Top 10 Tight End Prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft
Last Updated: July 13, 2026 | Source: Consensus rankings from 9 outletsThe 2026 tight end class is led by Jamari Johnson, Trey'Dez Green, Terrance Carter Jr. Here's a breakdown of the top 10 prospects at the position, with scouting reports, measurables, and projected draft range.
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1. Jamari Johnson — Oregon
Consensus Rank: #18 overall | Projection: First round | Measurables: 6'5", 257 lbsA converted high school quarterback turned modern Y tight end, Jamari Johnson has quickly become one of the more intriguing names in the 2027 class after transferring from Louisville to Oregon for the 2025 season. ESPN's Matt Miller tabbed him as his top tight end in the class, noting that Johnson often overshadows likely top-50 teammate Kenyon Sadiq despite working as the Ducks' nominal TE2, and praising his all-around size and strength at 6-foot-5 and 257 pounds, his sure hands and his rare burst for a big frame. Vikings Wire's summer scouting report echoed that, calling him perhaps the best of Oregon's recent run of athletic tight ends and pointing to a quicker, more polished blocking profile than Sadiq.
Strengths: Prototypical NFL Y frame at 6-foot-5, 257 pounds, capable of handling inline duties while staying a threat in space ... ESPN's Matt Miller's top-ranked TE in the 2027 class ... rare burst and acceleration for a big body, explosive turning upfield after the catch Concerns: Still raw as a route runner and blocker, admitting he needs to refine footwork, hand placement and route depth after converting from quarterback ... modest career production (45 catches, 668 yards, 4 TD across 27 games) thanks in part to splitting targets behind Sadiq NFL Comparison: Colston Loveland (modern movement Y with size and ball skills, listed by MDD as a historical comparison) Full scouting report for Jamari Johnson →---
2. Trey'Dez Green — LSU
Consensus Rank: #27 overall | Projection: First round | Measurables: 6'7", 240 lbs, 4.55s 40Trey'Dez Green is the consensus top tight end in the 2027 class and one of the rarest athletic profiles at the position this decade. He is a 6-foot-7, 240-pound two-sport athlete from Jackson, Louisiana who arrived as the No. 2 tight end recruit in the 2024 class and logged real minutes for LSU's basketball team before football won out.
Strengths: Rare 6-foot-7, 240-pound frame with projected 4.55 speed that runs away from SEC safeties ... Basketball-bred body control and jump-ball skill, a true post-up weapon in the end zone ... Enormous catch radius that erases quarterback error and owns the middle of the field Concerns: Five drops on 51 targets, the hands lag well behind the athleticism ... Liability as a blocker with fewer than 200 career blocking snaps of proof NFL Comparison: Greg Dulcich (closest historical ranking-trajectory match, big-frame flex receiving TE) Full scouting report for Trey'Dez Green →---
3. Terrance Carter Jr — Texas Tech
Consensus Rank: #76 overall | Projection: Day 2 | Measurables: 6'2", 245 lbs, 4.75s 40Terrance Carter Jr is a flex tight end who wins as a receiver first, last, and always. The Killeen, Texas native arrived at Harker Heights High School as a quarterback before coaches moved him to tight end, and the position change unlocked one of college football's most productive pass-catchers at the spot. A modest three-star recruit, he broke out at Louisiana with 28 catches as a redshirt freshman in 2023, then dominated the Sun Belt in 2024 with 48 receptions for 689 yards while catching 77.
Strengths: Natural hands-catcher who plucks the ball cleanly away from his frame and finishes contested catches in traffic ... Elite yards-after-catch creator whose 404 YAC in 2024 ranked fourth among all FBS tight ends ... Route precision rare for the position, creating consistent separation against linebackers and safeties Concerns: Below-average blocking strength that fails to anchor against power rushers ... Frame lacks the bulk and mass to handle NFL edge rushers in-line or in pass protection NFL Comparison: Harold Fannin Jr (ESPN's comp for his athletic tools and slot-flex production profile) Full scouting report for Terrance Carter Jr →---
4. Peter Clarke — Temple
Consensus Rank: #80 overall | Projection: Day 2-3 Full scouting report for Peter Clarke →---
5. Lawson Luckie — Georgia
Consensus Rank: #120 overall | Projection: Day 2-3 Full scouting report for Lawson Luckie →---
6. Brett Norfleet — Missouri
Consensus Rank: #139 overall | Projection: Day 2-3 Full scouting report for Brett Norfleet →---
7. Benjamin Brahmer — Penn State
Consensus Rank: #150 overall | Projection: Day 2-3 Full scouting report for Benjamin Brahmer →---
8. Theo Melin Ohrstrom — SMU
Consensus Rank: #161 overall | Projection: Day 2-3 Full scouting report for Theo Melin Ohrstrom →---
9. Michael Masunas — Texas
Consensus Rank: #165 overall | Projection: Day 2-3 Full scouting report for Michael Masunas →---
10. Decker DeGraaf — Washington
Consensus Rank: #166 overall | Projection: Day 2-3 Full scouting report for Decker DeGraaf →---