Barth’s 2025 Felger & Mazz Big Board reactions: Tight ends

On Tuesday afternoon, the Felger & Mazz Big Board threw for tight ends in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Big Board is trying to stay hot at the position, after hitting its first ever tight end - New England Patriots seventh-round pick Jaheim Bell - last year.

It certainly wouldn't be a surprise for the Patriots to draft a tight end. Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are back but both are over 30 and Hooper is on a one-year deal. Given tight ends generally take longer to develop than other positions, it might make sense for the Patriots to get a guy in the building now to starting getting him ready to step in for Hooper next year and potentially Henry down the road.

Did the Big Board find any players who could do that? Let's take a look...

Fannin is one of the more interesting players in this draft. At 6-foot-3, 241 pounds he's more of an H-back than a traditional tight end, and is at his best with the ball in his hands. He's got great movement skills and can make defenders miss by running over them or running around them. His route running has room for improvement, and poor Combine testing (mainly a 4.71-second 40) could knock him down the board.

There are a lot of familiarities between Fannin and former Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith. For this Patriots team in particular, that's a notable comp. Smith struggled in New England under returning offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, but before joining the Patriots had success in Tennessee under then-head coach Mike Vrabel.

At 6-foot-5, 255 pounds with limited pass catching production at the college level, Prieskorn projects mainly as a blocking tight end in the NFL. The Patriots have a need there, and with Prieskorn projected to go late or be undrafted, he could be a target for that situational role.

Throughout his college career (three years at FIU and then two at Auburn) Fairweather lined up more in the slot than he did inline as a traditional tight end. At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds he's too big to be a slot receiver but doesn't quite have the blocking skills teams will look for in a tight end. He's also been used a bit as a fullback. Different teams will probably have different development plans for Fairweather, who is projected to go late in the draft.