Who's the NFL's best tight end? Wide receiver? Cornerback? What about the second-best defensive tackle -- after Aaron Donald? To preview the 2021 NFL season, we set out to answer those questions and much more.
We surveyed more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to help us stack the top 10 players at 11 different positions, from edge rushers to interior offensive linemen and all the way through tight ends. This is the second edition of these rankings, and several players moved up or dropped from last year's lists.
Here's how our process worked: Voters gave us their best 10 to 15 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average, interviews, research and film-study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. We had several ties, so we broke them by isolating the two-man matchup with additional voting and follow-up calls. Each section is packed with quotes and nuggets from the voters on every guy -- even the honorable mentions.
The objective is to identify the best players right now for 2021. This is not a five-year projection or an achievement award. Who's the best today? Pretty simple.
We'll roll out a position per day over the next 11 days. Here's the schedule:
Week 1: edge rushers (July 5), interior defensive line (July 6), off-ball linebackers (July 7), cornerbacks (July 8), safeties (July 9), offensive tackles (July 10), interior offensive line (July 11)
Week 2: quarterbacks (July 12), running backs (July 13), wide receivers (July 14), tight ends (July 15)
Today's NFL is well-stocked with gifted, young tight ends who are challenging the old guard. Three tight ends ages 25 or younger either cracked the top 10 or got incredibly close.
This list is all about balance -- complete with vertical threats, multidimensional blockers and every-down throwbacks. And Travis Kelce looks like he has another 10 years as a high-ranking player after a historic season at age 31.
1. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 3
Age: 27 | Last year's ranking: 1
Kittle once again outdistanced Travis Kelce in a tight race for the top spot. Despite missing eight games with a nagging foot injury, Kittle's impact was felt leaguewide. The 49ers fell from fourth to 15th in total offense without Kittle and his quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, for much of the year.
Kittle was still on pace for 96 catches and 1,300 yards over 16 games. He created separation on his routes (3.78 yards away from nearest defender at time of pass arrival) and posted 296 yards after catch.
"He moves after the catch better than anyone, he's the toughest on the list, the best blocker, and he can catch 100 passes in the right offense," an AFC scout said.
Added a veteran NFL offensive player: "Kelce beats people up with routes -- Kittle doesn't but he is just so strong and fast that he wins that way."
2. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 2
Age: 31 | Last year's ranking: 2
Kelce just put together one of the finest seasons the NFL has seen from a tight end. Not only did Kelce set a Chiefs single-season record with 105 receptions, but 79 of them went for a first down.
He dropped one pass on 146 targets, and 597 of his 1,416 total yards came after the catch. His 23 catches of at least 20 yards led the NFL.
"Super savvy, instinctive, big -- he's the perfect storm," an AFC scout said.
An NFC exec added: "I'd still take him over Kittle because there's nobody better at getting open and making tough catches look easy."
3. Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 5
Age: 28 | Last year's ranking: 5
Waller is knocking on the door of the Kittle-Kelce class. He's not to be left out of the conversation for the game's very best, and by next season he might be No. 1.
"Defenses knew he was the guy to stop every week, and they couldn't do it," a veteran NFL offensive coach said. "It's not like he had talent all around him. He's the best athlete at the position, he's young, he's a capable blocker, and he can just overwhelm you in the passing game with his athleticism and speed."
Without a No. 1 receiver alongside him in Las Vegas, Waller did it all before and after the catch -- producing 274 yards after contact and 8.87 yards before contact per reception.
And in tight coverage, Waller caught every other pass thrown into a tight window (15-of-30, second best to Miami tight end Mike Gesicki).
4. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 11
Age: 25 | Last year's ranking: 6
Without an elite vertical passing game or All-Pros at receiver, Baltimore relies heavily on Andrews to spread the field. He rarely disappoints, producing 10.13 air yards per target and catching 11 of 23 targets thrown into tight windows.
"He's got that big catch radius that just swallows up the ball," an NFC exec said. "He's a primary option. Was not a good blocker coming out, but he can be competitive there. He's at least improved."
Andrews, a former third-round pick who is a 2022 free agent, had 37 catches that led to first downs in 2020, while 17.2% of his catches went for 20-plus yards
Andrews' production dipped slightly last season with 701 yards (down from 852 in 2019) and seven touchdowns after 10 the previous year, but defenses did a better job adjusting to the Ravens' offense in Lamar Jackson's second full season, so voters aren't holding that against Andrews.
5. T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: 12
Age: 24 | Last year's ranking: N/A
Hockenson emerged from the cluster of young tight ends with a barrage of top-five votes. In Year 2, Hockenson made his first Pro Bowl with 67 catches for 723 yard and six touchdowns. He also showed the ability to separate, standing 3.28 yards from the nearest defender when targeted.
"Just a really sound player," an NFC exec said. "[He's] shown ability to be a focal point. He's been productive when healthy."
Forty of Hockenson's catches went for first downs last season, and though he's not a blazer (he had a 4.7-second 40-yard dash time out of Iowa), he wins with footwork and body positioning.
"Traditional three-down guy, a little vanilla," an AFC scout said. "But he's shown he can be a productive guy in the passing game. It's not like he's not a downfield threat. ... He's great at body positioning, boxing guys out and using his arms to catch the ball."
6. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
Highest ranking: 4 | Lowest ranking: 13
Age: 26 | Last year's ranking: Honorable mention
Goedert's game is similar to Hockenson's -- multifaceted and effective.
Per Pro Football Focus, Goedert is the only tight end in the NFL with receiving and run-blocking grades of 80.0 or higher since 2018. This stat was eye-popping: Goedert reached a maximum speed of 25.34 mph this season, per Next Gen Stats, the second-highest mark of any NFL player.
"He kicked ass when we played them. Tough," said a prominent NFL defensive coach. "He's a handful off the line of scrimmage and downfield."
And his game should get stronger once he's the full-time tight end in Philly. Zach Ertz is still on the Eagles' roster, but the front office has discussed a potential Ertz deal with teams for months.
Goedert, who played 11 games last year, received 10.9% of the Eagles' offensive target but was still second on the team in catches (46) and yards (524), and paced for 67 catches in a bad offense over 16 games.
"Eagles won't be very good, but he'll be a focal point and will do well with that," an NFC exec said. "He's balanced. Does it all."
7. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
Highest ranking: 4 | Lowest ranking: 9
Age: 26 | Last year's ranking: 8
One NFC exec perfectly described Henry's game.
"He's a young, more dynamic version of Kyle Rudolph," the exec said.
Translation: Not fast, but finds ways to get open and produce. This earned Henry a ton of top-10 votes, though not necessarily many in the top 5.
Henry won't stretch the field vertically but can get you 10 yards just about whenever you need it, dropping only one pass on 90 targets last year.
The Patriots would have to work hard to prevent Henry from getting his usual 55 to 60 catches for 600 yards. Henry signed a three-year, $37.5 million deal with the club in March.
A few voters knocked him for not playing a full 16 games in any of his five NFL seasons, but not enough to affect his ranking significantly.
"He is what he is -- not great all around, but will wow you in the passing game with great hands," an AFC exec said.
8. Evan Engram, New York Giants
Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 26 | Last year's ranking: 7
NFL evaluators are still bullish on Engram's impressive skill set despite a tough 2020 campaign.
He ranked last among tight ends on this list in several categories -- drops (eight), receptions above expected (-10.9) and receptions per target (57.3). But his 4.42 40-yard dash speed and his route-running ability are hard to ignore. His open-field cuts and releases at the line of scrimmage are wide receiver-level.
"He's the guy you can do the most with in the passing game," an AFC scout said. "He's the guy the coordinators would want the most. He's underachieving and something is off, because he should be putting up big numbers with that ability."
And the Giants hope defenses focus less on Engram now that the offense got reinforcements this offseason -- Kenny Golladay and Rudolph in free agency, along with Kadarius Toney through the draft.
An NFC offensive coach added: "If he were in the Chiefs' offense, he'd be a superstar."
9. Jonnu Smith, New England Patriots
Highest ranking: 4 | Lowest ranking: 14
Age: 25 | Last year's ranking: Honorable mention
One of the game's most versatile tight ends finally made his way onto the list after an 11th-place finish a year ago. The Patriots signed Smith to a four-year, $50 million deal because he can stretch the field vertically and fluster defenses with his blocking prowess and physical skills.
The Titans know Smith was a catalyst for Derrick Henry's 2,000-yard season.
"You can use him a gazillion different ways," an NFL coordinator said. "Blocking at all levels, jet sweeps, motion, and he's improved as a receiver."
Smith hit career highs in targets (65), catches (41), receiving yards (448) and touchdowns (eight) last season.
And he's good with the ball in his hands. Smith recorded six catches with 4-plus yards after the catch than expected (known as Good YAC), per Next Gen Stats, which was eighth among all tight ends.
10. Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles
Highest ranking: 4 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 30 | Last year's ranking: 3
Just about everything went wrong for Ertz in 2020, causing a drop in the rankings. First, the contract negotiations that turned bitter. Then the ankle injury. And the Eagles' dreadful offense resulting in Carson Wentz's benching.
One of the game's most productive tight ends in 2018-19 regressed to 9.3 yards per catch and only one touchdown. But there's a ton of pedigree here. Ertz was the No. 3 tight end on this ranking just 12 months ago. And he hasn't forgotten how to play.
"He's probably tired of the bullcrap in Philly," a veteran NFL offensive player said of Ertz. "With a fresh start, he'll still be great."
Ertz would embrace a fresh start, and teams have shown willingness to provide one, but Philadelphia hasn't moved on a deal. His $8.25 million salary is a factor as teams look to save in a crunched post-pandemic salary cap.
A few contenders could use the help.
"Still a productive player, but the explosion and fluidity wasn't all the way there [last year]," an AFC exec said. "Maybe a full offseason to get healthy will help him regain that."
Honorable mention
Rob Gronkowski, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: "He can still play at a high level, but not sure how much he has left. At this stage, I would go younger." -- AFC exec
Noah Fant, Denver Broncos: "One of the most explosive players on this list. I think we will be having a far different conversation about him a year from now; [he'll be] high on this list. Not quite there yet." -- AFC scout
Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins: "Dynamic element to his game that's really hard to account for. A true matchup problem." -- AFC scout
Austin Hooper, Cleveland Browns: "Solid and dependable, good hands, limits mistakes, great for that [Browns] offense. Not a guy who takes you out of your game plan." -- NFC scout
Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers: "He can win as a route-runner, but a capable blocker, too. He's coming up." -- veteran NFL offensive player