter with a higher grade as a draft prospect. A lot can change between now and the start of the 2027 NFL Draft, but I think Johnson’s superior size and physicality give him the edge. Either way, it’s only fitting the two top tight ends on my board between the last two classes are athletic freaks both from Oregon.
Honorable Mentions
- Peter Clarke, Temple, 2027
- Jack Endries, Texas, 2026
- Joe Royer, Cincinnati, 2026
