Thin tight end class awaits Steelers in NFL Draft

Vance McDonald’s retirement two weeks after the wild-card playoff loss to Cleveland brought some much-needed salary cap relief to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It amounted to a $5.2 million savings for a team that needed to reduce its number drastically before the start of the new league year.

McDonald’s retirement also created a void at tight end the Steelers have yet to fill three months later.

As the NFL Draft approaches, the Steelers have veteran Eric Ebron entering his second season with the organization. He is entrenched as the starter with a little-known cast of characters behind him on the offseason roster.

The quartet of backup candidates consists of Zach Gentry, Pine-Richland native Kevin Rader, Charles Jones and Dax Raymond. They account for eight combined games of NFL experience, six by Gentry, and total two NFL catches — one each by Jones and Gentry in 2019.

The Steelers’ inactivity in free agency indicates they will be in the market for a tight end in the draft, even if they add a low-cost veteran such as Jesse James to the locker room before training camp.

The problem is, this year’s tight end class is about as deep as a dishpan. The consensus among draft analysts is tight end has fewer prospects than every group save for interior defensive line.

Florida’s Kyle Pitts is a top-10 pick and could be drafted before any wide receiver. Yet he is the only tight end with a first-round grade.

Wrote NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein: “If the overall draft class is more like a wading pool, Kyle Pitts is clearly his own body of water. Pitts is to the tight end position what Trevor Lawrence is the quarterback spot — and the difference is more pronounced here.”

Adding a tight end with sound blocking technique could aid a Steelers run game that ranked last in the NFL. Taking greater priority, however, is finding a running back and either a tackle or center early in the draft.

The Steelers’ recent draft history at the position isn’t exactly headline-worthy. Gentry is the only tight end the organization has taken in the past five drafts. (Jaylen Samuels, a college tight end, was drafted as a running back).

Since the Steelers drafted Heath Miller with the No. 30 overall pick in 2005, they haven’t taken a tight end higher than the fourth round since 2007, when they selected Matt Spaeth in the third. James and Gentry were fifth-round picks.

“Tight end isn’t a big need for a lot of teams,” ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. “If you look at teams and their major needs, you’re not going to find it at tight end.”

The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Pitts is viewed as a generational talent. He could go as high as No. 4 to Atlanta, and Cincinnati could snag him at No. 5 if the Falcons pass. Of his 43 receptions last year for Florida, 12 went for touchdowns.

“I think he can emerge as the best tight end in the National Football League,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said. “He has that type of dynamic ability.”

Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth carries a second-round grade. General manager Kevin Colbert, coach Mike Tomlin and new tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts scouted Freiermuth at Penn State’s pro day in March. Freiermuth is 6-5, 251 pounds and wore No. 87, drawing the nickname “Baby Gronk.”

In a recent predraft report, Jeremiah noted Freiermuth’s “toughness and strong/reliable hands. He is physical and fights for extra yards after the catch. He doesn’t offer much top speed and wiggle … and isn’t a dynamic athlete, but he has a good feel for the position and should be a steady, reliable starter.”

Miami’s Brevin Jordan, Boston College’s Hunter Long and Notre Dame’s Tommy Tremble also carry second-day draft grades.

“Below that,” Zierlein wrote, “it becomes pretty sparse.”

TOP 5 TEs

1. Kyle Pitts, Florida, Jr., 6-6, 245

A product of Archbishop Wood in Philadelphia, Pitts is the cream of the crop at tight end. He won the Mackey Award, and he became the first tight end to be named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award that is given to the top receiver.

2. Pat Freiermuth, Penn State, Jr., 6-5, 251

Freiermuth had three productive seasons at Penn State even though his 2020 season was limited to four starts because of injury. He finished his college career with a school-record 16 touchdowns.

3. Brevin Jordan, Miami, Jr., 6-3, 247

A three-year starter at Miami, Jordan had 38 catches for 576 yards and seven touchdowns in 2020 while missing three games because of a shoulder injury.

4. Hunter Long, Boston College, R-Jr., 6-5, 254

After being named second-team Associated Press and first-team all-conference in the ACC, Long declared for the draft. He caught 57 passes for 685 yards and five touchdowns in 2020.

5. Tommy Tremble, Notre Dame, Jr., 6-3, 241

Tremble gained a reputation as a formidable blocking tight end at Notre Dame. That ability translates well into the NFL and makes up for some pedestrian two-year receiving numbers: 35 catches, 401 yards, four touchdowns.

Best fit for Steelers, Day 1

Pat Freiermuth, Penn State

No tight end other than Kyle Pitts carries a first-round grade, so it would be a stretch for any team, let alone the Steelers, to grab Freiermuth so early. But he is the second-highest rated tight end on the board, which is why he lands here.

Best fit for Steelers, Day 2

Tommy Tremble, Notre Dame

If Freiermuth carries a second-round grade, why not slot him to the Steelers there? Frankly, the Steelers have other holes to fill on offense, but Tremble could be an intriguing choice in the third round given his blocking capabilities.

Best fit for Steelers, Day 3

Noah Gray, Duke

The 6-3, 240-pound senior caught 29 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns while serving as a team captain for Duke. He also is the school’s all-time leader for receptions (105) by a tight end.