Grading NFL tight ends drafted in the first round since 1990

Tight ends have become a bigger part of NFL offenses through the decades. They used to be an occasional target and counted on for significant blocking. However, that has changed as players at the position have become far more athletic. Still, drafting a tight end in the first round isn't or everyone. A look at the tight ends who were chosen in the first round since 1990. You won't find Rob Gronkowski or Travis Kelce on this list.

1990: Eric Green, Pittsburgh Steelers

Eric Green was taken 21st overall out of Liberty. He played five seasons with the Steelers before moving on to Baltimore, Miami, and the New York Jets. Overall, Green had 362 catches for 4,390 yards. Grade: C-

1992: Derek Brown, New York Giants

The Giants thought they drafted a great one in Derek Brown out of Notre Dame. The best plans … sometimes go awry. He had 11 catches in three seasons with Big Blue — none in his third campaign. Overall, Brown finished with 43 receptions for 401 yards and a lone TD. Grade: F

1993: Irv Smith, New Orleans Saints

Irv Smith spent five years with New Orleans and caught 134 passes for 1,300 yards. The Notre Damer finished his career with a season in each Cleveland and San Francisco. Grade: C-

1995: Kyle Brady, New York Jets

Kyle Brady came to the Jets from Penn State. There were 93 catches in four seasons before off to Jacksonville for eight seasons and 241 grabs. The final year was back in the AFC East with the New England Patriots. Nine receptions for 70 yards and two TDs. Grade: C-

1995: Mark Bruener, Pittsburgh Steelers

Mark Bruener was drafted 27th overall out of Washington. He spent nine years with Pittsburgh and another five with Houston. Talk about quietly sticking around. Bruener made 152 catches, 18 for touchdowns. Grade: C

1996: Rickey Dudley, Oakland Raiders

The Raiders drafted Rickey Dudley out of Ohio State. The 6-foot-6, 255-pounder spent five seasons with Oakland, three with Tampa Bay, and one with Cleveland. Overall, he had 186 catches for 2,627 yards. Grade: D-

1997: Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs wound up with a future Hall of Famer in Tony Gonzalez. He spent 12 years with KC and five with Atlanta. Gonzalez made 1,325 catches for 15,127 yards. Grade: A+++++

1997: David LaFleur, Dallas Cowboys

LSU’s David LaFleur was drafted by Dallas and played four seasons, making 85 catches, and that was that. Grade: F

2000: Bubba Franks, Green Bay Packers

Bubba Franks played college ball in Miami before heading to the Frozen Tundra of Green Bay. A total of 256 of his 262 catches came with the Packers. The other six were in a slice of a season with the New York Jets. Green all the way for Franks. Grade: C

2000: Anthony Becht, New York Jets

Another first-round tight end by the Jets was Anthony Becht. He was in the league through 2011. Becht, who played college ball at West Virginia, had 133 of his 188 catches in five seasons with Gang Green. Grade: C

2001: Todd Heap, Baltimore Ravens

Arizona State’s Todd Heap spent 10 seasons with Baltimore and two with Arizona. He wound up one catch shy of 500 while gaining 5,869 yards. Grade: B

2002 Jeremy Shockey, New York Giants

Another Miami Hurricane TE was Jeremy Shockey, who played for the Giants, Saints, and Panthers. Shockey wound up with 547 grabs for 6,143 yards. Grade: B+

2002: Daniel Graham, New England Patriots

The Patriots actually have a TE on this list, and it wasn’t one of their biggest stars. Daniel Graham spent 11 seasons in the NFL, five with New England. He made 193 catches, 17 for touchdowns with the Pats. Grade: B

2002: Jerramy Stevens, Seattle Seahawks

Jerramy Stevens went to the Seattle Seahawks from the University of Washington. He played five years with Seattle and four with Tampa Bay. Grade: D

2003: Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts

The Colts drafted Dallas Clark out of Iowa. He spent nine of his 11 seasons with Indy, making 427 catches for 4,887 yards. Grade: B+

2004: Kellen Winslow II, Cleveland Browns

Kellen Winslow II made the news for all the wrong reasons. The son of the Hall of Famer by the same name is serving a long prison sentence for a number of sexual assault charges in California. He made 437 of his 469 catches with Cleveland and Tampa Bay. Grade: D-

2004: Ben Watson, New England Patriots

The Patriots love their tight ends. They got a classy one in Ben Watson, who played college ball at Duke for a season and Georgia for three. Watson had two stints with the Patriots and played for the Saints as well as the Browns and Ravens. Grade: A-

2005: Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers got a good tight end in Heath Miller, who spent his entire career with Pittsburgh after being drafted out of Virginia. Miller caught 592 passes for 6,569 yards. Grade: B+

2006: Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers

Vernon Davis was a force for the San Francisco 49ers, who chose him out of Maryland. He has had a long and strong career. Grade: A

2007: Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears

Greg Olsen played for the Bears, Panthers, and Seahawks out of the University of Miami. The recently retired Olsen made three Pro Bowls with the Panthers and had 742 catches while scoring 60 touchdowns. Grade: A-

2008: Dustin Keller, New York Jets

Dustin Keller came to the Jets from Purdue. His NFL career lasted five seasons, and he had 241 catches. Grade: C

2009: Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions

Pettigrew played eight seasons with the Detroit Lions, who drafted him out of Oklahoma State. He made 301 catches and had 2,965 receiving yards. Grade: C-

2010: Jeremaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals

Jermaine Gresham went from Oklahoma to the Bengals. He played five years with Cincinnati and four at Arizona. Gresham set a Bengals record with 52 receptions as a rookie. He was far more productive with the Bengals than Arizona. Grade: C+

2013: Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals

Tyler Eifert went from Notre Dame to the Bengals, another top-round TE selection by Cincinnati. He made a Pro Bowl in 2015 and has spent a good part of his career sidelined by various injuries. Grade: C+

2014: Eric Ebron, Detroit Lions

Eric Ebron never lived up to expectations in Detroit. The most catches he had in a season were 66 as a Colt in 2018. Grade: C

2017: O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

O.J. Howard came to the Bucs from Alabama, and much was expected. Little was delivered. Grade: D

2017: Eric Engram, New York Giants

The New York Giants found an athletic and strong tight end in Eric Engram. They wanted him to become a great one. He improved dramatically as a Jaguar. He had 114 catches for 963 yards in 2023. Now a Bronco. That 2023 seasonw as remarkable. Grade: B

2017: David Njoku, Cleveland Browns

Slow start to career but has picked up over the last three seasons. Has missed too many games due to injuries. Grade: C+

2018: Hayden Hurst, Baltimore Ravens

Mediocre career at best. Played for five teams over seven seasons. Grade: C-

2019: T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions

Hockenson has 382 catches over six seasons between the Lions and Vikings. Solid target. Grade: B

2019: Noah Fant, Denver Broncos

Fant was far more effective in Denver than he has been in three seasons with the Seahawks. Grade: C

2021: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

A huge disappointment for the Falcons. So much was expected from the fourth pick in the draft. Grade: D

2023: Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills

Solid selection by the Bills out of Utah. Would help if he stayed on the field more but a bright future and target for Josh Allen. Grade: B

2024: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders struck gold in Sin City with the pick of Brock Bowers out of Georgia. Grade: A

2025: Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears

The 10th pick in the 2025 NFL draft out of Michigan. Grade: TBD

2025: Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts

The 14th overall pick in the 2025 draft out of Penn State. Grade: TBD

This article originally appeared on The List Wire: NFL draft grades: Tight ends selected in first round since 1990