As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, the tight end class has come more and more into focus. The conversation is centered on how high Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland can go, but there are plenty of other potential steals to know in the 2025 TE group.
How does the diverse group of 2025 TEs stack up, and what might their NFL projections be? Below, you’ll find our current top 10 TE rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft.
10) Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
There’s something to be said about reliability for rotational TEs at the NFL level. Very few TEs can be elite pass-game catalysts like Sam LaPorta or Brock Bowers. A balance of pass-game and run-game utility can be valuable in its own right. Mitchell Evans has that.
Evans was never an elite athlete, and a torn ACL late in the 2023 season further clouded his long-term outlook. But Evans bounced back with a solid 2024 campaign, amassing a career-high 43 catches for 421 yards and three touchdowns.
At 6’5″ and 258 pounds, Evans has a lot of the ideal components of a prototypical tight end. He’s big, tough, competitive, and sure-handed, with enough route nuance to be a functional in-line target. More importantly, Evans has shown willing urgency as a blocker.
9) Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse
Moving past the first and second tiers of the 2025 NFL Draft TE class, you’ll find less complete prospects and more role players. Oronde Gadsden II falls within that lens. He doesn’t have much in-line blocking experience or utility, but he can be a stellar pass-game role player.
Gadsden — the son of a former NFL standout receiver of the same name — first broke onto the scene with a 975-yard season in 2022. A Lisfranc injury derailed his 2023 campaign, but he returned with a vengeance in 2024, logging 73 catches for 934 yards and seven scores.
At 6’5″ and 243 pounds, with over 33″ arms, Gadsden has the size and athleticism of a big-slot hybrid. He has solid size-adjusted speed and great short-area energy, and while his early-down outlook is fairly limited, he can be a target funnel for pass-heavy teams.
8) Thomas Fidone II, Nebraska
There are always high-upside prospects to target in the middle rounds at the TE position. In the 2025 NFL Draft, Nebraska’s Thomas Fidone II is one of the most compelling options drawing looks there. If his medicals check out — stemming from two ACL surgeries — he has the upside to start in the NFL down the road.
After suffering two consecutive season-ending knee injuries to start his collegiate career, he achieved career-highs in catches and receiving yards in 2024. At 6’5″, with 34″ arms, he’s long and explosive, plus physical as a blocker, while flashing nice bend and control as a separator.
The key for Fidone will be improving his overall play strength and operational consistency. As a route runner, he can drift too tall. As a blocker, he can struggle to drive and keep control farther into reps. Nevertheless, he’s a quality rotational TE with untapped potential.
7) Gunnar Helm, Texas
Don’t make the mistake of judging Gunnar Helm solely from his subpar athletic testing at the NFL Combine. Helm sprained his ankle on his first 40-yard dash attempt, and that injury impacted his testing. Trust the film with Helm; it conveys his upside well enough.
While Helm isn’t at the level of the top athletes in this year’s tight-end class, he still has enough burst and bend at 6’5″ and 241 pounds to sear up seams and make himself available on the vertical plane. Additionally, Helm can make plays underneath with his soft hands and rumbling RAC ability.
Helm can continue to add mass to his frame, despite not having the high-end quickness to be a viable route runner against man coverage. Nevertheless, he’s a valuable two-pronged receiving threat, and a high-effort blocker who can play with leverage.
6) Elijah Arroyo, Miami (FL)
Heading into the 2024 season, Elijah Arroyo had just 11 career catches in three years at Miami. Catching passes from potential No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, Arroyo broke out and amassed 35 receptions for 590 yards and seven TDs, averaging 16.9 yards per catch.
Injuries impacted Arroyo’s availability earlier in his career, but now that he’s proven his ability when healthy, he has legitimate Top 100 potential. He’s one of the most explosive athletes in the TE class, with a well-built frame at 6’5″ and 250 pounds, with 33″ arms.
Right now, Arroyo makes his money as a pass-game weapon — particularly on the vertical plane and up seams. His play strength and sturdiness as an in-line blocker can be an issue. But all of the tools are there to develop, and there’s a path for him to produce early on.
5) Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green
No prospect was more productive in the 2024 season than Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr. He led all FBS pass-catchers — wide receivers and tight ends — in catches and receiving yards, with 117 catches for 1,555 yards and 10 scores.
Not only did Fannin feast against MAC opponents, but he also proved himself against his toughest foes, like Penn State and Texas A&M. Fannin’s production has made him a darling of the NFL Draft community, and it points to his translatable pass-catching skill set.
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Fannin gives me Jordan Reed vibes as a talent. He’ll never be a great factor as a blocker and he’s not an elite size-adjusted athlete. But Fannin is sudden and savvy, as a route runner and RAC threat, plus he’s physical and reliable with his hand-usage across phases.
4) Terrance Ferguson, Oregon
He doesn’t always get the same flowers as the top tight ends in the 2025 NFL Draft class, but for my money, Terrance Ferguson is one of the most well-rounded prospects this cycle. He’s coming off a stellar 2024 campaign at Oregon — 43 catches for 591 yards, with three touchdowns — in which he showed he can be productive in the pros.
At 6’5″ and 247 pounds, Ferguson was one of the fastest and most explosive testers at the NFL Combine, and that athleticism shows up on film. His acceleration is more powerful than energetic, but he’s a nuanced separator, as well as a solid RAC threat and dutiful blocker.
An emphasis for Ferguson at the NFL level should be limiting focus drops over the middle. But, looking at the full checklist, Ferguson fills the boxes. Plus, he has an elite athletic profile to build upon.
3) Mason Taylor, LSU
The son of Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, Mason Taylor will have a chance to carve out his own successful legacy at the professional level. The 6’5″, 251-pound pass-catcher carries a top-50 grade on my board, and he has the tools to be an impact NFL starter with time.
Taylor can still improve his play strength and blocking, but his ability as a receiver is unquestionable. He’s fleet-footed, fluid, and explosive out of breaks, with sharp instincts and soft hands at the catch. And his added RAC element makes him a truly complete pass-catching presence.
A common comp that’s been made for Taylor is former Arkansas standout and second-round pick Hunter Henry. With his skill set, Taylor can mimic Henry’s pass-game reliability, chain-moving chops, and schematic versatility to eventually become a high-end starter.
2) Colston Loveland, Michigan
He’s not tops on our 2025 NFL Draft Rankings, but don’t let the runner-up status fool you. Colston Loveland is right in the thick of the TE1 conversation, and in any class without Brock Bowers or Tyler Warren, Loveland would very likely be the unequivocal TE1.
Injuries and incompetent quarterback play impacted Loveland’s production in 2024, and yet, he still achieved a career-high 56 catches and five touchdowns, while racking up 582 yards. While Warren is more complete, Loveland has the higher pass-game ceiling.
At 6’6″ and almost 250 pounds, Loveland moves with truly logic-defying flexibility and bend, which lends itself to elite route-running ability. His route tree is all-encompassing, leveraging razor-sharp instincts, with unmatched athleticism that makes him a mismatch nightmare.
1) Tyler Warren, Penn State
The battle for TE1 in the 2025 NFL Draft is a close one, but Penn State’s Tyler Warren takes the crown with a slight edge in the lead-up to the big event. A potential Top 10 pick, Warren combines an ultra-reliable clutch gene with all-encompassing offensive versatility.
Warren dominated to the tune of 104 catches for 1,233 yards, with eight receiving touchdowns in 2024. He also added 218 yards on 26 carries, plus four rushing touchdowns. The Penn State offense ran entirely through his bulky 6-foot-5, 256-pound frame, and NFL teams will have a chance to emulate that.
In every phase, Warren presents as a scout’s dream. He’s an efficient route runner who catches virtually everything, even with defenders inside his frame. He’s an explosive and physical RAC threat, an offensive weapon, and a central presence who makes teams better.