Notre Dame’s Tommy Tremble has the potential to be one of the top tight ends in the 2021 NFL Draft class. Although he may not have the receiving statistics of a Kyle Pitts or Brevin Jordan, the former Fighting Irish player is as physical and versatile as they come. Has he got what it takes to follow former Fighting Irish tight end, Cole Kmet, as an early-round selection?
Tommy Tremble NFL Draft Profile
- Position: Tight End
- School: Notre Dame
- Current Year: Junior
- Height: 6’3 3/8″
- Weight: 241 pounds
Tony Pauline’s Tommy Tremble Scouting Report
Positives: Athletic tight end who flashed dominance as both a blocker and a pass catcher. Sets with a wide base, bends his knees, and possesses terrific blocking vision. Explosive at the point and knocks defenders back from the action, working through the whistle. Runs well laterally, follows the quarterback across the field, and adjusts and swipes the ball out of the air on crossing patterns.
Extends to make the reception away from his frame and displays strong hands with the ability to pull the fastball out of the air. Works to make himself an available target and uses his frame to shield away defenders.
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Negatives: Used more as a rotational tight end for Notre Dame rather than a consistent starter. Must improve his route running.
Analysis: Tremble displayed flashes of being a complete tight end last season, dominating as a blocker and coming up with big plays as a pass catcher. He’s a tough, athletic, and grind-it-out tight end, with a large upside, but he may need time before he’s truly ready to be a starter at the next level.
Tommy Tremble Player Profile
Despite heading to the 2021 NFL Draft as a tight end, Tommy Tremble’s football origins rest on the defensive side of the ball. His father — Greg — was a former cornerback at Georgia who went on to win the Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys.
The younger Tremble garnered early attention as an edge rusher. He made the transition to tight end for his junior season at St. John’s where his physicality as a defensive player was demonstrated by his blocking ability.
An extremely athletic prospect, Tremble reportedly ran 4.67 seconds in the 40-yard dash as a near 200-pound junior. He also recorded a 36-inch vertical jump prior to his senior season.
Having been denied the opportunity to play both sides of the ball at St. John’s, he transferred to Wesleyan High School for his senior season. Expectations were high. However, a dislocated ankle suffered in just his second game would disrupt his final high school season.
As a result of the family connections to Georgia, the Bulldogs were a front-runner through the recruiting process. The three-star recruit and 21st ranked tight end in the class received multiple offers. Although he would describe it as a difficult decision, he ultimately opted for Notre Dame over Georgia, committing in December 2017.
Tommy Tremble’s college career at Notre Dame
Tommy Tremble’s career as a Notre Dame tight end got off to a slow start. As a freshman in 2018, he didn’t see playing time. However, he did impress on the offensive scout team. His experience there prepared him for an elevated role in the offense in 2019.
Despite sitting behind Cole Kmet on the Notre Dame depth chart, he made seven starts and appeared in 13 games. Announcing his arrival on the college football scene, he had a game-ball-winning performance against Louisville. In his first start, he secured 3 catches for 49 yards and a touchdown. Although he’d end the season with 183 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns, his role in the offense doesn’t show up on a stat sheet.
His ability to pass protect and run block from the tight end position was far more important
Tremble helped pave the way for an average of 179 rushing yards per game. While Ian Book was flinging touchdown passes to Chase Claypool and Cole Kmet, Tremble was helping keep the quarterback upright. With Kmet departed to the NFL Draft, Tommy Tremble saw an increased role in his junior season.
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In the season opener against Duke, he had a career-high 5 receptions. Furthermore, against USF he had a career-high 61 receiving yards. His blocking helped spring Kyren Williams for over 1,000 rushing yards as the Fighting Irish averaged over 211 rushing yards per game. Certainly, his contribution to the offense was less visible on the boxscore.
Following the College Football Playoff loss to Alabama, Notre Dame tight end Tommy Tremble made the decision to declare for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Tommy Tremble’s best fits in the 2021 NFL Draft
A physical, all-round tight end, Notre Dame’s Tommy Tremble should have no shortage of suitors in the 2021 NFL Draft. His ability to run block and pass protect while also being a pass-catching threat is reminiscent of Josiah Deguara in last year’s class. As a result, Tremble will have multiple alignments in the NFL. Subsequently, that versatility will make him a valuable asset.
Teams with a need at the position include the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, and New Orleans Saints. It also wouldn’t be a surprise to see him reacquainted with former Notre Dame teammates Chase Claypool in Pittsburgh or Cole Kmet in Chicago.
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Oliver Hodgkinson is a staff writer for Pro Football Network. You can follow him on Twitter at @ojhodgkinson.