byJohn Oehser&Bucky Brooks

JACKSONVILLEThis is a solid class, if perhaps not the best in memory.

When it comes to tight ends, an evolving and increasingly important position in the NFL, the 2026 NFL Draft may not be about a slew of future All-Pro players or a lot of Day 1 drama.

It's mostly about good players who can play professionally at a high level for a long time.

Kenyon Sadiq of the University of Oregon is widely considered the top tight end in the 2026 NFL Draft. He is the only player at the position commonly projected in Round 1, with the '26 tight end class considered relatively deep and solid after Round 2.

That's something of a contrast to many recent drafts, with highly-regarded tight ends such as Brock Bowers (No. 13 overall, Las Vegas Raiders, 2024), Colston Loveland (No. 10 overall, Chicago Bears, 2025) and Tyler Warren (No. 14 overall, Indianapolis Colts, 2025) selected early in those drafts and making immediate impact as NFL rookies.

At least one tight end has been selected in Round 1 of four of the past five NFL Drafts, with the exception being 2022 when Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride was the first tight end selected. He was a second-round selection.

Sadiq, an early-entry junior who played all three collegiate seasons at Oregon, is projected by many analysts as a mid-to-late late first-round selection and he has been projected as early as 10th overall. He caught 80 career passes collegiately for 892 yards and 11 touchdowns, with 51 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns this past season.

Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers typically has been projected as a second-round selection, with Ohio State tight end Max Klare and Georgia tight end Oscar Delp often projected in the third round. Sam Roush of Stanford, Justin Joly of North Carolina State and Michael Trigg of Baylor are among tight ends often projected as fourth-round selections.

HANDICAPPING THE JAGUARS

This could be a position of interest for the Jaguars on draft weekend, though it's hard to call it a pressing 2026 offseason need. This was a strong area in 2025, a season of transition for the Jaguars at the position, withBrenton Strangein his third NFL season emerging as one of the NFL's most complete tight ends. Strange, a second-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, caught a career-high 46 passes for 540 yards and three touchdowns in 2025 emerging as one of the offense's most-important players, one of quarterbackTrevor Lawrence's most-reliable receivers and one of the league's best blocking tight ends.Hunter Long, acquired as an unrestricted free agent in the 2025 offseason, caught 12 passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns.Quintin Morris, also acquired as an unrestricted free agent in the 2025 offseason, also was a front-line blocker and caught six passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. The Jaguars are good here, but there's a possibility in a deep tight end class they could draft the position on Day 2 or early Day 3.

CHANCE JAGUARS TAKE A TIGHT END ON DAYS 1-2 (ROUNDS 1-3)

Possible.

TEs ON THE JAGUARS ROSTER

Brenton Strange,Quintin Morris,Hunter Long,Patrick Herbert.

BUCKY BROOKS' TOP 5 2026 TIGHT ENDS

POSSIBLE FIRST-ROUND TIGHT ENDS

Sadiq.