Luke Lachey | Iowa 6’5” 251 lbs. 06/29/2001 (23)
Luke Lachey was drafted by the Houston Texans, becoming the 16th tight end and 255th overall player in the 2025 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
| Targets | Rec | Yards | RecTDs | Target Rate | YPRR | |
| 2021 | 13 | 8 | 133 | 0 | 11.8% | 1.21 |
| 2022 | 43 | 28 | 382 | 4 | 16.5% | 1.46 |
| 2023 | 16 | 10 | 131 | 0 | 27.6% | 2.26 |
| 2024 | 39 | 28 | 231 | 0 | 18.8% | 1.12 |
| Totals | 111 | 74 | 877 | 4 | 17.5% | 1.38 |
Playing for what many consider “Tight End U”, Luke Lachey was supposed to be the next big thing out of Iowa. He was valued highly in Devy formats just a couple of years ago, and after a decent redshirt sophomore campaign, Lachey was expected to break out in 2023. Unfortunately, an ankle injury sidelined Lachey for all but three games in 2023, and he failed to bounce back strongly in 2024.
Lachey posted a career 17.5% target rate and 1.38 yards per route run (YPRR), which are not particularly impressive marks for an NFL prospect. Fun fact: Harold Fannin had more targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns in 2024 than Lachey had in his entire career. He was used sparingly at Iowa, and the lack of production combined with the injury history resulted in Lachey falling to the seventh round of the NFL Draft.
Lachey is an older tight end prospect, set to turn 24 this summer. He redshirted in 2020, so he was actually a five-year player.
FILM
Lachey was a multi-sport athlete growing up, and you can see this on tape with his fluid running style and functional athleticism. However, he lacks any real burst, speed, or agility to his game. Lachey is effective in the short and intermediate areas of the field but isn’t fast enough to separate deep. He has soft hands and rarely dropped passes at Iowa. Lachey needs to improve as a pass protector and run blocker to see the field at the NFL level. Durability and lack of college production are major red flags here. I don’t see any elite traits to Lachey’s game that tell me he could move up a depth chart at the NFL level.
ATHLETIC TESTING
Lachey posted a solid 7.41 RAS, highlighted by his 35” vertical and 10’ broad jump. At 6’5” and 251 lbs, Lachey has sufficient size and height. His 4.85-second 40-yard dash was below average, and his 4.47 shuttle was also disappointing. Lachey excelled with his explosion grade, posting a 35” vertical and 10’ broad jump. As mentioned, Lachey has functional athleticism but lacks agility and speed, which may hinder his ability to separate at the next level.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Poor
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Below Average
Luke Lachey was selected 255th overall by the Houston Texans.
Lachey was the last tight end selected in the NFL Draft, barely avoiding the dreaded “UDFA” tag. Lachey lands on what should be an above-average offense over the next few years, but he’ll be buried on the depth chart. Houston currently has Dalton Schultz, Brevin Jordan, Cade Stover, and Irv Smith Jr. on contract. None of these guys are superstars, but with so much depth, there’s no guarantee Lachey even makes the 53-man roster.
FANTASY INSIGHTS
Luke Lachey should not be on your radar in your Dynasty rookie drafts, unless the draft is 5+ rounds or you’re playing in a 2TE league. Lachey is currently my 61st overall ranked rookie prospect in Superflex. He’s not someone I would consider in your typical four-round rookie draft, but he may be worth a FAAB bid and a taxi squad stash post-draft if you have the room.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. Until next time, keep grinding out there, DFF family! #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
