After 11 seasons, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller decided to hang up the cleats.
However, Miller’s retirement left more than sadness in the hearts of Steelers fans: It left the Steelers without a starting tight end.
Left on the roster is Matt Spaeth, who has caught six passes since returning to the team in 2013, and Jesse James, a 2015 fifth-round draft pick who only appeared in eight games as a rookie. The team may expand James’ role now that Miller is gone, but given the lack of depth at tight end, the Steelers will probably add to the position in the off-season.
The Steelers may opt to sign a tight end in free agency, but given its history of not being major players in free agency that may not happen. That leaves them the option of adding a tight end by way of the NFL Draft.
So if the Steelers do decide to draft a tight end, who is available? Here is a list of a few prospects they may be interested in.
Hunter Henry, Arkansas – In a down year for tight end prospects, Henry leads the pack. He looks the part with his 6-foot-5, 253-pound build, but he still has yet to use his size to his advantage. Henry is still raw as a block, often getting overpowered at the point of contact and too often goes where the defender he’s blocking goes. Overall he is not a bad blocker, but shows room for improvement. However, he is much more developed as a receiver. He has good athleticism and quickness with the ball for his size, is fluid route runner and catcher, has reliable hands and is a smart player. The 2015 John Mackey Award winner will likely be available when the Steelers pick at No. 25 in the first round, and they may even be able to trade down a few picks for him. Henry would make and immediate impact in the passing game, but would need work developing him to use his size to his advantage. He caught 51 passes for 739 yards in 2015.
Austin Hooper, Stanford – One of Kevin Hogan’s favorite targets, Hooper hauled in 74 catches for 937 yards and eight touchdowns in his two seasons with the Cardinal. He’s shown flashes of being a great tight end, but still comes out of Stanford raw. He showed good form as a blocker and did not seem overpowered, but could probably benefit from adding 10-15 pounds before taking on NFL defenders. As a receiver, he does not have great straight-line speed, but is a fluid receiver and athletic enough to create separation and make the tough catches with his soft hands. Hooper would likely need to add to his six-foot-three, 248-pound frame, but if he does bulk up he could be a steal. He is projected as a second round pick.
Nick Vannett, Ohio State – In an offense full of playmakers, Vannett may have been the most underutilized. He only caught 19 passes for 162 yards in 2015, but showed well as a run blocker. The six-foot-six, 256-pound tight end can block well both as an in-line blocker and in the slot. His limited career production may be due to an influx offensive talent for the Buckeyes, however his biggest weakness as a receiver is creating separation, as well as showing a tendency to have stone hands. He is close to the opposite of Hunter Henry, as Vannett could immediately help as a blocker but needs to develop as a receiver. He is considered a late-second to third round pick.
Jerell Adams, South Carolina – Adams comes out as a good size/speed prospect. He is six-foot-six, with long arms that allows him to make catches in traffic. He runs well for his size thanks to a long stride, and is a decent route runner who is still a bit stiff, but snags passes well with good hands. He is not a bad run blocker and can move defenders away from the ball, but needs to improve as a drive-blocker. Like Hooper, he would benefit to adding strength in the weight room to make him a more physical blocker and harder to cover to traffic. Adams projects as an early fourth round prospect, but could go earlier due to this being a down year at the position.
Other notable prospects:
Jake McGee, Florida
Bryce Williams, East Carolina
Glenn Gronkowski, Kansas State
Tyler Higbee, Western Kentucky
Kyle Carter, Penn State
J.P. Holtz, Pittsburgh
