Before delving into the tight end class of 2009, a word of caution: rookie first-round tight ends will break your heart. Sure, you may have a warm fuzzy feeling if you captured lightning in a bottle when Dustin Keller scored one of his three touchdowns while in your starting lineup. But that’s the exception rather than the rule.
Consider that the 13 tight ends selected in the first round this millennium have posted rookie-year averages of 321 yards and two touchdowns. Even if you take out Kellen Winslow’s abbreviated 2004 campaign you’re still looking at just 343 and 2.1 for the 12 tight ends deemed the elite in their respective classes and worthy of a first-round draft pick. And just to drive the point home, if you average the top five rookie performances in yardage and touchdowns the numbers still wouldn’t crack the top 12 tight ends in 2009.
So, you’ve been warned.
But that doesn’t mean a tight end won’t go in the first round, and it doesn’t mean one of a decent class of big fellas won’t be a fantasy helper—maybe not right out of the gate, but certainly at some point down the road.
Day One Candidates
How can a guy who didn’t catch a touchdown pass his entire senior season be considered a legitimate first-round candidate? Because scouts are looking past Brandon Pettigrew’s production (or lack thereof) and focusing on his many positive attributes: size (6-5, 257), athleticism, and NFL-ready blocking ability thanks to time spent plying that trade at Oklahoma State. Pettigrew was hobbled by an ankle injury during his senior season, so he didn’t have the chance to put up gaudy numbers. But pro teams have seen enough that Pettigrew is going off the board in the first round of most mocks. He’ll solidify that status with a solid showing at the combine—especially if he can explain his run-in with the law last February, when he was charged with assaulting a police officer.
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