The 2026 NFL Draft is not considered to be an especially strong draft as it lacks talent at quarterback and true top-10 picks at other premium positions. However, the 2026 class does have some positions with good depth of talent for the second day and mid rounds of the draft. Tight end is one of those positions, as there is a crowded group of players for day two and into day three. In surveying team sources after the Senior Bowl practices, they named four tight ends who were impressive in Mobile. Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq is the consensus top tight end and a potential first-round pick. There has not been a clear-cut second-rated tight end, but in speaking with sources at a few teams, they each had Stanford’s Sam Roush as the second-rated tight end prospect.
The 6-foot-5, 260-pound Roush was a solid player for the Cardinal in 2025. He had 49 catches with 545 yards and two touchdowns. In 2024, he had 334 yards on 40 catches and two scores. Sources like Roush’s well-rounded ability to be a blocking tight end, as well as being able to contribute as a receiver. Right now, those team sources felt Roush was the second-rated tight end behind Sadiq, but other tight ends could pass him and rise during the workouts leading up to the draft.
Other tight ends that team sources have praised include Georgia’s Oscar Delp, SMU’s Matthew Higner, Texas A&M’s Nate Boerkircher, and Houston’s Tanner Koziol. In my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft, I have a run of tight ends going off the board on the second day of the draft with Roush being the second one drafted as a replacement for a future Hall of Famer.
