With the 2023 NFL Draft pushing closer, teams are zeroing in on the prospects they want to handpick for the future of their franchise. Among this star-studded draft class is a group of tight ends that have the traits to transform an NFL offense.
Not far behind the Utah star, however, are four other potential NFL playmakers, with Simms ranking Iowa’s Sam LaPorta at No. 2, Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer at No. 3, Cincinnati’s Josh Whyle at No. 4 and Georgia’s Darnell Washington at No. 5.
The 2023 NFL Draft will begin on Thursday, April 27, and end on Saturday, April 29. The first round will take place on Thursday with rounds two and three airing on Friday and rounds four through seven on Saturday. Click here for Simms’ quarterback rankings,and here for his list of top wide receivers.
RELATED: When is the 2023 NFL Draft? Date, start time, location, Round 1 order
Simms’ Top Five TE prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft
Tier One
1. Dalton Kincaid, Utah
Tier Two
2. Sam LaPorta, Iowa
Tier Three
3. Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
4. Josh Whyle, Cincinnati
5. Darnell Washington, Georgia
RELATED: 2023 NFL Draft order: Complete list of every pick from Round 1 through Round 7
Simms Breaks Down 2023 Draft TE Rankings
The following are highlights from Simms’ CB draft rankings. For Simms’ in-depth analysis, read below for a breakdown on each prospect and be sure to subscribe to Chris Simms Unbuttoned for an unfiltered look at the NFL, featuring player access, unabashed opinion, X&O film breakdown, and stories from a life in and around football.
What Simms said: “This guy is awesome … the physical skills are off the charts good. First off, natural athlete. Great pair of legs. He’s not rocked up, but I have no problem with that, he’s just a big strong man. Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, they’re not rocked up, they’re just big guys who are natural athletes … After the catch, he’s receiver-like. He gets upfield in an instant, he can make people miss. It’s not like that’s gonna be his number one thing, breaking ankles, but he can make you miss. And then, damn, he breaks a lot of tackles … His blocking is really good. There’s certainly plays where he falls off blocks of misses blocks, but here’s the thing: there’s plenty enough to see it as you go through the games themselves and go, ‘Oh, damn, he does a good job. He can block people big, in space, do all that.’”
What Simms said: “Just an all-around complete football player who, as a route-runner, is right up there with Dalton Kincaid, his ability to set people up, lean into them and come out of breaks. Again, the hip looseness that I’m so into and the ability to come out of some of the intricate breaks is a real thing … Man, he does his job every play and does high-level NFL run-blocking stuff to where you go, ‘Wait, I can see NFL routes, I see NFL run-blocking, and then of course the physical tools that go along with it.’ … I wish there was maybe a little more physicality after the catch. He doesn’t break a whole lot of tackles.”
No. 3: Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
What Simms said: “There’s some things I really like here. The guy has got some traits about him that I’m in love with … Separation was an issue. He did not separate from coverage nearly at the same rate Kincaid and Laporta did … The positive is that he catches the ball in (contested) scenarios a lot. My thing I’m a little worried about is that in the NFL there’s gonna be a little bit better players playing the ball and better athletes and a bigger guy altogether. But his ability, unlike Laporta, to catch the ball with people hanging around him and on him is through the roof good.”
What Simms said: “His route-running is off the charts good. He plays faster than his 40-time in the combine in my opinion … The way he gets off the ball, the way he runs by safeties and linebackers, I just thought man, it’s so easy … Dude can block. Again, it’s not “knock your head off” blocking, it’s what I call assignment blocking. He’s not soft, but he’s not gonna knock anybody back five yards or knock their head off, but his guys never makes a tackle for the most part … He’s always in good position, the feet are moving, it’s a wide base.”
No. 5: Darnell Washington, Georgia
What Simms said: “If there’s gonna be a Gronk in this class, it’s gonna be this guy. You gotta put it together a little bit and all that. But first off, he’s a monster. I mean, a monster. Second off, he’s an insane blocker. You want to compare a blocker to Gronk, we’ve got a guy. If he’s at the line of scrimmage, he’s like having another tackle in the football game … He kind of likes smashing people. And if you’re smaller, he really likes to let you know you’re smaller.”
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