NFL Player News

The Titans selected Okonkwo in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 143rd overall.

There's not much reason to think he'll be as good of a blocker, but Okonkwo otherwise bears some resemblance to former Titans tight end Jonnu Smith. Both are under 250 pounds, and both jump out for their athleticism. Okonkwo (6-foot-3, 238 pounds) logged a 4.52-second 40 at the combine following his Maryland career, making him one of the league's faster tight ends. He'll push for snaps behind Austin Hooper.

The Ravens selected Likely in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 139th overall.

Earlier in the offseason, there was hope that Likely could emerge as the top tight end in the draft, but the Coastal Carolina product had problematic pre-draft testing that cast doubt over whether his otherwise standout pass-catching skills can translate to the NFL level. Likely was extremely productive in college, with his best campaign coming last year with 59 receptions for 912 yards and 12 touchdowns, but at 6-foot-5, 238 pounds with a 4.83-second pro day 40 he is both skinny and slow by NFL tight end standards. He'll compete with Josh Oliver and fellow 2022 fourth-round pick Charlie Kolar to be Baltimore's third tight end behind Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle.

The Cowboys selected Ferguson in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 129th overall.

Ferguson was immediately productive as a redshirt freshman at Wisconsin, as he recorded 36 receptions for 456 yards and four touchdowns in a run-heavy offense. However, he plateaued and never posted more receiving yards in a season than he did as a freshman. Ferguson measured in at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds and ran a 4.81 40-yard dash, but he showed impressive short-area athleticism with his three-cone drill and broad jump. He'll aim to secure the No. 2 tight end role behind Dalton Schultz in Dallas.

The Ravens selected Kolar in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 128th overall.

A three-time first-team All-Big 12 tight end, Kolar was a busy pass catcher at Iowa State thanks to his standout athleticism at 6-foot-7, 252 pounds (4.62-second 40, 7.0-second three-cone drill). Nick Boyle remains as Baltimore's clear run-blocking specialist and toolsy Josh Oliver could threaten to earn playing time in the Ravens' run-oriented offense, but it's pretty clear Kolar could fit in some sub packages early on and profiles as a solid receiving specialist in the near future.

The Giants selected Bellinger in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 112th overall.

Despite starting each of the past three seasons at San Diego State, Bellinger never amassed more than 357 receiving yards in a given season. However, that doesn't mean he's simply a run-blocking specialist, as the big-bodied target has soft hands and is a more refined route runner than one might imagine given his lack of collegiate production. While unassuming veterans Ricky Seals-Jones and Jordan Akins sit atop the Giants' depth chart, Bellinger could carve out snaps as a run blocker, which might afford him a small amount of passing opportunities early on.

The Buccaneers selected Otton in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 106th overall.

Otton becomes the first player off the board for Day 3. The tight end out of Washington is a solid value for Tampa Bay, which was in the market at that position with Rob Gronkowski's status uncertain and O.J. Howard now in Buffalo. Otton missed four games as a senior, two of which were due to an ankle injury that also prevented him from testing at the combine and the Washington pro day. Still, Otton is a smooth pass catcher who caught 91 of 124 targets for 1,026 yards and nine scores in his collegiate career. However, at 247 pounds, Otton's blocking could be an issue at the next level.

The Jets selected Ruckert in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 101st overall.

New York picked up C.J. Uzomah in free agency, but Ruckert is a nice speculative add for the Jets. Ruckert was highly touted coming out of high school, but Ohio State's loaded receiving corps limited his opportunities to shine through the air, as he didn't have a 20-catch season until his senior year. He was unable to test at the combine due to a left foot injury, but Ruckert has a conventional tight-end frame at 6-foot-5 and 252 pounds. Ruckert may be blocked in terms of immediate playing time, but he could find a role in this offense by his second or third season.

The Broncos selected Dulcich in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 80th overall.

Dulcich (6-foot-4, 243 pounds) probably won't be able to give the Broncos many quality in-line reps, and he's not a standout athlete (4.7-second 40, 34-inch broad jump). However, the UCLA product is a skilled receiver and could make a pass-catching impact in the NFL if his athleticism proves sufficient. For the time being, he will likely play in a reserve role behind Albert Okwuegbunam, who is much bigger and faster than Dulcich.

The Colts selected Woods in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 73rd overall.

Woods becomes the second tight end off the board in this class. His size jumps off the page at 6-foot-7 and 259 pounds with 34.5-inch arms but he can move, too. Woods ran an impressive 4.61 in the 40-yard dash at the combine and the film showed good movement skills for a player his size. He blossomed in the Virginia offense in 2021 after transferring over from Oklahoma State, catching 44 of 70 targets for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. Indianapolis invested a pick at tight end last year in Kylen Granson, though, so this is an interesting landing spot. With Jack Doyle's retirement, there's a path to Woods finding a role eventually, but Mo Alie-Cox and Granson project to be higher on the depth chart this season.

The Cardinals selected McBride in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 55th overall.

The Colorado State product becomes the first tight end off the board in this class, and deservedly so. McBride led FBS in targets (134), receptions (90), and yards (1,121) in 2021. However, only one of those 90 catches went for a touchdown, though that speaks more to the general ineffectiveness of the offense he played in. McBride has big hands (10.13 inches) and is crafty at shielding defenders and securing the ball. He doesn't have the athleticism to be much of a threat after the catch, but he could develop into a red-zone threat eventually. With Zach Ertz signed to a new deal, it may take some time for McBride to be an impact player.