Record number of tight ends through three rounds
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.