Day two of the 2026 NFL Draft Combine came to a close, and all the talk surrounding the tight end position was on Kenyon Sadiq from Oregon. Vanerbilt TE Eli Stowers NFL draft prospects may be looking up even more, though.
This isn’t to take anything away from Sadiq. He turns 21 in March and put on a show, in terms of athleticism, during Friday’s events. He set the record for the fastest 40-yard dash by a tight end in combine history (4.39), and had the second-best ever vertical (43.5″) and second-best ever broad jump (11’1). That will be the headline and the big story by all the major networks, but lost in the background is who finished first all-time in both categories.
There aren’t a couple of people with better jumping numbers than Sadiq, and it didn’t happen in past combines. Both tight end records were set in 2026 by Vanderbilt’s Stowers. After measuring earlier in the week at 6’4 and 235 pounds, Stowers posted a broad jump of 11’3 and a Michael Jordanesque vertical of 45.5″. That’s half an inch shy of the biggest vertical ever, regardless of position (Gerald Sensabaugh posted 46″ in 2005).
The Proof Is On The Field
Stowers played 12 games for the Commadores in 2026. He had 62 receptions for 769 yards (12.4 yards per catch) and four touchdowns. These numbers aren’t just better than Sadiq’s (51 for 560 (11.0), but they are better than some of the best tight end prospects of the past few NFL Drafts.
Superstar Chicago Bears rookie Colston Lovbeland was the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was targeted 82 times this year, bringing in 58 receptions for 713 yards (12.3). In his final year at Michigan, he caught 56 balls for 582 yards (10.4). He followed that up with a 4.70 forty at the combine and a 35.5″ vertical.
Brock Bowers was the 13th overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024. In his rookie season, he was targeted 153 times, caught 112 passes for 1,194 yards, and scored five touchdowns. In his final season for the Georgia Bulldogs, he caught 56 passes for 714 yards (12.8). HIs combine numbers were a 4.53 forty and a 40″ vertical.
Kyle Pitts was considered the best tight end prospect in the history of the NFL when the Atlanta Falcons selected him fourth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. He had a great rookie season as well, pulling in 68 balls for 1,026 yards (15.1 yards per catch). In his final year at Florida, he caught 43 passes, then ran a 4.44 forty at the combine and jumped 35.5″.
Eli Stowers NFL Draft Destination Is Greatness
There’s no telling where Stowers will end up. NFL Mock Draft Database has him listed as the 60th overall prospect, and many Mock Drafts have him being selected at the bottom of the first round. A good possibility could be the AFC Champion New England Patriots. Tight ends accounted for 25% of all the receiving production on the team (targets, receptions, yards, touchdowns) in 2025, and Austin Hooper is scheduled to depart in free agency.
It’s not hard to imagine Josh McDaniels drawing up plays, especially in the end zone, for a player like Stowers to excel, and potentially win offensive rookie of the year.
