The top five tight end prospects (with draft projections):
1. Eric Ebron*, 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, North Carolina (first round): He's the most gifted pass-catching tight end in the draft. He also played some defensive end during his career with the Tar Heels. Last season, he set the ACC mark for receiving yards by a tight end with 973 yards. He caught 62 passes and had three touchdown receptions. "Highly athletic, highly productive (pass-catching) tight end loaded with upside and mismatch capability," Nolan Nawrocki wrote in his 2014 NFL Draft Preview. "Possesses the speed, movement skills, hands and run-after-the-catch skills to emerge as a playmaking weapon in the pros."
2. Jace Amaro*, 6-5, 265, Texas Tech (second): A smooth and fluid route runner with dazzling hands. Plucks the ball out of the air like its a grapefruit. But his 40-yard dash times suggest that he'll have trouble getting open in the NFL. He racked up 106 catches for 1,352 yards and seven touchdowns for the Red Raiders.
3. Austin Seferian-Jenkins*, 6-6, 262, Washington (second): He started 12 games last season for the Huskies and won the John Mackey Award, which goes to the nation's top tight end. He finished with 36 catches for 450 yards and eight touchdowns. He played 17 games for the Huskies basketball team as a freshman.
4. Troy Niklas*, 6-7, 270, Notre Dame (second to third): He's considered more of a blocking tight end. He replaced Tyler Eifert, who was drafted by the Bengals last season, and caught 32 passes for 498 yards and five touchdowns in 2013. He would have benefited from returning for his senior season and likely would have had a shot at becoming a first-round pick.
5. C.J. Fiedorowicz, 6-6, 255, Iowa (third to fourth): Fiedorowicz played in the Senior Bowl and was named the most outstanding tight end/wide receiver. He completed his career with at least one pass reception in 31 consecutive games, which ranked second among active FBS tight ends. He played for the Hawkeyes as a freshman in 2010.
Underclassman*
Teams in need: New York Giants, Kansas City, New England, Green Bay, Buffalo and New York Jets.
Need area for Falcons? Yes. The incomparable Tony Gonzalez has retired. The Falcons know they can't replace him, but at the very least, they need a blocker who can also work well in underneath zones.
Top 5 seniors for 2015 draft: 1. Nick O'Leary, 6-3, 248, Florida State; 2. E.J. Bibbs, 6-3, 252, Iowa State; 3. Ben Koyack, 6-5, 261, Notre Dame; 4. Rory Anderson, 6-5, 242, South Carolina; 5. Randall Telfer, 6-4, 250, USC.
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