Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
The 2023 rookie tight end class came into the season with much hype. I wrote a piece before the season trying to slow the hype train, as the track record for rookie tight ends isn’t great. Furthermore, most classes have one great player, and the rest are decent role players. While I hesitated to jump on the hype train before the season, I am jumping on board now. The 2023 rookie tight end class is the greatest in NFL history.
2023 Rookie Tight End Class
The 2023 rookie tight end class was deep. Leading up to the draft, there was much debate on who should be taken first and when. Here is how it shook out in the first three rounds.
- Dalton Kincaid: Buffalo Bills, Round 1, Pick 25
- Sam LaPorta: Detroit Lions, Round 2, Pick 34
- Michael Mayer: Las Vegas Raiders, Round 2, Pick 35
- Luke Musgrave: Green Bay Packers, Round 2, Pick 42
- Luke Schoonmaker: Dallas Cowboys, Round 2, Pick 58
- Brenton Strange: Jacksonville Jaguars, Round 2, Pick 61
- Tucker Kraft: Green Bay Packers, Round 3, Pick 78
- Darnell Washington: Pittsburgh Steelers, Round 3, Pick 93
- Cameron Latu: San Francisco 49ers, Round 3, Pick 101
In past years, one of these players would be a future star, and the rest would be okay. That is not the case this year.
2023 Rookie Tight End Class Stats
Here is what all of those players did in their rookie seasons.
- Dalton Kincaid: 73 receptions, 673 yards, two touchdowns
- Sam LaPorta: 86 receptions (a rookie tight end record), 889 yards, ten touchdowns
- Michael Mayer: 27 receptions, 304 yards, two touchdowns
- Luke Musgrave: 34 receptions, 352 yards, one touchdown
- Luke Schoonmaker: 8 receptions, 65 yards, two touchdowns
- Brenton Strange: 5 receptions, 35 yards, one touchdown
- Tucker Kraft: 31 receptions, 355 yards, two touchdowns
- Darnell Washington: 7 receptions, 61 yards
- Cameron Latu: Did not record a stat line thanks to an injury
Obviously, there are duds, but in many cases, it was due to injury. Musgrave had a great season but had a lacerated kidney that kept him out of the last part of the season. Even if the stats don’t show it, this class looks to impact the league for a long time.
Cream Of The Crop
Sam LaPorta broke rookie records. He tied Rob Gronkowski for touchdowns as a rookie tight end. He will be a weapon for the Lions for years to come. It will be interesting to see if anything happens to LaPorta’s production if offensive coordinator Ben Johnson leaves for a head coaching position. However, he is too skilled to fall off completely. To give you an idea of how good LaPorta was in his first season, we can compare it to Travis Kelce, who will go down as one of the greatest tight ends ever. LaPorta had more yards in his rookie season than Kelce had in his first two years. His ten touchdowns tie Kelce’s first two years. The Lions may have a legend on their hands.
The other player I want to put in this category is Kincaid. He got off to a slower start but was fitting perfectly to the offense by the end of the season. With a full offseason and a year under his belt, I anticipate Kincaid being a top-ten tight end in the league next year. His athletic ability and catch radius, paired with Josh Allen, give him plenty of opportunity to put up big stats.
Seeing The Potential
Musgrave, Mayer, and Kraft have huge potential. The Green Bay Packers have not one but two budding tight ends who both had solid seasons. Musgrave is a matchup nightmare. He will be a dangerous target if he can figure out how to stay on his feet and exploit the defense. Kraft has the blocking ability to be in the league long-term. He showed above-average catching ability this season. Being out of South Dakota State, he was considered more of a project but is ahead of schedule.
Mayer is an interesting case. The upside is definitely there, but the Raiders’ offense went through some ups and downs this season. Anything under Josh McDaniels is tough to evaluate, but Mayer showed why many had him as the top tight end in the class. I expect him to be a bigger part of the offense in 2024.
Jury Is Still Out
Schoonmaker, Strange, Washinton, and Latu are still unknown. Latu missed most of the season with an injury. Schoonmaker could see some more work down the road, but Jake Ferguson has the top spot locked up. Strange was in a similar situation as Evan Engram took most of the snaps at tight end. The most interesting player of his bunch is Washington.
Darnell Washington is a huge specimen. Where he was effective for the Steelers this year was in run blocking. He can become a sixth offensive lineman who has a pass-catching upside. His offensive skills need to be refined, but his run-blocking ability will give him a spot in the NFL for a long time.
What Makes The 2023 Rookie Tight End Class Great?
I see five above-average starters right now. This is on top of the huge amount of potential of the others. I didn’t even mention the tight ends taken in the later rounds, like Will Mallory or Zach Kuntz. The trajectory has to continue, but when it is all said and done, we will look back on this tight end class as the best in NFL history.
