2025 NFL Draft Summer Scouting: Top 10 Tight Ends

Our Summer Scouting series continues here at NFLTR, going position by position breaking down the preliminary top prospects for the upcoming collegiate season and the 2025 NFL Draft cycle.

Today I’m breaking down the tight ends. There’s no Brock Bowers or Kyle Pitts in this class — elite, versatile weapons who are considered game-changing talents. But there’s a lot to like about this group, with a variety of options depending on your taste. Even this early in the process, there are some names to watch who could be impact starters in the NFL.

You can find the other positions done so far here:

• Quarterbacks
• Running Backs
• Wide Receivers
• Offensive Tackles
• Interior Offensive Linemen
• Edge Rushers
• Defensive Tackles
• Linebackers
• Cornerbacks

Let’s take a look at the top 2025 tight end prospects heading into college football season:

1: Colston Loveland, Michigan

The top high school player in the state of Idaho, Loveland was a consensus four-star recruit when he committed to Michigan. As a freshman, he played in every game, though he wasn’t a major part of the Wolverines’ offense. In his sophomore year, however, Loveland stamped his mark on the game, garnering first-team All-Big 10 honors and helping Michigan win a national title. To date, Loveland has 61 catches for 884 yards and six touchdowns, and he figures to shoulder even more responsibility in his junior season.

At 6-5, 245, Loveland has a prototypical build for an NFL tight end. Some tight ends that size are lumbering, but that’s not the case for Loveland. He’s extremely fluid for his size. Whether he’s running a route or staying in to block, he’s a plus athlete — something that grants him a significant advantage over many of the defenders he faces. He runs precise, controlled routes and knows how to leverage space against zone defenders. As a blocker, he is committed, with the upper-body strength to move linemen off their spot and seal the edge.

Down the field is where Loveland separates himself as a prospect. He has strong hands and excels in contested catch situations. Loveland can high-point the football and make tough catches in traffic. He’s elusive with the ball in his hands with the ability to make defenders miss in space and power through tackles. True breakaway speed is rare in tight ends, but Loveland is fast enough to beat defenders to the sideline and outrun some down the field.

Loveland’s weaknesses are few, though he does need to improve upon them to become a first-round pick. He lacks the leg drive and anchor ability to be a true difference-maker as a blocker. Adding lower-body strength will help, but his technique also needs to be more consistent. Right now, he’s often just pushing, rather than truly setting in his stance and creating space as a blocker. Additionally, Loveland would benefit from creating more consistent separation against man coverage.

Ultimately, Loveland is a polished player for such a young prospect. I have a second-round grade on him and he’s clearly the top tight end in this class right now. Improving as a blocker and down-field separator can boost his stock into the first round, where he’s already getting a little buzz. This class doesn’t have a prospect on the level of Bowers or Pitts, but Loveland is an excellent player in his own right.

2: Tyler Warren, Penn State

A high school quarterback from Virginia, Warren transitioned to tight end upon arriving in State College and has steadily climbed the depth chart ever since. As a junior, Warren enjoyed a breakout season, with 34 catches for 422 yards and seven touchdowns, earning third-team All-Big 10 honors and making draft scouts take notice of his athleticism. Now heading into his senior season, Warren will be entering his second year as a starter and will look to continue refining his game as a tight end.

Checking in at 6-6 and 256, Warren is big and athletic, a great combination for tight ends. As expected for a former quarterback, he is exceptionally athletic. He’s quick in his movements and off the snap, able to dust much smaller players in his routes. Fluid hips allow him to run precise, controlled routes, breaking down man coverage and creating separation. Against zone coverage, he’s able to find soft spots, showcasing expertise in how he attacks different concepts and utilizes leverage. Warren is scheme versatile, able to line up all over the formation, including in the backfield.

As a blocker, Warren engages with good leverage and has the strength and anchor to hold up. He’s deadly in the red zone, with the frame to box out defenders and excellent contested catch abilities. In general, Warren excels at catching the football, with surprisingly soft hands for someone so new to the position.

Warren needs more reps at tight end to maximize his potential. His blocking technique leaves much to be desired, but with the right coaching and more experience, he’ll improve. His frame could likely stand to add some more muscle. Overall, Warren just needs experience. Another year of starting at Penn State will do him good.

I have a second-round grade on Warren, despite his inexperience. I am excited by his potential in NFL schemes. He’s a true three-down player with serious receiving chops. He reads the field and opposing defenses so well, drawing on his experience as a quarterback. Warren has a chance to be an impact tight end in the NFL, and another year with the Nittany Lions will go a long way toward seeing how close he is to realizing that potential.

3: Luke Lachey, Iowa

Following a long line of successful Iowa tight ends, Lachey is the latest to get serious NFL draft buzz. A four-star recruit out of high school, he redshirted in 2020 before ramping up his production over the next two years. His best season came in 2022, where he had 398 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns despite splitting time with current Lions TE Sam LaPorta. Lachey’s 2023 season was cut short due to an ankle injury, though he looked dominant in the two-and-a-half games he played before going down. Lachey will look to bounce back from the injury in 2024 and re-establish himself as a name to watch in the 2025 draft.

Standing at 6-6 and 253 pounds, Lachey checks every box you’d want in a versatile NFL starting tight end. As a blocker, Lachey has the tools to succeed. His frame and lower-body strength give him ample leverage against rushers, with the wingspan to be effective in both run and pass blocking. He’s athletic enough to stand out even among NFL-caliber players, giving him a leg up on other prospects.

Where Lachey truly shines, however, is as a receiver. He’s a polished route runner with the flexibility and short-area quickness to gain consistent separation. Reliable hands make for few drops on tape, and Lachey knows how to set up his defenders. He breaks down zone coverages with ease, finding creases in the defense and leveraging defenders against their assignments. He has experience in the slot, but NFL coaches will like how comfortable he is playing with his hand in the dirt.

Though he’s athletic and quick, Lachey lacks elite top-end speed. He’s not explosive in the same way other tight ends in this class are, and this could mean he’ll struggle to separate against NFL competition. He needs to maintain better leverage when blocking to sustain his assignment and match players down the field. Coming off that ankle injury, it’ll be important for Lachey to regain his prior form and showcase more production in a hopefully improved Iowa offense.

Lachey flies under the radar sometimes, even among draft scouts, but I like his combination of size and short-area burst. If he can become more refined as a blocker, the sky’s the limit for him. I have a third-round grade on Lachey at the moment. If he can bounce back from his injury, that projection can rise. In a class lacking many prospects with Lachey’s profile, he stands out even more.

4: Oscar Delp, Georgia

Somehow the Bulldogs keep getting away with it. Playing behind Bowers won’t do much for your reputation, but Delp has flashed intriguing potential when given the opportunity. A 6-5, 245-pound tight end and consensus four-star recruit, Delp’s production during his time at Georgia has been limited. He started 10 games as a sophomore in 2023, but only totaled 284 receiving yards on 24 catches, as most of the passing offense was channeled through Bowers. Now that he’s the presumptive starter, Delp will look to showcase his talents in a more featured role and push his name into the discussion for the top tight end in the 2025 class.

With Delp, it’s important to evaluate his traits over his production, given his limited opportunities. Delp is an elite speed threat at the tight end position, looking faster on tape than many NFL receivers. He’s not just a straight-line athlete, either, with some serious wiggle to his game. He can blow past a safety or make a linebacker miss in a phone booth. His hip flexibility is top-notch, showcasing fluidity in his route running that’s rare for the position.

Delp might have the best hands in the class. He just doesn’t drop passes, with soft hands and the strength to make catches in traffic. Delp is a smart football player who clearly knows his matchups. Against zone coverages in particular, he’s a savvy player who can find soft spots in the defense and sit down to create space. He knows how to leverage his defenders and challenge them in multiple areas. Lineup versatility is also key with Delp, as he can effectively flex out wide or in the slot and play in-line.

There are two major question marks in Delp’s game. The first is that he’s not a great blocker. He’s certainly willing to throw his body where it needs to go, but he lacks the leg drive and core strength to make a significant difference in the blocking game. The second is simply his inexperience. A full season as a starter will give us a lot of insight into how he can translate his game to the NFL.

A big 2024 could see Delp rocket up these rankings. I have a third-round grade on Delp right now, he’s an intriguing developmental prospect, but a full season as a productive, featured player in Georgia’s scheme could change that outlook in a hurry. He may never be a plus blocker in the NFL, but showcasing improvement there would be good as well. Athletes like Delp don’t come around often, and NFL teams will be eyeing his potential this season.

5: Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina

A 6-5, 235-pound tweener-type, Nesbit is a late arrival on the football scene. Despite playing just two seasons of high school football, he was a four-star recruit who stayed in his home state of North Carolina. He played a little as a freshman but stepped it up as a sophomore and junior, with back-to-back seasons with over 500 receiving yards. He earned first-team All-ACC honors in 2023 and enters 2024 with the expectation of carrying the Tar Heel offense. North Carolina is entering a new era with Drake Maye now in the NFL, and Nesbit will be expected to shoulder much of the offensive responsibility.

Nesbit is an elite receiver. He’s a nuanced route runner with the quick feet and hips necessary to gain consistent separation at the top of his routes. With experience playing both in-line and from the slot, he’s versatile in his alignment and can be used to hunt mismatches. He accelerates rapidly and can stop and start on a dime, consistently outpacing the linebackers guarding him. His fluidity in space and the short-area quickness necessary to lose man defenders add to his profile as an athletic tight end with some serious juice to his game.

A large catch radius and the athleticism to redirect his body to haul in catches make Nesbit a safe, reliable target. With the ball in his hands, he can make defenders miss, and he’s fast enough to outpace cornerbacks and safeties. He’s like a wide receiver once he catches the ball. Contested catches usually go Nesbit’s way, as he uses his basketball background effectively to block out defenders and high-point the football.

As an in-line blocker, Nesbit leaves much to be desired. He’s simply not very experienced in this aspect of the game. When asked to block in space or on the move, Nesbit is good at hitting his mark, making the proper contact and sealing his man. But he doesn’t have the build or the strength to move defensive linemen. Additionally, he needs to vary his release package at the line of scrimmage. It’s too easy for defenders to get their hands on him at the snap.

Nesbit won’t ever be a plus blocker for the tight end position in the NFL, but his receiving chops are special and give him a lot of versatility. I have a fourth-round grade on him — his fit in the NFL is questionable, and players like him typically go later than their talent would suggest. His blocking limitations will likely prevent him from being a TE1 for an NFL team, but as a big slot or move tight end, Nesbit has a lot of potential.

Best of the rest

6 — Caden Prieskorn, Ole Miss: Ideal size and blocking profile with great hands. Not the most natural athlete but is a versatile red zone weapon.

7 — Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse: Huge 2022 season with 61 catches, 975 yards and six touchdowns. Played just two games in 2023 due to injury. At 6-5 and 210 pounds, might end up moving to receiver in the NFL. 

8 — Mason Taylor, LSU: Versatile receiving tight end with natural hands and savvy route running. Needs to improve as a blocker and showcase a better ability to threaten deep.

9 — Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame: Natural pass-catcher and a plus blocker. Slow off the snap and lacks the speed to threaten NFL defenses.

10 — Brant Kuithe, Utah: Undersized receiving tight end. Shifty route runner but likely too small to stick in the NFL.