2024 NFL Draft | Rookie Tight End Rankings: Brock Bowers, Theo Johnson, Cade Stover and More

1. Brock Bowers, Georgia

Bowers is by far the top tight end in this draft. The gap between him and everybody else is massive. Despite how everything has panned out so far in the pros, he is the best prospect at the position since Kyle Pitts. We have graded him behind Pitts, who was one of the best TE prospects ever, but ahead of all the excellent guys in last year's rookie class.

No matter where he lands, we view him as a top-five dynasty pick in rookie drafts this year and he will be very interesting in redrafts. It's unlikely he will make it out of the teens of the first round and could go even higher depending on how things fall in the 2024 NFL Draft.   

We also want to make sure that our readers understand that he is well worth his current value in dynasty leagues. The knock on drafting Bowers in the top five of rookie drafts seems to be Kyle Pitts, while others argue that he is worth it because of Sam LaPorta. Neither of those players has anything to do with Bowers, his future, or his situation.

He is worth the pick because the talent is there and he is both safe and has a ton of upside. Don't be scared off because another guy let you down, however, you also shouldn't expect him to be the TE1 or anywhere close to it as a rookie because one guy did that either. 

2. Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas

There is a steep drop off from Bowers to Sanders, nonetheless, there's still a lot to like about him and we anticipate him being drafted at some point in the second round.

He is a big athletic player who has shown impressive pass-catching abilities. No matter who he is matched up against, he will cause mismatch problems with his combination of size and speed.  

3. Theo Johnson, Penn St.

There is another drop-off after Johnson and the rest of these guys are all more bunched together. Johnson is a solid tight end that does a lot of important things well. He'll likely take at least a year to develop if he's going to become a fantasy-relevant pass-catcher in the NFL.

Where he excels is finding soft spots in the defense to get open, creating short-yardage separation, and he's a good red zone target. Where he is drafted will matter a lot for his long-term outlook. There are concerns with his technique and consistency that he will have to clean up in the pros.  

4. Cade Stover, Ohio St.

There's a lot to like, but also a handful of things not to like about Stover. Starting with the negative, he's a converted defender who will be 24 years old as a rookie and is a good but not great athlete. He didn't have a role in the offense as a tight end until 2022 so there is a chance he will need more time than most to be ready to contribute on the next level.

However, he is pretty explosive on film, which does allow him to stretch the field. It also always seems like he can get a step on the defender, especially linebackers. There is also a toughness to him that a tight end needs and there's no doubt he has it. Both when at the line and after the catch he is not afraid to get physical.  

5. Ben Sinnott, Kansas St.

This is a player who could surprise a lot of players on the next level. He was a versatile player whose coaches can move all over the field. While he is a good route runner, where he stands out is running with the ball after the catch. This is a guy who has no interest in being tackled.

Although we have him ranked at five, he could have just as easily been at three and there is a chance NFL teams see it that way as well and draft him as the TE3. 

6. Jaheim Bell, Florida St.

Bell is an undersized tight end who makes up for his size with athleticism. What we really like about him, which could give him a shot to sneak into the third round, is his versatility. He's very agile and fast for the position and has played as an H-back and slot receiver as well as a traditional tight end.

However, his size does limit him significantly as a blocker. If he doesn't pan out, physicality will be his downfall.