Welcome to Potential Patriots!
Each day leading up to the NFL Draft on April 23, the Herald will introduce prospects the Patriots are likely targeting position by position. The Pats have 11 draft picks, including No. 31 overall and extra selections in the fourth and sixth rounds. The Patriots are expected to target edge rusher, offensive tackle and tight end, though they could pad their depth at any position.
Below is a breakdown of the Patriots’ best prospect fits at tight end:
1st round
Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Ht/Wt: 6-3, 241 lbs.
Scouting report: Let’s be realistic here. It’s unlikely the Patriots will land Sadiq in the first round of the draft unless they really don’t like the depth of the 2026 class and make a major move to trade up for him. Sadiq ranks 16th overall in Dane Brugler’s 2026 NFL Draft guide.
The Oregon product, who’s just 21 years old, lacked college production, catching 80 passes for 892 yards with 11 touchdowns in three seasons, but he’s a phenomenal athlete, running a 4.39-second 40-yard dash with a 43.5-inch vertical leap and an 11-feet, 1-inch broad jump at the NFL Scouting Combine. He’s a good blocker for his size, and his best football is likely ahead of him.
So, would it make sense for the Patriots to trade up to try to get him? They have Hunter Henry and Julian Hill, among others, under contract for 2026. Henry, 31, is getting up there, and the Patriots need youth at the position. Still, the Patriots have more needs than just tight end, and they’re probably better off waiting to select one of the options below.
Georgia tight end Oscar Delp, left, runs against Texas defensive back Jaylon Guilbeau, right, during overtime in the SEC championship game, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
2nd round
Max Klare, Ohio State
Ht/Wt: 6-5, 246 lbs.
Scouting report: It seems likely that Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers will be selected before the Patriots are picking 63rd overall in the second round.
Klare, 22, didn’t run at the combine or his pro day, which is slightly concerning. But he has good size for the position and produced better than Sadiq with 116 catches for 1,329 yards and six touchdowns in three college seasons. He played one season at Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel’s alma mater, transferring to Ohio State from Purdue.
3rd round
Oscar Delp, Georgia
Ht/Wt: 6-5, 245 lbs.
Scouting report: Delp also lacked production with 70 catches for 854 yards and nine touchdowns in four seasons, but the 22-year-old has great size and ran a blazing 4.49-second 40-yard dash at his pro day.
He’s an adequate blocker and has major upside as a receiver in an NFL system.
4th round
Will Kacmarek, Ohio State
Ht/Wt: 6-6, 261 lbs.
Scouting report: The best blocking tight end in the class, Kacmarek is Brugler’s seventh-ranked player at the position. He’s known for his blocking, but he’s a decent athlete for his size with a 4.74-second 40-yard dash. He caught 65 passes for 761 yards with four touchdowns in four seasons split between Ohio and Ohio State.
5th round
Jack Endries, Texas
Ht/Wt: 6-5, 245 lbs.
Scouting report: Endries has good size for the position but still needs work as a blocker. He proved he could produce in two seasons at Cal before transferring to Texas. Overall, he caught 124 passes for 1,376 yards with seven touchdowns in three college seasons. He ran a 4.61-second 40-yard dash at the combine.
6th round
Carsen Ryan, BYU
Ht/Wt: 6-3, 255 lbs.
Scouting report: Another solid blocker with good size and underrated athleticism, Ryan caught 74 passes for 1,020 yards with seven touchdowns in four seasons split between UCLA, Utah and BYU. He saved his best year for last, when he caught 45 passes for 620 yards with three touchdowns at BYU in 2025. A combine snub, Ryan, 22, ran a 4.71-second 40-yard dash at his pro day.
7th round
John Michael Gyllenborg, Wyoming
Ht/Wt: 6-6, 249 lbs.
Scouting report: Gyllenborg comes from a small school and missed three games with a hamstring injury in 2025, but it’s still a bit head-scratching that he’s ranked so low on draft boards. He has phenomenal size and ran a 4.60-second 40-yard dash. He finished his college career with 80 catches for 1,023 yards with seven touchdowns. He needs work as a blocker but is more than worthy of a late-round flier in this year’s class.
