Who are the NFL's best tight ends? Execs, coaches and scouts help rank 2025's top 10

With 2025 NFL training camps on the horizon, the league's true insiders made their voices heard.

ESPN surveyed league executives, coaches and scouts to help us rank the top 10 players at 11 different positions, from quarterback to cornerback and all positions in between. This was the sixth edition of these rankings, and as usual, several players moved up or fell off last year's lists.

A reminder of the rankings process: Voters gave us their 10 best players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. In total, more than 70 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions. Additional voting and follow-up calls with those surveyed helped us break any ties.

Each section includes quotes and nuggets from the voters on every ranked player -- even the honorable mentions. The objective was to identify the best players for 2025. This was not a five-year projection or a career achievement award. Who are the best players today?

We will roll out a position per day over 11 days. The schedule: running backs (7/7), defensive tackles (7/8), edge rushers (7/9), safeties (7/10), tight ends (7/11), interior offensive linemen (7/12), offensive tackles (7/13), quarterbacks (7/14), off-ball linebackers (7/15), wide receivers (7/16), cornerbacks (7/17).

The George Kittle vs. Travis Kelce battle raged on for a half-decade in glorious fashion.

And now it's over.

The top tier of this year's tight ends list features multiple fresh names -- and a new tight end king.

Kittle and Kelce will have gold jackets waiting for them after retirement. For now, they have tight ends within their respective divisions who are jockeying for position.

Tight ends showed out for their quarterbacks last season, with five players producing between 800 and 1,200 receiving yards (three surpassing 1,100 yards) and seven different tight ends scoring at least seven touchdowns.

A versatile tight end can make all the difference for an offense, from yards after catch to stout blocking in the run game. It pays to be a tight end, too, with the positional market surging close to $20 million per year this offseason.

Here are the league's top 10 tight ends based on votes from executives, scouts and coaches.

1. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders

Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 7
Age: 22 | Last year's ranking: not eligible (rookie)

Bowers makes history in our Top 10 poll -- he's the first player to rank No. 1 at his position after his rookie year. From Joe Burrow to Justin Jefferson and Sauce Gardner, many came close but couldn't quite pull off the feat.

Bowers, however, narrowly outdistanced Kittle in the polls after earning more than 50% of the first-place votes.

He was the highest-graded overall player in the 2024 draft in the eyes of some NFL scouts, but the position he plays, coupled with a strong quarterback draft, dropped him to the No. 13 pick.

Sure, the Raiders needed a quarterback in the worst way, but there's no way they regret the selection of Bowers, who met expectations, then smashed them.

Among his Year 1 records: most receiving yards by a rookie tight end or wide receiver in NFL history (1,194), most receptions by a rookie at any position (112) and most receptions by any player in a single season in Raiders history.

"Great person, hard worker, instinctive, great hands, matchup problem due to his speed and athleticism with elite [run after catch] ability," an NFC executive said.

Added an NFL coordinator: "He sort of just floats around out there. Game comes naturally to him."

2. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 4
Age: 31 | Last year's ranking: 2

Kittle is aging well. He's coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with a combined 14 touchdowns during that two-year span. Fifty of his 78 catches last season went for a first down. His premier blocking remains unmatched, and he's still tough to bring down, leading all tight ends with 14.2 yards per catch.

Kittle and quarterback Brock Purdy signed massive contract extensions in tandem this offseason, so they have several years to build upon their chemistry. Kittle caught 83% of Purdy's targets last year.

"He's shown that when he's healthy he's the most complete player at the position," an AFC scout said. "Durability is the only thing that's really affected that. He embodies San Francisco's culture and that's why they keep paying him."

3. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions

Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: 8
Age: 24 | Last year's ranking: 4

LaPorta's production dipped in Year 2, when he finished with 60 catches for 726 yards and seven scores. He fought through a knee issue -- a hyperextension and bone bruise -- that slowed momentum.

But he's every bit as valuable as he was in 2023, and Detroit had several additional playmakers for whom to find targets. LaPorta is considered a complete tight end with elite feet, niftiness in the red zone and strength to compete every play.

"[Lack of production is] not really a factor because Detroit has so many players they need to get the ball to," an NFC executive said. "He's a stud. Will be a cornerstone player for a long time."

New Lions offensive coordinator John Morton was once an NFL tight ends coach, so scheming plays with LaPorta in mind won't be foreign to him. And if head coach Dan Campbell jumps into playcalling, which is a passion of his, his love for tight ends is well-known.

LaPorta remains a red zone favorite of Jared Goff's, catching 11 passes for 80 yards and five touchdowns on 19 targets in that area of the field.

"He doesn't have a lot of weaknesses -- good at just about everything," an AFC scout said. "If you want a complete tight end, he fits the bill."

4. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals

Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 10
Age: 25 | Last year's ranking: honorable mention

The Cardinals' new $76 million man has been worth every cent for Arizona, which trusted McBride with a 29.7% target share last season.

McBride rewarded that usage with a Year 3 breakout that included 111 catches for 1,116 yards on his way to a first Pro Bowl nod. His 147 targets last season ranked second among tight ends, and McBride turned those targets into 7.8 yards per clip. He has run-after-catch ability with speed and good hands and is a capable blocker.

"Best receiving tight end out there," an NFL coordinator said. "He's a hard cover even for elite corners."

McBride's jump from last year's honorable mention status to the top four is sizable, but he was the only tight end not named Kittle or Bowers to receive a first-place vote.

"Lack of touchdowns hurts him a bit for me if we're talking about top-five guys," an NFL personnel director said about McBride, who has six total touchdowns in three seasons.

5. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

Highest ranking: 4 | Lowest ranking: unranked
Age: 35 | Last year's ranking: 1

The back-to-back tight end king fell well short of first place after signs of decline surfaced in 2024.

Most of that can be chalked up to age. Kelce turns 36 in October and has played nearly 200 games over 12 years, including playoffs.

But several evaluators noted that Kelce played heavier last year, something he's aiming to fix. He has slimmed down this offseason in preparation for what could be his final season. While a team source believes any weight issues did not affect his play dramatically, lack of explosive plays was a problem. His 8.5 yards per catch were a career low by a wide margin.

"For sure [he showed] signs of physical decline, but you still have to worry about him because he's such a smart player with a great connection with the QB," a veteran pro personnel evaluator said. "Just doesn't get open like he used to."

Kelce is still dangerous in the red zone, where he turned 26 targets into 19 catches for 106 yards and three scores. He still led the Chiefs in targets (133) last season.

While Kelce will remain a focal point, the Chiefs expect to have full health at wide receiver, and tight ends Noah Gray and Jared Wiley could grow in stature.

"He's still awesome," an NFC executive said of Kelce. "It might not look as exotic as he used to, but you still look up and he's got nine for 70."

6. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: unranked
Age: 29 | Last year's ranking: 3

Andrews held up in the voting despite declines in yards and catches per game compared to previous years.

But he was highly efficient when Lamar Jackson looked his way. Andrews produced a 140.9 passer rating for his quarterback on 69 targets, with 55 catches for 673 yards, 11 touchdowns and 1 interception.

The crucial end zone drop on a game-tying 2-point attempt late in the AFC divisional round loss to Buffalo is unfortunate, but doesn't define his game.

"Elite instincts. A QB's best friend," an NFL coordinator said. "Dominates the middle of the field. Understands zones and man-to-man better than anyone outside of Kelce. Baltimore is a totally different team without him. Bummer about the playoff game thing because this guy is a total G."

7. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings

Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: unranked
Age: 28 | Last year's ranking: 5

Hockenson's status within the Vikings' offense was growing before a torn ACL and MCL suffered on a late hit in Week 16 of 2023 stalled that progress. Up to that point, Hockenson's 95 receptions were the 18th most in NFL history among tight ends.

Returning close to midseason last year, Hockenson still produced three games of at least 68 yards from November to December. But, overall, he wasn't quite at full tilt.

"He was OK -- didn't appear to trust the knee, especially in blocking, which is common for that injury," an NFL coordinator said. "But I expect him to have a strong year. He will trust it more a year removed and that offense is set up nicely for him. And he's got such a good feel for the game that he'll find ways to get catches."

A first-year starting quarterback's best friend is a tight end, so don't be surprised if J.J. McCarthy hits it off with Hockenson over the middle of the field -- especially when he sees soft spots in zone coverages, which Hockenson navigates well.

8. Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens

Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: unranked
Age: 25 | Last year's ranking: unranked

Cracking the top eight as a TE2 is an impressive feat for Likely. But his profile in Baltimore is growing. He averaged 8.2 yards per target, ranking high within this tight end pool. His 4.3 yards of separation per route also is among the best for his position.

"He's a matchup guy, very loose, can separate, big catch radius, pretty diverse route tree," a veteran NFL coach said.

Likely is a 2026 free agent, and though Baltimore has interest in re-signing him, he would have a fruitful open market waiting for him.

Likely had 13 red zone targets, the most for any NFL tight end who isn't the primary starter. He turned those targets into eight catches for 56 yards and five scores.

9. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles

Highest ranking: 7 | Lowest ranking: unranked
Age: 30 | Last year's ranking: 7

Goedert occupies a tricky space on the list because he's a longtime top-10 resident but is, quite clearly, the fourth option in the Eagles' offense behind Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Philadelphia explored a potential trade for Goedert this offseason, only to revise his contract to one year and $10 million.

His 2024 output -- 42 catches for 496 yards and two touchdowns -- was his lowest since his rookie year in 2018. But he's still considered among the most complete tight ends in the NFL.

"He's still on the short list of tight ends that affect the game at a high level," a high-ranking scout with an NFL team said.

Added a veteran NFL defensive coach: "Very good player -- does everything extremely well, just not exceptional at any one thing in particular ... You don't give him as much thought as some of these other top [tight ends], but probably because you can't afford to with Saquon, A.J. and Smith in that offense."

10. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns

Highest ranking: 4 | Lowest ranking: unranked
Age: 28 | Last year's ranking: 6

Njoku realized his enormous potential in 2023 with 882 yards, six touchdowns and a Pro Bowl nod despite playing with four different quarterbacks.

The 2024 season was harder for Njoku, whose yards per catch dipped from 10.9 to 7.9. But he posted a respectable 64 catches and five touchdowns while playing in one of the league's worst offenses.

"He's figured it out," an NFL personnel evaluator said. "Before he was just an athlete with physical tools, but he's evolved into a pro tight end who had more nuance to his game as a route runner and more coverage awareness."

Honorable mention

Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills: "Athletic, he can run, elite hands and ball skills plus his QB will make him productive." - NFL personnel director

"I think he's going to have a big bounce-back year." -- AFC scout

Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers: "I've always been a huge fan. He's a really freakin' good football player. Has three-down ability, reliable in the passing game. He's just had bad quarterback play." -- NFC scout

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots: "He's aging well because speed was never his game but he's just a good player with sure hands. Can get you 600 or so yards every year. Takes care of his body, great in the locker room." -- NFL personnel evaluator

Evan Engram, Denver Broncos: "Persistent matchup issue due to his athletic ability and explosive plays. He's gotten more polished and dependable throughout his career." -- NFC executive

Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears: "Probably underutilized as a three-down tight end. He can stretch the seams and work underneath for the QB." -- NFL personnel evaluator

Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys: "Excellent blocker and receiver. Needs to get Dak [Prescott] back in the worst way." -- NFL coordinator

Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers: "Best in the NFL after the catch. Can really run. Not an elite blocker at this stage." -- Veteran AFC personnel executive

Also receiving votes: Dalton Schultz (Houston Texans), Tucker Kraft (Green Bay Packers), Kyle Pitts (Atlanta Falcons), Juwan Johnson (New Orleans Saints), Zach Ertz (Washington Commanders)