Billszone Draft Guide - Tight Ends
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Will the Buffalo Bills draft depth behind their injured TE's Campbell and Euhus? The top 8 tight ends in the 2005 NFL draft are profiled by NFL Scouting.
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| Tight Ends | Bills Depth Chart |
| Starters- Mark Campbell Backups-
Tim Euhus, Rod Trafford, Jason Peters, Ryan Neufield (UFA) The month of December wrecked havoc on the Bills TE depth. Mark Campbell and 3rd round promising draft pick Tim Euhus both went down with serious knee injuries. This left only Ryan Neufeld with any experience on the roster. 330 lbs. novelty Jason Peters is a TE by number only, but is developing into a valuable and versatile asset on special teams and in the short yardage package. Fortunately, coach Mike Mularkey's offense does not rely on TE's with strong receiving skills. Buffalo may go back to the draft or scour the waiver wire if Campbell's or Euhus' injuries are more serious than expected. It's almost guaranteed that the Bills will not attempt to go after any big dollar/ big names in free agency. |
First Round Value
EARL “Heath” MILLER 6' 5'' 256
Tight End
- Virginia Cavaliers
Aptly nicknamed “Big Money, ” Heath made a claim as the greatest tight end in school and
Atlantic Coast Conference history. He is the first player in ACC annals to win the Mackey Award
as the nation’s best tight end. Miller holds every receiving record for a tight end in school history and also established new
conference career records for receptions, touchdown catches and yards gained by a tight end. Heath would go on to start 39 consecutive games for the Cavaliers. Heath was a consensus All-American and unanimous All-ACC first-team pick in 2004. He did not
match his 2003 figures, but still led the team with 41 catches for 541 yards (13.2 avg) and five
touchdowns. In 39 games as a Cavalier, Heath caught 144 passes for 1703 yards (11.8 avg) and
twenty touchdowns, all conference records for a tight end. Only Billy McMullen (210, 1999-2001)
had more catches in a career for the Cavaliers. His 1703 yards rank seventh on the school’s
career-record list and his twenty scoring grabs rank fourth, behind McMullen (24), Herman Moore
(27, 1988-90) and Tyrone Davis (28, 1991-94).
Second Round Value
ALEX SMITH 6' 4'' - 258
Tight End
Stanford University Cardinals
The three-year starter is considered to be the premier tight end among college football’s seniors.
He came into his own as a pass catcher in 2004 and hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps one
day, as Edwin played for the Denver Broncos from 1973-76.
Alex redshirted in 2000 at Stanford. He earned his first varsity letter as a reserve tight end, seeing
most of his 2001 action on special teams.
Smith was a consensus second-team All-American selection as a senior, adding first-team All-
Pac-10 Conference and Team MVP accolades. He became the first Stanford tight end to be
named first-team All-Pac-10 since Greg Baty in 1985 and the first tight end to lead the team in
receiving since Bob Moore in 1969. Smith’s 52 receptions was the second best single season for
a Cardinal tight end (61 by Baty in 1985). In 44 contests with the Cardinal, Smith finished his
career by catching 107 passes for 1291 yards (12.1 avg) and eight touchdowns.
Third Round Value
Kevin Everett, 6' 4'' 241
Tight End - Miami Hurricanes
Everett hopes to be the next in line to go on from the Miami program to stardom in the professional ranks. He transferred to Miami in 2003, starting four of 13 games. Everett made nine catches for 90 yards (10.0 avg.) and three touchdowns that season. He took over the starting job as a senior, hauling in 23 passes for 310 yards (13.5 avg.) while registering 84 knockdown blocks. In 24 games for the Hurricanes, Everett snatched 32 passes for 400 yards (12.5 avg.) and three touchdowns.
Second Day Value
JOEL CLIFFORD DREESSEN 6' 4'' 260
Tight End/H-Back/Deep Snapper -
Colorado State Rams
Joel is an emerging talent who has played in a variety of roles for the Rams. On any given play,
he could line up in the backfield as a fullback, along the line as a classic tight end or in motion as
an H-back. In addition to his ability to play these positions, he is also a very capable snapper for
punts and placements. The 2004 season was a stellar year for Joel,
but a poor one for the team. The Rams did not make a bowl appearance for the first time since
1998. But, Joel walked away with third-team All-American honors from The NFL Draft Report and
first-team All-MCW accolades. He hauled in 43 passes for 427 yards (9.9 avg) and three
touchdowns. On special teams, he was credited with six tackles.
In 45 games with the Rams, Joel caught 123 passes for 1295 yards (10.5 avg) and ten
touchdowns. His 123 receptions rank eighth on the school’s career-record list and his ten scoring
grabs are tied for ninth. He also recorded 12 tackles (9 solos).
WILLIAM “Billy” BAJEMA 6' 4'' 261
Tight End
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Billy saw action in eight games as a true freshman in 2001. He caught four passes for 16 yards
(4.0 avg). Bajema took over the tight end position as a sophomore, hauling in 16 passes for 271
yards (16.9 avg) and a score to earn All-Big Twelve Conference honorable mention. He also
added eight solo tackles on special teams that year.
Bajema was chosen second-team All-Big Twelve in 2003, grabbing 12 passes for 129 yards (10.8
avg) and a pair of touchdowns while collecting a pair of solo tackles. Billy totaled 293 yards with a
score on 20 receptions during his final campaign with the Cowboys. In 46 games at Oklahoma
State, he accounted for 52 receptions, 709 yards (13.6 avg) with four touchdowns and 14 tackles
(13 solos) on special teams.
ADAM BERGEN 6' 4'' 265
Tight End
Lehigh University
Considered to be one of the premier tight ends in college football at any level, Adam is a
remarkable physical specimen with the size, strength, speed and pass catching ability that
professional teams covet.
Bergen played in every game as a true freshman at Lehigh, making two catches for 16 yards. He
started five contests in 2002, snatching 23 passes for 246 yards (10.7 avg) and three
touchdowns. Adam earned Sports Network and Associated Press Division I-AA All- American
honors as a junior in 2003. He became the sixth player in school history to catch 70 passes in a
season, gaining 840 yards (12.0 avg) and six touchdowns.
Adam was again chosen first-team All-American as a senior. Bergen had twice as many
receptions as the team’s second and third-leading receiver combined, hauling in 54 passes for
634 yards (11.7 avg) and eight scores in 2004. In 35 games with the Mountain Hawks, he caught
149 passes for 1736 yards (11.7 avg) and 17 touchdowns. His 149 catches rank eighth on the
school’s career-record list while his 17 scoring grabs rank seventh.
OLIVER EDWARD “Bo” SCAIFE III 6' 2'' - 249
Tight End -
Texas Longhorns
In 44 games with the Longhorns, Scaife started twelve times. He finished with 997 yards and five
touchdowns on 75 receptions (13.3 avg). Among the tight ends in school history, only Pat
Fitzgerald (80, 1994-96) had more receptions in a career for the Longhorns. His 997 yards are
topped only by Fitzgerald (1106) and Lawrence Sampleton (1071, 1978-81) on the school’s alltime
record list for tight ends.
ALEX HOLMES 6'1'' 265
Tight End - University of Southern California Trojans
AHolmes played behind Antoine Harris as a true freshman in 2000, catching seven passes for 53
yards (7.6 avg). He appeared in twelve games in 2001, playing behind Kori Dickerson, finishing
the season with 166 yards and two touchdowns on 22 grabs (7.5 avg). He moved into the starting
lineup as a junior in 2002, gaining 320 yards with two touch-downs on 29 receptions (11.0 avg).
In 2004, Alex hauled in 24 passes for 244 yards (10.2 avg), but did not find the end zone in his
final campaign. He was named All-Pac 10 Conference honorable mention for that performance. In
49 games with the Trojans, Alex started 28 contests. He made 82 catches for 783 yards (9.5 avg)
and four touchdowns.
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