AP Photo/Mark Humphrey
Kenyon Sadiq out of Oregon is widely viewed as the best tight end in this year’s NFL Draft class. But Eli Stowers deserves a place in that conversation.
After flourishing at New Mexico State, Stowers developed into one of the most productive tight ends in the FBS.
His abilities as a pass catcher will make teams think about taking him as early as the first round.
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I project Stowers will be selected in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. I could see the Denver Broncos or Tampa Bay Buccaneers picking him.
A versatile, athletic weapon like Stowers isn’t easy to find. There are some good tight ends in this class. But on Day 2, Stowers would provide excellent value.
Stowers ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds, which tied for second among tight ends who participated in that drill at the NFL Combine. He also recorded a broad jump of 11 feet, 3 inches and a vertical jump of 45.5 inches, which were first among TEs.
Stowers was measured at 6 feet, 4 inches and 239 pounds at the NFL Combine.
Stowers won the John Mackey Award and the William V. Campbell Trophy his last year of college. He was also a first-team All-American per several news outlets.
He caught 62 passes for 769 yards and four touchdowns during his senior season at Vanderbilt. A year before, he totaled 638 yards and five TDs on 49 receptions en route to All-SEC first-team honors.
Stowers played two seasons at Texas A&M to begin his collegiate career, appearing in five total games, before competing for New Mexico State in 2023. That season, he finally got a legitimate chance to make an impact and made the All-Conference USA honorable mention list. He caught 35 passes for 366 yards and two TDs while rushing for 108 yards and two TDs and passing for 99 yards and a score. He was top 20 in Pro Football Focus’ grades among all FBS tight ends for overall offense and receiving.
Stowers is from Denton, Texas. He was a four-star quarterback prospect out of Denton Guyer.
My NFL comparison for Stowers is former second-round NFL Draft pick Mike Gesicki. Gesicki has been a productive pass catcher, sometimes being regarded as a top-10 player at the position, and I think people can expect that from Stowers.
Stowers is a classic mismatch nightmare. He can outrun linebackers to gain separation and can outmuscle defensive backs for catches.
In Pro Football Focus’ grades of tight ends (minimum 47 targets), Stowers was third in the FBS. He was also second for receiving.
He was first in the country among TEs with 2.55 yards per route run and second with 377 yards after catch. His average depth of target was 8.2 yards, which was top 10. Stowers’ drop rate was 6.1%, which was top 20.
A lot of his damage was done on quick slants and outs, but Stowers can get open in any area of the field. He also has the speed to gain yards after catch and could even be utilized on gadget plays if an offensive coordinator wants to scheme that up for him.
Stowers probably isn’t going to be known for his blocking, if you were to point out a weakness in his game. But if he can improve on that, he could very well end up being one of the best tight ends in the NFL.
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