Ranking Non-First-Round Rookie TEs Most Likely to Be Breakout Weapons in 2025

Traditionally, tight ends tend to be slow to develop upon entering the NFL because of how much they have to take on regarding blocking and receiving assignments while still making the adjustment to the professional level.

That rule of thumb has shifted slightly in recent years, with Brock Bowers and Sam LaPorta posting huge numbers during their rookie campaigns. They're still outliers, though.

If anyone from the 2025 class is expected to do the same, the Indianapolis Colts' Tyler Warren and Chicago Bears' Colston Loveland would be the first two names mentioned. But they're expected to produce after being top-14 selections, and thus they weren't eligible for inclusion here.

A handful of other first-year tight ends have the makings of being weapons in their offenses from Day 1 of their professional careers. None of the following five were first-round picks, but they can immediately contribute as receivers because of their skill sets. Early returns have been promising, too.

5. Elijah Arroyo, Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Ryan Sun

Predicted Stats: 35 receptions, 385 yards, five touchdowns

A transition should occur at tight end for the Seattle Seahawks during the 2025 campaign.

Noah Fant has been a solid, albeit marginal, performer since joining the team as part of the Russell Wilson trade. He averaged 43 receptions and 467 yards over the last three seasons. He's also entering the final year of his current deal.

The Seahawks covered their bases by selecting Miami's Elijah Arroyo in this year's second round. Injuries held Arroyo back during his collegiate career, but he emerged in 2024 as a fluid and athletic downfield target, which only became more obvious during his performance at this year's Senior Bowl. Arroyo created easy separation in Mobile, Alabama, and it didn't matter if he was covered by a linebacker, safety or cornerback. That performance carried into his initial practices with the Seahawks.

"I'm not used to the new numbers yet. When I see a number out there, I'm like, 'Look at that receiver out there. Look at that big receiver. Wow, he can move,'" former NFL wide receiver Bryan Walters said during an interview on Seattle Sports' Wyman & Bob Show. "I'm thinking it's a receiver when it's Elijah Arroyo, the new draft pick and a tight end. He just blew me away with some of the routes he was running. ... It looked so smooth."

As long as Arroyo stays healthy, his arrow is pointing up in the Great Northwest.

4. Mason Taylor, New York Jets

AP Photo/Noah K. Murray

Projected Stats: 40 receptions, 410 yards, three touchdowns

The New York Jets selected LSU's Mason Taylor as TE3 in the 2025 draft class. Plenty should be expected of him in his first year as a high second-round selection. But expectations should be tempered to a degree.

"Mason's a great kid, super talented, just kind of get his feet wet, get him rolling," fellow Jets tight end Jeremy Ruckert told reporters. "And a big addition to the room, the more you can do as a room and keep defenses, keep defenses on their toes. So just trying to bring him along show him the ropes. I know he's got a lot of experience with his dad [Hall of Fame DE Jason Taylor] telling him what it's like."

The caveat to Taylor's potential impact centers on quarterback Justin Fields. The Jets are expected to be a run-heavy offense, though Fields does have a penchant for throwing to his tight ends—at least he did with the Chicago Bears when Cole Kmet was his favorite target.

In New York, Garrett Wilson is in the lineup. He'll demand the lion's share of targets. Taylor could easily be next in line while still struggling to keep up with the rookie tight ends yet to come on this list.

3. Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

Projected Stats: 45 receptions, 465 yards, four touchdowns

The Cleveland Browns don't have a specific plan at quarterback, but they do have multiple weapons. The best way to attack a questionable quarterback setup is by building the best available cockpit thereby making life easier on whomever is behind center. The selection of Harold Fannin Jr. in this year's third round was a sneaky selection to help in these matters.

David Njoku has already proved himself as a Pro Bowl-caliber tight end. Fannin might play the same position, but he's a different piece to the puzzle.

The 6'3", 241-pound Fannin might not bring the traditional size or athleticism to the position, yet his capabilities as a receiver cannot be overstated. Last season, the tight end led the FBS with 117 catches and 1,555 receiving yards.

"He's got really strong hands," Browns tight ends coach Christian Jones told reporters. "He tracks the ball well and you see it on tape every time he's been playing, when you study him and we were getting ready to see what he would be for us. The guy catches everything."

The Browns can employ 12 personnel packages to get Njoku and Fannin on the field, with Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman serving as the primary wide receivers. Fannin can be moved all over the formation and give the Browns' quarterback(s) an accessible target, particularly with Njoku drawing attention from the defense. Furthermore, the rookie can create after the catch.

"He's decisive and he's balanced," Jones explained. "Tacklers fall off of him. He tends to keep his feet running when somebody's coming at him at knowing when whether to split or just make one miss and being really efficient in how he runs the ball."

2. Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Projected Stats: 50 receptions, 550 yards, five touchdowns

The Los Angeles Rams have been searching for a legitimate threat at tight end for a couple of offseasons and finally snagged one they liked with this year's second-round selection of Oregon's Terrance Ferguson.

A year ago, general manager Les Snead tried to trade up for Brock Bowers, but the Las Vegas Raiders wanted nothing to do with moving out of the slot and passing on the elite tight end prospect.

Ferguson was never a heavily featured component to the Ducks offense, but it was clear that he has the size, length, athleticism and skill set to grow into a large part of the Rams' system.

“He has a good demeanor about himself," offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. "... (He’s) fitting in real well with these guys and he just continuing to get better...You just want to see guys that are willing to get better in their fundamentals. And then when they are asked, maybe once a day, to go attack a defense end without the pads on, just to still go for it and he's not shy."

The rookie added, "It's been amazing with Coach [Sean] McVay. He's really poured into me, leaned into me out there with just little subtle things I can change and get better at."

Expect Tyler Higbee to not be featured nearly as much as he was prior to last year's injury-plagued campaign, with Ferguson getting more reps as he develops.

1. Oronde Gadsden, Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea

Projected Stats: 60 receptions, 650 yards, six touchdowns

Orande Gadsden is a natural fit as a receiving threat in the Los Angeles Chargers offense. During his time with the Syracuse Orange, Gadsden was a tight end in title but a wide receiver in practice—which should come naturally after his father played the position for seven years in the NFL.

Despite being an excellent target at the collegiate level, the younger Gadsden fell to the fifth round before the Los Angeles Chargers selected him with the 165th overall pick. His plummet occurred due to a combination of not being much of an in-line option while also having previous injury concerns due to a season-ending Lisfranc injury during the 2023 campaign.

Gadsden was the lowest-selected among the tight ends mentioned, but he tops the list because of his natural receiving skills, opportunities he may get with the Chargers and early positive impressions.

"He's picked up the offense really well and has been getting a bunch of reps with us," quarterback Justin Herbert told reporters Wednesday. "Anytime I can get out there and get him the ball to see what he can do, he's made some big-time plays."

Veterans Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin aren't significant threats in the passing game. Gadsden can and should be featured as such.