-2018 NFL Schedule -Strength of Schedule
MOCK DRAFT
Ask the Commish.Com 2018 Draft Kit
Miami filled its massive void at tight end by selecting Gesicki in the second round of the draft. The Penn State product is 6-foot-5, 247 pounds with 34 1/8-inch arms, and he absolutely dominated at the 2018 combine. He was best in nearly every drill, posting the top mark in the 40-yard dash, vertical, broad, three cone, short shuttle and 60-yard shuttle. Gesicki is obviously a good athlete and has solid hands (one drop the past two seasons), but he is a nonfactor as a blocker. He has some 2018 sleeper appeal in the same way Evan Engram did last season, but the more likely outcome is that he's a situational target as he learns the ropes. Gesicki has TE1 upside down the road.
Carolina began preparations for life after Greg Olsen when they selected Thomas in the fourth round of April's draft. Thomas missed some of his senior season at Indiana due to injury, which limited him to 36 targets in 10 games. He showed well when called upon, however, averaging a terrific 9.0 yards after the catch. Thomas is one of the youngest tight ends in this year's rookie class (he turns 22 in June) and caught only 28 passes in 14 games of work at Indiana. He is obviously raw as a prospect, but he's big (6-foot-4, 259 pounds), athletic and a solid blocker with decent wheels and big receiving upside. He'll have no fantasy value as long as Olsen is active.
Hurst was selected by Baltimore in the first round of the draft. Hurst is a former baseball player who will turn 25 years old this year and is thus one of the oldest players in the rookie class. He's strong and athletic at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds and has a good pair of hands. Hurst has two solid receiving seasons under his belt and is a decent blocker. He's unlikely to make an immediate fantasy impact, especially after the team selected another tight end -- converted WR Mark Andrews -- two rounds later, but Hurst could eventually develop into a three-down player.
Andrews was the second tight end selected by Baltimore in April's draft, but his skill set could lead him to better fantasy production than first-rounder Hayden Hurst. Whereas Hurst is a two-way tight end, Andrews is a converted wide receiver with terrific pass-catching skills and nothing to offer as a blocker. He caught 62 passes for 958 yards last season and scored seven or more touchdowns in each of his three seasons at Oklahoma. Expect to see a lot of Andrews in the slot this season. He has big fantasy upside down the road, but consistent volume figures to elude him in 2018.