The New England Patriots finished off their 2018 draft class with Florida State tight end Ryan Izzo, whom they took with the 250th pick in the seventh round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.
Though Izzo did catch 20 catches for 317 yards in 13 games for the Seminoles, he’s mainly projected as a blocking tight end at the NFL level. His draft profile on NFL.com describes him as a big, tough in-line tight end who can be a “plus blocker at the point of attack”.
Sep 5, 2016, Orlando, FL, USA: Florida State Seminoles tight end Ryan Izzo catches the ball for a touchdown against the Mississippi Rebels during the second half at Camping World Stadium. Florida State Seminoles defeated the Mississippi Rebels 45-34. (Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
Izzo will compete for a roster spot somewhere on the depth chart behind Rob Gronkowski. He’ll have a chance to contribute on special teams right away, and could get snaps in the run game if his blocking is ready for NFL action in his rookie year.
The Patriots also have Dwayne Allen, Jacob Hollister, Will Tye, and Troy Niklas under contract at tight end in 2018 in addition to Gronkowski and now Izzo.
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