1. Jalen Wydermyer – Texas A&M
Wydermyer has been one of the most productive tight ends in the nation recently, and he has the prototypical build for the position at 6’5″, 255 lbs. As a true freshman, Wydermyer was overlooked on the Aggies roster as A&M had also brought in the number 1 tight end recruit in the nation in Baylor Cupp. Unfortunately for Cupp, the highly touted TE saw a broken ankle derail his freshman season and Wydermyer stepped up to fill the void. In fact, Wydermyer caught 32 passes for 447 yards and 6 touchdowns as a freshman. Wydermyer followed that performance up with another strong one as a sophomore while Baylor Cupp was once again out for the season. In the truncated 2020 season, Wydermyer caught 46 balls for 506 yards and 6 touchdowns in just 10 games.
2. Trey McBride – Colorado State
Standing in at 6’4″ and weighing 240 lbs with strong hands and solid route-running, McBride is a mismatch for opposing defenses, and his collection of accolades reflects that. McBride has been named to the All-Mountain West team twice in his three year career and was a 2020 PFF Honorable Mention All-American. In fact, his 2020 season was absolutely amazing statistically, despite only playing four games. He racked up 22 receptions, 330 yards, and 4 touchdowns, averaging 15 yards per catch. Digging a little deeper, his receiving yards per team pass attempt was off the charts, as he accounted for 2.69 yards in that category.
In addition, McBride has been a strong blocker over his career, albeit against lower levels of competition, and he should fit the profile of a receiving in-line tight end.
3. Cade Otton – Washington
Another strong, large TE, Otton has good hands and runs his routes well with quick bursts both off the line and out of his breaks. He’s often seen gaining yards after the catch too, both with agility and power. However, Otton isn’t a great blocker yet and he’ll need to add strength for that to be a solid piece of his game.
Across the Huskies’ four games last year, Otton caught 14 passes for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns. Looking forward, Otton will have a massive opportunity to possibly lead the Huskies in receiving in 2021, as 2020’s lead WR, Puka Nacua, transferred to BYU and none of the other receiving options in Seattle have proven anything yet in their careers.
4. Jake Ferguson – Wisconsin
While the Badgers are known for running the ball, they boast a strong tight end this season in senior Jake Ferguson. In seven games last season, Ferguson caught thirty passes for 305 yards and four TDs. While Ferguson’s numbers may not be as impressive as other draft-eligible TE’s in 2022, his lack of statistical prowess likely stems from a low passing output from the Badgers in general. However, Ferguson’s skill on tape is apparent, he easily beats LBs across the middle of the field and creates RAC with strong running ability.
5. Charlie Kolar – Iowa State
A draft-eligible TE in 2021, many expected Kolar to be amongst the top tier at the position last offseason. However, Kolar, alongside QB Brock Purdy, decided to give it one more run at Iowa State. Kolar is strong at the catch-point, with a large catch radius and good hands. He profiles as an in-line TE due to his above-average blocking ability and he’ll likely see a boost to his draft stock because of this. Last season, in Iowa St’s 11 games, Kolar caught 44 passes for 591 yards and 7 TDs. He’ll be a solid prospect next year, but he likely doesn’t possess an elite ceiling.
Names to Watch
Cole Turner – Nevada
At 6’6″, 240 lbs, Turner is physically imposing for opposing defenses and creates mismatches across the field. Despite his size, Turner often plays more like a WR than a TE and is often flexed off of the line by the Wolfpack. He has been a very strong red-zone threat for Nevada, catching nine touchdowns in nine games last season while also adding 605 yards on 49 receptions. Overall, Turner doesn’t project as an amazing all-around TE at the next level. However, Turner may have one of the highest ceilings for strictly fantasy in 2022.
Isaac Rex – BYU
Rex saw a huge uptick in usage alongside Zach Wilson last year after Matt Bushman was lost to a season-ending injury. In 11 games last year, Rex caught 37 passes for 429 yards and tied Kyle Pitts for the most TDs by a TE with 12. In addition to his receiving prowess, Rex is one of the more polished blockers in the class, and unlike other options, Rex profiles as more of an in-line tight end than many others in the class.
