Beyond Round 1: Ranking This Year’s Sleeper Rookie Tight Ends

For immediate impact, in fantasy and real life, most NFL tight end attention this year will focus on Colston Loveland of the Chicago Bears and Tyler Warren from the Indianapolis Colts.

After Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren, these are rookie tight end rankings from Round 2 through 5.

Why? Well, those men flew off the board in Round 1, and that’s where the magic happens, according to some onlookers.

Yet, the “other” tight ends are vital too, those drafted after Round 1. Here’s how the Rounds 2-5 tight end profile to affect the 2025 regular season, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most impactful as a rookie).

7. Mitchell Evans (CAR)

Evans grabs “last place” on this list because he’s trapped on a depth chart behind Tommy Tremble and Ja’Taviou Sanders. In short, the Panthers will probably give Sanders an honest-to-goodness look at TE1 before handing Evans the baton.

The Notre Dame alumnus doesn’t move the needle much for yards after catch and is injury-prone. He also broke his foot in 2022 and tore his ACL in 2023.

Don’t hold your breath on Evans busting out into stardom — hence the Round 5 draft stock.

6. Oronde Gadsden II (LAC)

On the other hand, unlike Evans, Gadsden II does have the oomph to play explosively. He logged 100-yard games five times last season at Syracuse and eerily resembles a large wide receiver on the field.

In Los Angeles, he’s stuck behind Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin, two competent veteran tight ends who will do enough to hold off Gadsden II in 2025.

Gadsden II, though, is a man to monitor in 2026 and beyond. He doesn’t do much blocking, but he can catch the damn football.

5. Gunnar Helm (TEN)

Chig Okonkwo is ahead of Helm on the Titans’ depth chart, and Josh Whyle could be, as well.

Helm is a balanced tight end, however, and could achieve TE2 status after some development. He has a Jake Ferguson + Dalton Schultz skill set, although he may not climb that high per productivity, especially not as a rookie.

What he does have working for him is that the Titans’ WR corps won’t blow anyone away, so if Helm can climb the depth chart, players like Okonkwo and Whyle in front of him are not gangbusters.

4. Terrance Ferguson (LAR)

Ferguson didn’t fly off the draftboard in April during Round 1 because his run-blocking just isn’t there — not yet, anyway. Perhaps Sean McVay can teach or squeeze it out of him.

His contested-catch rate will need some attention, but every other pass-catching trait is there. And on the Rams’ depth chart, Ferguson must only dethrone Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson, which will be “easy” if Ferguson matures in Los Angeles’ offense.

3. Elijah Arroyo (SEA)

Noah Fant holds the Seahawks’ TE1 job, and 2025 is the final year of his contract. Seattle may give Arroyo an audition sooner rather than later.

His closest comp is Zach Ertz, music to the ears of Seahawks fans. Arroyo’s major malfunction at the University of Miami? A knee injury ruined much of his 2022 and 2023 campaigns.

Former Seahawks wideout Bryan Walters recently said about Arroyo: “I’m not used to the numbers yet so when I see a number out there, I’m like, look at that receiver. Look at that big receiver. Wow, he can move. And I’m thinking it’s a receiver, and it’s Elijah Arroyo, the new draft pick. The tight end.”

“I’m really excited to see what happens when he gets into full pads, gets into game mode, get into those first preseason games and watch him be able to use his skills. I hadn’t seen a ton of him live in person, but he’s large and he’s fast, so that was pretty cool.”

2. Harold Fannin Jr. (CLE)

David Njoku has played in Cleveland for eight seasons — can you believe that? — and he always seems to miss time with nagging injuries.

When that happens henceforth, Fannin Jr. will be ready for some TE1 duty. Fannin Jr. mostly resembles Isaiah Likely of all active tight ends, so just imagine what Likely could do on the Baltimore Ravens’ depth chart without Mark Andrews taking most of the targets.

Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski noted on Fannin Jr. last week, “The Browns can employ 12 personnel packages to get Njoku and Fannin on the field, with Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman serving as the primary wide receivers. Fannin can be moved all over the formation and give the Browns’ quarterback(s) an accessible target, particularly with Njoku drawing attention from the defense. Furthermore, the rookie can create after the catch.”

1. Mason Taylor (NYJ)

Mason Taylor is the Jets’ TE1. Full stop.

He’s the only non-1st-Rounder already headlining a TE depth chart as the primary tight end. He compares somewhere between Hunter Henry and Mark Andrews per style of play, which should jibe right away with Justin Fields and friends.

Taylor may not approach the sizzle of Loveland or Warren, but his rookie production might reach their levels.

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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the Minnesota Vikings, with 4-7 episodes per week. His NFL obsession dates back to 1989. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.