The 2018 NFL Draft is over and teams are getting comfortable with their new draft picks. The next class of players is getting prepared now for another year of college football. Each position will be analyzed in the coming days. Here are the best 2019 NFL Draft prospects: Tight ends.
C.J. Conrad (Photo by wildcatbluenation.com)
Conrad thought about leaving for the NFL after his junior season but saw a position group that was wide open for the 2019 NFL Draft and decided to go back to school for another year. He is 6 foot 5 and 245 pounds.
The production hasn’t been great for Conrad in his first three seasons. Conrad has had trouble staying on the field, with just 23 games played in his career. He has shown flashes of his potential but has just 697 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He will likely be more of a key target in Kentucky’s offense this season, as they don’t have the most experience at wide receiver.
in the 2019 NFL Draft there aren’t any sure-fire first-round tight end prospects. Conrad should be seen as a day two selection and needs to produce this season.
Alize Mack, the player formerly known as Alize Jones, came back to the team last season after being suspended for academics the whole 2016 season. The 6 foot 4, 240 pound tight end was also suspended for the bowl game last season and will need to stay on the field to show off his skills.
With that Mack had 19 catches for 166 yards and a touchdown last season. Mack had to share the tight end reps with Durham Smythe last season, who is now in the NFL. The 2018 season will give him a chance to shine and will have to hope he the quarterback play at Notre Dame improves.
He’s seen as a mid-round prospect but if Mack can actually stay on the field, he can improve his stock.
Petite was a beneficiary of Sam Darnold the last two season, giving him a good target. The senior is 6 foot 4 and 250 pounds and will now have to try to produce without Darnold under center.
Last season Petite had 23 catches for 307 yards and three touchdowns. Over his first three years, he accrued 48 catches, 608 receiving yards and six touchdowns. There is still a competition going to see who the new quarterback at USC will be but Petite can provide a safety valve to throw to.
He will likely be one of the first two or three tight ends off the board in the 2019 draft and with a good season could be the first.
Tommy Sweeney (Photo by bostonglobe.com)
He doesn’t get much publicity because he’s played at Boston College but Sweeney has been one of the most productive tight ends in the country over the last two seasons. Sweeney is a senior who stands 6 foot 5 and 255 pounds.
In his career, he has 67 receptions for 933 yards and seven touchdowns. Last season he really broke out with 36 catches for 512 yards and four touchdowns. If he continues his progression and keeps up his stats, Sweeney will be a no-brainer in the first few rounds of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Boston College hasn’t had the best quarterback play, so Sweeney shouldn’t see any setbacks and should actually put up more numbers this season. He can expect to go in the first few rounds of the draft with his production.
Wilson is the favorite to be the best tight end in college football next season. The 6 foot 4, 259-pound tight end will have to deal with a quarterback not named Josh Rosen this season, which could limit his production.
The sophomore is coming off a season in which he had 38 catches for 490 yards and one touchdown. He will have to put up more production in the red zone if he wants to be a serious threat in the NFL, as he has just one touchdown throughout his first two seasons at UCLA. With a new quarterback that will be difficult, but one touchdown is not good enough for a tight end of his caliber.
When it comes to the 2019 NFL Draft, Wilson is looking like a strong candidate to be the first tight end selected. If he has a solid year without Rosen his dreams will become a reality.
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