The Draft Network’s Justin Melo reports that the New Orleans Saints hosted South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft for an official visit ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, making him one of the 30 prospects the team is permitted to fly into town. The Jackrabbits pass-catcher has been very popular: Melo adds that the Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, and Chicago Bears are among the ten teams to have brought Kraft to their facilities for meetings, interviews, and field work.
Kraft is an intriguing prospect. He’s coming out of the same program that sent Dallas Goedert to the Philadelphia Eagles a few years back, having caught 99 receptions for 1,218 yards with 9 touchdown catches in his 32-game college career. He was limited by knee and ankle injuries at times, but he’s an impressive athlete at 6-foot-4, 254 pounds with an 80-inch wingspan. He also earned top marks in testing drills at the NFL Scouting Combine to post a 9.68 Relative Athletic Score. He’s projected to be picked in the second or third round next week.
He wouldn’t take targets away from Juwan Johnson as a rookie, but Kraft is a better athlete than Adam Trautman and could offer more as a blocker right away. He’s plenty strong and aggressive enough, but he needs more work in nailing down his assignments. If the Saints feel he’s the best player available when they’re on the clock, they just might call his name.
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