NFL Draft News

Record number of tight ends through three rounds

Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Utah Utes tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) celebrates the victory against the Southern California Trojans in the PAC-12 Football Championship at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

RECORD NUMBER OF TIGHT ENDS: Nine tight ends were selected in the first three rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft (one in the first, five in the second, three in the third), the most in the first three rounds of a Draft since 1967, surpassing 2019 (eight) and 2006 (eight). The second-round total was the most in the second round in a single Draft in the common-draft era. Six tight ends were chosen in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, tied with the 1974 NFL Draft (six) for the most in the first two rounds in the common-draft era.

TIGHT ENDS SELECTED IN THE FIRST THREE ROUNDS OF THE 2023 NFL DRAFT

PLAYER	COLLEGE	NFL TEAM	ROUND (OVERALL)
Dalton Kincaid	Utah	Buffalo	1 (25)
Sam LaPorta	Iowa	Detroit	2 (34)
Michael Mayer	Notre Dame	Las Vegas	2 (35)
Luke Musgrave	Oregon State	Green Bay	2 (42)
Luke Schoonmaker	Michigan	Dallas	2 (58)
Brenton Strange	Penn State	Jacksonville	2 (61)
Tucker Kraft	South Dakota State	Green Bay	3 (78)
Darnell Washington	Georgia	Pittsburgh	3 (93)
Cameron Latu	Alabama	San Francisco	3 (101)

FOOTBALL IS FAMILY: Among the players chosen in the first three rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, the family connections include:

WR JOSH DOWNS (No. 79, Indianapolis): Father, Gary, was selected in the third round (No. 95 overall) by the New York Giants in the 1994 NFL Draft; Uncle, Dre’ Bly, was selected in the second round (No. 41 overall) by the St. Louis Rams in the 1999 NFL Draft and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl Champion.
Arizona T PARIS JOHNSON JR. (No. 6, Arizona): Father, Paris Johnson Sr., was drafted by Arizona in the fifth round (No. 155 overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft.
LB B.J. OJULARI (No. 41, Arizona): Brother, Azeez, was selected in the second round (No. 50 overall) by the New York Giants in the 2021 NFL Draft.
DB JOEY PORTER JR. (No. 32, Pittsburgh): Father, Joey Porter Sr., was selected by Pittsburgh in the third round (No. 73) of the 1999 NFL Draft and was a four-time Pro Bowl selection, Super Bowl champion and member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000’s.

WR CEDRIC TILLMAN (No. 74, Cleveland): Father, Cedric, was selected in the 11th round (No. 305 overall) by Denver in the 1992 NFL Draft.