NFL Draft TE breakdown: Notre Dame's Cole Kmet leads thin class

The 2020 NFL Draft is April 23-25. Each day leading up to the first round, the Tribune-Review is compiling a positional preview of the top draft prospects.

1. Cole Kmet

Notre Dame, 6-6, 262

When he wasn’t catching passes in the fall, Kmet struck out batters in the spring as a closer on the baseball team. Before his junior season, Kmet decided to focus on football, and it was a wise decision. Kmet caught 43 passes for 515 yards and six touchdowns in 2019, then declared for the draft with one year of eligibility remaining.

2. Adam Trautman

Dayton, 6-5, 255

Trautman excelled at the Division I FCS level and was the Pioneer League Offensive Player of the Year as a senior after he caught 70 passes for 916 yards and 14 touchdowns. A former quarterback in high school, Trautman switched positions so he could play immediately at Dayton. He led the Flyers in receiving in each of the next two seasons, scoring 14 combined touchdowns in his sophomore and junior years.

3. Hunter Bryant

Washington, 6-2, 248

In his junior season, Bryant was a Mackey Award finalist and first-team all-conference selection after catching 52 passes for 825 yards and three touchdowns. The problem for Bryant was his junior season was the only one in which he wasn’t injured. He missed half of his freshman year with a torn ACL/MCL, and a torn meniscus delayed the start of his sophomore season.

4. Albert Okwuegbunam

Missouri, 6-5, 258

Okwuegbunam wowed scouts at the NFL Combine when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds, tops among tight ends and a faster time than some running backs. Okwuegbunam showed he can run, but can he stay healthy? A shoulder injury cost him four games of his sophomore season, and he missed time again because of shoulder problems in his junior year. Still, he caught six touchdown passes in his final year on campus and had 26 receptions for 306 yards.

5. Brycen Hopkins

Purdue, 6-4, 245

Hopkins emerged as a first-team All-American in his senior year, when he also was named Big Ten Tight End of the Year. He caught 61 passes for 830 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games. Hopkins saw playing time in all four seasons with the Boilermakers and started for the first time as a junior when he caught 34 passes for 583 yards and two touchdowns. He tied for the second-best time among tight ends by running the 40-yard dash in 4.66 seconds at the NFL Combine.

6. Harrison Bryant

Florida Atlantic, 6-5, 243

Bryant enters the draft with momentum after being name the Mackey Award winner as the nation’s top tight end in his senior year. He led all FBS tight ends with 65 catches for 1,004 yards while scoring seven touchdowns. A three-year starter at Florida Atlantic, Bryant was a two-time all-conference selection. His NFL Draft comparable is San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle.

7. Thaddeus Moss

LSU, 6-2, 250

Son of Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss, he began his college career at N.C. State. After starting three games as a freshman, Thaddeus Moss transferred to LSU and sat out the 2017 season. A foot injury that required two surgeries kept him off the field in 2018. He bounced back as a redshirt junior to catch 47 passes for 570 yards and four touchdowns. He played a big part in the national championship game win over Clemson with two touchdown catches.

8. Colby Parkinson

Stanford, 6-7, 252

Parkinson is hoping to become the sixth underclassman tight end from Stanford to be drafted since 2013. He left school early despite catching just one touchdown pass in 2019. His other numbers — 48 catches, 589 yards — helped him become a second-team all-conference selection. Parkinson was more productive in the red zone as a sophomore, when he had seven touchdown receptions among 29 catches for 485 yards.

9. Jared Pinkney

Vanderbilt, 6-4, 257

Pinkney caught 50 passes for 774 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior, but instead of declaring for the draft, he opted to return for his final year of eligibility. Playing in a struggling offense, Pinkney was limited to 20 catches, 233 yards and two touchdowns in his senior season. Pinkney also started 15 games combined for the Commodores over his freshman and sophomore seasons.

10. Devin Asiasi

UCLA, 6-3, 257

Asiasi gained experience at two Power Five schools, playing at Michigan as a freshman before transferring back home to UCLA. He started just one game as a redshirt sophomore, then blossomed in 2019 when he caught 44 passes for 641 yards and four touchdowns.

Best fit for Steelers

Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech

The Steelers haven’t drafted a tight end with their top pick since selecting Heath Miller in the 2005 first round. The Eric Ebron signing will keep that streak intact, but if the Steelers seek value at the position in later rounds, they could elect to give Keene a shot. A three-year starter, Keene did a little bit of everything and can line up as an H-back, from the slot and as a fullback. The Steelers value players with his skill set.