The top tight ends at the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl are out to make a name for themselves in Mobile. And with a strong performance this year, some of these tight ends could vault their NFL draft stock a round or two.
Top 2023 Senior Bowl Tight Ends NFL Draft Prospects
1) Cameron Latu, Alabama
No tight end in Mobile could help their cause more than Cameron Latu. Viewed as a fringe-level Round 2 player, Latu’s versatility and receiving skills could cement that status for him in Mobile.
Latu is a great all-around tight end, but his receiving prowess will surely be his most immediate way to the NFL as early as his rookie season. However, you can expect to see Latu in action in all facets with equal dominance.
2) Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
The rest of the nation may have been asleep while Luke Musgrave was doing his thing at Oregon State, or you just may have forgotten about him because he played in just two games this year. Nevertheless, Musgrave is a physical threat in all facets from the tight end spot.
He can line up in the slot and win his receiving battles or stay in as an in-line blocker with physical dominance. He’s at his best in the blocking arena, but if Musgrave can show some of the flashes we saw in the receiving game, he’ll be a Day 2 draft pick.
3) Payne Durham, Purdue
All Payne Durham did was make plays for Purdue over the past four seasons. With 21 touchdowns on just over 120 receptions, Durham is one of the top red-zone threats in this TE class.
MORE: Top Wide Receivers at the 2023 Senior Bowl Include Rashee Rice, Xavier Hutchinson, and Puka Nacua
Durham can line up just about anywhere on the field, and it’s not just in the slot where he’s at his best. Expect Durham to play in the backfield and as an in-line blocker, where he can showcase his three-down abilities to those NFL decision-makers in attendance.
4) Will Mallory, Miami (FL)
Perhaps the best pure receiving tight end of the group, Will Mallory is still somehow underappreciated for his work as a pass catcher. Mallory has deceptive after-the-catch ability and some great speed for a man his size.
Given his body of work as a receiver, those attributes are surely known as we approach the 2023 Senior Bowl. What isn’t quite as publicly known is his ability in pass protection and on the ground. Mallory should turn heads with his blocking ability.
5) Josh Whyle, Cincinnati
After toying with the 2022 NFL Draft, Josh Whyle returned to Cincinnati and capped his career with a Senior Bowl invite. Whyle had a remarkably consistent stretch of 300+ yards and multiple touchdowns to close out his Bearcats career.
The most important factor to Whyle’s return in 2022 is the fact that he was consistent with a brand new quarterback. Whyle is a great threat all over the field, most notably in the red zone, where he can use his 6’6″ frame to sky over defenders to the catch point.
Other Tight Ends To Watch
- Brayden Willis, Oklahoma
- Davis Allen, Clemson