Eagles draft: Deep tight end class could yield a weapon to pair with budding star Dallas Goedert

During the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, with the quarterback, defensive back, and edge rusher classes stealing the show, this year’s tight end group’s depth somehow flew under the radar.

The tight end position has taken on added significance in the NFL, with many teams relying on 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) to both bolster the running game and create mismatches for defenses. That could mean immediate playing time for several tight ends from this year’s class.

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While the evolution of what tight ends look like in the modern NFL is continuously shifting, with premium weapons being used to threaten the seams and create mismatches, here’s a look at the 2023 class and whom the Eagles could consider pairing alongside star tight end Dallas Goedert.

With the best blend of being a dominant run blocker and a savvy route runner, Michael Mayer enters the draft as one of, if not the top tight end in this class. With staggering production over three years, including breaking his own school record for tight ends with nine receiving touchdowns in 2022, Mayer excels as a pass catcher, using his physicality to box out defenders while showcasing short area change of direction.

As a natural pass catcher who consistently catches the ball away from his frame, Mayer doesn’t have elite athleticism, but can win in contested-catch situations, and is athletic enough to contort his body in the air. At 6-foot-4, 249 pounds, Mayer’s willingness to initiate contact as a blocker and generate movement on the line of scrimmage, coupled with his ability to create subtle separation at the top of routes in the short and intermediate passing game, will allow him to become a focal point of an offense early in his career.

As one of the best pure pass catchers in the class, Dalton Kincaid makes a compelling argument to be the first tight end off the board. The Utes’ leading receiver in 2022 (70 receptions, 890 yards, eight touchdowns), Kincaid is an intelligent route runner who has a terrific feel for spacing and catches nearly everything thrown his way, even when heavily guarded. Along with being a route-running savant, Kincaid is slippery after the catch with the acceleration and elusiveness to make defenders miss in the open field.

Although Kincaid doesn’t project as a true in-line tight end given his lack of physicality and strength to sustain blocks in the trenches, he consistently shows the ability to create separation at all three levels of the field. The lack of pre-draft testing may scare some teams away, but don’t expect Kincaid to make it beyond the top 35-40 picks in the draft, projecting as a future starter F-style move tight end who can split out in the slot.

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If you’re looking for a tight end who looks like he was built in a lab and oozes freakish athleticism at 6-7, 270 pounds, Darnell Washington is your player. A physical player who boasts the ability to reset the line of scrimmage in the trenches, Washington overwhelms linebackers and defensive backs on the perimeter, finishing every block he makes with bad intentions. Along with his blocking prowess, the Bulldogs tight end is a mismatch, particularly in the red zone and in jump-ball scenarios where he can box out defenders.

While his hand placement isn’t perfect as a blocker and his lack of twitch doesn’t allow him to change direction smoothly as a route runner, Washington has a tremendous catch radius. He is also tough to bring down in the open field, even showcasing the athletic ability to jump over defenders. His testing numbers (4.64-second 40-yard dash; 10 feet, 2 inches broad jump) at his size and age (21) give him a limitless ceiling and would make him a perfect complement to Goedert.

Hailing from Goedert’s alma mater, Tucker Kraft posseses a unique skill set as a former running back playing 9-man football in South Dakota. Used all over in the Jackrabbits’ offense, from in-line, to split out wide, and even in jet sweep actions, Kraft is a dangerous player with the ball in his hands. He is difficult to bring down in the open field and has the speed to threaten down the seam while playing above the rim at 6-5, 254 pounds. His nasty demeanor as a blocker, specifically rooting out defensive ends or in space against linebackers, allows him to drive them out of the play and into the ground.

After battling an ankle injury early in 2022 that caused him to miss six games, Kraft returned to help lead South Dakota State to the FCS national championship. Although his route running needs continued refinement, along with his hand placement and footwork as a blocker, Kraft has the skill set to become a feature tight end at the NFL level and would be a multi-skilled asset for the Eagles’ offense.

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If the Eagles are looking for a natural field stretcher who can attack the seam and boundaries of the field effectively, Luke Musgrave is an enticing option. At 6-6, 253 pounds, the Senior Bowl participant played just two games in 2022 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. When healthy, his straight-line speed (4.61 40-yard dash) and ability to attack the football at its highest point (36-inch vertical) are apparent on film. The stats won’t tell the story of who Musgrave is, though — his smooth ability to throttle in and out of routes and ability to track the football down the field will earn him early snaps at the NFL level.

In need for bulking up his slim frame and becoming more consistent with his footwork as a blocker, Musgrave is a nice Day 2 target whose best football is ahead of him. Success on the vertical route running plane would fit nicely in attacking the seams in the Eagles’ offense.

Like Musgrave, Sam LaPorta is another player who can consistently threaten the seams with his speed and short area change of direction ability. Overachieving in the Hawkeyes’ putrid offense, LaPorta excels on corner routes and attacking over the middle of the field, showcasing high-level feel for soft spots in zone coverages. LaPorta has enough burst and wiggle at the line of scrimmage to win quickly against smaller corners and safeties in man coverage, opening up his ability to create big yardage plays after the catch.

However, LaPorta struggles to make contested catches and doesn’t offer much as a blocker with his inability to move defensive players off the ball. Despite the limitations, the Iowa standout who comes from a program known for producing good NFL tight ends, is savvy at creating separation at the top of routes and can run routes out wide, from the slot, and in-line. LaPorta projects as a second tight end option who can be a nice seam and outlet option in a pass-heavy offense.

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Dominating the NFL combine with his unique size (6-7, 255) and testing numbers (4.55 40-yard dash, 40-inch vertical, 10-8 broad jump), Zack Kuntz has the tools to be a mismatch nightmare a few years down the line. Built more like a wide receiver than a tight end, Kuntz has a wiry frame but has tremendous upside as a pass catcher and is a huge red-zone threat. His ability to reach his top gear speed-wise and threaten the seam will make him a coveted option for a team looking for that ability.

Despite the enticing skill set, Kuntz needs to bulk up his frame, become stronger at the catch point, and handle physicality more effectively at the line of scrimmage after playing just five games in 2022. The projected Day 3 selection isn’t expected to make an immediate impact, but he could blossom into a versatile weapon for the Eagles in time.

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