Chiefs: Potential TE Draft Prospects

Chiefs: Potential TE Draft Prospects – by James S. McGregor – The 2021 NFL season has officially begun, and many of us have already started looking ahead to potential business to be conducted. Much has already taken place at Arrowhead One, and sadly much also has NOT taken place, which some of us may have been hoping for. For example, the signings of Joe Thuney and Kyle Long to bolster the offensive line have sent a clear message that General Manager Brett Veach (and most certainly the coaching staff as well) has made a priority of protecting a certain half-billion-dollar asset you may possibly be familiar with, but additionally, the Chiefs failed to bring in many other big names that had been targeted, to include but possibly not limited to: Trent Williams, Rodney Hudson, Juju Smith-Schuster, Riley Reiff, Kenny Golladay, Allen Robinson (and yeah, possibly many others… want me to keep going?).

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One position group that has largely flown under the radar so far this off-season, but which I would like to address, is the Tight End Group. The Chiefs did recently sign TE Blake Bell, who had been with the Chiefs for the Super Bowl LIV run, but spent the 2020 season with the Dallas Cowboys, on a 1-year deal. However, with the recent retirement of fullback Anthony Sherman, and superstar Travis Kelce not getting any younger, could the Chiefs look to make an addition to the TE room via the 2021 NFL Draft?

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Current Chiefs TE Room

According to ESPN.com, the Chiefs currently (as of March 20, 2021) have seven tight ends on their roster. They include the following:

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• Travis Kelce, 31 (years old), 8 (years experience)
• Blake Bell, 29 and 6
• Nick Keizer, 25 and 1
• Deon Yelder, 26 and 3
• Ricky Seals-Jones, 26 and 4
• Evan Baylis, 27 and 1
• Sean Culkin, 27 and 4

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Clearly the team will not retain seven tight ends. Kelce will obviously remain TE1, as he arguably remains the best TE in the NFL. Bell would probably not have been brought back, if not for a reason, so odds are he’ll make the active roster. Yelder also has at times made contributions while on the roster. I personally see the rest of these players fighting for a spot on the practice squad or being cut at some point.

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So, why would the organization want to target a tight end in the upcoming draft? I see at least a couple of reasons. First, rather than obtaining a pure fullback to replace Sherman, the Chiefs might want to bring in a hybrid TE, often referred to as an H-back role, who could be a bit less of a pass-catching TE and more of an in-line blocker. He could also start out of the backfield alongside one of the running backs, especially in relation to Kelce as a potential complimentary piece.

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Secondly, the team might look to bring in a TE who has a similar skill set as Kelce, certainly not to be exactly everything Kelce is (because that doesn’t really exist), but simply someone who can replicate some of what Kelce brings in order to give the All-Pro TE a slight reprieve at times. To be abundantly clear, I am not suggesting that Kelce is going into decline, he just had unquestionably the best season of his illustrious career. However, as he continues into his 30s, it might help to prolong his Hall of Fame career… if… the team can find a way for him to not have to grind it out on the field for nearly 100% of all offensive snaps. So, below I will take a quick look at a handful of the top TE draft prospects and how they could potentially fall on the board and fit in the Chiefs system.

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Why am I not starting by writing about Kyle Pitts? Simple, he’s projected in the top 10, pick #5 by CBS Sports, and the Chiefs: Will. Not. Draft. Him.

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So. I’m starting this list with Freiermuth, who is currently projected at pick 62 near the end of the 2^nd round. This could be interesting, as the Chiefs currently hold the 63^rd overall pick. The Chiefs may not want to look for a tight end with their 2^nd pick in the draft, but if they do, Freiermuth could be a great fit. At 6’5” and 258, he has the toughness, size and strength to contribute as a blocker, but with the nickname “Baby Gronk,” he has also shown the athleticism to get open and catch passes in the open field.

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This would potentially offer Head Coach Andy Reid the flexibility of playing him in many different schemes and roles – as a run blocker, and in-line pass blocker, or similarly to Kelce as a receiver either in the slot or out wide. A final big seller for him is that he is good in the red zone, being good at making contested catches and having recorded a school record 16 red zone TDs for a TE; this would be significant as one of the Chiefs’ rare weaknesses on offense as of late has been converting on red-zone opportunities.

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Some projections actually have Jordan as the 2^nd best TE in this year’s draft, ahead of Freiermuth, but the CBS Sports big board currently has him projected as the 70^th overall pick. This could make him at least a somewhat viable option at #63 if Freiermuth is off the board by then. I’m still not all in on taking a TE this early, but what might make Jordan worth the early pick is both his versatility and his ability as a blocker. At 6’3” and 245, one might not think of him as the strongest blocker, but during his time at Miami he has proven otherwise – often having been asked, and succeeding at, blocking defensive ends and even chipping nose tackles at times. Additionally, he poses matchup problems as a receiver against linebackers and safeties.

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Listed at 6’4” and 247 lbs., and projected at overall pick #89, there’s no guarantee that Tremble will still be on the board when the Chiefs select at #93 (end of the 3^rd round), but he’d also potentially be a fantastic fit for K.C. if he’s available. Where he lacks in receiving stats, he makes up for as a gritty blocker and a versatile H-back style TE who can potentially fill various roles along the Chiefs offense and be a complimentary piece to Kelce. He needs to work on his hands skills, and some of his short route running, but in general he could also present mismatch opportunities when Reid employs his 12-personnel packages (1 RB and 2 TEs), as well as contribute to improving the running game. Perhaps the the biggest reason for taking Tremble is offering another pass-protection option (see: PMII, and ask if he agrees).

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At 6’5” and 253, projected at pick #93, Long offers not only the size and tenacity to be an effective blocker, but also the athleticism and pass-catching ability to possibly be an additional target for Patrick Mahomes either in 12 personnel packages or in relief duty for Kelce. According to thedraftnetwork.com:

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“In 2020, Long led all tight ends in college football with 89 targets, 22 more than the second-most targeted tight end. Long led the nation with 57 receptions and collected 685 receiving yards with five touchdowns. He was featured heavily in the Boston College offense and he delivered. Long is a sound route-runner with good hands and sufficient ball skills.”

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Zach Davidson, Central Missouri

Right off the bat, I admit I really wanted to write about this kid mostly due to a very specific personal bias. I am an alum of the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, and I have to ask: when has a UCM football player ever been drafted?! So, quite honestly, I would be just tickled happy to see a fellow Mule in Chiefs red and gold. This is a very unprofessional take, and I’m okay with that. If you are offended, feel free to demand that Laddie fire me (not that I’m getting paid or in any way employed for writing for ArrowheadOne).

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[Editor’s Note: my opinion of James just went way up, and we will be doubling his nothing salary here at AO immediately. -Laddie]

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All that being said, Davidson is actually a legit draft prospect. Sports Illustrated’s 2021 NFL Draft “big board” has him ranked as the 7^th best TE (just a slight fraction behind Tre McKitty) and also has him projected in the 4^th round. According to NFL Draft Diamonds, he is the “top small school tight end,” and for good reason. At 6’7” and 245, he has the height, mobility (and hands) to be a receiving threat. During his last season with UCM, he caught 40 passes for 894 yards (over 20 yards per reception) and 15 touchdowns. This season included a game in which he went off for 225 yards and three scores – sound at all familiar?

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Here’s a fun kicker – he’s also a punter! His best year punting was 2017, when he set a team record averaging 44.3 yards per punt (also 2^nd best in the country that year). This season included one game where he averaged 55.7 yards and one punt of 65 yards. Not saying we desperately need a punter, but worst-case scenario you’d have a backup in a pinch – plus, with the experience one has to assume he has some understanding of special teams operations and could thus come in as a rookie and be a special teams contributor on punt coverage.

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Final Thoughts: What to Look For

The tight end position is clearly lower on the list of needs for the Chiefs, especially now after the re-signing of Blake Bell, but between the loss of Sherman, the obvious need to provide more extensive pass-pro for Mahomes, and what should be a desire for a more bona fide TE#2. So, I recommend that we keep an open eye for GM Brett Veach to look at drafting a TE anywhere after their 1^st pick, and more specifically somewhere in rounds 3-5.

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James S. McGregor — ArrowheadOne

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