On Friday night, the tight ends kicked off the on-field drills for the offense at the 2026 NFL Draft. We previewed how deep this stacked tight ends class is, and the prospects did not disappoint. Not only did we see Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq set a combine record for tight ends, running a 4.39 40-yard-dash, but we also saw several balanced tight ends perform very well.
If the Lions are going to add a tight end from this draft class, we know they’re looking for prospects with balanced skill sets, as we learned from offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who recently joined our podcast for an interview:
“If you have three tight ends that don’t have a multiple skill set, you’re not going to do it. Because the key is the matchups. When you have guys that can do a lot of different things, you can start to dictate things based on what the defense wants to do.”
So with that in mind, here are the top “balanced” prospects from the tight end group at this year’s NFL Combine.
Sam Roush, Stanford (6-foot-6, 267)
Roush is exactly what the Lions should be looking for in a tight end to complement what they already have on the roster. An immediate TE2 with starter upside, Roush is a high-character prospect who has a nice blend of blocking and pass catching. He’s also amongst the biggest tight ends in this class—he has a Jack Campbell-like frame—, yet was still able to runan impressive 4.70 40-yard-dash, jump 38.5 inches in the vertical, and clear 10-foot-6 in the broad jump.
Roush gave full effort on every on-field drill, leaned into his size and strength, and displayed solid hands. In the gauntlet, he was able to maintain speed while staying under control, presenting a large target, and swallowed up the ball once it was within his wingspan. As a blocker, he initially got high on the sled, but his experience showed up when he immediately adjusted and drove the sled back with finish.
Max Klare, Ohio State (6-foot-4, 246)
Klare didn’t participate in the measured drills and got off to a slow start in on-field workouts. In receiving drills, he showed comfort running at top speed while maintaining balance, a large catching radius, and soft, reliable hands. In the blocking drill, he lost his angle early, and while he kept driving the sled, he eventually fell off-center. While his pass-catching drills were strong (it’s the strength of his game), his tape is filled with better blocking than in the Combine drills.
Martin Klein, Michigan (6-foot-6, 248)
While Roush may be the top fit for the Lions, Klein may be my favorite combination of production, upside, and projected selection value. Still just scratching the surface of his skills, Klein showed off his athleticism at the Combine, running a 4.61 40-yard-dash, jumping 36 inches in the vertical, and knocking out a 9-foot-9 broad jump. In on-field drills, he put his head down and got to work immediately. The gauntlet drill looked easy for him, as he appeared to accelerate through the drill without losing any balance or catch production. In the blocking drill, he lost his square quickly and fell off, which was surprising because that is a skill he has in his tool bag.
Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M (6-foot-6, 245)
Boerkircher did not participate in any measured activities, and he looked heavy-footed in the first drills, but as the drills wore on, he opened up more. He showed great balance to stay on the line at the proper speed in the gauntlet, has gigantic soft hands, and engulfed the ball once it entered his catch radius. In the blocking drill, he quickly leveraged the sled, and while he did get a bit off center, he continued his drive and tossed it.
Tanner Koziol, Houston (6-foot-6 1/2, 247)
Koziol has a big frame and a very large catch radius, checking in with an arm length of over 34 inches. He ran a solid 4.7 40-yard-dash, and registered a 36.5-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-2 broad jump. Overall, he’s an easy mover, and it’s easy to see why he projects to have “Big Slot” range, but I also like his effort in n-blocking drills. He stayed low to gain leverage, and while there wasn’t a ton of power presented, there was enough, and the effort was certainly there.
