Could the Broncos go back to the well to tap into an A+ class of tight ends?

The draft season is my favorite time of year. Now that April is almost here, I am going over my final rankings for this entire 2023 draft class. I’ve personally scouted over 400 players as I prepare to cover every day of the draft for Denver Sports.

We’re kicking off my scouting reports with the tight end position today. This is a great draft, and this tight end class is one of the reasons why. By all accounts, this is a great class of tight ends.

No longer is the tight end a big-bodied blocker, but instead they are weapons used in the passing game. A great receiving tight end can be a mismatch for linebackers or safeties tasked with covering them.

Here are my thoughts on the 2023 tight end class.

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Fantastic Four

I think there could be as many as four tight ends drafted in this class. Michael Mayer (Notre Dame), Dalton Kincaid (Utah), Luke Musgrave (Oregon State) and Darnell Washington (Georgia) could all hear their names called on day one of the draft. You get a different variety of tight end with these players, so teams will have to choose what they want when they go for these top-tier tight ends.

Mayer is your classic “Y” tight end. His numbers at the NFL Combine have some questioning his draft stock but turn on the film and you easily see a player with one of the highest floors in this draft class. Mayer is a good blocker, and he doesn’t need to come off the field because of his all-purpose skill set. He’s been compared to Rob Gronkowski since his freshman year for the Fighting Irish, but I don’t think that’s a fair comparison. Mayer has a nose for the end zone, and if he plays up to his potential then he could be a Pro Bowl player for years to come.

Kincaid is one of the most dangerous receivers in this class, regardless of position. He’s got soft hands, and he naturally plucks the ball out of the air. Kincaid does a good job of catching passes with arms extended, and he knows how to use his frame and length to keep smaller defenders away from the ball. His background playing basketball certainly comes through when studying his tape. Kincaid is not much of a blocker, but his speed makes him an asset from the slot. I see Darren Waller when watching Kincaid, and it’s why he’ll be drafted – perhaps as the first tight end off the board.

I’m glad Musgrave is getting more attention as we get closer to the draft. In early January, Musgrave was considered by some in the scouting community to be a work-in-progress. While he’s not as refined as a route runner like Kincaid is, I fully believe Musgrave could be just as good if not better. Don’t consider his lack of production a knock on his skill set. The Beavers offense was inconsistent to say the least, and Musgrave was never used properly. He played in two games in 2022, but Musgrave then missed the rest of the season due to a knee injury. If his medicals check out, Musgrave would be a fine pick for a team near the end of the first round.

Washington had a great performance at the NFL Combine, and he could have catapulted his stock into the first round with the numbers he recorded in Indianapolis. The first thing you notice about Washington is his size – he’s frickin huge. Now, it’s football and many players are big but not Washington’s size. He’s 6-feet, 7-inches and a whopping 270 pounds. I can’t say that I’ve scouted many tight ends that big – perhaps ever over the last 20 years. Washington moves well for a big man, and his athleticism is a sight to behold in person. He will be outstanding immediately as a blocker, and Washington has the size to instantly be a red-zone threat while he continues to hone the nuances of playing the tight end position.

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Better Than Dulcich

I have eight tight ends from this year’s class that graded out better than Greg Dulcich did last year coming out of UCLA. That’s not to say I didn’t like Dulcich (I did), but the Broncos should likely take another swing at the position this year – and they’ll likely hit on someone who could at least split time with Dulcich if not take over.

Sam LaPorta (Iowa) is going to be one of the coveted players selected on Day 2 of the draft. I could see him going off the board in the mid-second round as teams who missed out on a top tight end will consider LaPorta a great consolation prize. LaPorta is a fine athlete and a former high school defensive back and wide receiver. He’s a complete player who understands spacing on the field (a key attribute for all tight ends).

Luke Schoonmaker (Michigan) spent most of his college career as a backup, but an injury opened the door for him to do more as a senior. There’s a chance Schoonmaker is on the board late in the third round, and I’ve seen some 7-round mock drafts where he makes it to Day 3 (round four). Schoonmaker’s game is all about energy. He’s dangerous after the catch, and he puts full effort into blocking (although his technique needs work). The biggest knock on Schoonmaker is his propensity to body catch passes. He’ll have to clean that up in order to maximize his potential as a pro.

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My Favorites

This section is selfishly just for me. Some of my favorites have already been named previously in this article, but I still have others who I wanted to highlight. Musgrave is one of my favorites, and I’ve graded him as a top-32 player regardless of position. Schoonmaker impressed me during the week of practice for the Senior Bowl earlier this year, making his way onto my favorites list.

Tucker Kraft (South Dakota State) is the best small school tight end in this year’s class. During his career with the Jackrabbits, Kraft was able to show off more athleticism than his competition. He’s going to have to get used to the speed and discipline of the NFL. With his athleticism and run-after-the-catch ability, I believe Kraft can find a way on the field as a receiving threat. Until he’s up to speed, Kraft has the makings of a good special teams player. His energy and heart for the game make him a favorite of mine.

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Overall Grade

This is a fantastic class of tight ends. I rarely give out an A+ grade for a class, but this group of guys is that good. There is talent, depth, and variety in this class. I could see several star players from this year’s class emerging in a few years – and some sooner than that.

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