Saw where the Giants picked up Evan Engram's fifth-year option yesterday. It was a no-brainer move. Engram has battled some injuries, but he's been a pretty productive receiver. Ever since he was drafted, in fact -- the exception that proves the rule about rookie tight ends not doing much.
The just-completed draft didn't have offer elite talent at the position. Cole Kmet was taken 11 picks into the second round, but he was taken by a team that's shown some poor judgment at the position in years, striking out both in free agency (Trey Burton, and probably Jimmy Graham) and the draft (2017 second-rounder Adam Shaheen). Had they not taken Kmet, would another team have selected him in the secound? Probably, but it's not certain.
After Kmet went, it was nearly 50 picks before another tight end was selected. The Patriots selected two players in the third round, Devin Asiasi out of UCLA and Dalton Keene out of Virginia Tech. Nobody needs to be reminded of the last time the Patriots used a couple of picks on tight ends in the first four rounds. One went on to be the subject of a Netflix documentary. The other had a few decent seasons before recently being dumped off to Tampa Bay for a draft pick.
Kmet played his college ball out of Notre Dame, which has produced some quality NFL tight ends of late: John Carlson, Kyle Rudolph, Tyler Eifert. But Chicago will probably be trying to make its Graham signing look good by featuring the veteran. With the Patriots, Asiasi looks best; better all-around game than Keene, and they selected him earlier. Maybe he starts and makes an impact right away; that was the case with Gronkowski.
But the reality is these guys seldom put up standout numbers as rookies. In the last decade, Engram is the only one to finish in the top 10 at his position. Over the last 20 years, just four other guys have done so: Jeremy Shockey, Gronkowski, John Carlson and Randy McMichael.
| ROOKIE TIGHT ENDS, TOP-35 PRODUCTION, 2000-PRESENT | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | No | Yds | TD | Rk |
| 2002 | Jeremy Shockey, NYG | 74 | 894 | 2 | 3 |
| 2010 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 42 | 546 | 10 | 5 |
| 2017 | Evan Engram, NYG | 64 | 722 | 6 | 5 |
| 2008 | John Carlson, Sea. | 55 | 627 | 5 | 7 |
| 2002 | Randy McMichael, Mia. | 39 | 485 | 4 | 9 |
| 2016 | Hunter Henry, S.D. | 36 | 478 | 8 | 11 |
| 2005 | Heath Miller, Pitt. | 39 | 459 | 6 | 11 |
| 2010 | Aaron Hernandez, N.E. | 45 | 563 | 6 | 13 |
| 2008 | Dustin Keller, NYJ | 48 | 535 | 3 | 14 |
| 2004 | Chris Cooley, Wash. | 37 | 314 | 6 | 14 |
| 2006 | Owen Daniels, Hou. | 34 | 352 | 5 | 14 |
| 2001 | Eric Johnson, S.F. | 40 | 362 | 3 | 15 |
| 2019 | Noah Fant, Den. | 40 | 562 | 1 | 15 |
| 2018 | Mark Andrews, Balt. | 34 | 552 | 3 | 16 |
| 2017 | O.J. Howard, T.B. | 26 | 432 | 6 | 16 |
| 2007 | Zach Miller, Oak. | 44 | 444 | 3 | 16 |
| 2001 | Alge Crumpler, | 25 | 330 | 3 | 18 |
| 2003 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 24 | 389 | 2 | 19 |
| 2018 | Dallas Goedert, Phil. | 33 | 334 | 4 | 20 |
| 2013 | Zach Ertz, Phil. | 36 | 469 | 4 | 20 |
| 2010 | Jermaine Gresham, Cin. | 52 | 471 | 4 | 21 |
| 2017 | George Kittle, S.F. | 43 | 515 | 2 | 21 |
| 2017 | David Njoku, Clev. | 32 | 386 | 4 | 22 |
| 2000 | Bubba Franks, G.B. | 34 | 363 | 1 | 22 |
| 2012 | Dwayne Allen, Ind. | 45 | 521 | 3 | 23 |
| 2013 | Jordan Reed, Wash. | 45 | 499 | 3 | 23 |
| 2010 | Jimmy Graham, N.O. | 31 | 356 | 5 | 23 |
| 2006 | Vernon Davis, S.F. | 20 | 265 | 3 | 23 |
| 2003 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 35 | 347 | 1 | 23 |
| 2008 | Martellus Bennett, Dall. | 20 | 283 | 4 | 24 |
| 2015 | Will Tye, NYG | 42 | 464 | 3 | 25 |
| 2003 | Dallas Clark, Ind. | 29 | 340 | 1 | 25 |
| 2013 | Mychal Rivera, Oak. | 38 | 407 | 4 | 26 |
| 2003 | L.J. Smith, Phil. | 27 | 321 | 1 | 27 |
| 2013 | Tyler Eifert, Cin. | 39 | 445 | 2 | 29 |
| 2014 | Jace Amaro, NYJ | 38 | 345 | 2 | 29 |
| 2015 | Clive Walford, Oak. | 28 | 329 | 3 | 30 |
| 2000 | Jermaine Wiggins, 2TM | 18 | 207 | 2 | 30 |
| 2019 | T.J. Hockenson, Det. | 32 | 367 | 0 | 31 |
| 2019 | Dawson Knox, Buff. | 28 | 388 | 0 | 32 |
| 2019 | Irv Smith, Min. | 36 | 311 | 1 | 33 |
| 2015 | Cameron Brate, T.B. | 23 | 288 | 3 | 35 |
| 2001 | Todd Heap, Balt. | 16 | 206 | 1 | 35 |
| 2016 | Austin Hooper, Atl. | 19 | 271 | 3 | 35 |
| 2019 | Kaden Smith, NYG | 31 | 268 | 2 | 35 |
2019 rookies are in bold. This is not to say Kmet, Asiasi and Keene can't have value. Note that eight other guys put up top-15 numbers, including Noah Fant last year. That's usually a starter in fantasy leagues.
But if you're selecting one of these players, it should probably be for long-term production -- not rookie impact.
--Andy Richardson