2025 Senior Bowl Post-Event Re-Grade Scouting: The Tight Ends (TE)

Our post-event scouting and grades/rankings on prospects after the Senior Bowl week.

Intro: Leading up to Senior Bowl week, I do 20-30+ minutes of scouting preview work on each prospect set to attend -- watching a couple game tapes and looking over some performance data, etc., and then I give each prospect a pre-event scouting grade for the NFL based on that brief look.

After we scout their performance at the Senior Bowl week of practices, drills, etc., we update the grades and comments and re-rank. We continue to go through the same process for the NFL Combine, as we build a study for 2023 draft prospects until we ultimately choose to do an even deeper study of certain prospects and publish a full scouting report and run our computer scouting models for numerical grades on over 600+ prospects for the NFL Draft.

This is a very brief look for me, as a scout, to start to build my data and scouting notes for the weeks and months ahead, and to be ready to focus in on certain prospects in Mobile that are jumping at me from the early preview. It’s a first, sometimes second look (for me) at a prospect and their tape, actions, info and my impressions/grading can and will change as we go through the year long process.

After observing the entire week and the game itself, here are my post-event impressions, grades, and ranking of each position (except O-Line, we’ll look at OLs after the Combine).

 

TE Elijah Arroyo, Miami (Pre-SB Grade: C/C-, Post-SB Grade: B+/B)

2024: (13g) 2.7 rec., 45.4 rec. yards, 0.54 rec. TDs per game

6’4”/251

Projected 40-time: 4.70 +/-

Projected 3-Cone: 7.1+

Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 100

Post-Senior Bowl week comments:

Utterly dominated the defenses and other TEs here this week. I was stunned. He didn’t look so dominant on the preview tape I watched.

He was beating everyone trying to cover him, whether with sharp routes or pure speed, or just outfought a defender for the ball. He played with an ‘it’ and swagger that I did not see coming...and no one else among the crowd really did either. He went from top 250 prior to the event week to top 100 after, and climbing.

He has some injury history to deal with is holding him back some, but if he’s clear checked from that at the Combine...he could force his way into the 2nd-round perhaps.

New NFL Comp? = A (smaller) Darren Waller/ (bigger) Sam LaPorta mashup?

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Pre-Senior Bowl week comments:

Solid-looking TE. Decent route runner. Good frame. Solid movement skills, not explosive...just solid/reasonable.

NFL Comp? = Ja’Tavion Sanders

 

 

TE Mason Taylor, LSU (Pre-SB Grade: B-/C+, Post-SB Grade: B)

2024: (12g) 4.5 rec., 45.5 rec. yards, 0.17 rec. TDs per game

6’5”/250

Projected 40-time: 4.65 +/-

Projected 3-Cone: 7.1 +/-

Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 75

Post-Senior Bowl week comments:

So very solid across the board. He was getting ‘Travis Kelce’ whispers at times in Mobile. Just plays smooth/under control...moves well, good hands, nice routes and can block. A good Combine would push him into the 2nd-round of the draft best case (for him).

New NFL Comp? = A better, or more like peak Tyler Higbee...with some hints of Travis Kelce?

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Pre-Senior Bowl week comments:

Good looking, prototypical styled/looking three-down TE. A little taller/more range than most typical TEs...and really nice, soft/sure receiving hands.

NFL Comp? = A better, or more like peak Tyler Higbee.

 

 

TE Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green (Pre-SB Grade: B-, Post-SB Grade: C-)

2024: (13g) 9.0 rec., 119.6 rec. yards, 0.77 rec. TDs per game. 9-65-1 rushing

6’3”/238

Projected 40-time: 4.6+

Projected 3-Cone: 7.1 +/-

Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 100

Post-Senior Bowl week comments:

Didn’t help himself in Mobile, as far as I could tell. Not that he did ‘bad’...but he just wasn’t on the level of Arroyo-Taylor. Fannin looked a little stiff and shaky by comparison. Still good hands and a college producer.

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Pre-Senior Bowl week comments:

Not your classic 6’5+/250+ NFL tight end prospect, but a pretty good size...more of a ‘move TE’...but what he is really nice at is -- he’s just a very talented receiver at TE, and savvy after the catch. He had a MONSTER season in 2024...117 catches, 1,555 rec. yards, and 10 TDs, the MAC Offensive Player of the Year.

At worst, he’s a weapon TE in the pass game...at best, he develops into a very good all-around TE in the NFL.

NFL Comp? = An Isaiah Likely, Jonnu Smith mashup TE.

  

  

TE Jake Briningstool, Clemson (Pre-SB Grade: D+, Post-SB Grade: C-)

2024: (13g) 3.7 rec., 40.8 rec. yards, 0.54 rec. TDs per game

6’5”/234

Projected 40-time: 4.70 +/-

Projected 3-Cone: 7.2+

Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 150

Post-Senior Bowl week comments:

Caught some buzz this week. Showed solid receiving skills. Plays with an energy and effort that gets him noticed. He just isn’t in that obvious ‘wow’ area/ability for the draft. He’s gonna get drafted though and make an NFL roster...how high goes up the depth chart is a question, but there’s a little upside pipedream here.

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Pre-Senior Bowl week comments:

A ‘too slow’ WR type trying to make himself into a TE...not recently, but all his college career. There’s some hope here as he keeps developing. Decent receiver. A little slow moving off the snap but eventually is ‘TE fast enough’. Has good height/reach/range.

I’d be more interested in raw, highly athletic, tall WRs to convert to TE than I would be in the very average-looking but capable Briningstool doing so. He has NFL hope, but my first glance wasn’t super-exciting.

NFL Comp? = Taller Shane Zylstra.

 

 

TE Terrance Ferguson, Oregon (Pre-SB Grade: C+, Post-SB Grade: C-)

2024: (12g) 4.4 rec., 49.3 rec. yards, 0.25 rec. TDs per game

6’5”/245

Projected 40-time: 4.75 +/-

Projected 3-Cone: 7.15 +/-

Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 150

Post-Senior Bowl week comments:

Did OK. Didn’t stand out or raise his profile...but didn’t hurt himself this week either. His Combine and Pro Day could move him up if he surprises on speed or agility.

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Pre-Senior Bowl week comments:

A classic, modern day NFL TE size and style...with a modern twist of having some WR-like fluidity...SOME not a ton. One of those boring but good TEs; an NFL starting TE talent.

NFL Comp? = A little more fluid Jake Ferguson.

  

  

TE Jackson Hawes, Georgia Tech (Pre-SB Grade: D/D+, Post-SB Grade: C-/D+)

2024: (12g) 1.3 rec., 16.3 rec. yards, 0.00 rec. TDs per game

6’4”/252

Projected 40-time: 4.75 +/-

Projected 3-Cone: 7.3+

Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 200

Post-Senior Bowl week comments:

Showed some of his blocking skills and showed some ability in the passing game. He’s more built for the NFL than would be made for Fantasy production, at this stage.

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Pre-Senior Bowl week comments:

He was (randomly) the last TE prospect of this group that I looked at...and definitely the least impressive. Not doomed, but just not that special in any way. ‘Has NFL size’ is his best attribute.

NFL Comp? = Jack Stoll

  

 

TE Gavin Bartholomew, Pittsburgh (Pre-SB Grade: C-/D+, Post-SB Grade: D+)

2024: (13g) 2.8 rec., 24.8 rec. yards, 0.31 rec. TDs per game

6’4”/241

Projected 40-time: 4.75 +/-

Projected 3-Cone: 7.2 +/-

Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 225

Post-Senior Bowl week comments:

Was OK/solid-ish. Didn’t amaze nor really hurt himself here...he just was not as captivating as the top names guys were.

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Pre-Senior Bowl week comments:

A solid NFL TE prospect...NFL size, good enough movement skills, solid receiver. Might be more of a fringe starter/backup at the NFL level.

NFL Comp? = Dalton Schultz type of good...would take 2-3 years before he starts getting his chance type of scenario.

 

 

TE Moliki Matavao, UCLA (Pre-SB Grade: D+, Post-SB Grade: D+)

2024: (11g) 3.7 rec., 46.0 rec. yards, 0.18 rec. TDs per game

6’5”/265

Projected 40-time: 4.7+

Projected 3-Cone: 7.1 +/-

Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 350

Post-Senior Bowl week comments:

He made some solid plays in passing drills, but he was really not a standout in any way this week. He showed he’s NFL plausible. Was MUCH bigger than expected after the weigh in numbers hit...+20 or more pounds bigger than expected and it showed in that he lumbered a bit too much.

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Pre-Senior Bowl week comments:

I got/looked over the pre-info for Matavao before watching the tape, and I was pre-ready to be bored...but I really liked this tape, from a ‘not terrible...has potential’ standpoint. He has good feet/runs nice routes, plays with a good ‘spirit’/effort/energy. Needs a year of work in the weight room at first glance, but there’s some hope here. Maybe he’ll shine a bit in Mobile and get some momentum.

NFL Comp? = Greg Dulcich like?

 

 

TE CJ Dippre, Alabama (Pre-SB Grade: D+, Post-SB Grade: D+)

2024: (13g) 1.5 rec., 19.7 rec. yards, 0.00 rec. TDs per game

6’5”/260

Projected 40-time: 4.7+

Projected 3-Cone: 7.25+

Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 300

Post-Senior Bowl week comments:

Did not stand out or differentiate in any way this week.

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Pre-Senior Bowl week comments:

Could be a plausible, working TE in the NFL...to some degree. Decent blocker. Plausible enough athlete at TE, but not any type of ‘wow’/impact athlete in the NFL at TE. More of a backup TE and special teamer.

NFL Comp? = Charlie Woerner

 

 

TE Gunnar Helm, Texas (Pre-SB Grade: D+, Post-SB Grade: D+)

2024: (16g) 3.8 rec., 49.1 rec. yards, 0.44 rec. TDs per game

6’5”/250

Projected 40-time: 4.75 +/-

Projected 3-Cone: 7.2+

Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 100

Post-Senior Bowl week comments:

Ultimately, didn’t attend.

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Pre-Senior Bowl week comments:

Typical NFL TE ‘look’ but a touch skinnier than they like...thinner lower body in a Draft filled with more bigger, thick bodies might send him tumbling down the draft board. He’s not any quicker than the other TEs that I’ve previewed here, so the thinner lower body isn’t helping him with speed/quickness.

He can add some mass and be an NFL hopeful. He just doesn’t jump out to me anyway on the first look.

NFL Comp? = Grant Calcaterra

 

 

TE Thomas Fidone, Nebraska (Pre-SB Grade: D+/D, Post-SB Grade: D+/D)

2024: (13g) 2.8 rec., 28.7 rec. yards, 0.00 rec. TDs per game

6’5”/250

Projected 40-time: 4.8+

Projected 3-Cone: 7.1 +/-

Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 400

Post-Senior Bowl week comments:

Didn’t really stand out to me at all. Honestly, I have no notes...not even sure if he practiced every day or never practiced at all.

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Pre-Senior Bowl week comments:

A late add to the Senior Bowl. He has some skills...good feet/agile and an NFL TE size, but he is kinda slow off the blocks. His speed may hold him back from ever really getting any attention from the NFL, but maybe he grinds his way to the league someday.

NFL Comp? = Parker Hesse, upside to Nick Muse.