Eli Stowers Fantasy Stats

The Philadelphia Eagles have selected Vanderbilt tight end prospect Eli Stowers with the 54th overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Stowers is just the second tight end selected so far this year, as well as the first to hear his name called on Day 2. There had been rumblings of the Vandy product being a first-round pick, but he ended up going near the middle of the second. The 23-year-old caught 111 passes for 1,407 yards and nine touchdowns over his final two seasons at school. He'll offer the Eagles a long-term solution at the tight end position with Dallas Goedert slated to hit free agency (and widely expected to sign elsewhere) next offseason. Stowers might not have much redraft appeal as long as Goedert is healthy and on the team, but he could jump onto the weekly fantasy radar in 2027. Plus, he's an appealing dynasty option in this successful Eagles offense, ranking as the overall TE15 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.

Vanderbilt tight end prospect Eli Stowers continues to trend upward ahead of this week's NFL Draft. The latest aggregate mock draft data from NFLMockDraftDatabase.com has a consensus ranking of Stowers as the #48 overall prospect, which is a significant increase from his ranking at #103 back in January. He's a projected second-round pick, but there's a chance that he could be selected late in the first round. One team that has been consistently linked to Stowers in mock drafts is the New England Patriots, who pick 31st overall. New England reportedly plans to exit the draft with a reliable pass-catching tight end, and Stowers fits that description. The Vandy product caught 111 passes for 1,407 yards and nine touchdowns over his final two seasons at school. He's the only player in RotoBaller's second tier of rookie tight ends, and he ranks as the overall TE15 in the latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.

The Athletic's Chad Graff writes that one of the few certainties in this year's 2026 NFL draft for the New England Patriots is that they will "exit with a tight end who is a strong receiver." The Patriots desperately need a pass-catching complement to the all-around play of Hunter Henry and the blocking prowess of Julian Hill. Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers "would check that box in a big way," according to Graff. The Patriots last drafted a TE within the first two rounds back in 2010, when they took Rob Gronkowski. Henry is entering the final year of his contract in 2026. Stowers has some work to do as a blocker as he heads to the next level, but he could give New England a mismatch weapon in the passing game alongside Henry this year. Austin Hooper served as the pass-catching complement to Henry last year, but he left in free agency to rejoin the Atlanta Falcons. Stowers profiles as a joker tight end in the NFL, and he's generally projected to be a Day 2 pick in the second or third round, but there's a chance he could sneak into the first round this Thursday night.

Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers is considered one of the top tight ends in the 2026 draft class and should come off the board at some point on Day 2 of the upcoming 2026 draft. Across 12 games for the Commodores in 2025, the 23-year-old recorded 62 receptions for 769 yards and four touchdowns. With a 45.5" vertical jump, Stowers also profiles as an elite athlete at the tight end position. His blocking ability is considered a major weak point in his game, which could be a reason why he might slip down the draft board. Stowers might also struggle to earn a true lead tight end role in the NFL right away without rapid improvement as a blocker. Still, he offers clear upside due to his athleticism and has already shown the ability to produce as a receiver. Stowers currently profiles as the second-best dynasty tight end in first-year player pools, behind only Kenyon Sadiq.