2026 NFL Draft Profiles: 10 Tight Ends the New England Patriots Could Target

Our 2026 NFL Draft Profiles continue today with best fits for the New England Patriots at an offensive skill position with a need for long-term stability and ascending talent: tight end.

With Hunter Henry on the wrong side of 30 and Austin Hooper departing to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency, New England spent on a blocking tight end to fill depth in former Miami Dolphin Julian Hill.

Still, the room remains top-heavy. Henry’s production with the Patriots cannot be questioned, but his advancing age and expiring contract leaves concerns about the long-term sustainability of the current group.

Now, New England turns to the 2026 NFL Draft in an effort to support Drake Maye with a developmental prospect who can become a reliable target over the middle of the field and provide value as a blocker in the run game.

Luckily for the Patriots, this draft class offers a host of talented prospects spanning from Day 1 through Day 3, with projections for even the latter picks to develop into meaningful offensive contributors.

Here’s a look at 10 tight ends who may find their way to Foxboro later this month.

Consensus Big Board Ranking: #17 Overall (#1 TE)

It feels highly improbable that New England is sitting on the board at pick 31 and Kenyon Sadiq is still available. But with non-traditional size (6’3”, 241 lbs., with 31 ½” arms and 10” hands) and a historical precedent that would suggest a lower positional value, it isn’t entirely impossible that Sadiq falls.

A matchup nightmare with elite speed and suddenness, Sadiq plays the game more like a big-bodied wide receiver, but his outstanding athleticism and compact frame stacks up to even those standards.

Sadiq (21) was a three-year college athlete who stepped into a starting role in 2025. With his opportunity, he earned Second-Team All-American honors by the Associated Press, was a finalist for the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end, was selected as the Big Ten’s TE of the Year, and earned First-Team All-Big Ten recognition. Sadiq set a tight end school record with 51 receptions on 67 targets (76.1% reception rate), racked up 560 receiving yards (11.0 yards per reception), and led all FBS tight ends with eight touchdown receptions. He finished the year with a passer rating when targeted of 139.9, which ranked 10th in the FBS.

Oregon aligned Sadiq in the slot on 58.5% of offensive snaps in 2025, letting him stretch the seam like a wide receiver while showcasing his explosiveness, ball skills and body control to win contested throws and create after the catch. He racked up the fifth-most deep catches (six), ninth-most contested catches (7 of a possible 12, 58.3% contested catch rate), and forced the 14th most missed tackles (eight) of all FBS tight ends.

He tracks deep balls naturally, explodes out of breaks, and finishes with strong hands at the catch point, giving quarterbacks a reliable vertical threat who can punish defenses that treat him like a traditional tight end.

Sadiq was already a draft riser with great on-field production in 2025, but his projections soared following a historic showing at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

He ranked first among all tight ends at the Scouting Combine since at least 2002 with a 99 overall athletic score, setting the combine tight end record with a 4.39 second 40-yard dash, jumped through the roof with a 43.5” vertical jump and 11’1” broad jump, and put up 225 lbs. 26 times on the bench press.

While his athleticism ranks are off-the-charts, his size does lead to areas for improvement. Namely as an in-line blocker, where Sadiq could benefit from adding more consistent physicality.

Still, Sadiq’s dynamic receiving ability fits perfectly into the Patriots’ plan to surround Drake Maye with versatile weapons, giving Josh McDaniels the kind of mismatch piece who can stress a defense and help establish a balanced, high-efficiency offense.

We’ll have to wait and see how far he falls — or more likely, how far he’s climbed the board.

Consensus Big Board Ranking: #74 Overall (#3 TE)

Max Klare brings size (6'4", 246 lbs.) polished route-running and elite ball skills that let him create separation on the perimeter and turn short throws into chunk plays with his catch-and-run ability.

A three-sport athlete in high school that played quarterback, tight end, and kicker on the football field for St. Xavier in Cincinnati, Klare’s Ohio roots are tied to New England through his father Andy, who was a nose guard at Boston College from 1988-1991.

Klare began his collegiate career with a redshirt year at Purdue in 2022 and posted career-best marks with the Boilermakers in 2024 before transferring to Ohio State in 2025. Klare’s 2024 campaign was highlighted by a Third-Team All-Big Ten selection and a team-leading 51 receptions on 74 targets (68.9% reception rate), 684 receiving yards (13.4 yards per reception), and four receiving touchdowns.

In Columbus, Klare followed up his 2024 with an even more efficient 2025 in a loaded Buckeyes’ offensive skill group. He concluded the year with 43 receptions on 55 targets (78.2% reception rate), 448 yards (10.4 yards per reception), and two receiving touchdowns. He cut his drop rate in half, with an 8.9% drop rate in 2024 (five drops) and just a 4.4% drop rate in 2025 (two drops). He was named First-Team All-Big Ten in 2025.

Klare chose to forgo athletic testing at the NFL Scouting Combine and his Pro Day in favor of on-field drills and the quality of his game tape, and that speaks volumes to what he put on film.

Over the last two years, Klare showcased consistent success across a wide array of routes run, a good feel for the pacing of play development, the ability to create sudden separation on the break, and was a constant threat to generate yards after the catch.

He has the frame to develop into a more reliable “Y” tight end who can contribute in the run game while flashing the quickness and awareness to exploit zone coverage, but will need to continue to work on in-line blocking consistency to round out his game.

Klare’s skill set, roots, and effectiveness as a pass catching option fit the offensive foundation the Patriots are building around Drake Maye. In New England, Klare would star as a dependable receiving option who can grow into a plus-starter and help open lanes in a revamped rushing attack.

Consensus Big Board Ranking: #90 Overall (#4 TE)

Oscar Delp began his collegiate career behind Las Vegas Raiders’ star tight end Brock Bowers at Georgia, and never seemed to ascend to the same heights that the former Bulldog did.

While that may have soured some early on in the draft process, Delp’s reliability as an in-line blocker and sure hands when he did get looks in the passing game have begun to shift the narrative since the conclusion of the 2025 college football season.

As a receiving option, Delp experienced limited yearly production at Georgia, averaging just over 20 catches and 250 yards per season in his final three years. In his career, he posted 70 receptions on 94 targets (74.5% reception rate), 854 receiving yards (12.2 yards per reception), and nine receiving touchdowns.

Though his numbers in the passing game aren't astonishing, Delp specialized with great short area quickness to uncover on routes, generate yards after the catch (7.8 yards after catch per reception in 2025, 18th in FBS), and operated as a plus-blocker with great leverage and consistent timing with hand strikes.

Through the pre-draft process, Delp’s potential as an ascending athlete was realized. He measured in at 6’5”, 245 lbs. at the NFL Scouting Combine, and tested well in the on-field drills. He performed athletic tests at his Pro Day, where he ran a 4.49 40-yard dash, and jumped 38” in the vertical jump and 10’5” in the broad jump. His composite Relative Athletic Score (RAS) with those metrics graded out at a 9.84 out of 10.00, ranking 25th of 1,456 tight ends from 1987-2026.

His athletic traits and blocking prowess give Delp the upside to develop into a three-down contributor who can also help in the run game. Continued refinement against physical coverage will be needed to finish plays at the next level.

Delp fits into the Patriots’ offense as an immediate rotational blocking option that offers a high ceiling in the passing game with continued development.

Consensus Big Board Ranking: #110 Overall (#5 TE)

Sam Roush brings an imposing 6'6", 267 lbs. frame with the toughness to serve as an extension of the offensive line in the running game while developing into a dependable target in the passing game.

With three years worth of meaningful contributions in the Stanford offense, Roush worked his way into a featured role during his junior season in 2024 and through his senior season in 2025. In 2024, he finished the year with 40 receptions on 49 targets (81.6% reception rate), 334 yards (8.4 yards per reception), and two touchdowns while earning ACC All-Academic honors.

Roush continued to ascend in his senior year, when he was named Second-Team All-ACC after recording 49 receptions (ninth among FBS tight ends) on 80 targets (fifth among FBS tight ends), 545 receiving yards (13th among FBS tight ends), and two touchdowns.

His improving reliability as a receiver is evident with good quickness for his size and the awareness to find soft spots in coverage, flashing the ability to create positive yards after the catch with a rugged running style.

But Roush’s passing game contributions came secondary to his effort and finish in the running game. As one of the few true “Y” in-line blocking tight ends in the draft, Roush was viewed as an extension of the Cardinal offensive line and showed great pad level, hand placement, footwork, and power to establish the point of attack and climb to the second level on combo blocks.

Roush turned heads at the NFL Scouting Combine with an 88 overall athletic score, ranking third among tight ends at the event. He completed all drills, with a 4.70 second 40-yard dash, 38.5” vertical jump, 10’6” broad jump, 7.08 second 3-cone drill, 4.37 second 20-yard shuttle, and 25 reps on the bench press. He earned a 9.94 RAS, ranked 10th of 1,471 tight end prospects from 1987-2026.

He’ll need to become a more polished route-runner and improve his consistency at the catch point — especially on throws outside of his frame — to be a reliable target in the pros, but the traits and play demeanor cannot be overlooked.

Roush’s size, agility, and dependability as a blocker make him an ideal mid-round building block who can step in as a rotational piece and support Vrabel’s vision of a physical, versatile tight end room around Drake Maye.

Consensus Big Board Ranking: #133 Overall (#8 TE)

Eli Raridon burst onto the scene in his senior year at Notre Dame in 2025 with great size (6’6”, 245 lbs.) and speed that threatened defenses vertically at an unmatched rate.

2025 was the only season Raridon eclipsed 100 yards receiving, but he made his limited sample size as a pass catcher count. He hauled in 32 of 44 targets (72.7% reception rate), with 482 yards (15.1 yards per catch, sixth among all FBS tight ends) last season, and led all FBS tight ends with eight deep catches on eight targets and 282 deep yards.

He projects as a “Y” tight end with the athleticism and strength to contribute on all three downs, showing good awareness to find soft spots in zones and the toughness to block in-line.

Raridon impressed at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, posting a 4.62 second 40-yard dash, 36” vertical jump, 10’3” broad jump, and 20 reps on the bench press. His testing metrics earned an RAS of 9.66, which ranked 47 of 1,356 tight end prospects from 1987-2026.

Concerns surrounding Raridon are focused on a twice-torn right ACL (2021 and 2022), lack of consistency in generating yards after catch, and a limited catch radius with difficulties adjusting to passes outside of his frame.

While he could add some more weight to his frame to be a more effective blocker, Raridon’s versatile skill set makes him an ideal developmental addition who can threaten defenses downfield in the passing game.

Consensus Big Board Ranking: #161 Overall (#10 TE)

At 6’5”, 247 lbs., Joe Royer is a tall, fluid tight end whose outstanding body control, reliable hands, and large catch radius allow him to win contested throws and win with physicality through heavy contact.

A former top-10 All-Ohio high school athlete from Cincinnati, Royer (24) redshirted twice in four unremarkable years at Ohio State (2020, 2023) before transferring to the University of Cincinnati in 2024, where he made an immediate impact.

In his first year with the Bearcats, Royer was named First-Team All-Big 12 after breaking Travis Kelce’s tight end school record with 50 receptions (previously 45) on 75 targets (66.7% reception rate), adding 521 receiving yards (10.4 yards per catch) and three touchdowns to his total.

Though his overall numbers went down in 2025, his efficiency took a major leap forward. Royer finished 2025 with 29 receptions on 33 targets (87.9% reception rate), 416 yards (14.3 yards per reception, 16th among FBS tight ends), and four touchdowns. He tied for the FBS lead with zero drops and a perfect passer rating when targeted of 158.3, and was named Third-Team All-Big 12.

He shows good quickness and creates separation on the breaks of his routes, fights through contact to secure catches, and shows good body control as a blocker in the running game and passing game.

While he is still refining his technique as an in-line blocker — particularly his hand placement and sustain — his size and frame give him clear upside to develop into a more complete three-down contributor.

Royer did not participate in athletic testing at the NFL Scouting Combine or at his Pro Day as he worked through a hamstring injury.

Royer’s large frame and reliable ball skills make him an excellent developmental fit for the Patriots, offering Drake Maye a versatile receiving option as New England continues building its foundation on offense.

Consensus Big Board Ranking: #167 Overall (#11 TE)

Nate Boerkircher is a former walk-on at the University of Nebraska that hails from Aurora, Nebraska.

The four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection fought his way up the depth chart in Lincoln before transferring to Texas A&M for his final year of eligibility in 2025. With the Aggies, he finally earned a starting role, and made the most of it.

Boerkircher’s strengths are as a large, 6’5”, 245 lbs., blocking-first tight end whose physicality, attack mindset and relentless effort see him frequently blow up linebackers on the perimeter and seal edges effectively in the run game, and ranked among PFF’s best run-blocking tight ends with a 72.2 run block grade.

He added more value in the passing game in 2025 with limited overall production and high efficiency, catching 19 of 22 targets (86.4% reception percentage) for 198 yards (10.4 yards per reception) and three touchdowns, including the game-winner against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend. He held a passer rating when targeted of 143.8, and only dropped two passes throughout the entirety of his college career.

While he projects as primarily an in-line blocker at “Y”, Boerkircher shows more than expected as a route-runner with reliable hands and the frame to develop into a versatile contributor who can stay on the field for all three downs.

Boerkircher completed on-field drills in Indianapolis and ran a 4.4 second 20-yard shuttle. He did complete more athletic testing at his Pro Day, running a 4.78 second 40-yard dash, 7.03 second 3-cone drill, and jumping 32” in the vertical jump.

His limited production in the passing game may see him selected later in the draft, but there’s widespread confidence that his toughness and work ethic are already NFL-ready, and that there’s a lot more meat left on the bone with this prospect.

Boerkircher’s rugged profile fits perfectly into Vrabel’s physical identity, providing the Patriots with a high-floor depth piece who can grow alongside Drake Maye and help build a balanced offensive attack.

Consensus Big Board Ranking: #187 Overall (#12 TE)

John Michael Gyllenborg brings intriguing upside as a late bloomer whose size and athletic traits let him win as a slot-dominant receiving tight end while showing the frame to contribute in-line. He profiles as more of a move “F” tight end or large slot at the next level, but showcases explosiveness and versatility that are difficult to find with as late of a project as Gyllenborg has.

A former All-District high school basketball player as a junior began his football journey as a senior, and played well enough in one season to earn a scholarship at Wyoming in 2021.

Gyllenborg’s most productive season with the Cowboys came in 2024, when he earned Second-Team All-Mountain West honors with 31 receptions on 47 targets (66.0% reception rate), 437 receiving yards (14.1 yards per reception, 11th among FBS tight ends), and led the team with three receiving touchdowns. He graded out as PFF’s nine overall tight end with an offensive grade of 79.6, and earned the 11th highest receiving grade (84.9).

In 2025, a leg injury limited Gyllenborg to nine games and a step back in production. He totaled 24 receptions on 35 targets (68.6% reception rate), 211 yards (8.8 yards per reception), and one touchdown with three drops (11.1% drop rate).

Questions around Gyllenborg hovered before the NFL Scouting Combine about his injury history and step back in explosiveness, but he used the opportunity to answer those on the field. He ran a 4.60 second 40-yard dash, 4.22 second 20-yard shuttle, and jumped 35.5” in the vertical jumps and 10’8” in the broad jump. Gyllenborg’s testing numbers earned an RAS of 9.78, ranking 33rd of 1,456 tight end prospects from 1987-2026.

He maintains the explosive athleticism that had him highly ranked in 2024, with the potential to be a vertical threat in the seams, generate yards after the catch, and versatility to align in multiple spots in the formation.

At 6’6”, 249 lbs., he doesn’t show the consistent attack mentality you’d like to see from a player his size to contribute as an early down force in the run game. Continued refinement in blocking technique and adding strength to handle physical coverage are key areas to improve, but his raw tools make him a Patriots developmental target.

Gyllenborg’s high upside fits with the explosiveness New England drafts for on offense, offering Drake Maye a potentially versatile weapon in the passing game.

Consensus Big Board Ranking: #190 Overall (#13 TE)

Dallen Bentley began his collegiate career as a walk-on at Snow College that had never played tight end prior.

In his two seasons at Snow, Bentley earned NJCAA All-America Second Team and NJCAA All-Academic honors that led to scholarship offers from several FBS programs. A native of Taylorsville, Utah, Bentley chose to continue his football journey with the Utah Utes in 2023.

Bentley didn’t become a key contributor in Utah’s offense until 2025, but he made the most of his limited sample size with outstanding production. Last season, he caught 48 passes (12th among FBS tight ends) on 76 targets (8th among FBS tight ends), with 620 receiving yards (7th among FBS tight ends), an average target depth of 10.8 yards (8th among FBS tight ends), tied for the team lead with six touchdowns (9th among FBS tight ends), and tied for the FBS lead with zero drops.

He earned Third-Team All-Big 12 honors with his performance, and graded out as PFF’s 13th highest rated tight end with a 76.9 offensive grade, and 11th receiving tight end with a receiving grade of 83.1.

Bentley possesses great size (6’4”, 253 lbs.) and length (33 ⅛” arms), and wins with an expansive catch radius and sticky hands at the catch point. He flashes enough burst and wiggle to create one-on-one mismatches when aligned wide while showing the toughness to contribute as a traditional in-line tight end.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Bentley impressed with a 4.62 second 40-yard dash, 35” vertical jump, 9’10” broad jump, 4.42 second 20-yard shuttle, and 24 reps on the bench press. His composite RAS was 9.37, ranking 86th of 1,356 tight end prospects from 1987-2026.

He’ll need to sharpen his route precision against more man coverage looks in the NFL and add greater consistency as a blocker to match his frame, but the traits and potential are there to round out his game.

Bentley’s well-rounded profile makes him a strong Day 3 addition who can be molded into a reliable target for Drake Maye in the passing game.

Consensus Big Board Ranking: #219 Overall (#18 TE)

Our second Buckeye tight end on this list comes in a much different variety than the first. Will Kacmarek offers immediate Day 3 value as a sturdy in-line presence with great size and the toughness to contribute as a traditional tight end in the run game.

A two-year starter at Ohio University before transferring to Ohio State in 2024, Kacmarek had more of an opportunity to flash his receiving skills with the Bobcats than he did in Columbus. In 2022-23, he averaged 21 receptions and 250 receiving yards per season.

Through two seasons with the Buckeyes, Kacmarek’s primary role was as an extension of the offensive line. A traditional “Y” tight end, he showed consistently good leverage, strain, and drive to finish blocks through the whistle. He graded out as one of the best run blocking tight ends in college football in 2026, with a run blocking grade of 71.0.

Kacmarek's opportunities were limited as a receiver at Ohio State in an offense with numerous mouths to feed, but he was efficient when chances presented themselves to contribute in the passing game. In 2024-25, Kacmarek caught 23 of 27 targets (85.1% reception rate) for 254 yards (9.4 yards per reception) and two touchdowns with zero drops.

He earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors for his contributions in 2025.

Kacmarek measured in at 6’5 ½”, 261 lbs., with 32 ¼” arms at the NFL Scouting Combine. He ran a 4.74 second 40-yard dash, and jumped 36” in the vertical jump and 9’11” in the broad jump.

He shows reliable hands and the awareness to find soft spots in underneath coverage, flashing the ability to develop into a dependable safety valve who can stay on the field for multiple phases. He may leave more to be desired from a pass-catching standpoint, but his excellence as a blocker make him a day one contributor that can be had on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.

Kacmarek’s tenacity as a blocker makes him a smart late-round addition who can provide immediate depth and help Vrabel install more physical tight end play to win the point of attack.

Whether they’re fortunate enough to have one of the top prospects fall to them due to a lack of traditional positional value, or they draft for upside and development in the later rounds, New England can enter the 2026 NFL Draft confident that they’ll find an immediate contributor to add to the tight end room in Foxboro. 

Which rookie tight end do you want to see featured in the Patriots offense this fall? How high would you feel comfortable drafting a player at the position? Let us know in the comments section below.

Next up, we’ll be switching sides of the ball to look at “best fits” prospects at safety.

Stay tuned for that and much more right here on Patriots Roundtable.

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