The Seahawks released Noah Fant last week, "for multiple reasons," according to coach Mike Macdonald. Maybe one was the potential of second-rounder Elijah Arroyo.
The team's second-round pick out of Miami won't necessarily start; Seattle also has AJ Barner, who caught 30 passes and 4 touchdowns as a rookie. But Arroyo "looks like a playmaker" in the passing game so far, according to a beat reporter, and his early selection (Barner was a fourth-rounder a year ago) speaks favorably of his potential.
We've talked here about rookie tight ends; it sometimes takes these players a while to get up to speed. But it's been rookies (Sam LaPorta, Brock Bowers) who've led the position the last two years, and there have been a few hits among second-rounders of late.
Since 2000, there have been 42 tight ends drafted with second-round picks. About a fifth of them (8) have finished with top-20 numbers at the position in PPR leagues in their rookie seasons. Four put up top-15 numbers, including LaPorta and Pat Freiermuth the last four seasons.
2ND-ROUND TIGHT ENDS, ROOKIE SEASONS (2000-) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Tgt | No | Rec | TD | Rk |
2023 | Sam LaPorta, Det. | 120 | 86 | 889 | 10 | 1 |
2008 | John Carlson, Sea. | 80 | 55 | 627 | 5 | 7 |
2010 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 59 | 42 | 546 | 10 | 11 |
2021 | Pat Freiermuth, Pitt. | 79 | 60 | 497 | 7 | 13 |
2007 | Zach Miller (ASU), Oak. | 68 | 44 | 444 | 3 | 16 |
2016 | Hunter Henry, S.D. | 53 | 36 | 478 | 8 | 18 |
2002 | Doug Jolley, Oak. | 37 | 32 | 409 | 2 | 18 |
2018 | Dallas Goedert, Phil. | 44 | 33 | 334 | 4 | 20 |
2001 | Alge Crumpler, Atl. | 41 | 25 | 330 | 3 | 21 |
2013 | Zach Ertz, Phil. | 57 | 36 | 469 | 4 | 23 |
2014 | Jace Amaro, NYJ | 53 | 38 | 345 | 2 | 24 |
2006 | Tony Scheffler, Den. | 37 | 18 | 286 | 4 | 26 |
2004 | Ben Troupe, Ten. | 54 | 33 | 329 | 1 | 26 |
2003 | L.J. Smith, Phil. | 46 | 27 | 321 | 1 | 28 |
2008 | Martellus Bennett, Dall. | 27 | 20 | 283 | 4 | 30 |
2023 | Luke Musgrave, G.B. | 46 | 34 | 352 | 1 | 31 |
2019 | Irv Smith, Min. | 47 | 36 | 311 | 2 | 33 |
2011 | Kyle Rudolph, Min. | 39 | 26 | 249 | 3 | 34 |
2023 | Michael Mayer, L.V. | 40 | 27 | 304 | 2 | 35 |
2006 | Joe Klopfenstein, St.L. | 34 | 20 | 226 | 1 | 35 |
2011 | Lance Kendricks, St.L. | 58 | 28 | 352 | 0 | 37 |
2012 | Coby Fleener, Ind. | 48 | 26 | 281 | 2 | 38 |
2015 | Maxx Williams, Balt. | 48 | 32 | 268 | 1 | 39 |
2022 | Trey McBride, Ari. | 39 | 29 | 265 | 1 | 40 |
2014 | Austin Seferian-Jenkins, T.B. | 38 | 21 | 221 | 2 | 41 |
2020 | Cole Kmet, Chi. | 44 | 28 | 243 | 2 | 42 |
2017 | Gerald Everett, LAR | 32 | 16 | 244 | 2 | 42 |
2003 | Teyo Johnson, Oak. | 22 | 14 | 128 | 1 | 43 |
2018 | Mike Gesicki, Mia. | 32 | 22 | 202 | 0 | 49 |
2017 | Adam Shaheen, Chi. | 14 | 12 | 127 | 3 | 49 |
2013 | Gavin Escobar, Dall. | 15 | 9 | 134 | 2 | 54 |
2006 | Anthony Fasano, Dall. | 24 | 14 | 126 | 0 | 55 |
2013 | Vance McDonald, S.F. | 19 | 8 | 119 | 0 | 62 |
2023 | Luke Schoonmaker, Dall. | 15 | 8 | 65 | 2 | 67 |
2023 | Brenton Strange, Jac. | 9 | 5 | 35 | 1 | 79 |
2024 | Ben Sinnott, Was. | 5 | 5 | 28 | 1 | 82 |
2008 | Fred Davis, Was. | 10 | 3 | 27 | 0 | 84 |
2019 | Drew Sample, Cin. | 6 | 5 | 30 | 0 | 92 |
2014 | Troy Niklas, Ari. | 3 | 3 | 38 | 0 | 93 |
2009 | Richard Quinn, Den. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 999 |
2004 | Kris Wilson, K.C. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 999 |
2003 | Ben Joppru, Hou. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 999 |
Arroyo is one of three tight ends selected in the second round last April, and the others are also intriguing. Mason Taylor might be a Week 1 starter for the Jets, and Terrance Ferguson has drawn some positive press for the Rams.
But let's keep an eye on news out of Seattle camp. Fant averaged 3.5 catches as the main tight end a year ago, and new coordinator Klint Kubiak oversaw 82 receptions and 8 TDs from his top 2 players at the position a year ago. If Arroyo winds up being the main player, he'd be a pretty nice late-round selection in drafts.
--Andy Richardson