2018 NFL Draft: Ranking the top five tight ends in this class

2018 NFL Draft: Ranking the top five tight ends

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Tight end Mike Gesicki #88 of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs with the football after a reception against the Washington Huskies during the first half of the Playstation Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Nittany Lions defeated the Huskies 35-28. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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Baker Mayfield deserves the hype he received for taking the Oklahoma Sooners to the College Football Playoff. He also deserves the hype he received for posting brilliant statistics and winning the Heisman Trophy following the 2017 season.

What’s been lost in the Mayfield parade, however, is that he had one of the best receiving tight ends in the country in Mark Andrews.

Andrews is underwhelming as far as run blocking is concerned, but he’s an impact player as a well-rounded receiver. He can line up all over the field, even displaying the potential to be an oversized slot target to exploit mismatches in coverage.

Standing at 6’5″ with sub-4.7 speed, Andrews is a matchup nightmare for linebackers and safeties alike—an appealing truth for NFL scouts.

Andrews averaged 6.0 yards after the catch over the course of the past three seasons, which speaks to his value in the passing game. With 22 receiving touchdowns over the span of that stretch, he firmly established his value in the red zone, as well.

Andrews averaged 15.8 yards per reception for his career, which should tell you all you need to know about how dynamic a talent he is.

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