The big four at tight end in the 2023 draft class appears mostly set in stone: Utah’s Dalton Kincaid, Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer, Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave and Georgia’s Darnell Washington.
It’s possible the Packers will get one of the top four. It’s equally possible the Packers will solve other roster holes early and only later tap into the depth of the draft class at tight end.
The question: Which tight end should the Packers target if the top four are off the board?
The staff at Packers Wire made their picks:
Zach Kruse: Sam LaPorta, Iowa
If there was a big five, LaPorta would most certainly qualify as the fifth. He checks all the boxes in terms of a tight end who could replace Robert Tonyan as the primary pass-catching target but with a little more inline toughness and versatility. He can run, create separation against man and zone coverages and produce extra yards after the catch from a variety of alignments, including inline and the slot and even out wide. There’s a good chance LaPorta is going to be a high-volume receiver at the next level, even if he’s not the biggest tight end (6-3, 245) and his down-to-down blocking needs to get better. The Iowa product is athletic (9.01 RAS) and tough, with big hands (10 1/4″) and a strong history of receiving production. He’s ready to contribute right now, and he could play a long time at the pro level. The Packers could realistically get him in the second round.
Brennen Rupp: Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State
The Packers need a playmaker or two at tight end and Kraft would bring a ton of playmaking ability to the position. A high school running back, Kraft may be one of the best YAC threats at the position in the draft. The Timber Lake high school graduate has natural pass-catching skills, with his reliable hands and body control. The SDSU product is the complete package and could be a dynamic weapon over the middle of the field for Jordan Love.
Paul Bretl: Luke Schoonmaker, Michigan
Schoonmaker is a willing and capable run-blocker, with over 600 run-blocking snaps over the last two seasons, including ranking 37th in PFF’s run-blocking grade out of 200 tight ends in 2022. Although he had just 62 targets combined between 2021 and 2022, he was efficient as a receiver, has slot experience, and with an elite RAS of 9.86, he possesses the upside to develop into a greater threat. The Packers’ tight end room from a season ago came with some predictability with Robert Tonyan being the only real pass catcher while Josiah Deguara and Marcedes Lewis were mostly blockers. The addition of Schoonmaker, who is capable as both a pass catcher and blocker, would help open up the playbook for Matt LaFleur, and better keep defenses off-balance.
Brandon Carwile: Josh Whyle, Cincinnati
Whyle has all the tools to be a starting NFL tight end. Standing at 6-6 and weighing 250 pounds, he ran a 4.69 at the combine with athleticism that frequently popped up on his game tape. Whlye is extremely versatile, meaning that he is a movable tight end who can play from multiple alignments. Sound familiar? Whyle is basically a bigger version of Josiah Deguara, who he served as the backup for in 2019. When Whyle took over as the starter in 2020, he responded with a career-high 353 receiving yards and six touchdowns. However, Whyle’s production never really improved over the next two seasons, but that doesn’t mean he can’t get himself open. Whyle understands how to attack defenses and has good body control and a wide catch radius. He is more of a receiver than Deguara is (but not the blocker) and would give Matt LaFleur another tight end to get creative with.
