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3 Senior Bowl tight ends that will be on Steelers radar in the 2020 NFL Draft

By Tommy Jaggi

LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMBER 29: Tight end Brycen Hopkins #89 of the Purdue Boilermakers runs after a catch against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 29, 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMBER 29: Tight end Brycen Hopkins #89 of the Purdue Boilermakers runs after a catch against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 29, 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
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The 2020 Senior Bowl was played on Saturday. Here’s why the Steelers will have interest in several tight ends who were in Mobile.

The Senior Bowl is a time for NFL teams to get one final game-action look at potential draft prospects. Though the practice reps throughout the week are limited, and players are coached to avoid injuries, we can still get an idea of which players the Steelers will come away impressed with.

It’s no secret that Pittsburgh is in the market for a tight end. Vance McDonald is set to make over $14.2 million in the next two seasons and Nick Vannett is an undrafted free agent. Fortunately, the Steelers are in luck.

Though the 2020 draft class doesn’t feature elite tight ends like T.J. Hockenson or Noah Fant from last year’s class, it is very deep on day two prospects. Here are three Senior Bowl tight ends the Steelers will be eying during the draft this year:

Brycen Hopkins

The Steelers typically look for underclassmen early in the draft, but Hopkins has many of the traits Pittsburgh will look for in their future tight end. Hopkins is a move tight end who can line up all over the field. His savvy route running and natural hands make him a threat in the middle of the field. The fifth-year senior had 830 yards and 7 touchdowns in his final season with Purdue.

Jared Pinkney

Pinkney is more in the mold of a traditional tight end. His best season came as a junior where he nabbed 50 catches for 774 yards and 7 touchdowns. However, his senior year was a bit of a letdown. Pinkney managed just 233 yards and 2 touchdowns over the course of 8 games in his senior season. Still, he is a big, strong, well rounded tight end who could be on the Steelers radar.

Adam Trautman

The Steelers don’t typically go with players from schools as small as Dayton, but they may be willing to make an exception for Adam Trautman. Many thought the jump to the Senior Bowl would be too much for the small school tight end, but Trautman held his own. At 6’5” and 251 pounds, Trautman possesses ideal size for the position. He is a developmental prospect who is gaining steam, and he could be a player the Steelers try to groom into a number two tight end.

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It’s still unclear which direction Pittsburgh will look to go on draft day, and what they do in free agency this offseason will affect their areas of need. As of now, there is little question that the Steelers are eyeing the tight end position, and these three Senior Bowl standouts could be on their radar.

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