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So far, we've gotten through three big boards for the 2014 NFL Draft:
So the offensive side of the ball is shaping up well. On to one of the most difficult positions to scout: tight end.
With so many changes to the position at the NFL, it's harder than ever to feel out a big board for college prospects. Certain trends have completely upended position scouting. Take for example the basketball crossovers. Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez had front offices scrambling for athletic basketball players who could cross over to play tight end relatively seamlessly. Sometimes, it works (see: Jimmy Graham). Sometimes, it doesn't (see: Fendi Onobun).
While the Rams may be looking at a reliable tandem for years to come in Lance Kendricks and Jared Cook, it's still worth investigating the next names who will make their way into the league in the years ahead.
| # | Name | School | Year |
| 1 | Austin Seferian-Jenkins (scouting report) | Washington | Jr. |
| 2 | C.J. Fiedorowicz | Iowa | Sr. |
| 3 | Eric Ebron | UNC | Jr. |
| 4 | Colt Lyerla | Oregon | Jr. |
| 5 | Jace Amaro | Texas Tech | Jr. |
| 6 | Kyle Carter | Penn St. | RS Soph. |
| 7 | Arthur Lynch | Georgia | RS Sr. |
| 8 | Richard Rodgers | Cal | RS Soph. |
| 9 | Xavier Grimble | USC | RS Jr. |
| 10 | Justin Jones | ECU | RS Sr. |
| 11 | Kaneakua Friel | BYU | RS Sr. |
| 12 | Marcel Jensen | Fresno St. | RS Sr. |
| 13 | Jake McGee | Virginia | RS Jr. |
| 14 | Asa Watson | North Carolina St. | RS Sr. |
| 15 | Jacob Pedersen | Wisconsin | RS Sr. |
| 16 | Nick O'Leary | Florida St. | Jr. |
| 17 | Clive Walford | Miami | RS Jr. |
| 18 | Gabe Holmes | Purdue | RS Sr. |
| 19 | Randall Telfer | USC | RS Jr. |
| 20 | Brian Vogler | Alabama | RS Jr. |
Notes:
- ASJ is still tops on this board for me by a decent amount. He'll likely get a late start to the season assuming a one-game suspension is coming for a DUI arrest in July. Given the visibility that late game will get against Boise St., it's a missed opportunity to jump on a big stage and push his candidacy for the top spot. And if Washington (and QB Keith Price who was 14th on my QB big board) doesn't leapfrog Oregon St. to catch up on Stanford and Oregon, there won't be another opportunity to do so outside of Pac-12 play.
- Ebron and Lyerla are a bit of a wash for me, and if I allowed myself to do ties, this would be one.
- Justin Jones is a large, large dude. His injury-riddled 2011 campaign is why I have him this high: just six receptions on the season, but four TDs. Justin Jones is a large, large dude.
- Cal absolutely cratered down the stretch. While Rodgers didn't necessarily explode as a freshman during that slide, Zach Maynard was playing QB (I use that term loosely). Maynard's gone, so things can only get better behind center for the Bears. If freshman Zach Kline doesn't pan out, don't expect any QBs named Zach in Berkeley any time soon. THE BRING BACK NATE LONGSHORE MOVEMENT HAS ARRIVED!
- A couple potential risers on this list: Amaro, Jensen and Walford.
- Candidates to fall down: Fiedorowicz, Lynch, O'Leary, Vogler.
- I wanted to make this a 21-deep big board just to include Baylor's Jordan Najvar. If the Bears can threaten the powers in the Big XII this year (and I think they can), Najvar should be part of the reason.