Tight Ends to Watch for not named Kyle Pitts
The 2021 NFL Draft is only two weeks away and the Philadelphia Eagles have some decisions to make. They already made a major move by trading down from the sixth overall selection to number twelve, originally slated for the Miami Dolphins. The Eagles enter the draft with eleven selections, including four in the first three rounds.
One of the most interesting positions currently on the team is tight end and what the future of that group looks like. Zach Ertz’s future is way up in the air, as it is unknown if he will be traded, cut or play his final year of his contract with the Eagles. Dallas Goedert enters the final year of his rookie contract with a possible extension coming to make him the future TE1 of the Eagles. The rest of the group is a big question mark, with Richard Rodgers unsigned and unknown players like Tyree Johnson, Hakeem Butler and Jason Croom potentially rounding out the group.
The Eagles are always looking to add talent at the tight end position, especially since they will be entering an offensive system that will run a lot off of two tight end sets. For this year’s draft, Kyle Pitts comes in as one of the greatest tight end prospects of all time. The dream of bringing in Pitts is all but dead, as there is almost no way he will fall to the Eagles at 12. Outside from Pitts, there are some very talented players at the tight end position. Here are three tight end prospects the Eagles could look to add in this year’s NFL Draft.
Pat Freiermuth, Penn State
Before Kyle Pitts put on a monster 2020 college football season, it could be debated that Pat Freiermuth was the best tight end coming into the 2021 NFL Draft. Given the title of “Baby Gronk,” the Penn State star tight end has all of the traits NFL teams are looking for in today’s tight end. The size, strength and speed give him the profile fit for a tight end. His YAC ability and willingness to go after contact add that extra satisfaction team’s are looking for. If he isn’t taken in the later part of the first round, Freiermuth will be an early Round 2 selection. Currently sitting at a top second round pick, the Eagles could pull the trigger and make Freiermuth the newest Nittany Lion turned Eagle. It wouldn’t be expected for the Eagles to draft a tight end in the second round, but we had that same thought when they selected Goedert in 2018. At this point, anything is possible with this team, and Freiermuth should be on the lookout in this year’s draft.
Kenny Yeboah, Ole Miss
One of my favorite sleeper prospects heading into this year’s draft. A former Temple Owl turned Ole Miss Rebel, Yeboah is going to be an absolute steal for a team this year. At 6’4″ 240, Yeboah has great size to get physical with opposing defenders at the next level. He really broke out this year in his only year with the Rebels, where he entered a Lane Kiffin offense that exploded onto the scene and gave SEC defenses nightmares. His biggest game came against the national champions of Alabama, where he went for seven catches, 181 yards and two touchdowns. He gave the Crimson Tide a headache all night and couldn’t be stopped. Since his sample size is so small, he won’t hear his name early as he would hope. Yeboah will be a Day 3 selection, ideally in the fifth round. If the Eagles want to take a chance on a potential big play maker, Yeboah should be their pick.
Miller Forristall, Alabama
Here’s a player who just couldn’t catch any breaks during his college career. Miller Forristall has the physical build to be a solid tight end in the NFL. 6’5″ 245, fits the bill of a tight end teams are looking for. In his time at Alabama, health was always the biggest thing keeping him from contributing on the field. Lower body injuries cost Forristall a lot of time, but he’s healthy now and ready to show teams he can play at the next level. As well as being a tight end, Forristall is a former high school quarterback, which seems to be an interest trait around the league now. The Eagles currently have several players on the roster that were former quarterbacks, and there’s no reason to believe they wouldn’t want to add another one. Forristall won’t be a high draft pick by any means, if he’s even drafted at all. A later round pick is definitely worth the gamble of bringing in Forristall to the tight end group. This would be a low risk, high reward type of move, and the Eagles can make their tight end group a lot better by bringing in the former Alabama tight end.
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Categorized:Eagles