ESPN asked a group of experts, consisting of league executives, coaches and scouts, to help rank the top 10 players in 11 different positions across the NFL. The lists look at who the best players are right now, especially as teams report for training camp in just a couple of weeks.
Kansas City Chiefs long-time tight end Travis Kelce ranked No. 10 on this year's tight end list, despite having high run-after-catch numbers last season, where he ran a total of 429 yards, the third-highest total among this year's tight end candidate pool.
Is Travis Kelce starting to age out?
Most players who made the top 10 tight end ranking, including the five honorable mentions, are around 25, ranging from Colston Loveland at 22 to George Kittle at 32. Kelce is the oldest player on the list, at 36, and is going into his 14th season as a Chief.
In the description of Kelce's ranking, ESPN says that he is still a route-savvy player, as he has always been, following in the footsteps of previous great tight ends such as Jason Witten and Tony Gonzalez. Despite being the oldest player among the rankings, it is said that Kelce isn't quite aging out, and it's not the reason for his fall in the rankings, after being ranked No. 5 last season. It looks like his nine drops last season may account for his drop from No. 5 to 10.
An NFC personnel evaluator, not named by ESPN, said that Kelce is still an "ageless wonder" at his position. "His elite route savvy, body control, and instincts allow him to still compete at a high level, despite him getting up in age," the evaluator said. Therefore, it is evident that age is just a number for Kelce, and as the Chiefs go into training camp and the 2026 season gets underway soon, it will be interesting to see if Kelce's performance outweighs his age.
The rise of the tight end position
Tight ends, specifically, are a position on the rise in both on-field representation and popularity. Tight End University is just one example of this. Founded in 2021 by Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Greg Olsen, the three-day program brings about 90 professional and collegiate tight ends together from across the country. Offensive coaches throughout the league are starting to value tight ends more by showcasing two or three on the field at a time now, and relying on them for passing and the run-game.
Although Kelce was at the bottom of the ranking, we can't ignore that he is still among the top 10, despite his age. Players ahead of Kelce in the top three included Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 1, followed by Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals and George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers. Tight ends, and the 10 specifically on ESPN's list, will be on high watch this upcoming season. Hopefully, Kelce can have a top-10 performance and elevate the Chiefs' offense to have a better season than last.
