College Football Draft Kit: Tight End Rankings

1. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington

Seferian-Jenkins was one of the top tight ends in the Pac-12 last season, posting 69 catches for 852 yards and seven touchdowns. He developed into one of QB Keith Price's favorite targets and plays a workhorse role in the offense. However, his fantasy value hinges on when his suspension for an offseason DUI is lifted. If his suspension doesn't affect his 2013 status, he could be the nation's top fantasy tight end.

2. Eric Ebron, North Carolina

Ebron caught 40 balls for 625 yards and four touchdowns a season ago, and he should see a greater role in 2013 with Erik Highsmith and Giovani Bernard no longer catching passes at North Carolina. He'll line up split wide often and should match the production of many starting receivers. Ebron might be the top fantasy tight end in the country, though Austin Seferian-Jenkins is probably the safer bet.

3. Chris Coyle, Arizona State

Coyle led Arizona State in receiving (57 receptions, 696 yards, five touchdowns) last season, emerging as Taylor Kelly's favorite target. With Rashad Ross and Jamal Miles gone from last year's roster and no obvious No. 1 target remaining on the Arizona State squad, Coyle could produce more like a starting wideout than a tight end.

4. Colt Lyerla, Oregon

Lyerla, who caught 25 passes for 392 yards and six touchdowns last season, should be one of the nation's elite tight ends in 2013. As one of the nation's most athletic pass catchers, Lyerla should be utilized even more in 2013 while Oregon perhaps throws more often to deal with the loss of workhorse runner Kenjon Barner.

5. Jace Amaro, Texas Tech

Despite playing just seven games last year due to a rib injury, Amaro ranked second among Big 12 tight ends in receiving yards (409). He could have a breakout year if he stays healthy as Texas Tech's offense figures to once again be quite productive.

6. Gator Hoskins, Marshall

While he certainly has the best name on the team (his given name is Harold, for the record), Hoskins is also the Herd's most dangerous redzone threat. The 6-2 senior hauled in 35 passes for 374 yards last season and added a team-high 10 receiving touchdowns. Given another year of experience with quarterback Rakeem Kato and an offense that returns eight starters, Hoskins looks destined for a productive season.

7. Malcolm Johnson, Mississippi State

With Marcus Green gone, Johnson could step up as one of the nation's top tight ends this year. Injuries have gotten in the way, but in each of the last two years Johnson has shown a great deal of big-play ability down the seams, and quarterback Tyler Russell will look his way more than ever with Green, Chad Bumphis, Chris Smith and Arceto Clark gone to graduation.

8. Rory Anderson, South Carolina

Anderson quietly caught five touchdowns last season despite sharing tight-end looks with Justice Cunningham and Jerrell Adams. Cunningham is gone, and while Adams is equally scary from a matchup point, Anderson is a flat-out freak of an athlete. Maybe comparisons to former South Carolina tight end Jared Cook aren't fair, but at 6-5, 218, Anderson seems perfect to line up in the slot and get behind linebackers. The touchdowns may not increase, but he should easily build on his 14-catch 2012.

9. Devin Funchess, Michigan

Funchess is in line to have a big season at tight end for the Wolverines. Last year he only recorded 15 receptions, however, he totaled 234 yards and five of the receptions went for touchdowns. He impressed the coaching staff this spring, and Michigan is looking to involve the tight end position more in the coming season.

10. Blake Jackson, Oklahoma State

Jackson led all Big 12 tight ends with 598 receiving yards last season and looks in store for another big season. Stability at quarterback likely would aid his production, but the Cowboys likely will play multiple signal-callers again in 2013.

11. C.J. Fiedorowicz, Iowa

Fiedorowicz was Iowa's only legitimate tight-end threat last season, as no other TE caught more than six passes. He totaled 45 passes, 433 yards and a touchdown. Fiedorowicz will be one of the team's top receiving targets this season alongside wideout Kevonte Martin-Manley, as Iowa looks to improve a passing game that only produced seven touchdowns last season.

12. Clive Walford, Miami

Walford appeared to separate from the pack toward the end of 2012 in an offense that's searched for a tight-end option for years. He scored in each of the final three games, totaling 247 yards in the process. The Canes have depth at tight end, including talented junior-college transfer Beau Sandland, but Walford will remain the safest choice, even if he exited spring behind Asante Cleveland on the depth chart.

13. Luke Kaumatule, Stanford

Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo off to the NFL, Kaumatule could be next in line at Tight End U. He didn't catch a pass as a freshman, but Kaumatule should garner most the tight-end targets this season as a sophomore. Ertz and Toilolo combined for 93 receptions, 1,291 yards and 10 touchdowns last year, leaving a lot of potential production for Kaumatule even if junior Devon Cajuste factors into the position. And at 6-8, 270, Kaumatule makes for a massive red-zone target.

14. Ernst Brun, Iowa State

Brun caught six touchdowns on just 26 catches last year, so he's one of the nation's better on-paper touchdown sources at tight end. He should see more targets this year with three of Iowa State's top receivers lost to graduation.

15. Rob Blanchflower, Massachusetts

Blanchflower warrants a bit of optimism, and perhaps even excitement, which is an enormous accomplishment for someone stuck at UMass. Blanchflower caught 43 passes in 10 games last year while totaling 464 yards and two touchdowns. He scored or surpassed 50 yards in six of his last seven games in 2012. He's on the nationwide radar and might be the top TE target in the MAC.

16. Kyle Carter, Penn State

Penn State has three talented tight ends and, if 2012 was any indication, Carter is the best receiver of the trio. Although he only played nine games last year, Carter caught 36 passes for 453 yards and two scores as a freshman, so it would be a disappointment if he didn't make it to 50 catches for 600 or more yards in 2013. The other two Penn State tight ends - Jesse James and Matt Lehman - are a bit of a concern for Carter's workload, though.

17. C.J. Uzomah, Auburn

Coach Gus Malzahn didn't utilize the tight end much at Arkansas State, but Uzomah's big-play ability should get Auburn's new coach to get creative, particularly given Auburn's lack of experience and perhaps talent at receiver. Uzomah is a gamble due to his lack of production to this point in his career, but he has plenty of fantasy upside.

18. Holden Huff, Boise State

Huff was a pleasant surprise for the Broncos last season as the freshman caught 17 passes for 250 yards. He was particularly effective in the red zone, and his 6-5 frame gives quarterback Joe Southwick another big target in the passing game.

19. Connor Hamlett, Oregon State

Hamlett was very productive in 2012 out of the H-back position, collecting 403 yards and three touchdowns. At 6-7 he is a big target and could see an increase in the 32 receptions he had last season.

20. Dan Vitale, Northwestern

Vitale emerged as a primary target in the Northwestern passing game in the second half of last season. He had 16 receptions for 192 yards in his last two games. He should have an even more prominent role in the offense in 2013 and could be a sleeper at tight end for even shallow leagues.

21. Ted Bolser, Indiana

Bolser is one of the nation's best receiving tight ends, and he could make a fantasy impact in all formats after a promising 2012 season. Bolser finished strong in Indiana's surging pass game, totaling 15 catches for 203 yards and two touchdowns in the final four weeks of last year. Consistency could be an issue with Kofi Hughes, Shane Wynn and Cody Latimer battling him for targets, however.

22. Tyreese Russell, Eastern Michigan

Russell caught 14 passes for 132 yards last season. With Garrett Hoskins now a member of the Cleveland Browns, Russell will step in as the top tight end of the depth chart. If Hoskins' 2012 production (38 receptions, 537 yards) are any indication, Russell could be in for a breakout year.

23. Kolby Arendse, Nevada

As the second tight end last year, Arendse caught 13 passes for 196 yards. Zach Sudfeld, last year's starting tight end, caught 45 passes for nearly 600 yards and eight touchdowns. With Sudfeld now a member of the New England Patriots, Arendse will look to replicate his production in the passing game.

24. Alan Cross, Memphis

Cross led the Tigers with five touchdown catches from the tight-end position in 2012. At 6-1, he's a bit undersized for the position, but makes up for it with soft hands and above-average quickness. Cross did most of his damage in the red zone in 2012 and will look to do more of the same in his second season in Coach Justin Fuente's system.

25. Arthur Lynch, Georgia

Lynch's total of 431 yards and three scores was good last year, but he only had 24 catches. Georgia is heavy on targets but light on pass attempts, which makes Lynch a volatile fantasy option.