Ranking NFL's top 10 tight ends for 2021

 

The best of the best at the tight end position entering 2021

By Jordan Dajani

Jun 17, 2021 at 8:45 am ET9 min read

The tight end position is one of the most interesting positions in the game of football. On certain downs they are expected to be a physical run blocker. On others, they are expected to serve as the security blanket for quarterbacks who can't get a good look at their receivers downfield. Still, on other plays, they are expected to be a playmaker who can catch a 50-50 ball 20 yards down the field.

Tight ends don't get the credit that they deserve, so a few of them have created "Tight End U," which is expected to be an annual meeting of the minds in Nashville, Tennessee with the greatest tight ends in the world. They want to further the position, and the NFL world has definitely started to realize how important a good tight end is to an offense. Below, we will rank the top 10 tight ends in the NFL when it comes to their outlook this season. We factor in their abilities as an athlete, a blocker and of course how dynamic they are in the passing game. Some names may surprise you this year, so let's go ahead and jump in.

T.J. Hockenson

Hockenson is not a household name just yet, but that could change very soon. The Detroit Lions weren't fun to watch in 2020, but in his first full season, Hockenson caught 67 passes for 723 yards and six touchdowns. He ranked fourth among all tight ends in receptions, third in yards and tied for ninth in touchdowns. Hockenson was dangerous working the middle of the field and effective in the red zone. Additionally, he's a solid run blocker. 

Some may think Hockenson's stock could drop a bit in 2021 considering he lost quarterback Matthew Stafford, but you have to remember the Lions downgraded in a big way at the wide receiver position. Breshad Perriman, Tyrell Williams and then maybe the rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown are going to be the top wideouts, which leaves the door open for Hockenson to be Detroit's leading receiver in 2021. The best is yet to come for Hockenson, and he's going to be a top tight end for years to come. 

Can Titans OL Adam Coon be the next Stephen Neal?

 

Published: Jun 12, 2021 at 09:03 AM

Grant Gordon | NFL.com Digital Content Editor

 

Julio Jones has been the talk of the Tennessee Titans as of late.

However, the reigning AFC South champions have brought in another addition recently with a decorated past in Adam Coon.

Tennessee recently signed the former University of Michigan All-American and Team U.S.A. champion wrestler with Titans head coach Mike Vrabel seeing a project ahead that could pay off in the same fashion that one of Vrabel's former teammates did.

"Just wanted to try to take a look at Adam," Vrabel explained of the signing of Coon when the coach spoke with the media on Thursday. "I followed his wrestling career for a while. Something we looked at and, again, I was a part of as a player taking a former wrestler and they developed into an offensive lineman with Stephen Neal."

Vrabel played with the New England Patriots from 2001 to 2008 and Neal played for them from 2002 to 2010. Just like Coon, Neal played high school football but never in college, concentrating and flourishing in wrestling.

"Wrestlers, especially at that elite level, have unbelievable balance, core strength, things that I think would translate well to an offensive lineman," Vrabel said.

 Coon, having claimed Greco-Roman and freestyle championships and medals throughout a decorated college and Team U.S.A. tenure, notably was a two-time NCAA finalist (2015, 2018), a 2018 Senior world silver medalist, two-time Senior World Team member and a 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up.

Neal, meanwhile, was a four-time All-American at Cal State Bakersfield and a two-time NCAA champion who, as a senior, memorably defeated Brock Lesnar in 1999 for the heavyweight national championship. Lesnar would come back to win the crown in 2000 before going on to become a superstar in the WWE and UFC, holding titles in the predetermined and legitimate fighting arenas and perhaps more importantly becoming a top draw in both and a very underrated businessman.

Perhaps if the world of mixed martial arts wasn't in its dark ages when Neal moved on from Bakersfield he would've found his way to the UFC and fighting notoriety thanks to his wrestling pedigree. Instead, he found his way to Foxborough and was a staple for the better part of a decade at right guard for the burgeoning dynasty.

That's perhaps the ceiling Vrabel's hoping Coon, his 26-year-old prospect/project, will reach.

However, another mention of Lesnar is warranted. Following his first run in the WWE, Lesnar, having no college football experience either, gave the NFL a shot. The Vikings didn't like him enough to give him a regular-season roster spot, but he was offered a shot to play in NFL Europe as a Vikings representative. He declined.

It was a project that didn't come to fruition, but Lesnar's sheer athleticism and wrestling base made it happen.

One would surmise it's much the same with Coon.

While plenty of NFL players have wrestling on their high school resumes, there are a few such as Lorenzo Neal and the late Carlton Haselrig who starred on the college mat, as well.

Coon could be the next. His athleticism and ability to compete at a high level are positives. However, he is aiming to play a sport he hasn't played in roughly eight years, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound-plus Coon projecting to be an interior offensive lineman.

"Having not played the game, there's a lot development that has to go on pretty quickly for him to compete," Vrabel said. "But he's got a great attitude. He shows up, he competes, he goes hard and he just might not know what to do all the time. I think we just have to continue to coach him and develop him and see what we can get out of him and how he develops."

The odds are long and the road ahead is an arduous one, but it just might be that Adam Coon develops into the next Stephen Neal.

‘BrewFest’ added to Boys & Girls Clubs’ annual Celebrity Golf & Walleye Classic

 

Dakota News Now staff | June 10, 2021

(Dakota News Now) - The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire is set to bring back its Celebrity Golf & Walleye Classic event, with a big addition this year.

The 2021 event will include “Celebrity Classic Crafted: Wine, Spirit & Brewfest,” a taste test featuring beer, wine, and spirits from a number of local breweries and distributors.

Cincinnati Bengals lineman and South Dakota native Riley Reiff is returning as a celebrity guest. He’ll be joined by UFC fighter Devin Clark and professional bodybuilder Austin Kjergaard.

The event serves as a major fundraiser for Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire. The Celebrity Golf Classic is June 11 at Lake Region Golf Club in Arlington. The Celebrity Walleye Classic is the same day at Lake Poinsett. The BrewFest takes place June 12 at Lakes Region Golf Course.

You can find more information, including how to get tickets, at the event’s website.

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