2007 NFL Draft TE Analysis

The Tight End position is very important in the NFL. Next to the WR position the TE's in the NFL can have a major impact on the outcome of games. If a team has very good WR's more times than not the TE will find himself one on one with a LB or S. A lot of TE's in the NFL over the last four to five years are coming into the league with 4.5 to 4.8 speed and that speed allows TE's to outrun LB's. In the case of Charger TE Antonio Gates at 6-4 260 pounds, Gates is too big and physical for safeties to cover him. The most important thing about TE's is that they are a QB's best friend. After the QB looks for his WR's the TE is usually the next read and if that TE has talent he will catch a lot of passes and become a team's main threat in the red zone.

The Dallas Cowboys have T.O. and Terry Glenn on the outside and both of those players draw a lot of attention from the defense. The TE for the Cowboys is Jason Witten one of the best players at his position in the NFL. Last season with T.O. and Glenn drawing all the attention Witten was able to finish the year with 64 catches for 754 yards receiving. In 2004 Jason had 87 catches, 980 yards and 6 touchdowns. When defenses play the Cowboys they have to pick their poison let T.O. and Glenn beat you deep or let Witten catch three to four passes on a drive that results in a touchdown. This is why teams are in need of a threat at the TE position.

The #1 TE in the 2007 NFL Draft is Greg Olsen out of the University of Miami. Olsen is following in the footsteps of great Miami TE's like Bubba Franks, Jeremy Shockey and Winslow Jr. In three years at the University of Miami Olsen had proved that he had reliable hands, but the one thing that cemented his draft status as a first round pick was his 4.6 time in the 40 at the NFL combine. Greg did not catch as many passes as he was capable of, because for the last few years the offense at Miami has been less than productive.