2024 NFL Scouting Combine: Group II Cheat Sheet

Group II: Tight ends

The logic behind the LA Rams moving in the direction of tight end continues to build steam, as the team faces the 2024 NFL season with second-year TE Davis Allen, hopes for speedy and full recoveries for starting TE Tyler Higbee and veteran blocking TE Hunter Long, and the exodus of TE Brycen Hopkins, who never seemed to earn playing time in the LA Rams offense

The Rams may not be an offense that features the tight end position like that of the Kansas City Chiefs (TE Travis Kelce) or the San Francisco 49ers (TE George Kittle), but the role remains important for a team that loves to mix and match receiver targets to optimal defensive assignments.

Right now, I cannot shake this feeling that the team views the tight end position as one of significant needs. In an earlier 2024 NFL Scouting Combine article, we featured players from all position groups. Our selection for the tight-end position group included the following players:

Tight ends

• Day 1 - Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
• Day 2 - Ja'Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas
• Day 3 - Cade Stover, TE, Ohio State

While Brock Bowers is getting a lot of pre-draft buzz, I believe that the Rams may be more intrigued with a full service tight end who has the chops to block in the NFL. TCU TE Jared Wiley is a huge-bodied tight end who shows the ability to make catches all over the football field, and a willingness to use his 6-foot-6 253-pound frame to block when required. Best of all, he is currently projected as a late Day 3 prospect, but that can change if he performs well at the NFL Combine today.,

Another prospect who I am getting more and more fond of is Iowa TE Erick All. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 255 pounds, All truly does it all (pun intended). He is the type of tight end whose contribution is more significant than the box scores will relate. He has soft hands and can be considered a possession type of target to use when the team needs to make a first down.

But much like the quality of Coleman Shelton, this guy loves to block beyond the line of scrimmage, often initiating contact with linebackers and defensive backs to prolong plays. He is currently projected as a Round 7 prospect, but I would be quite pleased if the Rams called out his name in Round 6.