The 'On The Clock' crew of Matt Williamson, Mike Prisuta and Max Starks take a look at the top prospects in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh later this month. Today, they take a second look at the tight end position.
Note: The opinions expressed here are their own and not those of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Matt's First Look
1. Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon, 6-3, 241 lbs.
2. Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt, 6-4, 239 lbs.
3. Michael Trigg, Baylor, 6-4, 240 lbs.
4. Sam Roush, Stanford, 6-6, 267 lbs.
5. Max Klare, Ohio State, 6-4, 246 lbs.
Matt's Thoughts
Sadiq still firmly commands the top spot on this list, and it will be very interesting to see just how high he is selected in the first round of the draft. Stowers also holds firmly as the second player on this list and with his outstanding athletic profile and big play ability, he should challenge for a top 50 selection overall. After that, my top five are as follows: Roush comes in third because of the massive value of true inline tight ends, which Roush is best in class in that regard. Trigg only falls one spot to four. He has some inconsistencies to his game, but Trigg's potential is as strong anyone listed. Klare holds on at the fifth spot despite this being an extremely deep and exciting group of tight ends overall…Maybe the most intriguing player in this class is Georgia's Oscar Delp (6-5, 245 lbs.). Delp had very little production at Georgia, but is an excellent athlete with a big frame and is an already accomplished blocker. His pro career could far exceed what he did at the college level. North Carolina State's Justin Joly (6'3 ½", 241 lbs.) also needs to be mentioned. Joly isn't the biggest or most physical blocker, but he can be moved all around the formation and his athletic juice is apparent. He could be a real weapon going forward. A very different player is Klare's teammate at Ohio State, Will Kacmarek (6-5 ½", 267 lbs.). Kacmarek is a throwback tight end with great play strength and aggression to go along with obviously imposing size. As was the case with the Buckeyes, Kacmarek profiles as a quality second option in an NFL tight end room to do the dirty work while a teammate gets the glory. Coaches love such players.
Mike's First Look
1. Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon, 6-3, 241 lbs.
2. Michael Trigg, Baylor, 6-4, 240 lbs.
3. Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt, 6-4, 239 lbs.
4. Max Klare, Ohio State, 6-4, 246 lbs.
5. Joe Royer, Cincinnati, 6-51/8, 255 lbs.
Mike's Thoughts
After further review, I'll bump Stowers up from No. 3 to No. 2, Klare from No. 4 to No. 3 and drop Trigg from No. 2 to No. 4 behind Sadiq, the clear-cut TE1. Indiana's Riley Nowakowski (6-2, 239) remains a fullback-capable sleeper. Utah's Dallen Bentley (6-41/8, 253) can block in-line and flex out as a pass-catching target. NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah credited Bentley with zero drops in 2025. Penn State's Khalil Dinkins (6-41/4, 251) is following in the footsteps of former Nittany Lions tight ends Mike Gesicki (2018), Pat Freiermuth (2021), Brenton Strange (2023), Theo Johnson (2024) and Tyler Warren (2025) on the way to the NFL, as well as those of Dinkins' father Darnell, who spent eight years playing for the Giants, Ravens, Browns and Saints. Texas' Jack Endries (6-45/8, 245) isn't afraid to take big shots while in the process of making combat catches. He was more productive in two seasons at Cal than he was in his lone season at Texas (2025), including 56 catches for 623 yards and two touchdowns in 2024. Wyoming's John Michael Gyllenborg (6-53/4, 249) has a freakish physical skill set that has translated to, among other attention-getting feats, posting a 10-yard split of 0.93 in the 40-yard dash. Gyllenborg averaged 47.2 receiving yards per game in 2024 and had an 89-yard receiving TD against Hawaii in 2023. Oklahoma's Jaren Kanak (6-2, 234) has a track background and has been timed at 10.37 in the 100 meters. He spent his first three seasons with the Sooners as a linebacker (104 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries). Kanak warmed top to his new position by catching 44 passes for 533 yards (12.1 yards per reception). Michigan's Marlin Klein (6-6, 248) was born in Germany at at 15 informed his parents he wanted to go to America to play football. He caught 38 passes for 364 yards and a touchdown in four seasons but has upside. Jeremiah thinks Klein will "be a better pro than he was in college." Houston's Tanner Koziol (6-61/2, 247) is a good blocker who can also be effective in the passing game despite a relative lack of speed. NFL Network analyst Charles Davis has compared Koziol to Jake Ferguson. Maryland's RJ Maryland (6-41/4, 236), the son of former first-overall pick Russell Maryland, caught 19 touchdown passes in four seasons at Maryland and left with 113 career receptions and 1,495 career receiving yards, both records for a Terrapins tight end. USC's Lake McRee posted career-high totals in catches (30), receiving yards (450) average per catch (15.0) and receiving TDs (four) in 2025 and impressed evaluators at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. He can also block. Stanford's Sam Roush (6-6, 267) was one of seven FBS tight ends with multiple receptions of 50 or more yards in 2025 but that's not what will attract the NFL's eye. "He'll make his money with what he does at the line of scrimmage in the run game," Jeremiah maintained.
Max's First Look
1. Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon, 6-3, 241 lbs.
2. Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt, 6-4, 239 lbs.
3. Joe Royer, Cincinnati, 6-51/8, 255 lbs.
4. Sam Roush, Stanford, 6-6, 267 lbs.
5. Oscar Delp, Georgia, 6-5, 245 lbs.
Max's Thoughts
As I go back and look at the tight end position and how I ranked this group, I don't find any real adjustments that need to be made. Sadiq is the top tighten in this group and while he is not a blue chip, he is the best of the lot. He provides a rare size and speed combination that makes him a threat in any offensive alignment. His breakaway speed is the added bonus for a position group that seems to be evolving every single year. As we get further down this list, we have a "pick 'em" situation with the other guys in this group. The Vanderbilt TE Stowers is more like a flex, slot style tight end. He plays better in space and has a lead speed in past catching skills, but blocking can be somewhat cumbersome at times. Roush on the other hand is a traditional "Y" tight end. He can block and he is a good middle of the field security blanket for a for a quarterback. Royer has multiple skill sets, but not enough to say that he is a day one starter and Delp also falls in this category. The reason Endries is in the sleeper category because he has all of the tools, but it has not shown up on film. I believe with the right coaching and mentors, he can develop over one to two years into a quality tight end option.
