It’s difficult for tight ends to transition from college to the NFL. They must adjust to NFL speed and master complex blocking schemes and a full route tree.
But Tucker Kraft has made the transition look easy. Last year, he led all Green Bay Packers tight ends in receiving touchdowns, yards per catch, and passer rating when targeted.
This year, he’s been even better.
Among 31 tight ends with at least 20 targets, Kraft is within the top three in passer rating when targeted, missed tackles forced, yards per catch, yards after contact, yards after contact per catch, and receiving touchdowns.
Kraft is arguably the best player in Green Bay’s offense right now. He’s scored four touchdowns in the last four games and has 16 consecutive games with multiple catches, the longest streak by a Packers tight end in the Super Bowl era. In the 21st century, only three tight ends aged 23 or younger have recorded 140-plus yards and three-plus touchdowns over a two-game stretch: Rob Gronkowski (12 times), Aaron Hernandez (once), and Kraft.
He is an intense trash-talker.
“I’m telling people I’m gonna burn their childhood homes down,” Kraft said on his teammate A.J. Dillon’s Toonen to Dillon Podcast.
Kraft has everything you want in a starting tight end. He’s a solid run-blocker, a dynamic weapon in the passing game, and brings an unhinged personality that adds energy to the team. He even ran a quarterback sneak against the Arizona Cardinals.
He made two crucial plays against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. He caught a 67-yard seed from Jordan Love on an off-schedule play, setting up a Green Bay score. Later, he delivered a key block on Travon Walker during Malik Willis’s 51-yard play-action bootleg pass to Jayden Reed, setting up the game-winning field goal.
Against the Houston Texans, Kraft made an impressive catch on Love’s 15-yard touchdown pass. With Houston in man coverage, Kraft expertly attacked the gap between the safeties, maintaining concentration to secure the catch.
Kraft caught two touchdown passes against the Los Angeles Rams, including a 66-yarder. Green Bay ran play action with Reed in motion and Josh Jacobs in the backfield. Love faked the handoff to Reed, drawing in the linebackers and opening a gap in the second level. Kraft found himself wide open, broke several tackles, and took it in for the score. It was the longest reception by a Green Bay tight end since Tom Crabtree in 2012.
Watching Kraft on Sundays has been a thrill. His game closely resembles George Kittle‘s style. They are strong run-blockers and dangerous receiving threats who excel at gaining yards after the catch through physicality. They share big personalities and deliver funny moments when mic’d up.
While Kraft jokes about burning childhood homes, he’s fully torched Green Bay’s third-round curse. He’s playing like a star tight end. If he keeps this up, he has a long, successful career. Packers fans can only hope it all unfolds in Wisconsin.