When the Cleveland Browns selected David Njoku as their third first-round pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, the team was taking a 20-year-old tight end prospect who possessed significant potential to become an All-Pro tight end.
For the first time in his seven-year career, Njoku fulfilled that promise as he earned a Pro Bowl nod following the 2023 season.
With his breakthrough performance behind him, Njoku is being recognized by NFL personnel as one of the league’s best for the upcoming season.
ESPN recently surveyed nearly 80 NFL coaches, executives, and scouts to compile a top-10 list for the tight end position, resulting in Njoku earning the No. 6 position in the survey’s results.
Senior analyst Jeremy Fowler penned the article, noting Njoku finally surpassed 100 targets in a season, and he rewarded the Browns’ coaches with 882 receiving yards and a team-best six touchdowns on 81 receptions.
“It’s probably taken him a while to get down the nuances of the game, but his size and athleticism have always been a problem for defenses,” an unidentified NFL executive said according to Fowler.
Fowler added Njoku led all tight ends in yards after first contact and yards after the catch last season.
The analyst tempered his praise as he recalled Njoku leading his position with the most dropped passes last season.
Njoku was not ranked a year ago, earning only an honorable mention in those survey results.
Some voters expressed doubts about Njoku repeating this performance as quarterback Joe Flacco was under center during his best receiving games in 2023.
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