BEST DEEP THREAT TIGHT ENDS 2026 NFL Draft

2026 BEST DEEP THREAT TIGHT ENDS

Breaking the mold of traditional tight end play, a select few emerge as genuine deep threats, turning standard offensive plays into potential big-gain situations. Historic talents like Vernon Davis (Maryland) and Rob Gronkowski (Arizona) have illustrated how impactful a tight end with the capability to exploit deep zones can be, stretching defenses and creating multifaceted offensive strategies.

Below, explore a dataset highlighting current college tight ends showcasing their prowess as deep threats. Engage with key metrics, such as average yards per catch and touchdowns from deep passes, to uncover which players are elevating the traditional tight end role into a new vertical dimension on the field.

2026 Tight Ends ranked by DEEP THREAT

RANK Player Pos Team HANDS SHORT MEDIUM DEEP BLOCKING Rating
1

Eli
Stowers

TE
Vanderbilt   Mascot
Vanderbilt Mascot
84 92 91 89 65
82.7
2

Luke
Hasz

TE
Arkansas   Mascot
Arkansas Mascot
89 78 85 85 62
83.1
3

Kenyon
Sadiq

TE
Oregon   Mascot
Oregon Mascot
74 75 81 84 74
83.5
4

Jack
Velling

TE
Michigan State   Mascot
Michigan State Mascot
71 80 83 80 58
80.5
5

Jaden
Platt

TE
Texas A&M   Mascot
Texas A&M Mascot
56 0 0 68 52
42.5
6

Jake
Johnson

TE
North Carolina   Mascot
North Carolina Mascot
65 58 58 66 46
58.6
7

Thomas
Fidone II

TE
Nebraska   Mascot
Nebraska Mascot
70 60 71 64 58
62.3
8

Oscar
Delp

TE
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
75 72 78 64 50
83.5
9

Riley
Williams

TE
Miami   Mascot
Miami Mascot
47 60 60 55 54
79.8
10

Jelani
Thurman

TE
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
63 56 62 49 63
46.7
11

Jaleel
Skinner

TE
Louisville   Mascot
Louisville Mascot
62 61 0 0 41
59.1
12

Shamar
Easter

TE
Arkansas   Mascot
Arkansas Mascot
70 0 93 0 63
88.0
13

Trey
Leckner

TE
Washington State   Mascot
Washington State Mascot
76 0 59 0 58
89.4