Who Will Be The Best TE From The 2017 Class?

[StableOfRBs]

Could be yet another 20 years and 20 QBs before Njoku is any good though. Oh those Browns. They know how ruin their players.

It's got to be Engram or Howard.

Engram's basically a WR they can line up everywhere, so I'd be shocked if they don't force feed him for years to come.

People thought that about Oakland a couple years ago. Browns are more extreme but they had a great draft and I like Kizer. I see them finally finding relevance. Think projecting their history foward in light of Hue and the great core they have is a mistake.

The problem with TEs who are "basically WRs" is that lightness hurts them blocking (I know Engram is better than most) but I worry about TEs his size and they haven't historically fared too well. Also, when you move him all over, he's basically a WR if he splits out and they have a lot of mouths to feed. OBJ is gonna eat and is a diva about his targets so I don't know if force feeding Engram will be a top priority.

I like Njoku the most and you can likely get him later in rookie drafts towards end of first which is a plus as opposed to Howard around pick 7.

Exactly how it went in my draft. Howard at 7, NJoku at 13, Evans in the 2nd

Agree about the Browns stuff, and if for whatever reason Kizer doesn't pan out they have more than enough draft capital to move up and take either Rosen or Darnold if they feel they need to but I think Kizer will do just fine

[dm1129]

Njoku over Howard? This thread is going to be laughable to look back at in a few years.

That or this comment will be. Or they both live up to expectations, which is also quite plausible. I think this year it will definitely look heavily in favor of Howard but then will even out and go to Njoku

Haha, I am comfortable with the odds. I believe Howard is the best TE prospect to enter the NFL since Gronk. He has gone to a situation where he already has a QB that is capable of getting the ball to him. Njoku does not have a QB. I think the chances that Kizer is the answer are close to zero and Cleveland will go after one of the QBs in next year's draft and then will have to hope that QB works out. I am not anti-Njoku as I think he has a lot of potential, but that is also part of the problem. Every year there are 'athletic freak' types entering the league and invariably all they need is 'to develop'. Njoku is very raw and has a long way to go at a position that is notoriously difficult for college players to transition to in the NFL. Even if he progresses well, I doubt he reaches the level Howard already possesses. For more owners to be voting for Njoku than Howard is mind boggling to put it politely.

[_yeti]

Njoku over Howard? This thread is going to be laughable to look back at in a few years.

That or this comment will be. Or they both live up to expectations, which is also quite plausible. I think this year it will definitely look heavily in favor of Howard but then will even out and go to Njoku

Haha, I am comfortable with the odds. I believe Howard is the best TE prospect to enter the NFL since Gronk. He has gone to a situation where he already has a QB that is capable of getting the ball to him. Njoku does not have a QB. I think the chances that Kizer is the answer are close to zero and Cleveland will go after one of the QBs in next year's draft and then will have to hope that QB works out. I am not anti-Njoku as I think he has a lot of potential, but that is also part of the problem. Every year there are 'athletic freak' types entering the league and invariably all they need is 'to develop'. Njoku is very raw and has a long way to go at a position that is notoriously difficult for college players to transition to in the NFL. Even if he progresses well, I doubt he reaches the level Howard already possesses. For more owners to be voting for Njoku than Howard is mind boggling to put it politely.

Every year those 'athletic freak types' don't play TE and aren't first rounders. Ebron is the closest comparison and he NEVER could catch. To say Njoku doesn't ever reach Howard's level, maybe as an all-around TE in blocking, route running, and all, maybe not. But running after the catch he is already beyond Howard and we get points for receptions/TDs/yards. Ball in his hand he is special. Blocking can be taught and he has the size, strength, and frame for it. What he does with the ball at his size can't be taught.

Don't disagree when it comes to QBs and franchises, Howard has a huge headstart. But once again, we are just after stats and look what Boring Barnidge did in Cleveland.

[StableOfRBs]

Njoku over Howard? This thread is going to be laughable to look back at in a few years.

That or this comment will be. Or they both live up to expectations, which is also quite plausible. I think this year it will definitely look heavily in favor of Howard but then will even out and go to Njoku

Haha, I am comfortable with the odds. I believe Howard is the best TE prospect to enter the NFL since Gronk. He has gone to a situation where he already has a QB that is capable of getting the ball to him. Njoku does not have a QB. I think the chances that Kizer is the answer are close to zero and Cleveland will go after one of the QBs in next year's draft and then will have to hope that QB works out. I am not anti-Njoku as I think he has a lot of potential, but that is also part of the problem. Every year there are 'athletic freak' types entering the league and invariably all they need is 'to develop'. Njoku is very raw and has a long way to go at a position that is notoriously difficult for college players to transition to in the NFL. Even if he progresses well, I doubt he reaches the level Howard already possesses. For more owners to be voting for Njoku than Howard is mind boggling to put it politely.

The difference for me is opportunity, Njoku's biggest competition are Coleman (who is already out for the rest of OTAs and was hurt/bad last year) and Britt, and Njoku is clearly the biggest receiver on the team

Last year Brate was the second receiving option in TB and he had 57-660-8 (and yes Howard is a much better TE than Brate) then you add in a legit downfield speedster like DJax and a guy like Godwin who went in the 3rd but could have just as easily been an early 2nd rounder and Brate hasn't gone anywhere so suddenly Howard is one of 5 threats that Jameis has to throw to

Not to mention the TB defense is way better than the CLE defense and is gonna put them in closer games with less reasons to pass downfield

[Kramer]

I feel like this topic is too early. Everyone has Howard ahead in the rookie rankings. Whatever anyone says otherwise is just conjecture and wishful thinking at this point.

[RenMasters]

I feel like this topic is too early. Everyone has Howard ahead in the rookie rankings. Whatever anyone says otherwise is just conjecture and wishful thinking at this point.

Agreed. I like it.

[_yeti]

I feel like this topic is too early. Everyone has Howard ahead in the rookie rankings. Whatever anyone says otherwise is just conjecture and wishful thinking at this point.

Agreed. I like it.

Is that not what we do here?

Fournette has been the consensus top RB in this class for years, went #4 overall in the same slot as Zeke, and yet we just had a 13 page discussion that was titled "If Mixon goes in the top two rounds to a good team, is he your 1.1?" The consensus was no, but I don't get your angle here. Howard becoming the best TE from 2017 is far from a fact.

Also, Jermaine Gresham went a full round ahead of Gronk so to act like anyone knows something with certainty before rookies hit the field is the wishful thinking.

Last thought, you say it's too early for this but if it were proven one way or the other, wouldn't it be too late?

[StableOfRBs]

I feel like this topic is too early. Everyone has Howard ahead in the rookie rankings. Whatever anyone says otherwise is just conjecture and wishful thinking at this point.

Agreed. I like it.

Is that not what we do here?

Fournette has been the consensus top RB in this class for years, went #4 overall in the same slot as Zeke, and yet we just had a 13 page discussion that was titled "If Mixon goes in the top two rounds to a good team, is he your 1.1?" The consensus was no, but I don't get your angle here. Howard becoming the best TE from 2017 is far from a fact.

Also, Jermaine Gresham went a full round ahead of Gronk so to act like anyone knows something with certainty before rookies hit the field is the wishful thinking.

Last thought, you say it's too early for this but if it were proven one way or the other, wouldn't it be too late?

^^This

also best TE and best fantasy TE are not the same thing

[Dynasty DeLorean]

Njoku could certainly be the best TE from this class, but right now Howard is imo the better prospect in a better situation. Njoku has more flaws in his game than Howard does. Njoku fights the ball at times (his drop rate supports this observation) and his blocking needs work.

[captain howdy]

Agreed. I like it.

Is that not what we do here?

Fournette has been the consensus top RB in this class for years, went #4 overall in the same slot as Zeke, and yet we just had a 13 page discussion that was titled "If Mixon goes in the top two rounds to a good team, is he your 1.1?" The consensus was no, but I don't get your angle here. Howard becoming the best TE from 2017 is far from a fact.

Also, Jermaine Gresham went a full round ahead of Gronk so to act like anyone knows something with certainty before rookies hit the field is the wishful thinking.

Last thought, you say it's too early for this but if it were proven one way or the other, wouldn't it be too late?

^^This

also best TE and best fantasy TE are not the same thing

But in a Thread for best te, this thread...wouldnt that put howars even more firmly in first? You believe njoku is a better te, blocking included?

[dm1129]

Every year those 'athletic freak types' don't play TE and aren't first rounders. Ebron is the closest comparison and he NEVER could catch. To say Njoku doesn't ever reach Howard's level, maybe as an all-around TE in blocking, route running, and all, maybe not. But running after the catch he is already beyond Howard and we get points for receptions/TDs/yards. Ball in his hand he is special. Blocking can be taught and he has the size, strength, and frame for it. What he does with the ball at his size can't be taught.

Don't disagree when it comes to QBs and franchises, Howard has a huge headstart. But once again, we are just after stats and look what Boring Barnidge did in Cleveland.

First, Njoku has a great deal of work to do on his route running which is easier said than done. To display his skills after the catch require him to work on these skills. Secondly, I honestly do not know how it can be said that Njoku is better than Howard after the catch. Njoku lumbers as he goes downfield relative to Howard. It needs to be recognized that Howard was woefully misused at Alabama(from the point of view of using Howard's abilities, not from the point of view of Alabama's scheme). When Howard was used to go downfield, he was absolutely brilliant and I think that is what many owners are missing, the context in which Howard was used at Alabama.

[Kramer]

I feel like this topic is too early. Everyone has Howard ahead in the rookie rankings. Whatever anyone says otherwise is just conjecture and wishful thinking at this point.

Agreed. I like it.

Is that not what we do here?

Fournette has been the consensus top RB in this class for years, went #4 overall in the same slot as Zeke, and yet we just had a 13 page discussion that was titled "If Mixon goes in the top two rounds to a good team, is he your 1.1?" The consensus was no, but I don't get your angle here. Howard becoming the best TE from 2017 is far from a fact.

Also, Jermaine Gresham went a full round ahead of Gronk so to act like anyone knows something with certainty before rookies hit the field is the wishful thinking.

Last thought, you say it's too early for this but if it were proven one way or the other, wouldn't it be too late?

I'm not saying Howard will be the best TE of the bunch. I'll gladly take the field due to the solid class this year. But to say that one specific TE will be the best is just flat out guessing at this point. Howard is the best prospect in the best situation. I'm not saying this discussion is pointless or anything as I love reading what people think of the various TEs and want to hear more, but to proclaim another TE (not Howard) will be the best without saying he's a better prospect (which most people say Howard is the best prospect), is just a flat out guess . It might be better to talk about which TE is the best to target based on the price to acquire him (i.e. Howard at pick 7 or 8 vs Everett at pick 30 or 31).

[_yeti]

Describing Njoku as "lumbering" downfield is kind of ridiculous as he glides with the ball like a man half his size. Anyway, I found this gif of him hurtling the haters:


If Howard is available, I think you have to take him as he is the safer prospect, I will concede that. At the same time, I think Njoku has a higher ceiling.

[Missile]

Describing Njoku as "lumbering" downfield is kind of ridiculous as he glides with the ball like a man half his size. Anyway, I found this gif of him hurtling the haters:


If Howard is available, I think you have to take him as he is the safer prospect, I will concede that. At the same time, I think Njoku has a higher ceiling.

Who did you vote for?

[_yeti]

Describing Njoku as "lumbering" downfield is kind of ridiculous as he glides with the ball like a man half his size. Anyway, I found this gif of him hurtling the haters:


If Howard is available, I think you have to take him as he is the safer prospect, I will concede that. At the same time, I think Njoku has a higher ceiling.

Who did you vote for?

Isn't it obvious? Njoku. If I had an NFL team I'd draft Howard but I have a fantasy team, give me Njoku! But I see them both having good careers