The Carolina Panthers waited until almost the end of the first working week of free agency before making their first move of the offseason at tight end, bringing in Dan Arnold on a two-year deal worth a reported $6m from the Arizona Cardinals.

While Arnold certainly gives them more of a vertical threat in the passing game at the position, with Chris Manhertz and Alex Armah departing in free agency, Ian Thomas entering the final year of his rookie deal and Colin Thompson having exactly one career reception, the Panthers could well look to add to the group during the draft as well.

With Arnold hopefully being able to carry a fair amount of the receiving burden at the position, the Panthers’ focus will likely focus on bringing in either a primarily blocking tight end to replace Manhertz or a more developmental option who could potentially step into a larger role should Ian Thomas depart next offseason.

Though, as with every position group, the Panthers likely wouldn’t pass up a chance to get an immediate contributor in the passing game if they think they have a chance to get one at good value. So, with that in mind, who are some tight ends prospects that Panthers fans should know ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft?

Kyle Pitts, Florida (6’6 246lbs)

It’s impossible to have any conversation about the 2021 TE class without mentioning Kyle Pitts, who is comfortably the most impressive prospect at the position in the class. For the Panthers, Pitts would likely be somebody they would have to take with the 8th pick to secure his services and, given the other needs they still have, this would be something of a luxury selection.

Even if Pitts doesn’t end up in Carolina, however, he absolutely somebody that Panthers fans should know as should he end up in the NFC then he is somebody they are going to have to find a way of matching up with on a regular basis for the foreseeable future. So what is it that Pitts does so well?

For a start, he is an excellent athlete with the speed to stretch the field vertically down the seams and to create real match-up issues for defenses due to his size. He also has great hands and is a real factor at the catch point and in the red zone. As a vertical route runner, he also has an ability to create issues for teams as he is able to carry speed through vertical cuts allowing him to create separation against man coverage down the field. 

He does have some areas to improve upon though, as as good as he is as a route runner down the field, on underneath routes he could stand to add further nuance to create separation at the head of routes and, while he doesn’t lack effort as a blocker, he is still fairly raw from a technical perspective and could take some time and hard work to be a plus player in this regard. 

Overall, Pitts is unlikely to provide whichever offense he ends up in a big play threat over the middle who can also deliver in the red zone, with the potential to develop into a more consistent route runner at all levels with time. 

Kenny Yeboah, Ole Miss (6’4 240lbs)

Yeboah is an interesting prospect who is one of the most promising blockers in the class who also flashes a reasonable amount of potential as a pass catcher, and who would be a logical option to replace Chris Manhertz as the Panthers’ primary blocking tight end, albeit with more upside in the passing game than Manhertz.

He also has a link to Carolina, as he played for Matt Rhule for one season at Temple in 2016 and was due to transfer to Baylor before rule was hired in Carolina. But what does he offer the Panthers other than just familiarity?

For a start, he does a consistently good job of locating his hands a run blocker and shows good arm extension to keep blockers off his frame and has the power to generate push up front. Like Manhertz, he can struggle with his pad level at times, and this is something that improving at would allow him to take the step to being a really good run blocker. He is also a fairly good pass protector, though again could stand to improve his footwork. 

As a pass catcher, Yeboah is a fluid athlete with good hands who can impact the game after the catch but will need to show that he can add value as a route runner to be able to be viewed as a legitimate threat in the passing game rather than just an athletic blocker who can catch passes against zone.

If the Panthers are looking for a direct replacement for Manhertz, Yeboah is probably the best option in the class. 

Noah Gray, Duke (6’4 240lbs)

From arguably the best blocker in the class to arguably the best underneath route runner in the class. While the Panthers have a player who can work the deep middle in Arnold, what they have lacked in recent years is somebody who can offer that safety blanket underneath to allow them to move the chains and take pressure off the quarterback. As somebody who is currently projected to be taken somewhere on day three, Gray would offer this at good value with the potential to develop into a larger role with time. 

Gray might not have the deep speed to separate vertically against defensive backs, but he shows good quickness and change of direction and combines this with savvy route running to consistently create underneath separation against man and zone coverage alike. He has good hands and, while he isn’t on the same level as Pitts, he can also add some value at the catch point in the redzone as well as being hard to bring down after the catch. 

As a blocker, he sets a decent base but needs to bend his knees more and be more proactive with his hands, as while his hand placement was generally solid his arm extension sometimes allowed defenders to work free. Ultimately, he likely lacks the power to make a massive impact as an in-line blocker, but with further technical development he should be able to reach a level similar to Greg Olsen, who was able to be effective enough as a blocker for it not to be an issue given his value as a pass catcher. 

Gray should be able to immediately compete for playing time and would be a natural compliment for Arnold as a pass catcher, though it might be hard to put both players on the field at the same time until one, or ideally both, of them are able to improve as blockers. 

Hunter Long, Boston College (6’5 253lbs)

Hunter Long is one of those prospects who might not do anything excellently, but who doesn’t really have any major flaws either. Should the Panthers prefer to invest their major assets on offense elsewhere and look for a tight end who is able to play every snap and perform at a consistently good level without being the strength of the team then Long would certainly be a good fit, and good value as well as somebody who is currently projected to go around pick 100. 

As a receiver, Long is reasonably athletic with good hands and run a reasonably complex route tree well in college, though he is likely not going to excel if asked to consistently win down the field against more athletic safeties and linebackers. As a blocker, he could stand to improve his knee bend and base but locates his hands well and shows pretty good arm extension and should be able to block in-line without too many issues as the next level. 

Hunter Long is likely never going to be a 1,000 yard receiver or the lead blocker on the goal line, but he should be able to compete to start right away with a chance to be a regular feature of an NFL offense for the foreseeable future. The comparison to Hunter Henry 

Kylen Granson. SMU (6’3 235lbs)

The other option the Panthers have at tight end is to select a player who they can develop with a view to being a complete #1 TE in a year or so. This was the aspiration for Ian Thomas when he was selected, and while the Panthers would ideally like him to finally take that step in 2021, that is more of a hope than an expectation. Given that he will be a free agent in 2022, adding another young player to develop as his replacement could be on the cards. 

While Kylen Granson should be able to contribute as rookie, he is definitely a player who has more room to grow and could benefit from a season to continue to develop without being asked to go out and be the man week after week. 

As a receiver, Granson has the speed to stretch the field vertically, with good hands and is a threat after the catch. As a route runner, he flashes a really release off the line as well as little subtleties down field but could benefit from running a more diverse route tree at the NFL level with some time to add the nuances to that tree to allow him to create consistent separation at all levels of the field. 

As a blocker, he is more of a work in progress. He has the strength to block in line or even as a fullback, and demonstrates both fairly consistently good hand placement and an understanding for leverage, but he does need to improve his pad level and to eradicate his tendency to let his arms drop allowing defenders to crowd him making it harder for him to control and sustain blocks. 

Granson might not be the player who makes the Panthers the best in 2021, but has one of the highest ceilings in the class outside of Kyle Pitts and, having worked with the Panthers’ coaches during the Senior Bowl, they are as well placed as anybody to judge how likely he is to make good on his sizeable potential. 

Overall, there is something of a gulf between Pitts and the next best prospects in the class, and if the Panthers do pass on Pitts early in the first round then they would do well to wait until the middle rounds before looking to address the position as that is where the real strength of this class is likely to lie.

If they do, there are not only a number of good prospects in this class, but also enough variation in skill set and potential role that the Panthers should be able to find somebody who fits their vision for what a tight end looks like in their offense. 

(Top photo via  Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)