Eli Stowers | Vanderbilt | 6’4 , 240 lbs | Apr 15, 2003 (22 years)

Eli Stowers was drafted in the second round by the Philadelphia Eagles, becoming the 2nd tight end and 54th overall player in the 2026 NFL Draft.

COLLEGE PRODUCTION

Eli Stowers spent his first two seasons in college football as a member of the Texas A&M Aggies, but as with many tight ends, he found no immediate success. He appeared in only 5 total games and generated no statistics. 

Stowers ended up transferring down in competition to New Mexico State and converted to being listed as a quarterback instead of a tight end. He managed to still catch 35 balls for 366 yards and two touchdowns while also running the ball 28 times for 108 yards and two touchdowns as well. 

His versatility caught the attention of Vanderbilt, and he transferred in to be their starting tight end for 2024 and 2025. He was the focal point of the offense in 2024, catching 49 passes for 638 yards and 5 touchdowns. His production during that season saw him rise to the top of many rankings for tight end prospects, and he backed it up again in 2025 with another strong season. He was no longer the top option in the Commodores’ passing game, but still managed to catch 62 passes for 769 yards and 4 touchdowns. 

FILM

Stowers is an extremely fluid mover for his size and brings an element of athleticism to the tight end position that allows him to be used in a multitude of ways. He has exceptional burst and power, along with a large catch radius reminiscent of a wide receiver. He also gets vertical very well, which makes him a serious mismatch for any linebacker trying to cover him in the middle of the field. 

He played mostly in the slot in college (71%) but did line up just about everywhere on the offensive side of the ball. His elite athleticism will likely allow him to do the same at the next level with an intelligent offensive coordinator. His background as a quarterback also helps him to identify soft spots in zone coverage and be a friendly target for his quarterback. 

Stowers does have some deficiencies. Though his athletic traits are vastly apparent, he never truly shows this on tape. A player with his athletic profile should dominate every defensive player whenever he wants, but this never came through (at least not at Vanderbilt). He flashed some upside in yards-after-the-catch but needs some development in his route-running and footwork. For a tight end, Stowers is also a bit timid across the middle of the field and can short-arm some balls, which leads to drops, but he has room to increase his size slightly and truly is new to playing the position in the first place. He should never be asked to block oncoming defenders, as he blocks as well as you would expect an ex-quarterback to block. 

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ATHLETIC TESTING

Stowers set NFL Combine records for the tight end position in broad jump (11 feet, 3 inches) and vertical jump (45.5 inches). He also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds which is in the 98th percentile for the position and considered an elite testing number. He posted a 9.45 official Relative Athletic Score (RAS), which makes him an elite athletic prospect. With such elite athletic metrics, you would have expected Stowers to flash more on tape, but it may just mean that he has a ton more to offer at the NFL level if used appropriately.

DRAFT ANALYSIS 

Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Excellent

Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Excellent

With Dallas Goedert signing only a one-year deal, it seems likely that he is nearing the end of his run in an Eagles uniform. This leaves the door wide open for Eli Stowers to take over in dominant fashion as soon as next season. In Stowers, Philadelphia adds an elite athlete who can dominate on the seam routes and give them an advantage over teams that will be forced to cover him with less athletic linebackers. He won’t be asked to block anyone with how poor he is at it, but fortunately, he enters the league at the right time with many teams embracing 12 and 13 personnel. 

FANTASY INSIGHTS

Eli Stowers is currently ranked as my 8th overall rookie prospect in Dynasty Superflex formats that include a tight end premium (TEP). In non-TEP leagues, I would still look to scoop him up in the early second round of Dynasty Rookie Drafts. There is a very good chance that he will not be productive in 2026, given that Dallas Goedert stuck around in Philadelphia and they also drafted coveted wide receiver prospect Makai Lemon this year. His athletic ability alone makes him extremely enticing, and assuming he takes over the TE1 spot in Philadelphia next year, he will have an immediate fantasy impact. We have already seen this type of tight end pan out and rise in dynasty rankings over the past year (see Harold Fannin), and it’s possible he does everything better than what Fannin does, but in a better overall. It is also unfortunately possible that he sees a similar ceiling to Logan Thomas (who was also one of the more athletic tight ends to make it to the NFL in recent memory).

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