NFL Draft 2023: Eagles’ top options at tight end

Exploring Eagles’ options at TE throughout 2023 draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

As the 2023 NFL Draft nears, we’re taking a look at every position on both sides of the ball to find some options for the Eagles throughout the three-day event. We already looked at LB, CB, DT, edge, S, RB, WR and QB.

The Eagles could simply run it back this season with Dallas Goedert, Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra and even Tyree Jackson. All four of their top tight ends from the 2022 season are still under contract, starting with Goedert, who is already one of the best tight ends in the NFL.

But Goedert is actually older now than Zach Ertz was when the Eagles drafted Goedert to be his eventual replacement. So this isn’t a glaring need but you can’t rule it out if the right player is there in what is considered to be a very good tight end draft.

Need level: Low

Here’s a reminder of the Eagles’ six picks in this draft:

1-10
1-30
2-62
3-94
7-219
7-248

And here are some defensive tackle options throughout the draft:

First-round options

Dalton Kincaid, Utah (6-3, 246): There are some downsides to Kincaid, starting with his age; he’ll turn 24 during his rookie season. And then there’s the part where he missed his bowl game, Senior Bowl and combine with injury. But Kincaid is reportedly cleared medically and if that’s the case, he’s a really worthwhile early pick. He had a 70/890/8 season in 2022 in 12 games and is expected to be one of the first tight ends off the board.

Darnell Washington, Georgia (6-6, 264): It would be a luxury pick to take Washington late in the first round or in the second but it’s an intriguing possibility to land such a big guy who moves as well as Washington. He’s a rare prospect because of his size and athleticism and it’s fun to think about the Eagles’ offense with him as the second tight end.

Mid-round options

Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State (6-4, 254): The last time the Eagles drafted a tight end out of South Dakota State it worked out pretty well. Kraft has a big frame and moves very well for someone his size. He’s not a finished product as a blocker but he’s motivated to block. He did have an ankle injury that forced him to miss time in 2022.

Sam LaPorta, Iowa (6-3, 245): LaPorta had 111 catches over his final tow college seasons as a huge part of that Iowa offense. He’s shown his ability as a receiver but still needs to grow as a blocker. But he was a versatile tight end in college, meaning it would be easier to plug-and-play him as a TE2 from Day 1 in the NFL.

Luke Schoonmaker, Michigan (6-5, 251): At Michigan, Schoonmaker was mostly an inline tight end who caught 35 passes for 418 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2022. Has good size and athleticism but isn’t a finished product yet and is already 24 and has dealt with some recent injuries. So there are some negatives.

Cameron Latu, Alabama (6-4, 242): Relatively new to the tight end position, Latu didn’t make the switch from defense until after a couple years at Alabama. But eventually, he became a starter in 2021 and 2022 and caught 56 passes for 787 yards and 12 touchdowns. Still learning the position but off to a good start and could be a contributor in the NFL in the right situation.

Late-round sleeper(s)

Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion (6-7, 255): Kuntz began his career at Penn State and finished at ODU. Kuntz played in just five games as a senior because of an injury but performed very well at the combine. He’s a size/speed/agility freak. And those are traits worth betting on late in the draft.

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