NFL DRAFT RANKINGS 2019 -- TIGHT ENDS

The NFL has never been more tight end friendly, and this year's crop of prospects should only help in that regard. The top 10 is filled with athletes, guys who can catch the ball and stretch the field, be real weapons in the passing game.

It's rare to see one school have two top prospects, but that's exactly the case for Iowa, which has TJ Hockenson and Noah Fant. Each could vie for late first round consideration and look to have star potential for years to come.

What follows is a breakdown of the top five tight ends in this year's draft, each with an assigned Round Grade. The Round Grade is not a projection of where the player will be chosen, but where talent merits he be chosen. After the top five, all tight ends projected to be drafted will be listed.

1. TJ Hockenson/Iowa (ROUND GRADE: 1-2)

PROS: Smooth, versatile route runner; Soft hands; Very good blocker, best combination tight end in the draft; Decent in jump ball situations; Tough to tackle; Understands and utilizes leverage as a blocker; Very good technique and understanding of responsibiliities

CONS: Not super fast, more quick; Not a great athlete; Lacks long speed

2.  Noah Fant/Iowa (ROUND GRADE: 1-2)

PROS: Can run every route and understands how to use his feet to create space; Good hands; Has the speed to get free over the middle and understands angles well enough to get you underneath, too; Excellent leaping ability; Very good after the catch; Excellent body control; Off the charts athletic ability

CONS: Doesn’t make defenders miss very much in space; Only adequate as a blocker; Not exceptionally strong

3.  Irv Smith Jr/Alabama (ROUND GRADE: 2)

PROS: Good route runner; Understands how to break off pattern to get defender off balance; Good vertical threat; Excellent run blocker; Good balance and understanding of angles makes him a YAC threat; A real competitor, brings it all the time

CONS: Hasn’t made a ton of difficult catches; Doesn’t always explode off LOS; Lacks true  burst; Tends to slow down going into breaks

4.  Kaden Smith/Stanford (ROUND GRADE: 3)

PROS: Has the size and athleticism the league covets; Good burst off the LOS, precise into and out of breaks; Will go across the middle; Excellent body control helps him snag inaccurate throws; Good strength as a blocker

CONS: Route running still a work in progress; Too easily thrown off his route by contact; Needs to win more battles with his hands as a blocker; Inconsistent separation ability

5.  Dax Raymond/Utah State (ROUND GRADE: 3-4)

PROS: Doesn’t get hung up by contact; Excellent bad ball catcher, has a wide catch radius; Loves working the middle of the field; Good speed, can separate after the catch; Physical after the catch; Looks smooth and fluid in open space; Very good athleticism and length

CONS: Needs more consistency as a route runner; Needs more polish and consistency as a blocker, doesn’t always drop his pad level low enough; Didn’t work much on pass pro in college; Wouldn’t hurt to add a bit more muscle and size; Will be 24 during the season and could need some development to multiple schemes of the NFL

6.    Jace Sternberger/Texas A&M (ROUND GRADE: 4-5)

7.    Donald Parham/Stetson (ROUND GRADE: 5)

8.    Isaac Nauta/Georgia (ROUND GRADE: 5)

9.    Caleb Wilson/UCLA (ROUND GRADE: 5)

10. Trevon Wesco/West Virginia (ROUND GRADE: 5-6)

11. Dawson Knox/Ole Miss (ROUND GRADE: 6)

12. Tommy Sweeney/Boston College (ROUND GRADE: 6)

13. CJ Conrad/Kentucky (ROUND GRADE: 6-7)

14. Keenen Brown/Texas State (ROUND GRADE: 6-7)

15. Alize Mack/Notre Dame (ROUND GRADE: 6-7)

16. Josh Oliver/San Jose State (ROUND GRADE: 7)

17. Foster Moreau/LSU (ROUND GRADE: 7)

18. Drew Sample/Washington (ROUND GRADE: 7)

 

Iowa Looking For Redemption, Upset Against Penn State

 Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz has been in the game long enough to know that sometimes you just can't get anything positive out of a loss.

 Some coaches will spin it and say this unit was solid, that the offense was just a couple of plays away -- but not Ferentz. He knows that last year's 41-14 annihilation at the hands of Penn State was one for the trash heap as the Nittany Lions outgained the Hawkeyes by 365 yards, amassing 599 yards of offense and averaging nearly seven yards per carry.

Penn State running back Saquon Barkley is an explosive weapon (Getty Images)

"The only thing we might have been all right with was the coin toss, and I'd have to look it up -- we probably lost that, too," Ferentz said. "There wasn't much out of that tape that we can take, and that's one of the tricks right now. We're looking at it, but there's just not a lot there. All I know for sure is that we're playing a team that's really good and we're going to have to play better than we did last year."

 Penn State (3-0) is ranked fourth in the country on the heels of three impressive non-league victories, while Iowa has had to work a bit harder for its success -- including an overtime 44-41 road victory against in-state foe Iowa State.

 Iowa is just 4-8 against ranked teams since 2012, but did upset second-ranked Michigan at home last season.

 So the Nittany Lions know they aren't going to just waltz in and take over the Hawkeyes territory without a fight.

 "We have tremendous respect for their program," PSU coach James Franklin said. "When you look at coach Ferentz, their record against top 10 opponents at home, especially playing at night, you know this is going to be a challenge.

 "You look at what they've been able to do, not only against Penn State in our last 10 games, but against ranked opponents. You're talking about a blue collar team that takes pride in their fundamentals, their techniques, being sound and playing hard. Really, in some ways, similar to our tradition and history."

 Penn State has won the last three in the series, and holds a 14-12 edge. But the Hawkeyes have won eight of the last 12, and PSU has taken just one game in Iowa City since 2000.

 Franklin, in his fourth year on the Penn State sidelines, said that traveling to Kinnick Stadium will be a first for many players on his team, and for him, as well.

 "I've never been there," he said. "I want to educate myself on what to expect. That place is going to be rocking Saturday night. Their sidelines are very tight. Their fans are going to be right up against you. We want to get our players prepared for that. We've got to get ready for the noise."

 It all starts for Penn State with junior running back Saquon Barkley, an explosive, track-fast runner with the ability to cut on a dime. He rushed for 1,496 yards and 18 scores a year ago, and has over 300 yards and three scores this season, averaging a hefty 8.1 yards per carry.

 Barkley was limited to just 47 rushing yards last week against Georgia State, so Penn State got him the ball in the passing game. Barkley had four catches for 142 yards and a touchdown, so it's easy to see why the Hawkeyes want to focus their attention on stopping him.

 "Everybody has to be on the same page," Ferentz said. "All that being said, when you play a guy like (Barkley), he's going to make some plays on his own because he's not your average back. So if it happens, it happens. You've got to keep playing. What we can't do is give him yards that are uncontested. If we do that, I can tell you what the result is going to be. It's easy to predict."

 While Barkley is the engine, Penn State has a lot of other moving parts that are dangerous, including quarterback Trace McSorley. A dual threat, McSorley went 18-of-23 with five touchdowns through the air, and averages nearly six yards per carry on the ground. McSorley is completing 67 percent of his passes and isn't afraid to go deep, averaging 9.9 yards per attempt.

 McSorley has myriad weapons, including All-America candidate tight end Mike Gesicki (four TDs) and receivers DaeSean Hamilton (18.1 ypc) and DeAndre Thompkins (6 catches, 66 yards).

 "We realize we have to play our best and at our highest level possible if we're going to be competitive in this game," Ferentz said. "That's where we're focused right now."

Linebacker Josey Jewell is the heart of Iowa's defense

 Iowa (3-0) has a bit of its own juice in the form of running back Akrum Wadley, who has 258 yards and a score in three contests. Understudy James Butler won't be available for this game, so Ferentz will spell Wadley, who left last week's game early, with freshmen Toren Young and Ivory Kelly-Martin.

 Nathan Stanley hasn't been spectacular at quarterback (61.4 percent, 10 touchdowns), but hasn't made mistakes, either. Stanley has just one interception, but will face his toughest challenge to date against a Nittany Lions defense that has already picked off nine passes. PSU has scored 49 points off of turnovers, so Iowa will need to be sound at hanging on to the football and grinding out possessions.

 Iowa loves to run the inside zone with Wadley, and have for years been one of the best at running the stretch play. An experienced offensive line is the key, so Penn State will need to have linebackers Manny Bowen and Jason Cabinda played disciplined, sound football, and not go for Iowa's heavy play-action.

 The Hawkeyes hang their hat on defense, ranking in the top 25 nationally against the run and allowing just two touchdowns. If they are to stop Barkley, it will be because linebacker Josey Jewell, who has 28 tackles and a pair of sacks in three games, was his usual self.

 Franklin knows that his team will have to account for Jewell on every play.

 "Josey Jewell is their bellcow and the leader of their defense," Franklin said. "A very instinctive player, a very physical player, a very productive player. I don't think there's any doubt about it, he makes their defense go from a leadership and playmaking perspective."

 Penn State is just 8-5 on the road against unranked Big Ten foes since 2012, and Ferentz likes the fact that Hawkeyes fans will have the entire day to get ready for the 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

 "You can't help but be excited," he said. "There's something about night games. I don't know if it takes you back to when you were in high school playing, but I think it's a lot of fun for everybody to be involved in."

 While some might say that all of the pressure is on Penn State, Franklin disagrees. He believes in putting it out there, warts and all, and gravitating toward people who aren't afraid to be themselves -- much as his Nittany Lions aren't afraid to be what they are.

 "One of the things I love about being a head football coach is all of the different personalities that I get to deal with every single day," Franklin said. "One of the things I've always been attracted to is people that own who they are. They're either really cool or really weird, and I love those people. I love the people on the extremes that kind of own who they are and are very comfortable in their own skin. I think that's what we have to do on offense, on defense and on special teams."

CFF 2017 Rankings -- 60-56

       
     COLLEGE FOOTBALL FOCUS

           2017 TOP 60 RANKINGS

 It isn’t always easy, determining (read that as guessing) who will have the best teams in college football. Last year we had two of the four playoff teams, but all four of the CFP teams were in our top six, including Washington at 4 – the only publication that had the Huskies making the playoffs. A number of factors go into these rankings – talent, experience, strength of schedule. It’s up to us to figure out which are the most important, and rank  the teams accordingly. One note – this is how we see the teams finishing up the end of the season, not who has the strongest bunch heading into the year. If we did it that way, Alabama or Ohio State would be 1-2 every single season.

 We will unveil five teams per day, until we reach the top 10, at which point we will release 10-5 on one day and the College Football Playoff participants the final day.

Jordan Chunn (Troy Messenger)

56. Troy (10-3) -- The Trojans engineered one of the top turnaround stories in college football last year, going from four wins to 10. Now we'll see what happens when expectations are added. The offense should be good, with QB Brandon Silvers and RB Jordan Chunn, but the defense needs to find some replacements as six starters return, but they lose five of their top seven tacklers. Road contests with Boise State and LSU will play a big role in the type of season Troy has. FAST FACT -- Troy returns 98.7 percent of its total yards from last season, tops nationally.

57. Arkansas (7-6) -- Bret Bielema hopes history repeats as he heads into his fifth season in Fayetteville. Bielema broke through at Wisconsin by winning 11 games in his fifth season, but if he's going to do the same with Arkansas he'll have to navigate an October that features road games against South Carolina, Alabama and Ole Miss, and a home clash with Auburn. Moving to the 3-4 could make an athletic defense better, and Rawleigh Williams (1,360 yards, 12 TD) is one of the better backs in the SEC. QB Austin Allen has a big-time arm but needs to find dependable receivers. FAST FACT -- Razorbacks allowed 41.8 ppg in six losses last year, allowing six foes to score 35 points or more.

58. Iowa (8-5) -- Maybe the Hawkeyes do what they always do in years there is no expectation -- surprise. There isn't much punch in the Iowa passing attack, but that may not matter as it has RB Akrum Wadley (1,081 yards, 6.4 ypc) , one of the quietest best players in the country. End Anthony Nelson (6 sacks) and linebacker Josey Jewell (124 tackles) anchor a defense that was grudging against the run (140 ypg, 10 TDs). The schedule isn't exactly favorable, with a tricky opener against Wyoming and a final month of the Big Ten season that has the Hawkeyes going to Wisconsin and Nebraska and hosting Ohio State. FAST FACT -- The Hawkeyes have experience up front, with 99 starts from its offensive line (seventh best nationally).

Donnie Miles (Getty Images)

59. North Carolina (8-5) -- The Tar Heels had a potent offense last season, but might need to rely more on defense after losing its quarterback, top two rushers and top two pass catchers. We would feel better about QB if it wasn't Brandon Harris, who was largely ineffective in his time at LSU. Austin Proehl is back at receiver, and he's solid if unspectacular. Defensively, safety Donnie Miles netted 102 tackles, but the biggest loss could be coordinator Gene Chizik, who stepped away from coaching to devote more time to family. If North Carolina can't do better against the run (227.3 ypg) this year, fans will start counting the days until basketball season begins. FAST FACT -- The Tar Heels had just one interception all of last year, and none against FBS competition (The Citadel).

60.  Army West Point (8-5) -- After years of being a punching bag for Navy, the Cadets finally exorcised their demons, beating Navy for the first time since 2001. Army went from two wins to eight, and could be in line for another solid season as it returns the bulk of its squad. It all starts with QB Ahmad Bradshaw, who ran for 824 yards and passed for 703, with 12 total touchdowns. The squad's top nine rushers return, the defense is stout, and there's a vibe emanating that hasn't been there in ages. A road trip to Ohio State is the only contest in which the Cadets should be a decided underdog, so things are trending the right way for Jeff Monken and his crew. FAST FACT -- The Cadets' 46 rushing touchdowns broke by one a school record held by the 1945 national championship Army team.