2025 NFL Draft: Top 10 tight ends heading into the NFL Scouting Combine where multiple are expected to steal the show
The tight end class in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft is well respected across the league. It has just about everything a team could need at the position: top-end talent, starters, high-upside options, and even role players. And next week at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, the group will get to show off their athleticism during […]
The tight end class in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft is well respected across the league. It has just about everything a team could need at the position: top-end talent, starters, high-upside options, and even role players. And next week at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, the group will get to show off their athleticism during on-field drills.
Our team of NFL Draft contributors at A to Z Sports has continued to scout this class and update our rankings for each position. As a result, we have compiled our top 10 at each position heading into the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Below, you can see how our eight contributors ranked the top 10 TEs in the class.
Top 10 TEs in the 2025 NFL Draft ahead of the Scouting Combine
1. Tyler Warren, Penn State
Highest ranking: 1
Lowest ranking: 2
Penn State's Tyler Warren was one of the best college football players this past year. He finished seventh in the voting for the 2024 Heisman Trophy after recording 104 receptions (most in the Big 10), 1,233 yards, and eight touchdowns. All of which were career-high numbers for the Penn State TE. Warren received five first-place votes from our team, with the other two contributors ranking him second.
2. Colston Loveland, Michigan
Highest ranking: 1
Lowest ranking: 2
Michigan's offensive woes this past year certainly impacted Colston Loveland. But even in 2023, the teams run first philosophy didn't allow Loveand to put up elite production numbers. His talent, though, is undeniable; he's one of the best route runners at TE in the class and projects as a top-end receiving threat early into his professional career. Loveland received two first-place votes and received the most second-place votes of any TE with five.
3. Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green
Highest ranking: 3
Lowest ranking: 6
Harold Fannin Jr. led all of the FBS in 2024 with 117 receptions and 1,555 yards. He also found the endzone 10 times, which was more than his previous two seasons combined. This type of elite production is impossible to ignore, but many will question how much his strength of opponents played into that with Bowling Green being a group of five school. Fannin Jr. still impressed many of our contributors, with him receiving four third-place votes, the most of any TE.
4. Gunnar Helm, Texas
Highest ranking: 3
Lowest ranking: 8
Texas' Gunnar Helm is a dynamic player in this class and can impact the running and passing games at the pro level. His ability as a blocker should lead multiple teams to have a high opinion of Helm. He is coming off his best collegiate season with 60 receptions, 786 yards, and seven touchdowns. Helm's highest ranking among our contributors was third, but he also received fourth and fifth-place votes.
5. Mason Taylor, LSU
Highest ranking: 3
Lowest ranking: 12
LSU's Mason Taylor was one of the best TEs at the 2025 Senior Bowl. He showed off his full skill set, and it's very evident that growing up with his father in the NFL (Hall of Famer Jason Taylor) has led him to develop a very high football IQ. Taylor's production at LSU this past year might not lead some to believe he should be ranked this high, but watching his tape, it's easy to see that his stat line doesn't tell anywhere near the full story of him as a prospect. Taylor earned as high as a third-place ranking from one of our contributors and also was ranked fourth and fifth by three others.
6. Terrance Ferguson, Oregon
Highest ranking: 6
Lowest ranking: 8
Terrance Ferguson Is someone our group of contributors all had quite a similar view of. All of his rankings fell between sixth and eighth, with one-sixth place ranking, one-eighth, and five rankings coming at seventh. The Oregon TE impressed during the Senior Bowl coming off his senior season, where he recorded 591 yards and three touchdowns.
7. Elijah Arroyo, Miami
Highest ranking: 4
Lowest ranking: NR
Miami's Elijah Arroyo was one of the biggest winners from the Senior Bowl this year, if not the single biggest winner. He made defensive backs look foolish during one-on-ones, and he made countless plays during team drills. And he needs that week to show teams his one-year wonder season of production in 2024 wasn't a fluke. He recorded 590 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024 but only combined for 11 receptions for 163 yards and one touchdown in his previous three seasons. Multiple people on our staff see his potential, though, which led him to receive as high as a fourth-place ranking from one contributor.
8. Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse
Highest ranking: 4
Lowest ranking: 10
Syracuse's Oronde Gadsden II received a single fourth-place ranking from one contributor as well as a sixth-place ranking from two. Unlike some on this list, Gadsden has multiple years of great production on his college resume. He began his career as a wide receiver and, during his sophomore season in 2022, recorded 975 yards with 61 catches and scored six touchdowns. He made the switch to TE in 2023 but sadly only appeared in two games due to injury. But he made his return in 2024 and picked up where he left off in 2022, recording 934 yards, 73 catches, and seven touchdowns.
9. Jake Briningstool, Clemson
Highest ranking: 3
Lowest ranking: NR
Though he comes in at ninth, Clemson's Jake Bringstool did receive a single vote as the third-best TE in the class and another contributor who ranked him sixth. He's entering the draft after two solid seasons to end his career with 498 yards, five touchdowns in 2023 and 530 yards, and seven touchdowns in 2024. If a team is looking for a reliable pass-catcher at TE, Briningstool makes a ton of sense to be high on their board.
10. Luke Lachey, Iowa
Highest ranking: 5
Lowest ranking: NA
To finish up our top 10 TEs, Iowa Luke Lachey comes in tenth on the list. His highest ranking was fifth on one of our contributor's rankings, and he also received a seventh and eighth place ranking. Lachey is one of the best blockers at TE in this year's class. This might not be the role a lot of fans want their teams to target in the draft, but it's very important for multiple teams. Lachey will be able to make an impact in both the passing and running games and can be a three-down player. Even if his potential as a pass catcher is much lower than that of many on this list.
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