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ESPN continued their positional rankings series on Thursday, polling several NFL executives, scouts, coaches and players to determine the league’s top tight ends.
Despite four years of maddening inconsistency, New York Giants tight end Evan Engram, who was named to the Pro Bowl in 2020, made the cut.
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In fact, Engram even topped players such as Rob Gronkowski of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles star Zach Ertz.
8. Evan Engram, New York Giants
NFL evaluators are still bullish on Engram’s impressive skill set despite a tough 2020 campaign.
He ranked last among tight ends on this list in several categories — drops (eight), receptions above expected (-10.9) and receptions per target (57.3). But his 4.42 40-yard dash speed and his route-running ability are hard to ignore. His open-field cuts and releases at the line of scrimmage are wide receiver-level.
“He’s the guy you can do the most with in the passing game,” an AFC scout said. “He’s the guy the coordinators would want the most. He’s underachieving and something is off, because he should be putting up big numbers with that ability.”
Engram’s struggles are not for lack of effort or support. He works harder than just about anyone on the team and is loved by both his coaches and teammates. Head coach Joe Judge regularly heaps praise on and expresses his support for the 26-year-old.
So, what gives? Some may want to blame it on quarterback Daniel Jones, but Engram’s issues persisted when Eli Manning and Colt McCoy were under center, too.
Still, it’s easier to blame the coaches, quarterbacks and systems than it is to blame the player. Just ask the NFC coach who believes Engram would be a superstar if he played for the Kansas City Chiefs.
An NFC offensive coach added: “If he were in the Chiefs’ offense, he’d be a superstar.”
The thing is, Engram’s athleticism and ability have never been the issue. His work-ethic has never been the issue. And the coaches, quarterbacks and schemes have never been the issue…
Engram is his own worst enemy. The inconsistency appears to be mental and his flubs tend to come in the worst possible moments. Could Jason Garrett do a better job scheming him open? Absolutely, but that’s true for all of the team’s receivers. And being open doesn’t matter if you’re going to drop a game-winning pass in the final seconds of the fourth quarter anyway.
There’s no doubt Engram has all the talent in the world, but a change in scenery would be just that — a change in scenery. Engram himself needs to become more consistent to reach that superstar level and he’d be the first to tell you that.
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