Draft preview: Tight end prospects are no slam dunk

Where are all the tight end prospects in this draft?

Heath Miller could be the only tight end drafted in the first round. (Getty Images)

Did you watch the NCAA basketball tournament? That's where, sneakers on their feet instead of cleats, catching passes for dunks, not touchdowns.

"I saw three or four guys who had that tight end look," said one AFC scout. "A lot of those guys are 6-6 power players who have no chance to play in the NBA. But they're athletic and they can run. In our league, with a little coaching, there's value in that. That's where all our tight ends are these days."

I covered the NCAA Tournament, and what the scout says is true. As I watched the games, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of tight end 6-4 guard Larry O'Bannon of Louisville might make. Could this be the next Antonio Gates? What about his teammate, center Aaron Miles, who plays with a scowl on his face and knocks people around at 6-8, 240 pounds?

"With what Gates has done, more and more of us will look to the college basketball players to see if there are any potential draft picks," said an NFC scout. "This year, nobody really stood out. But we're looking."

Gates wasn't drafted, either. He signed with the San Diego Chargers as a project three years ago, a rookie free agent who had only potential after playing basketball at Kent State. He's now a Pro Bowl player, perhaps the best pass-catching tight end in the game.

Gates did have a football background, which helped. Mixing it up on the basketball court is a whole lot different than taking a shot from a safety looking for a big collision, which is why mining for tight ends on the hardwood is a tough task.

"You have to wonder how good some of those basketball players would be if they had taken the football path," said the AFC scout. "But since they didn't, you don't know if they like the football contact."

Instead, teams are left sifting through a tight end class in this year's draft that might be the worst in years. The only tight end with a chance to go in the first round is Virginia's Heath Miller, and that's not a definite.

Some speculated Miller would be a high first-round pick at one point, but a sports hernia injury has limited his ability to work out for teams. He won't be able to run all-out until May 1, maybe later, which means after the draft.

Some scouts say if Miller was healthy, he still doesn't warrant a high first-round grade.

"This isn't a Todd Heap or Kellen Winslow we're talking about," the NFC scout said. "He's good, but he's not special."

Miller played through the injury before surgery was required. He caught 41 passes for 541 yards, which says something about his desire to stay on the field. That has to mean something. His production was down from his sophomore year when he caught 70 passes, but the departure of quarterback Matt Schaub to the NFL had something to do with that.

With the tight end position again becoming a focal point of the passing games around the league, teams are all looking for the guy who can become a factor in the middle of the field. Having a pass-catcher at the position becomes almost a security blanket for a quarterback.

Heap, Tony Gonzalez, Jeremy Shockey and Gates have all filled that role at times. And Alge Crumpler has done the same for Michael Vick in Atlanta, so much so that Vick doesn't throw enough to his receivers.

"I hope to be as productive as they are," Miller said. "I think there's a number of talented tight ends in the league, and it's really opened the door for the guys on the college level to be able to contribute to a team in a number of different ways. They're not just blockers anymore."

Miller's blocking is a question mark. Some scouts say he's not physical enough at the point of attack. Others say he doesn't have great vertical speed, which will hurt. You can't knock his production, though, which is why he's at the top of most team's tight end boards.

They called him "Big Money" at Virginia since his freshman year. He got the name from some upperclassmen who thought his talent would someday allow him to cash in. That time is now, although he might not be getting first-round money.

After Miller, there is a major drop on the tight end board. Stanford's Alex Smith and Miami's Kevin Everett are the next best at the position. Smith has good size and decent speed but isn't a powerful blocker. Everett might be the most athletic of the three, but he played behind Winslow and Shockey for most of his career. They're second-round picks at best.

"We're all looking for that special tight end," the NFC scout said. "But they're just not there this year. Some of these guys will be good players, but they aren't the Winslows or the Heaps."

Nope, those types of guys may be in the CBA or in the NBA's minor league or playing on a blacktop close to you.

For now, it's hook shots over hook routes, but that might soon change considering the dearth of tight-end talent in this year's draft.