2011 NFL Draft: Top 10 Tight Ends
The 2011 NFL Draft offers an above average tight end class.
This year, there are tight ends who can catch and block, and there is even some tweeners that are big enough to play tight end or play an H-Back type role.
Some receivers in college who aren't particularly fast enough to play receiver in the NFL are also making the move to tight end. Some basketball players have made the transition to tight end as well, most notably Falcons TE Tony Gonzalez and Chargers TE Antonio Gates.
Tight end is one of the most underrated positions in football, and it shouldn't be. Not only do they have to catch passes, but they also run and pass block, making them a big key to an offenses success.
Here are my top 10 tight ends in the 2011 NFL Draft.
10. Virgil Green, Senior: Nevada Wolf Pack
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Height: 6'5''
Weight: 240 lbs.
Green is a receiving tight end that really needs to work on his blocking skills.
He's got good size, but might need to add weight to his frame to help become a better blocker. Green has good speed and could become a really good tight end in the NFL.
9. Mike McNeill, Senior: Nebraska Cornhuskers
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Height: 6'4''
Weight: 235 lbs.
McNeill is a versatile player who could line up at fullback or tight end.
He's got the same body type of Dallas Clark of the Colts but doesn't have his great hands; they are decent, nonetheless.
Blocking-wise, he has work to do.
His strength is running great routes and catching passes, which could help out an NFL team.
8. Zack Pianalto, Senior: North Carolina Tar Heels
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Height: 6'4''
Weight: 250 lbs.
Zack Pianalto is a guy I believe will make a great No. 2 tight end in the league.
The problem though, is his health.
It seems as though he's been injured throughout his entire college career, missing the final 7 games of his senior year with a leg injury. If Pianalto can stay healthy, he should do really well for a team that runs a lot of 2 tight end formations.
But Pianalto has good hands, can block well, and has an awareness for finding holes in a defense, making him an asset to any team.
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7. Daniel Hardy, Senior: Idaho Vandals
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Height: 6'4''
Weight: 240 lbs.
Hardy will be making the transition to tight end in the NFL after playing wide receiver at Idaho.
He caught 32 passes and averaged 17 yards per reception in 2010, and did not play in the last 5 games of that year.
He's a project guy that will have to be given some time to adjust to the tight end position.
6. Anthony Miller, Junior: California Golden Bears
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Height: 6'3''
Weight: 260 lbs.
Miller is a pure blocking tight end.
He only had 40 receptions and 2 touchdowns during his three years at Cal, but he possesses good hands and has pretty good speed. He also doesn't have great height for a tight end.
5. George Bryan, Junior: North Carolina State Wolfpack
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Height: 6'5''
Weight: 265 lbs.
Bryan has great size for a tight end.
He caught 75 passes between his sophomore and junior seasons for nine touchdowns.
He's not the fastest tight end, but he is a very reliable player.
4. Luke Stocker, Senior: Tennessee Volunteers
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Height: 6'5''
Weight: 255 lbs.
His draft stock has fallen a bit lately, with all his drops and him not being a good blocking tight end.
However, he is physical and runs hard, and also had 39 catches in 2010 along with 2 touchdowns.
Shields defends well and is a hard worker that does the little things.
3. D.J. Williams, Senior: Arkansas Razorbacks
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Height: 6'2''
Weight: 240 lbs.
Williams might be used as an H-Back in the NFL.
He's was a very productive receiving tight end in college, with two, 50+ catch seasons.
He's very short for an NFL type tight end, which can cause big problems in the blocking department.
2. Lance Kendricks, Senior: Wisconsin Badgers
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Height: 6'4''
Weight: 240 lbs.
Kendricks shows good speed and body control.
His blocking has improved while at Wisconsin with them being a running team. He has good, but not great size. He caught 43 passes and averaged 15.4 yards per catch, making him the quarterbacks best friend.
One downside? He sometimes catches with his body.
1. Kyle Rudolph, Junior: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Height: 6'6''
Weight: 265 lbs.
If Rudolph can stay healthy, he could be a beast in the NFL.
With excellent size to go along with great hands, Rudolph a tight end with great potential.
He needs to work on blocking, however, though that could be said of any tight end coming out of college.
He can be split out wide and runs really well. He has good awareness, but is not a good route runner.
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