Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku has had an interesting time since being selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Injuries limited him to just four games in 2019, and he started just five the following season. A misguided trade request was made in the summer of 2020, but it was withdrawn in the fall and his contract was reinstated. In the end, N’Joku’s potential always seemed to exceed his ability.
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But then it all started to settle in. Njoku’s production has been strong over the past three seasons, leading to career-highs of 81 receptions, 882 yards and six touchdowns in 2023. (This was timely, considering the Browns gave Njoku a sweet contract extension in the spring of 2022.)
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While he may not be on the same level as the San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle as the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce, Njoku has emerged as one of the best tight ends in the league.
Executives, scouts and coaches rank the top 10 NFL tight ends for 2024:
-Everyone except Kelsey looks like a high school student
– Laporta is a star and “everything comes easy”
-Njoku debut https://t.co/ujKN3U0LIk— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 12, 2024
His strong trajectory earned Njoku a No. 6 ranking in ESPN’s tight end rankings, which bases its rankings on a survey of league executives, coaches and scouts. Njoku’s highest ranking was No. 3 and his lowest was No. 10, highlighting how the survey has matched his potential with his performance.
After years as a reserve, Njoku topped 100 targets in his seventh season in the NFL, and despite playing with four quarterbacks, he proved his volume share with 882 yards and six touchdowns. He ranked first among tight ends in yards after first contact (247) and yards after the catch (7.4, tied with Kittle).
“Maybe it just took him a while to get the nuances of the game, but his size and athleticism have always been a problem for defenses,” a veteran NFL personnel executive said. “He’s still not polished and he’s a little shaky as far as his game feel, but he’s getting better. He still has a lot to work on.”
Njoku’s biggest issue is that he had nine drops last season, the most of any tight end. And, as one voter noted, while Njoku had some quick success with quarterback Joe Flacco late in the season, voters don’t think that’s indicative of long-term success. Three of Njoku’s biggest receiving games this year came in the four games Flacco started. It remains to be seen if Njoku can replicate that performance now that Deshaun Watson is back.
It may have taken Njoku longer than some fans would have hoped to come into his own, but it’s clear over the past two seasons that he’s developed into one of the best tight ends in the league, and if he continues on this career trajectory, he could rank even higher on next year’s list.
