The Mock Drafts have been running for months and most commonly predict the Vikings to use their first-round pick on the defensive side of the ball. But if there's one thing that's certain about the NFL Draft … it's that nothing is certain. So in leading up to this year's three-day event that begins with Round 1 on April 23, 2026, we're previewing prospects by position groups (all except quarterback, where the Vikings have four players on the roster, and specialists, where the Vikings have a trio of All-Pros). This draft prospect series will include rankings by national outlets, stats and background information for multiple prospects.

Next up is tight end, a position the experts see as having one standout — Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq — and some quality depth options in later rounds. League pundits interestingly vary greatly in their ranking of players after Sadiq.

Vikings status at tight end

Currently on the Vikings roster are veteran tight ends Josh Oliver and T.J. Hockenson, the latter of whom agreed in March to a restructured contract that provided Minnesota with more salary cap flexibility. Youngsters Ben Yurosek, Gavin Bartholomew and Bryson Nesbitt also are returning.

Oliver stood out last season not only as a blocker, which he's long since been highly touted for, but also in the passing game. He tied for the Vikings lead in receiving touchdowns with four, which included a 32-yard TD pass by running back Cam Akers in London. Oliver's 141.3 rating generated on targeted passes ranked 12^th overall in the NFL in 2025 — and fourth among players with at least 15 catches.

Hockenson also fared respectably, generating a rating of 109.3, but was called upon more than is typical to support the Vikings pass-blocking efforts.

The Vikings drafted Bartholomew out of Pittsburgh almost a year ago, but a back injury sidelined the TE for his entire rookie campaign. Yurosek joined the team as an undrafted free agent and contributed on special teams and offense, recording two catches for 14 yards. Nesbitt spent the 2025 season on Minnesota's practice squad.

Baby boom

The Vikings tight ends room greeted "new additions" this offseason. Hockenson and his wife Mikala welcomed a baby boy in late February, and Yurosek and his wife Alexia welcomed their son in March. The teammates are both first-time dads.

Expert rankings

NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah currently has just one tight end in his Top 50: You guessed it, Sadiq at No. 13.

ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr., has one tight end in his Top 25, also Sadiq (No. 12).

Rankings for tight ends by Jeremiah, his NFL Media counterpart Bucky Brooks, Kiper, analytics site Pro Football Focus and The Athletic's Dane Brugler are listed below. Kiper listed his top 10 tight ends and his top 10 fullbacks/H-backs.

Prospects

Note: Heights and weights are from each player's profile on NFL.com (linked for each player's name).

Kenyon Sadiq

School: Oregon | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-3 | Wt: 241 pounds

Experts' Position Rankings

Daniel Jeremiah: TE1

Bucky Brooks: TE1

Mel Kiper, Jr.: TE1

Pro Football Focus: TE1

Dane Brugler: TE1

2025 stats: 51 receptions for 560 yards and 8 TDs

Career stats: 42 games (14 starts); 80 catches for 892 yards (11.2 avg) and 11 TDs

Back-to-back-to-back: Sadiq shined at Skyline High School (Idaho), where he helped the Grizzlies win three consecutive state titles in his final three seasons (2020-22).

Max Klare

School: Ohio State (after Purdue) | Year: RS Junior | Ht: 6-foot-4 | Wt: 246 pounds

Experts' Position Rankings

Bucky Brooks: TE2

Mel Kiper, Jr.: FB/H-back 6

Pro Football Focus: TE3

Dane Brugler: TE3

2025 stats: 43 catches for 448 yards (10.4 avg) and 2 TDs

Career stats: 32 games (28 starts); 116 catches for 1,329 yards (11.5 avg) and 6 TDs

Brotherly love: Klare teamed with his brother, Luke, at Purdue in 2024 before transferring to Ohio State for his senior season. Luke also plays tight end for the Boilermakers. The brothers' teams faced each other in November when Ohio State defeated Purdue 34-10. Max had five catches for 59 yards; Luke did not log a reception.

Eli Stowers

School: Vanderbilt (after Texas A&M and New Mexico State) | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-4 | Wt: 239 pounds

Experts' Position Rankings

Bucky Brooks: TE5

Mel Kiper, Jr.: Fullback/H-back 1

Pro Football Focus: TE2

Dane Brugler: TE2

2025 stats: 62 catches for 769 yards (12.4 avg) and 4 TDs

Career stats: 45 games (13 starts); 146 catches for 1,773 yards (12.1 avg) and 11 TDs

Mackey winner: Stowers won the 2025 John Mackey Award, which recognizes the nation's top tight end in FBS.

Justin Joly

School: N.C. State (after Connecticut) | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-3 | Wt: 241 pounds

Experts' Position Rankings

Mel Kiper, Jr.: TE3

Pro Football Focus: TE6

Dane Brugler: TE4

2025 stats: 49 catches for 489 yards (10.0 avg) and 7 TDs

Career stats: 49 games (34 starts); 166 catches for 1,978 yards (11.9 avg) and 15 TDs

Catch me if you can: An athletic tight end who's tough to bring down, Joly has presented a challenge to defenders dating back to his earlier years — including as a star at Iona Prep. He shares an alma mater with Frank Abagnale, a well-known perpetrator of bank fraud in the late 1960s that later was portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the film Catch Me If You Can.

Jack Endries

School: Texas (after California)| Year: RS Junior | Ht: 6-foot-5 | Wt: 245 pounds

Experts' Position Rankings

Mel Kiper, Jr.: Fullback/H-back 5

Pro Football Focus: TE7

2025 stats: 33 catches for 346 yards (10.5 avg) and 3 TDs

Career stats: 39 games (39 starts); 124 catches for 1,376 yards (11.1 avg) and 7 TDs

Teamed with Mendoza: As a freshman at Cal, Endries started all 13 games and was a top target of future Heisman winner — and FBS National Champ — Fernando Mendoza. Endries earned Freshman All-American honors following that 2023 season, during which he recorded 407 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Michael Trigg

School: Baylor (after USC and Mississippi) Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-4 | Wt: 240 pounds

Experts' Position Rankings

Mel Kiper, Jr.: Fullback/H-back 4

Pro Football Focus: TE5

Dane Brugler: TE5

2025 stats: 50 catches for 694 yards (13.9 avg) and 6 TDs

Career stats: 38 games (26 starts); 108 catches for 1,419 yards (13.1 avg) and 14 TDs

Talent from a young age: Trigg ran a lap around the track with his father, Michael Trigg, Sr., at age 2 and by 4 years old could do approximately 200 push-ups. He started playing tackle football at 6 years old in the Tampa Bay Youth Football League; at age 8, he was "bowling through defenders with his size and strength, dialing up enough speed to create big plays."

Joe Royer

School: Cincinnati (after Ohio State) Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-5 | Wt: 247 pounds

Experts' Position Rankings

Bucky Brooks: TE4

Mel Kiper, Jr.: Fullback/H-back 2

2025 stats: 29 catches for 416 yards (14.3 avg) and 4 TDs

Career stats: 39 games (25 starts); 83 catches for 961 yards (11.6 avg) and 7 TDs

For Mom: Royer's mother Micki passed away in September 2022 at 52 years old. He has previously called Micki his "best friend" and often shares tributes to her using the hashtag #LLM for "long live Mom." Royer calls his mom his "why" on his football journey.

Oscar Delp

School: Georgia Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-5 | Wt: 245 pounds

Experts' Position Rankings

Mel Kiper, Jr.: TE2

2025 stats: 20 catches for 261 yards (13.1 avg) and 1 TD

Career stats: 55 games (34 starts); 70 catches for 854 yards (12.2 avg) and 9 TDs

Football over lacrosse: Delp played lacrosse in high school and considered following in his father's footsteps and playing collegiately. (Chris Delp played lacrosse for Rutgers.) However, he garnered heavy attention for his football performance as a junior at West Forsyth High School (Georgia) and opted to focus solely on the gridiron.

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