2022 NFL Draft Preview: Tight end sleepers and Broncos fits

The Denver Broncos have plenty of weapons in the passing game, but they could use another tight end. The best tight end in this class, Trey McBride from Colorado State, is likely going in the first round, so Denver will have to move up from their No. 64 spot at the end of the second round if they want him.

They selected a first-round tight end years ago in the 2019 NFL Draft, but Noah Fant never played up to his full potential. Whether that was the fault of Fant or the coaching staff is a moot point, as he was part of the Russell Wilson trade. Fant’s in Seattle, and the Broncos are looking for a tight end to pair up with Albert Okwuegbunam.

This class of tight ends will feature a few options for the Broncos. With Wilson under center and Nathaniel Hackett calling the plays, Denver could use the position more than some think. Wilson never used one tight end much during his time with the Seahawks, but one tight end rarely stayed healthy. Having a new-look tight end would boost the offense and give the Broncos an option if/when Okwuegbunam gets banged up.

In this article, I will look at the market for the position. I will also write about sleepers at the tight end position and some players who could fit what the Broncos need in the 2022 NFL Draft.

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Market Watch

I like this class of tight ends, but I’ve only given one of them – CSU’s McBride – a first-round grade. I was at the CSU pro day last week, and I wrote up McBride’s performance at DenverFan.com. There is no doubt that McBride solidified himself as the top tight end in this class, and I know of a few teams in the late first round (the Kansas City Chiefs amongst them) who really like him.

When McBride goes in the late first or early second round, there may not be another tight end selected until the third round. Anything can happen in the draft, but we’re bound to see a gap in when the top two or three tight ends are selected. After that, I’m expecting a run on the position based on the mid-round talent available.

McBride is a tight end who does wide receiver things. I like his overall athletic makeup, and he’s got all the tools you want in a starting tight end. McBride is a smooth athlete with good feet, and he’s got strength as a blocker and as a run-after-the-catch threat. He’s a versatile player who can line up on the line of scrimmage in-line, out wide or from the slot. McBride can also line up in the backfield as an H-back option. I’ve heard some in the scouting community compare him to Tennessee Titans tight end Austin Hooper, but I think his game reminds me of former Washington tight end Chris Cooley.

Coastal Carolina’s Isaiah Likely has improved his draft stock in the pre-draft process. If there is another tight end to go in the second round, Likely will – well, likely – be the player to hear his name called. If not, then Likely should go early in the third round.

I liked what I saw from McBride and Likely at the Reese’s Senior Bowl practices earlier this year. Likely had a lot to prove coming from the Sun Belt Conference, and he showed why he looked good on film with a steady practice every day. Likely is tough, smart and athletic after the catch. I like the way he will make tough catches in traffic, and he played through pain in 2021 leading the way for CCU to get its first ever bowl win. Simply put, Likely is an “F” tight end who is a big play just waiting to happen. With some NFL polish to his game, Likely could become a dangerous asset in the NFL.

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Sleepers

While this tight end class features few top-end options for NFL teams, there are sleepers galore available in this group. Therefore I think there will be a mid-round run on the tight end position. Teams will wait, but they’ll only wait so long – and when another team starts the run other teams will follow suit. This is where we could see a flurry of activity with many of these names going off the board.

Jelani Woods (Virginia) could end up as a Pro Bowl player even though he’s a late day-two or day-three pick. He was a top-25 high school quarterback and signed with Oklahoma State as a passer. He transitioned to tight end in his first year and shined at his new position. Woods transferred to Virginia in 2021 and became a first-team All-ACC player.

Woods is a huge target, measuring in at 6-foot-7 and 259 pounds. He knows how to use his size to box out smaller defenders, and he’s got the length to reach passes opponents cannot. As a former quarterback, he knows how to be a passer’s best friend, squaring his shoulders to the line of scrimmage to present the largest possible target.

Chigoziem Okonkwo (Maryland) reminds me so much of former 49ers/Titans tight end Delanie Walker, and he’s my favorite sleeper in this class. I watched him during the week of practice for the East-West Shrine Bowl earlier this year and came away impressed every day. He was one of the star players in my notebook each day at that event, and Okonkwo certainly made NFL scouts take notice.

He’s got a physical build with muscles on top of muscles and a powerful lower body. The way Okonkwo runs, you’d think he was a running back. Not only is Okonkwo a powerful runner, he’s also more elusive than you’d think a big guy at the tight end position would be. Okonkwo has the type of ability to take short passes and turn them into long gains regularly.

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Broncos Fits

The Broncos have Okwuegbunam as the starter, but expect him to have competition for that spot in training camp. What type of tight end should the team be looking for? I think they should look for a receiving tight end who could be a weapon down the seam. They have a big-bodied blocker in free agent addition Eric Tomlinson, so it’s time to find another receiving weapon.

UCLA’s Greg Dulcich is the perfect fit for the Broncos. He’s got straight-line speed and route-running prowess that few at the position possess. Dulcich is not the devastating run-blocker some teams are looking for, but he’s a tough player who can hold the point of attack – and that’s good enough given the way he can be used in the passing game.
Dulcich can be a three-level weapon in the NFL. His straight-line speed means he can run by linebackers and safeties with ease. He keeps his head on a swivel and quickly identifies the ball in flight. This helps him adjust to passes on the fly and get to passes others at his position would miss.

If the Broncos wanted to throw a bit of a curveball at No. 64 overall, they could take Dulcich off the board with that pick. If they wait, Dulcich is probably going to be drafted sometime soon after that. I like his receiving skill set, and I like his potential to improve as a blocker. Okwuegbunam has never played a full season, so the Broncos had better be prepared to have a potential starter in place if/when he gets hurt. Dulcich is the player who will be on the board when the Broncos first pick who most closely fits the bill for what they need at tight end.

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