Over the past three drafts, two tight ends—Kyle Pitts (fourth, 2021) and T.J. Hockenson (eighth, ’19)—have been selected with top-eight picks, but prospects such as Pitts and Hockenson are the exception to the rule.
Not only is it uncommon for teams to select tight ends with top-10 picks, but only nine tight ends have been selected in the first round over the past decade. During that stretch, four of 10 first rounds concluded without a tight end selected.
More than likely, the first tight end selected in the 2022 draft will hear his name called Friday (not Thursday).