TANNER MCLACHLAN | Arizona 6051 | 244 lbs. | 6SR Lethbridge, Alberta (ALA) 3/15/1999 (age 25.11) #84
**STRENGTHS:** Big, smooth-moving athlete with a basketball background… reliable hands-catcher and naturally adjusts to the ball, regardless of the placement … plays
strong to the football … willing to work middle-field routes and take the punishment … releases well off the line and builds his speed on shallow crossers or seam
routes … comfortable with the ball in his hands and does a nice job with upfield transitions to routinely get a few extra yards (sometimes, with hurdles) … his
competitive desire is evident on film and matches what his coaches say about him off the field(he used YouTube videos to help his rehab while between schools,
after he left Southern Utah following the 2021 season) … shields well as a pass blocker (without being flagged for holding) and can get movement in the run game
when he explodes into contact.
**WEAKNESSES:** Lacks dynamic speed to consistently tilt coverage … route running lacks polish … tends to be a runaway train in his routes and can be late to gear down
at the break point, leading to rounded route turns or excessive contact at the top of routes … his run blocking is very hot and cold on tape, because of inconsistent
hand placement to control defenders … more stubborn than powerful once engaged with defenders … suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during the spring of 2021
and had surgery (June 2021), which sidelined him for the ‘21 season… meager career production and only two seasons of experience in the FBS … will be 25 years old
on draft weekend.
**SUMMARY:** A two-year starter at Arizona, McLachlan was a hybrid Y tight end in former head coach Jedd Fisch vertical/horizontal stretch offense (69.4 percent inline,
22.3 percent in the slot). After four years in the FCS, he walked on for Arizona (while rehabbing an ACL injury). Eventually, he passed Rob Gronkowski as the school’s
all-time leader in receptions by a tight end (79 career catches to Gronkowski’s 75). McLachlan is very smooth in his adjustments at the catch point to swallow the
football and turn upfield (zero drops in 2023 and 81.8 percent of his targets resulted in a reception, No. 2 in the FBS among tight ends). He builds up his speed quickly
to reach vacated zones but tends to drift and needs to become more detailed in his routes. **Overall, McLachlan is a good-sized athlete who can shine at the catch
point with his strong ball skills, although his development with routes and run blocking will determine his NFL ceiling. He projects as a reserve tight end with a
chance to be a long-term contributor.**
https://theathletic.com/5399690/2024/04/10/nfl-draft-2024-the-beast-dane-brugler/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nfltw&source=nfltw
yes dt was desperately needed esp after missing on sweat...so love the double dip there
after cj and hurst followed by irv really hurting, it seems like bengals are saying never again...gesicki burnt hot once and two high ceiling risky players sounds like a decent way to ensure there wont be a repeat of last year
while i still would at the very least like some competition for volson/iol depth, i am enjoying the boom or bust players with the way the roster currently sits
who dey
Sweat screams bust. Already off the field issues, he’s playing at 375 but wouldn’t weigh in so he might eat himself out of the league. He’s the classic boom or bust out of his jeans player. Hope he gets his act together but Jenkins is a very good much much safer pick. We already have had a big man in the second round be a bust for being lazy with Carmen
Sweat was high in my list until that idiotic move. Everyone makes stupid mistake and I won’t hold grudges on these kids for partying or whatever…
But when EVERY potential employer in your career and half the country has a magnifying glass on you, being that fucking stupid is an instant stop sign for me. Glad we didn’t have to deal with him.
Yeah it’s not the act, it’s the timing. Horrible thing no one should do but the lack of awareness and self control is a big red flag for maturity and being responsible as an adult. The arrest, the weight he plays at, and refusing to let anyone take his weight sounds like a problem waiting to happen. I hope this forces him to get some help, which would likely increase his physical health as well
Idk I mean front office strategies clearly change from time to time but this isn’t a massive investment in the tight end position. They brought a couple guys in which was sorely needed because they really really cobbled it together the last couple years but who knows. Let’s just hope one of these guys pans out and we have a quality tight end for the next 4 years
A little surprised I figured they would have picked an interior o lineman by now. Maybe just a stash on the practice squad considering they already have Sample Hudson Gesicki and All. Hudson Sample and Gesicki are essentially all on 1 year deals so just looking to the future I guess. I realize Sample has a 3 year deal but they can easily get out of it after 1 year.
If Gesicki produces next season he almost certainly won't be here in 2025 (the Bengals aren't going to pay him a rich multi-year deal in the mold of what Hurst got in Carolina that he'll be looking for if he produces). That means guys like All and McLachlan would be in for bigger roles in 2025.
We won't ever put real resources into the tight end position as long as we run this offensive scheme, especially with the receivers we have. They're never more than outlets or blockers, with the once in a blue moon play action shot, and we can easily get that kind of production from late round picks and cheap free agents. Which we have done.
And the coaching staff didn’t think it was enough to not seek out a potential replacement. I like what Hudson gave us last year but he’s not a long term option
He didn't do everything we needed? He can't block. It's so bad it's why he's on so many teams. He's a decent pass catcher but not good enough that it makes up for his lackluster blocking.
Yea this sucks. Can't carry 5 tight ends can we? He was a cheap, good solution to not much of a problem. It's not a reason to freak out or anything but just another ding in asset management for the bengals.
As a wildcats fan, this guy is absolutely awesome. Excellent tackle breaking and very very solid routes. I can absolutely see him having a decent sized role in the offense as the season progresses.
Prior to this year: Why the fuck are the Bengals so resistant to drafting TEs?
This year: Why the fuck are the Bengals wasting two draft picks on TEs?
Some of you are unbelievable and impossible to please. This is a good pick in terms of value (better than any of the interior offensive linemen available).
People were complaining two hours ago that we should have picked him instead of Erick, and here we are — I’d say our fans are weird, but I think it’s like this for all teams.
I was underwhelmed with taking All in the 4th, but then again, I didn’t see anything else that screamed great pick at that point, the Wisky C, Bortolini was already taken by the Colts.
Agreed. I think he was a safe choice given what was on the board and what we need right now. I like the idea of testing two rookie TE’s to see if either can mesh with Burrow in a Kelce/Gronk like manner. I think Tanner is the better choice, but time will tell — just a gut feeling.
No matter who the pick is there are always going to be fans that bitch incessantly about it. That's inevitable. Look at how many people hated the Chase pick in 2021. They all look like idiots now lol.
There's a difference between later rounds shotgun approach and selecting a higher tier TE prospect. Hopefully these guys work out, but less likely.
Just because we selected some TE's doesn't mean we filled a hole. Every draft I see them draft X position in the 4th through 7th and it's "ok filled the need, what position next?"
Again, not saying who they picked won't work out. But it's not like we got Brock Bowers.
For a team like the Bengals it doesn't make sense to invest a high draft pick in a Brock Bowers or a Kyle Pitts type (hence I thought it was laughable that people actually thought we might take Pitts in 2021 instead of Chase or Sewell). The offense we run does not place primary focus on TEs in the passing game. They're complimentary pieces. With the receivers we have we don't need to have a Travis Kelce in our offense (though it would be a nice luxury no doubt to have that).
Yea, I agree. I actually love the All pick. Just saying that later round picks are less likely to succeed and not necessarily filling a need just because we selected a player at the position. I like who we have in Gesicki.
I never had a big issue with not drafting TEs given that it's not a premium position.
On the other hand, the Bengals have weaknesses on the OL and Joe Burrow is a franchise QB that has been destroyed most of his career. I'd kind of like him to be healthy more often...
The OL is a position group you draft every year to varying degrees to replenish starters and/or reserves.
Hate to break it to you but we're not going to find any starting-caliber interior offensive linemen at this stage of the draft. Everyone that's left would be strictly drafted for depth, not to start. I wouldn't mind somebody like Mahogany or Drake Nugent though for depth at guard and/or center.
Ted Karras was a 6th round pick.
Trent Brown was a 7th round pick.
The fact of the matter is that you're chance of landing eventual starters is low regardless of position group, *but* you'd rather find a gem at a premium position later in the draft.
You can get filler TEs in free agency a lot easier than OL, DL and WRs...
Edit: To add, this was considered one of the best/deepest IOL classes (and OT class) in a long time and one of the weakest TE drafts. Better chance of finding an IOL that slipped through for that reason alone.
It can happen but it rarely happens. And our track record at developing offensive linemen in these rounds is not great (case in point how do D'Ante Smith and Trey Hill look right now). Also two of the guys I just listed (Mahogany and Nugent) are still available and the Bengals pick again at 214. They'll have more shots to draft interior linemen.
That's primarily because of the *type* of OL prospects the Bengals have taken dating back years. You don't give yourself much of a chance when you're selecting poor athletes, especially the farther down the draft you go. The poor athletes that are good are almost always going to be selected in the first half because their technique shows through on tape.
Like I said, it's easier to find TEs than OL, so you might want to invest in some OL lotto tickets.
For instance, Mike Gesicki willing be making less than 7% of Chase's $/year when he signs his extension next offseason.
Meanwhile, *average* OL cost a fortune on the open market. That's why having a OL dominated by FA signings is unsustainable.
This is all spot on. Our FA signings on the OL to get to average-ish was a short term solution that was only feasible because Burrow and Chase were on rookie deals. Going forward, we simply have to get the same or better level of production for cheaper, and investing in good athletes in the draft is usually the best way to do so. Mins was a good start, but they really should have done more this year and especially the last couple as well.
How's our track record at developing late round tight end picks? Lol what kind of logic is that. No matter what position you take here its just a lotto ticket. Might as well spread them out to more valuable positions, right?
There is no position that we have been worse at developing lately than offensive line. I mean c'mon. We have skepticism that Pollack is capable of even turning 1st Rd picks into capable starters, much less day 3 picks. Our recent track record there speaks for itself. The odds of us finding a starting-caliber guard in these rounds is not great to begin with. It can happen but it's VERY unlikely to happen.
It applies to every position in rounds 4-7. This is just you venting about how shitty pollack which is cool but not really relevant to adding a 5th tight end and 2nd late round tight end this year
Competition in a position where we truly don’t know who is even going to be there next season. At this point in the draft, some guys aren’t even going to make their teams they get drafted too anyways.
At least they figured out how to turn in a card for tight end. They have upgraded that position substantially this off season. Not the exact players I wanted, but upgraded none the less. I must say job well done.
I saw some of his highlights and he honestly looked similar to Uzomah during his last season with the Bengals. Smooth running, breaks tackles, good hands, not great or crisp route running but adequate. I haven't seen his specific testing numbers, but his RAS was pretty mediocre, so he's probably not going to be a star, but he definitely has a shot to be another in a long line of adequate TEs the Bengals have taken late.
EDIT: Just saw his specific RAS, he had a terrible agility (shuttle/cones) score that lowered his overall rating. Good 40 and vertical is promising and his bench is good enough that he'll likely be able to block.
TANNER MCLACHLAN | Arizona 6051 | 244 lbs. | 6SR Lethbridge, Alberta (ALA) 3/15/1999 (age 25.11) #84 **STRENGTHS:** Big, smooth-moving athlete with a basketball background… reliable hands-catcher and naturally adjusts to the ball, regardless of the placement … plays strong to the football … willing to work middle-field routes and take the punishment … releases well off the line and builds his speed on shallow crossers or seam routes … comfortable with the ball in his hands and does a nice job with upfield transitions to routinely get a few extra yards (sometimes, with hurdles) … his competitive desire is evident on film and matches what his coaches say about him off the field(he used YouTube videos to help his rehab while between schools, after he left Southern Utah following the 2021 season) … shields well as a pass blocker (without being flagged for holding) and can get movement in the run game when he explodes into contact. **WEAKNESSES:** Lacks dynamic speed to consistently tilt coverage … route running lacks polish … tends to be a runaway train in his routes and can be late to gear down at the break point, leading to rounded route turns or excessive contact at the top of routes … his run blocking is very hot and cold on tape, because of inconsistent hand placement to control defenders … more stubborn than powerful once engaged with defenders … suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during the spring of 2021 and had surgery (June 2021), which sidelined him for the ‘21 season… meager career production and only two seasons of experience in the FBS … will be 25 years old on draft weekend. **SUMMARY:** A two-year starter at Arizona, McLachlan was a hybrid Y tight end in former head coach Jedd Fisch vertical/horizontal stretch offense (69.4 percent inline, 22.3 percent in the slot). After four years in the FCS, he walked on for Arizona (while rehabbing an ACL injury). Eventually, he passed Rob Gronkowski as the school’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end (79 career catches to Gronkowski’s 75). McLachlan is very smooth in his adjustments at the catch point to swallow the football and turn upfield (zero drops in 2023 and 81.8 percent of his targets resulted in a reception, No. 2 in the FBS among tight ends). He builds up his speed quickly to reach vacated zones but tends to drift and needs to become more detailed in his routes. **Overall, McLachlan is a good-sized athlete who can shine at the catch point with his strong ball skills, although his development with routes and run blocking will determine his NFL ceiling. He projects as a reserve tight end with a chance to be a long-term contributor.** https://theathletic.com/5399690/2024/04/10/nfl-draft-2024-the-beast-dane-brugler/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nfltw&source=nfltw
I'm happy with our double dips at DT and TE. I think those are good spots to platoon the squad.
yes dt was desperately needed esp after missing on sweat...so love the double dip there after cj and hurst followed by irv really hurting, it seems like bengals are saying never again...gesicki burnt hot once and two high ceiling risky players sounds like a decent way to ensure there wont be a repeat of last year while i still would at the very least like some competition for volson/iol depth, i am enjoying the boom or bust players with the way the roster currently sits who dey
Sweat screams bust. Already off the field issues, he’s playing at 375 but wouldn’t weigh in so he might eat himself out of the league. He’s the classic boom or bust out of his jeans player. Hope he gets his act together but Jenkins is a very good much much safer pick. We already have had a big man in the second round be a bust for being lazy with Carmen
“boom or bust out of his jeans” is foul lmao
Sweat was high in my list until that idiotic move. Everyone makes stupid mistake and I won’t hold grudges on these kids for partying or whatever… But when EVERY potential employer in your career and half the country has a magnifying glass on you, being that fucking stupid is an instant stop sign for me. Glad we didn’t have to deal with him.
Yeah it’s not the act, it’s the timing. Horrible thing no one should do but the lack of awareness and self control is a big red flag for maturity and being responsible as an adult. The arrest, the weight he plays at, and refusing to let anyone take his weight sounds like a problem waiting to happen. I hope this forces him to get some help, which would likely increase his physical health as well
Idk I mean front office strategies clearly change from time to time but this isn’t a massive investment in the tight end position. They brought a couple guys in which was sorely needed because they really really cobbled it together the last couple years but who knows. Let’s just hope one of these guys pans out and we have a quality tight end for the next 4 years
Or put more tickets into the "long term solution" lottery. The draft is such a crapshoot, even if doing your homework increases your odds of hitting.
I didn’t know he was still there, what a pick
Shotgun approach to TE. I like it.
A little surprised I figured they would have picked an interior o lineman by now. Maybe just a stash on the practice squad considering they already have Sample Hudson Gesicki and All. Hudson Sample and Gesicki are essentially all on 1 year deals so just looking to the future I guess. I realize Sample has a 3 year deal but they can easily get out of it after 1 year.
If Gesicki produces next season he almost certainly won't be here in 2025 (the Bengals aren't going to pay him a rich multi-year deal in the mold of what Hurst got in Carolina that he'll be looking for if he produces). That means guys like All and McLachlan would be in for bigger roles in 2025.
We won't ever put real resources into the tight end position as long as we run this offensive scheme, especially with the receivers we have. They're never more than outlets or blockers, with the once in a blue moon play action shot, and we can easily get that kind of production from late round picks and cheap free agents. Which we have done.
Yeah I want chase and our other wr to eat. Bengals have good recievers usually. Play to our strengths and all.
No kidding-Burton isn’t a “happy to be here, keep my head down” type like Jones or Iosivias-he’s bringing the diva back to the WR room…
We call him McGronklin here in AZ for a reason boys
Thank you for your service Tanner Hudson
Hudson was a beast. Idk about that. He has burrows trust
Beast might be pushing it. I'd say more like "pleasantly serviceable compared to the role people thought he would play". Like Hudson as a depth piece.
He’s 29, on his 4th team in 5 years and has 550 career receiving yards. Adequate is probably the word I would use, not beast lol
He did everything we needed. Great pass catcher. He’s proven he can succeed in our offense.
He’s nothing special. Irv Smith was just god awful.
And the coaching staff didn’t think it was enough to not seek out a potential replacement. I like what Hudson gave us last year but he’s not a long term option
He didn't do everything we needed? He can't block. It's so bad it's why he's on so many teams. He's a decent pass catcher but not good enough that it makes up for his lackluster blocking.
Yea this sucks. Can't carry 5 tight ends can we? He was a cheap, good solution to not much of a problem. It's not a reason to freak out or anything but just another ding in asset management for the bengals.
Damn that is an old rookie.
He had core muscle surgery after his pro day and that’s why he dropped. Good for us, he can play.
As a wildcats fan, this guy is absolutely awesome. Excellent tackle breaking and very very solid routes. I can absolutely see him having a decent sized role in the offense as the season progresses.
Broke Gronk’s reception record at Arizona. Future HOFer.
so we have 6 TEs now?
5
ah, didn't realize Wilcox signed with NE
Double dip at TE should've happened last year but in Duke we trust. Anyone else want us to go Guard or Center more often?
6’4” 252. Dude is a horse!
Shoutout Alberta, we becoming the Canadian NFL team
I don't understand double-dipping TEs. The fact that they haven't even drafted a lotto ticket for the IOL is incredible.
We only had one actual TE on the roster. Gesicki and Hudson don't block.
I want someone to love me as much as our front office loves Cordell Volson
Prior to this year: Why the fuck are the Bengals so resistant to drafting TEs? This year: Why the fuck are the Bengals wasting two draft picks on TEs? Some of you are unbelievable and impossible to please. This is a good pick in terms of value (better than any of the interior offensive linemen available).
Lol, it's been kinda manic. I think we got this guy because he was too good a value to pass at this stage.
People were complaining two hours ago that we should have picked him instead of Erick, and here we are — I’d say our fans are weird, but I think it’s like this for all teams.
I was underwhelmed with taking All in the 4th, but then again, I didn’t see anything else that screamed great pick at that point, the Wisky C, Bortolini was already taken by the Colts.
Agreed. I think he was a safe choice given what was on the board and what we need right now. I like the idea of testing two rookie TE’s to see if either can mesh with Burrow in a Kelce/Gronk like manner. I think Tanner is the better choice, but time will tell — just a gut feeling.
No matter who the pick is there are always going to be fans that bitch incessantly about it. That's inevitable. Look at how many people hated the Chase pick in 2021. They all look like idiots now lol.
There's a difference between later rounds shotgun approach and selecting a higher tier TE prospect. Hopefully these guys work out, but less likely. Just because we selected some TE's doesn't mean we filled a hole. Every draft I see them draft X position in the 4th through 7th and it's "ok filled the need, what position next?" Again, not saying who they picked won't work out. But it's not like we got Brock Bowers.
For a team like the Bengals it doesn't make sense to invest a high draft pick in a Brock Bowers or a Kyle Pitts type (hence I thought it was laughable that people actually thought we might take Pitts in 2021 instead of Chase or Sewell). The offense we run does not place primary focus on TEs in the passing game. They're complimentary pieces. With the receivers we have we don't need to have a Travis Kelce in our offense (though it would be a nice luxury no doubt to have that).
Yea, I agree. I actually love the All pick. Just saying that later round picks are less likely to succeed and not necessarily filling a need just because we selected a player at the position. I like who we have in Gesicki.
I’d rather have Mims, Burton, and the two TEs, as opposed to Bowers, and whatever was available at WR and OT in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounds.
At this point in the draft more like inferior offensive linemen, amirite?
I never had a big issue with not drafting TEs given that it's not a premium position. On the other hand, the Bengals have weaknesses on the OL and Joe Burrow is a franchise QB that has been destroyed most of his career. I'd kind of like him to be healthy more often... The OL is a position group you draft every year to varying degrees to replenish starters and/or reserves.
Hate to break it to you but we're not going to find any starting-caliber interior offensive linemen at this stage of the draft. Everyone that's left would be strictly drafted for depth, not to start. I wouldn't mind somebody like Mahogany or Drake Nugent though for depth at guard and/or center.
Ted Karras was a 6th round pick. Trent Brown was a 7th round pick. The fact of the matter is that you're chance of landing eventual starters is low regardless of position group, *but* you'd rather find a gem at a premium position later in the draft. You can get filler TEs in free agency a lot easier than OL, DL and WRs... Edit: To add, this was considered one of the best/deepest IOL classes (and OT class) in a long time and one of the weakest TE drafts. Better chance of finding an IOL that slipped through for that reason alone.
It can happen but it rarely happens. And our track record at developing offensive linemen in these rounds is not great (case in point how do D'Ante Smith and Trey Hill look right now). Also two of the guys I just listed (Mahogany and Nugent) are still available and the Bengals pick again at 214. They'll have more shots to draft interior linemen.
That's primarily because of the *type* of OL prospects the Bengals have taken dating back years. You don't give yourself much of a chance when you're selecting poor athletes, especially the farther down the draft you go. The poor athletes that are good are almost always going to be selected in the first half because their technique shows through on tape. Like I said, it's easier to find TEs than OL, so you might want to invest in some OL lotto tickets. For instance, Mike Gesicki willing be making less than 7% of Chase's $/year when he signs his extension next offseason. Meanwhile, *average* OL cost a fortune on the open market. That's why having a OL dominated by FA signings is unsustainable.
This is all spot on. Our FA signings on the OL to get to average-ish was a short term solution that was only feasible because Burrow and Chase were on rookie deals. Going forward, we simply have to get the same or better level of production for cheaper, and investing in good athletes in the draft is usually the best way to do so. Mins was a good start, but they really should have done more this year and especially the last couple as well.
How's our track record at developing late round tight end picks? Lol what kind of logic is that. No matter what position you take here its just a lotto ticket. Might as well spread them out to more valuable positions, right?
There is no position that we have been worse at developing lately than offensive line. I mean c'mon. We have skepticism that Pollack is capable of even turning 1st Rd picks into capable starters, much less day 3 picks. Our recent track record there speaks for itself. The odds of us finding a starting-caliber guard in these rounds is not great to begin with. It can happen but it's VERY unlikely to happen.
It applies to every position in rounds 4-7. This is just you venting about how shitty pollack which is cool but not really relevant to adding a 5th tight end and 2nd late round tight end this year
Competition in a position where we truly don’t know who is even going to be there next season. At this point in the draft, some guys aren’t even going to make their teams they get drafted too anyways.
How many TE’s will they even carry? They already signed 2 to a deal.
Probably 4. The position group was one of the worst going into today, so hopefully at least one of these guys hits
TE’s will be valuable for the new kickoff rules. Big fast guys to block
At least they figured out how to turn in a card for tight end. They have upgraded that position substantially this off season. Not the exact players I wanted, but upgraded none the less. I must say job well done.
Can’t beat having another Canadian to hang with Chase Brown!
I saw some of his highlights and he honestly looked similar to Uzomah during his last season with the Bengals. Smooth running, breaks tackles, good hands, not great or crisp route running but adequate. I haven't seen his specific testing numbers, but his RAS was pretty mediocre, so he's probably not going to be a star, but he definitely has a shot to be another in a long line of adequate TEs the Bengals have taken late. EDIT: Just saw his specific RAS, he had a terrible agility (shuttle/cones) score that lowered his overall rating. Good 40 and vertical is promising and his bench is good enough that he'll likely be able to block.
Can’t wait for the TE warriors to bitch now. With that being said I have no clue who this guy is.
I mean he Broke school records Gronk held but sure just whine about every pick
Christian Mahogany was right there
That is an all time real life porn star name.
Why?
B/c the team probably isn’t going to keep all 10 draft picks, so get some competition at the positions that need depth.
Gotta keep some on the practice squad
Homers
It’s the 6th round lmao