Chiefs could be next team to benefit from Iowa's tight end pipeline after pre-draft meeting with Erick All

The Kansas City Chiefs have taken an interest in the tight end position in the 2024 NFL draft, doing their homework on numerous players throughout the pre-draft process. That includes taking a look at a player from a school with a strong history of turning out some of the best prospects at that position. Iowa TE Erick […]

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor
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The Kansas City Chiefs have taken an interest in the tight end position in the 2024 NFL draft, doing their homework on numerous players throughout the pre-draft process. That includes taking a look at a player from a school with a strong history of turning out some of the best prospects at that position.

Iowa TE Erick All could be next in a long line of talented players to come from the University of Iowa. Just in the last seven years, four Hawkeyes tight ends have entered the NFL and found quite a bit of success. Players like George Kittle, TJ Hockensen, Noah Fant, and most recently Sam LaPorta all bear the mark of having gone to the school that has become known as "Tight End University." 

"From day one, just doing the little things and doing all the workouts, I quickly realized why it was called tight end U," All told reporters at the combine. "All the tight ends there want to get out there and work hard and just make sure you’re not slacking and you know exactly what you’re doing. I liked every bit of it."

As he enters the NFL, All looks to keep that pipeline and tradition of success alive. 

Chiefs showing pre-draft interest in an Iowa TE Erick All

All was unable to work out fully for teams at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine due to injury, participating only in the vertical and broad jumps. The 23-year-old suffered a torn ACL in October during a juncture where he led the Hawkeyes with 21 receptions and 299 receiving yards. The season prior, he suffered a back injury that ended his season just three weeks into the season.

Right now, he's at a good point in terms of his health and he expects to be ready to go near the start of the 2024 NFL season. While he wasn't able to fully compete with the other prospects, he was in town to meet with teams. The Chiefs were among those he met with, and it was different from all of his other meetings.

“I met with a bunch of teams, but the only team I had a formal with was the Chiefs," All told A to Z Sports in an exclusive interview. "There was just like [a few] of their staff members there. They were just giving me plays and having me teach it back [to them] and things like that, but it was with the OC [Matt Nagy] and position coach [Tom Melvin] with the Chiefs.”

Kansas City used one of their 45 allotted formal meetings on All in an effort to try and get to know him better as a player. The mental aspect is a big portion of these meetings because teams typically already know about the player from a physical standpoint. The Chiefs know that the 6-foot-4 and 252-pound tight end has the athleticism to create separation when healthy. They know that he's got the toughness to rumble for yards after the catch and make contested catches.

But what makes him unique compared to the rest of the tight ends in this class?

"I feel like I’m versatile and one play I can be lined up as a full-back and the next play I can be lined up in the slot ready to catch a pass downfield," All said. "I can do whatever the coach asks me to do. Whether it’s in the slot, holding a block, pulling, being ready out wide to run a deep route."

All says that he tries to take cues from Darren Waller, George Kittle, Sam LaPorta, and TJ Hockenson when it comes to becoming more well-rounded as a tight end. There was no mention of Chiefs TE Travis Kelce, but when specifically asked about joining Kansas City to work alongside the future Hall of Famer, All didn't hold back. 

“Yeah, that would be crazy," He said with a big grin on his face. "That would be crazy!”

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