NFL draft preview -- TE

Here are my rankings for the best NFL draft prospects at TE. These rankings will be based on the player's overall talent level and chance to have a good pro career. They will not take into consideration draft order or needs of current NFL teams. That will be assessed after the draft in the updated fantasy rankings.

1. Vernon Davis -- Maryland -- Davis is clearly the best prospect at TE, and one of the top 10 athletes in the draft. He checks in at 6'4" 250lbs and ran a 4.38 40-yd dash at the combine. That's right... 4.38. That's faster than most of the WR prospects, and Davis is much bigger. Davis runs excellent routes, and has the ability to gain separation from coverage, whether it be linebackers or defensive backs. He has a chance to be a special player in the NFL, with his size and speed combination. Davis isn't one of the top blocking TE in the draft, but who cares? He will probably be a top-10 pick, and should be the only TE taken in the first round.

2. Marcedes Lewis -- UCLA -- After Davis, the next four TE could all make a case for #2. My pick is Lewis, who knows how to use his 6'6" 260lb frame to be an offensive force. He caught 58 passes in 2005 and scored 10 touchdowns, while averaging more than 12 yards per catch. Lewis is an exceptional blocker, meaning he won't be pulled on running downs. If he gets into the right NFL scheme, he could produce immediately. He'll probably be a late second round pick.

3. Leonard Pope -- Georgia -- Pope might turn out to be the best value at TE in the draft. He's still considered a project, and scouts would like to see 20 more pounds on his 6'7" 255lb body. He's a phenomenal offensive TE, who runs routes precisely and has great hands. Isn't as fast as Davis or Joe Klopfenstein, but he's quick enough to find holes in zone coverages. The biggest knock on Pope is that he is a below average blocker. More bulk would aid this, but it might take away from his offensive ability. Had he stayed in school for his fourth year, he could have been a first round pick. As he is now, he'll be drafted in the second, and some team will be happy in '07 or '08 when he becomes a top-10 TE.

4. Joe Klopfenstein -- Colorado -- You might not know (or be able to say) his name now, but by the time he has two or three NFL seasons under his belt, you will. He will eventually outperform guys drafted in front of him. Klop is the smartest TE in the draft, and he runs routes that consistently get him open. He is an excellent blocker, and impressed scouts with good combine numbers, including a 4.62 40-yd dash and 36" vertical leap, while checking in at 6'6" and 248lbs. Teams looking to fill a TE void would be better off to wait until the third round and draft Klop.

5. Anthony Fasano -- Notre Dame -- Fasano is one of those guys who probably shouldn't be ranked this high, but the national attention didn't hurt him any. He is good at many things, but great at none. Fasano is another extremely intelligent player, and one of the hardest workers in the draft. Unfortunately, that doesn't translate to fantasy success. He has good hands, and works well in traffic, but his athleticm leaves something to be desired. He could sneak into the second round, but probably will be picked between 70-90 players into the draft.

6. Dominique Byrd -- USC -- Byrd is like Fasano, in that he wasn't hurt by being on TV all season. He's an injury-prone tight end who had a better 2004 season than 2005. Byrd has good quickness, and is an above-average blocker. He could excel as an H-back in the NFL because of his size (6'3" 262lbs) and receiving ability. Byrd isn't an elite TE, but he could have been a higher draft pick had he entered the draft in 2004. He might be picked on the first day, somewhere in the third round.

7. Charles Davis -- Purdue -- Davis is an imposing figure, packing 267lbs on his 6'6" frame. He played forward for the Boilermakers basketball team, so he immediately draws comparisons to Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates as crossover players. Don't confuse him with those guys, though... Davis is a project, but he has the athleticism to become an excellent offensive tight end in the NFL. He didn't have a great combine, but an NFL team might take a chance on him late in the draft to see what happens.