(Darnell Washington / TE / Georgia)
2023 NFL Scouting Combine Positional Analysis
Tight Ends
High Risers
Darnell Washington / Georgia
6065 / 264 / 11” hands / 34.3” arms / 83.6” wingspan
Extremely large TE known primarily as a blocker until exploding on the scene as a senior. Had a fantastic combine performance with a 4.64 40-yard dash, a 31” vertical, a 10’2” broad jump, and benched 21 reps of 225 pounds. And then he blew up the field drills with a fantastic athletic performance where he ate up yards with huge strides. Displayed great blocking form during drills. Possesses big, strong hands and a massive catch radius. Made the catch of the combine on a fade route where he completed an amazing catch – a one hand snag where he snatched the ball cleanly at the top of the ball! Washington has worked himself into position of being drafted in the first round in April.
Sam LaPorta / Iowa
6033 / 245 / 10.2” hands / 32.1” arms
Iowa has become the college TE factory (Dallas Clark, George Kittle, TJ Hockenson, and Noah Fant) and LaPorta is the next in line of NFL-caliber TEs coming out of Iowa City. LaPorta recorded a great 4.59 40, a 35” vertical, 10’3” broad jump, and an impressive three-cone drill time of 6.91. The field drills is where LaPorta really excelled. He looked fast and athletic. Moves easily – very fluid with an excellent burst. And yeah, he performed well in the blocking drills. All in all, a solid all-around performance which should lead to LaPorta being drafted on Friday in Kansas City.
Michael Mayer / Notre Dame
6044 / 249 / 31.5” arms / 76.2” wingspan
Mayer did not have the flashiest workout or the most explosive athleticism of this year’s TE class, but Mayer’s performance checked all of the boxes and confirmed what was seen in South Bend over the last few years. Mayer ran a solid 4.70 40-yard dash, recorded a 32.5” vertical and a 9’10” broad jump – all solid numbers. Mayer excelled during blocking drills and displayed clean, strong hands and the ability to catch the ball away from the frame of his body. Mayer has the highest floor of any TE available in April and he should get selected sometime in the first round in Kansas City.
Disappointing Performance
Davis Allen / Clemson
6054 / 245 / 10” hands / 32.2” arms
It isn’t so much a poor performance that places Allen on this list. He displayed plenty of athleticism and solid movement skills during field drills. Although his 40 time was pedestrian (4.84), he demonstrated excellent leaping ability and explosiveness with a 38.5” vertical and a 10’5” broad jump. But in a class with several outstanding blockers (Mayer, Washington, LaPorta), Allen falls short. He possesses a thin and angular frame that lacks much bulk or mass to aid in blocking and he does not get nearly low enough to sustain in-line blocks. Allen will be an excellent NFL receiver but his ability to improve his blocking will have a lot of say in how long his career lasts.
What? Guess I Need to Watch More Film…
Zack Kuntz / Old Dominion
6065 / 255 / 10.2” hands / 34” arms
The former Penn State TE is a massive target over the middle of the field with size, a large catch radius, and deceptive speed and athleticism. Kuntz looked agile and smooth during field drills and passed the eye test with a sculpted physique. Kuntz recorded a 4.55 40-yard dash time with a very good 10-yard split time of 1.57. He also posted an outstanding 40” vertical jump and a 10’8” broad jump. And, oh yeah, he bench-pressed 23 reps of 225 pounds. Time to hit the film!
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(Sam LaPorta / TE / Iowa)
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