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Oct 25, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores tight end Eli Stowers (9) makes a catch against the Missouri Tigers during the second quarter at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
College: Vanderbilt
Height/Weight: 6'4"/239
Hands: 9 3/4"
Age: 23 (at the time of the 2026 season opener)
40-Yard Dash: 4.51
Vertical Jump: 45.5"
Broad Jump: 11'3"
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A
Profiles similar to:Calvin Johnson
Plays similar to: Kyle Pitts
| Attribute | Grade |
|---|---|
| Ball Tracking | 8.5 (10) |
| Contested Catch/Body Control | 8.0 (10) |
| Hands | 9.0 (10) |
| Release | 7.5 (10) |
| Route-Running/Hands | 8.0 (10) |
| Run After Catch | 8.5 (10) |
| Physicality/Competitiveness | 6.0 (8) |
| Blocking | 2.5 (6) |
| Separation | 2.0 (3) |
| Speed | 3.0 (3) |
| Film Grade | 63.0 (80) |
Note: my usual format (citing examples for each attribute) does not display well on the site. Please click this link to access them.
It speaks volumes when a player is so freaky that his athletic comp is at another position. More amazingly, the comp is no slouch: Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson. Perhaps it is easier to begin with what Stowers is not. While he has the frame to add another 20 pounds fairly easily, he has a long way to go before he is even an average blocker; this is not someone who is going to block a defensive end or linebacker in the run game anytime soon. It is even debatable if he has the technique or ability to negate an aggressive safety right now. He is also not an X receiver (he is not physical enough at this point despite his size) or even a Z receiver (not quick enough) at the next level either.
What he is might be just about everything else on a football field. It would be one thing if he only boasted 96th percentile speed OR if he didn't just prove he was the most explosive (vertically) tight end prospect in Combine history. He is BOTH. The NFL is full of great athletes, but the lower end of those great athletes typically play the positions that will be defending Stowers the most. Outside of a player like Nick Emmanwori, what linebacker or safety can hope to defend a player who can catch a ball that may be 12 feet off the ground? Most linebackers don't run as fast as Stowers, so how are they going to keep up with him down the seam? Outside of his insane athleticism, his value in the NFL will come as a result of his versatility and the headaches he presents to defensive schemes. Is he a big slot? What if he lines up in-line in 12 personnel and basically forces the defense to put a linebacker on him? If they put a safety on him in those situations, what does that do to the run defense and/or a team's ability to defend the deep ball? Can a defense put a corner on him if he lines up out wide? Fortunately for Stowers, he may be entering the league at the right time. With the NFL embracing 12 and 13 personnel more than it ever has, Stowers has as good a chance at becoming a player who plays 50-60% of the snaps than he might have even five or 10 years ago. There is a real possibility that he is nothing more than a slightly better version of Logan Thomas (one of the better super athletic quarterback-to-tight end transitions in recent history). However, there is a slightly better chance that he redefines what is expected from a "F" tight end if someone from the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay coaching tree gets their hands on him, especially considering how much he is lauded for his work habits.
This article originally appeared on The Huddle: Eli Stowers NFL Draft Profile - Rookie Film Analysis

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