Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is a realist when considering the team’s future at tight end.
“Obviously, you’re not going to replace Tony (Gonzalez),” said Ryan of the future Hall of Famer, who’ll work with CBS next season. “It’s not going to happen, and that’s no slight to (the returners). It didn’t matter who was going to walk in that door, you’re just not going to be able to do that.”
Gonzalez averaged 81.8 catches, 837 yards and seven touchdowns over his five seasons with the Falcons. He was a key part of their “pick our poison” aerial attack.
Because of more pressing needs along the offensive and defensive lines, the Falcons are not in the running for the top tight end — North Carolina’s Eric Ebron — in the NFL draft, which is set for May 8-10.
The Falcons looked at Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro intensely and at some of the mid- to late-round prospects. However, they appear set to enter next season with Levine Toilolo, who was a fourth-round pick last year, as the top tight end.
“We don’t need him to be Tony,” Ryan said. “We need him to be the best Levine Toilolo that he can be.”
In a reserve role, Toilolo caught 11 passes for 55 yards and two touchdowns last season.
“He’s been in here a couple of weeks prior to starting (offseason training),” Ryan said. “We have an open dialogue. I’ve shared my vision for some of the things I think he does well. Some of the things are different from what Tony did, so that position will probably look a little bit different for us.”
Ryan plans to help mentor Toilolo.
“He learned so much from Tony as far as the way that he prepares and how to take care of his body,” Ryan said. “Levine looks as good as he has since he’s been here. He’s put on a little bit of weight in the right spots, which has been good. But there is going to be a lot of work between us on the practice field and off the practice field.”
Ebron is a big and athletic tight end who can make plays down the field. He set several school and ACC records last season for the Tar Heels, and he played some at defensive end earlier in his career.
Ebron set school tight-end records for single-season catches (55), single-season receiving yards (895), career receptions (105) and career receiving yards (1,727) as a junior. His 895 receiving yards in 2013 are an ACC record for a tight end, eclipsing the record of 871 set by Maryland’s Vernon Davis in 2005.
Several draft analysts project him to be selected in the middle of the first round.
“It really doesn’t matter,” Ebron said. “If you need me, if you need a tight end, I’m here. I’m on a draft board.”
While evaluating Ebron, teams have to determine if he is at least willing to learn how to block, and during interviews with teams, Ebron had to address the issue.
“Every team wants a complete tight end, an all-purpose tight end,” Ebron said. “Not one that can just run down the seam and catch passes. They want a guy that can block, too. … I told them that I’ve been working hard on it, which I have, and that I’m not bad at it, which everyone thinks, but we’ll see.”
Amaro and Washington’s Austin Seferian-Jenkins are considered the next best prospects. The Falcons have heavily scouted Amaro, but Seferian-Jenkins has had a couple of run-ins with law enforcement. In the post-Michael Vick era, the Falcons heavily consider the good character of prospects.
Amaro caught 106 passes last season and was flanked outside often. Blocking will be an issue for him in the NFL, too.
“It’s kind of a revolution to the game now with what tight ends can bring across the board,” Amaro said. “I like to see myself as both a tight end and as a receiver.”
The Falcons also have scouted USC tight end Xavier Grimble and Iowa’s C.J. Fiedorowicz. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper noted that Colorado State’s Crockett Gillmore and Tennessee State’s A.C. Leonard are fine late-round prospects. Also, Georgia’s Arthur Lynch, has prototypical size, but lacks speed.
“There are some tight ends if you pick and choose, you might be able to get one on Day 3 of the draft,” Kiper said.
About the Author
