Matt Williamson, Mike Prisuta, and Max Starks reviewed the leading tight end prospects for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft in a discussion released on Apr. 7. The draft is scheduled to take place in Pittsburgh later this month, with the analysts providing their updated rankings and insights into key players at the position.
The evaluation of draft prospects is significant as teams look to strengthen their rosters with emerging talent. Tight ends play a vital role in both blocking and receiving, making their assessment important for team strategies.
Williamson identified Kenyon Sadiq from Oregon as his top choice among tight ends, followed by Eli Stowers of Vanderbilt and Michael Trigg from Baylor. He said Sadiq “still firmly commands the top spot on this list,” while also highlighting Oscar Delp from Georgia as an intriguing prospect due to his athleticism and potential beyond college performance. Williamson also mentioned North Carolina State’s Justin Joly for his versatility and Ohio State’s Will Kacmarek for his strength as a traditional tight end.
Prisuta agreed with Sadiq at number one but made adjustments by moving Stowers up to second place and Klare to third, citing their athletic profiles. He discussed several other prospects including Indiana’s Riley Nowakowski as a sleeper pick, Utah’s Dallen Bentley for his blocking ability, Penn State’s Khalil Dinkins following family footsteps into professional football, Texas’ Jack Endries for productivity at Cal, Wyoming’s John Michael Gyllenborg for athletic feats such as a notable sprint split time, Oklahoma’s Jaren Kanak transitioning from linebacker to tight end with strong receiving stats, Michigan’s Marlin Klein’s background and upside potential according to analyst Daniel Jeremiah, Houston’s Tanner Koziol compared by Charles Davis to Jake Ferguson, Maryland’s RJ Maryland setting school records at the position, USC’s Lake McRee impressing at the combine with balanced skills between catching and blocking abilities. Prisuta quoted Jeremiah saying about Stanford’s Sam Roush: “He’ll make his money with what he does at the line of scrimmage in the run game.”
Starks maintained Sadiq as his top pick based on size-speed combination but described him not as a blue-chip player yet still best among peers. He characterized Stowers more suited for open-field play rather than blocking while Roush was noted as reliable in traditional roles. Starks added that Endries could develop into a quality option under proper coaching.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have honored figures such as Terry Bradshaw and Joe Greene in their Hall of Honor for their contributions according to the official website. The team has achieved six Super Bowl championships as reported by its official site and contributes to community engagement through historical celebrations as outlined online. The franchise features its Hall of Honor Museum at Acrisure Stadium displaying artifacts according to its website, has earned recognition through multiple Super Bowl wins and inductions into its Hall of Honor, and remains affiliated with the National Football League as stated officially.
With these assessments released ahead of April’s draft event hosted locally—where Steelers history is celebrated—the city prepares not only for new football talent but also continues traditions tied closely with community identity.
