Final 2026 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings: Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq leads the way but there are starters to be found late into Day 2

Kyle Crabbs’ final 2026 NFL Draft tight end rankings illustrate a very good crop of late Day 2 and early Day 3 targets at tight end. There’s a sweet spot in Rounds 3 & 4 for tight end hungry teams.

Kyle Crabbs — NFL National Writer

Apr 19, 2026 8:09 AM EDT

Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq hurdles over USC cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on Nov. 22, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This week’s 2026 NFL Draft is full of talent at several positions. The tight end position is very much among them. Everyone’s personal 2026 NFL Draft tight end rankings will probably look a little different — but the common thread between them all seems to be that there’s valuable options to be had. My personal list has five tight ends in the top-100 and then another five in each of the fourth and fifth rounds.

Here are my 2026 NFL Draft tight end rankings in full.

Kyle Crabbs’ Final 2026 NFL Draft Tight End Rankings

Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq (18). © Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

1. Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon Ducks: 83.00/100 (First Round Grade)

Sadiq is a historic athlete at the tight end position and feels like he should be a much more prolific part of a passing offense than what he was at Oregon. I understand there are some concerns with his resume, most notably with some frustrating misplays of the ball at the catch point. But for every missed opportunity, he’ll create an explosive play on another rep with the ball in his hands.

He’s a terrific blocker in space and on the edges. Not necessarily as an in-line player, but he’s a perimeter blocking weapon with great effort to further amplify his impact on the field.

Top-100 Grades

Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers (9). Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

2. Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt Commodores: 80.50/100 (Late First/Early Second Round Grade)

Stowers won’t be for everyone. But for coaches that are interested in a flex weapon in the passing game? Stowers is for you. He’s long with a massive catch radius, has been superbly productive over the last two seasons at Vanderbilt and offers record-setting explosiveness (he broke the NFL Combine record in the jumps for a tight end).

We don’t have the blocking appeal of a traditional player and I wouldn’t put him in the same bucket as Sadiq as a space blocker, either. But we do get effort here. As a former quarterback (as recently as 2022), he’s got a lot of room to grow.

Oct 26, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal tight end Sam Roush (86). Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

3. Sam Roush, Stanford Cardinal: 76.50/100 (Third Round Grade)

If you like traditional in-line players, Roush is going to tug at your heartstrings. This monster-sized tight end was asked to play a lot of old-school reps as a blocker for the Cardinal. It, in my opinion, has him uniquely qualified to be prepared for his job at the NFL level. Most college tight ends have a steep developmental curve for their blocking role in the NFL — not Roush. He’s a massive frame with surprising bounce (94th percentile vertical & broad jumps) and wiggle (64th percentile 3-cone).

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs tight end Oscar Delp (4). Brett Davis-Imagn Images

4. Oscar Delp, Georgia Bulldogs: 75.50/100 (Third Round Grade)

Delp feels like the breakout sleeper that becomes a much better pro than college player. He’s been a pretty effective in-line blocker despite not having brute size on his side. He’s certainly got the feel of an all-around player at the position. His receiving abilities didn’t get a chance to shine at Georgia but you saw the flashes. He’s got excellent quickness and acceleration, which should help him become a more productive pass game weapon than what the Georgia offense could afford him.

Ohio State Buckeyes tight end Max Klare (86).

5. Max Klare, Ohio State Buckeyes: 74.00/100 (Third Round Grade)

Klare feels like a steady prospect on all fronts, although I’m not certain he’s got that standout trait that could allow him to become a focal point of an offense. That’s the big divide between the top four and Klare — who I think is simply a well-rounded tight end who checks a lot of boxes. He’s fifth on my list but you’ll find him higher on other sets of 2026 NFL Draft tight end rankings.

The Best Of The Rest

6.	Dallen Bentley	Utah	73.50 (RD4)
7.	Matthew Hibner	SMU	73.50 (RD4)
8.	Eli Raridon	Notre Dame	73.50 (RD4)
9.	Justin Joly	North Carolina State	73.00 (RD4)
10.	Michael Trigg	Baylor	72.50 (RD4)
11.	Will Kacmarek	Ohio State	71.50 (RD5)
12.	Tanner Koziol	Houston	71.50 (RD5)
13.	Riley Nowakowski	Indiana	71.00 (RD5)
14.	Josh Cuevas	Alabama	71.00 (RD5)
15.	Marlin Klein	Michigan	70.50 (RD5)
16.	Jack Endries	Texas	70.00 (RD5)
17.	Joe Royer	Cincinnati	69.50 (RD6)
18.	Nate Boerkircher	Texas A&M	69.00 (RD6)
19.	DJ Rogers	TCU	69.00 (RD6)
20.	John Michael Gyllenborg	Wyoming	68.50 (RD7)
21.	Bauer Sharp	LSU	68.50 (RD7)
22.	Dae’Quan Wright	Mississipi	68.00 (RD7)
23.	RJ Maryland	SMU	67.50 (UDFA)

If you need a tight end in this year’s class and strike out early, you’re in luck. I have a total of 11 tight ends with fourth and fifth round grades. They come in all shapes and sizes, too. You’ll find flex players like Michael Trigg (Baylor) and Justin Joly (NC State), plus H-back types such as Riley Nowakowski (Indiana). If you’re hoping for an in-line talent, Will Kacmarek (Ohio State) is a mauler and Alabama’s Josh Cuevas is a later option, too.

There are athletic swings to take on names like John Michael Gyllenborg (Wyoming) and Notre Dame’s Eli Raridon, as well. You name it, this class has got it. This class has a little something for everyone.