The 2023 NFL Combine is behind us, so it’s time to adjust where these prospects should be ranked. Overall, the tight end position had some of the biggest risers. Almost all of these players posted fantastic testing numbers. As a result of being able to attend the Combine in person, it was extremely beneficial to sit next to these scouts and hear the buzz surrounding these players. 

I was able to get an inside look at the hype surrounding these players all weekend. Every little thing matters, from their press conferences to on-the-field performances. A few tight ends fell down draft boards slightly, but for the most part, there were a ton of guys who boosted their draft stock. Continue reading to find out who the biggest risers and fallers from the NFL Combine at the tight end position. 

Risers

Darnell Washington

Starting off, we have Darnell Washington. He had a phenomenal performance, shooting himself up these 2023 dynasty rankings. Heading into the Combine, Washington was viewed as a late second to early third-round pick. After running a 6.64 at 6’7″ and 264 pounds, Washington has skyrocketed up draft boards. This is ridiculous for a tight end, and being down near the field, you could hear a noticeable buzz around Washington. 

Seeing him in person confirmed that he’s a freak athlete who can move incredibly well despite his size. Watching Washington run a fade route so smoothly and then making a jaw-dropping one-handed catch created lots of hype around him. Washington tested phenomenally across the board and ended up with a Raw Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.85. 

Even though Washington may be more of a project-type player, it’s not common for tight ends to produce year one in the first place. After showing a ton of great tools that NFL teams could fall in love with, I see him being a late first to an early second-round pick in the NFL Draft. Washington was the first tight end that boosted their draft stock a bit with his performance at the Combine. 

Zack Kuntz

Zack Kuntz may not be one of the premier tight ends in this class even after his performance in Indianapolis. That being said, it’s hard to argue that anyone else has helped their draft stock as much as he did. Kuntz is a tight end out of Old Dominion who has never shown great stats in college. However, he had a statistically perfect Combine, running a 4.55 40 at 6′ 7″ and 255 pounds to start. Kuntz’s measurements were off the charts at every measurable, and he scored a perfect 10 RAS.

Even though the college production isn’t there, with this type of athleticism, he will get a shot at the NFL level. Before the Combine, Kuntz was a projected 7th rounder, but after this incredible performance, I wouldn’t be surprised if a team reaches as far as the 5th round to grab him. Being around the stadium and watching him play, he looked like a raw young talent. Finally, there were many positive conversations regarding Kuntz’s potential at the NFL level.

Luke Musgrave

To top off the risers list, it would be hard not to put Luke Musgrave up here. Musgrave is another massive tight end who tested incredibly well during the Combine. At 6′ 6″ and 253 pounds, he ran a 4.61 40, which is excellent. Like these other guys, he dominated his testing and finished with a RAS of 9.95, which is nearly perfect. 

This helps Musgrave a ton because he was already seen as a top-tier tight end, and this Combine pushed him up even higher. Heading into the week, Musgrave was already starting to gain lots of attention as, surprisingly, he had one of the most attended press conferences. During his workout, there was a lot of talk about him. Overall, many scouts and media members in attendance seemed very impressed with his game. 

Over the past few weeks, Musgrave has been rising a ton. His performance at the Combine just helped his stock even more. Prior to the Combine, it seemed like Musgrave would go in the late 2nd to the early 3rd Round. However, after the hype he’s been getting, it looks like he’ll go in the early 2nd Round. 

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Fallers 

Michael Mayer

At first, many people might not agree that Michael Mayer is a faller from this past weekend. Even though Mayer is still a great player, some of these other tighte nd prospects just had much better performances than him. Also, it seems as if those around the NFL are getting some prospect fatigue as well. 

When I was in the media room and by the field, these media members and scouts seemed to talk a ton about tight ends. However, Mayer’s name was rarely mentioned. As I said before, Mayer had a fine Combine running a 4.71 at 6′ 4 1/2″ and 249 pounds, which is still good. His overall measurements were solid, causing his RAS score to be 8.08. 

Even after the Combine, Mayer is still a projected 1st Round pick. However, he was once a 1st Round loc and now teams are having some questions on if it’s worth it to take a tight end that high. Not just Mayer, but all tight ends in general. Not to mention, there are many other great options later on. I still expect Mayer to go in the late 1st Round, but there’s a possibility he could fall into the early to late 2nd Round as well. 

Josh Whyle

Josh Whyle was a tight end I was somewhat optimistic about this week. However, after his underwhelming Combine performance, he’s dropped down many rankings. This is a result of other guys having better combines than him, whereas Whyle didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. Whyle ran at 4.69 40 at 6′ 6 1/2″, 248 pounds which is fine, but the rest of his measurements were average.

Nothing popped out at you regarding Whyle. He scored an 8.86 RAS which is solid but not on the level of some of these other prospects. Prior to the Combine, Whyle was a 5th Round draft pick, and I expect him to fall slightly due to how loaded this 2023 class is at tight end. 

While this isn’t a huge deal, it is disappointing for a guy like Whyle. He was looking to have a stand-out Combine and boost himself up rankings. Instead, there were a ton of tight ends who impressed, which has dropped Whyle down rankings by default. All in all, Whyle was one of the tight end prospects who might have dropped a bit in rankings after this weekend in Indianapolis. 

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