NFL Combine results: 5 standouts from the tight end group

NFL Combine results: 5 standouts from the tight end group

The 2024 NFL Combine has completed all the drills for the defensive players and are now shifting over to the other side of the ball. The first offensive group to take the field were the tight ends and we have identified the top prospects who would fit in with the Detroit Lions.

If you’ve missed any of our previous Combine review series articles, you can get caught up here:

Let’s take a look at the tight ends who stood out.

Tip Reiman, Illinois (6-foot-5, 271 pounds)

A former walk-on turned captain, Tip Reiman has worked hard for his opportunities, and what a fantastic moment it was on Friday night when Reiman landed in the spotlight and stepped up under the bright lights. Reiman’s most recognizable trait is his blocking, and it didn’t take long before he got to show off his impressive skill set.

“He’s a mauler in the run game, he gets after it. The run game is his theatre,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said during the Combine coverage.

And he wasn’t lying. This is one of the more remarkable displays of blocking precision we have seen since they re-introduced the sled at the Combine:

Blocking is certainly Reiman’s calling card, but there are additional appealing elements to his skill set as well, including a strong desire to play special teams. Despite being 6-foot-5, he has fullback/H-back range, is a solid route runner, and has good speed—he ran a 4.64 40-yard dash at 271 pounds.

While his routes are clean and balanced, he will fight the ball at times and that can lead to drops. He looked strong in the gauntlet drill but dropped a standard out-route. To his credit, he never backed down and fought to improve. In the final drill of the day, the tight ends ran a goal-line fade. Reiman made his move and secured the catch but only got one foot in bounds. When the last prospects dropped his pass, coaches didn’t want to end the session with a drop and asked for a volunteer to go again, and Reiman immediately stepped in. He secured the pass and got both feet in to end the day.

Reiman is a perfect prospect to bring into Detroit, as his primary focus early in his career would be as a blocker and special teamer, and he can probably be acquired in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft.

Theo Johnson, Penn State (6-foot-6, 259 pounds)

Johnson was projected to go off the board in the third to fourth-round range, but after landing an unofficial perfect 10 in RAS, he may have solidified a Day 2 selection. He’s a big-bodied pass catcher who has solid blocking skills and uses his massive reach to high-point the football where it will be near impossible for a defender to challenge for the ball. He breaks down his routes well, and his long stride makes him deceptively fast (4.57 40-yard dash) for a big guy.

Cade Stover, Ohio State (6-foot-4, 247)

Stover was in total control of every drill, showing nice balance, hands, and blocking skills. He probably could have pushed his speed a bit more during the drills, but he was willing to make that trade-off for ball security. Like Johnson, Stover looks destined to land on Day 2 and may price himself out of the Lions’ range. But if not, he probably pushing for the TE2 spot immediately.

Ben Sinnott, Kansas State (6-foot-4, 250 pounds)

Sinnott is a well-rounded prospect who is a natural pass catcher with blocking chops. His routes are clean, and he puts full effort into every rep. His 4.68 40-yard dash was average, but his explosion numbers were fantastic. Sinnot’s 40-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-6 broad jump both topped the group, as did his three-cone drill results (6.82 seconds), while his short shuttle (4.23 seconds) was the third fastest of the group.

AJ Barner

Barner didn’t test in any of the measurables—Michigan players are suggested to work out at their Pro Day in Ann Arbor and skip testing at the Combine—but in the on-field drills he looked strong, both as a blocker and receiver. In the goal line fade drill, Barner went first, elevated, and snatched the football out of the air.