MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 29: Irv Smith Jr. #82 of the Alabama Crimson Tide carries the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

The Washington Redskins have many holes to fill on their roster, but will a deep class of tight ends entice them to look in that direction?

The 2019 NFL Draft draws ever closer and teams are finalizing their big boards as each front office hopes to bring in the best prospects. Most draft analysts and experts have said that quality edge rushers and wide receivers are plentiful in this draft. The Redskins will have multiple opportunities to snag any of these marquee players, but it’s possible the team may look at a deep class of tight ends and decide to draft one.

The roster is currently full of tight ends, but persistent rumors continue to swirl about the release of Vernon Davis and a possible trade of Jordan Reed. We simply don’t know if these moves would come to pass, but it can’t be ruled out at this juncture. If the Redskins decide to add a tight end (or more than one) in the draft, who would be a target for the front office? Let’s take a look.

The first two tight ends taken in the draft will be T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant – a pair of Iowa Hawkeyes. Count on it. In a rare occurrence for any draft, both of these tight ends could go in the first round – an unusual moment for a college program.

The Redskins could take a flyer on either player with the 15th overall pick, but that is unlikely. However, if the front office is able to trade down in the first round, one of these players will certainly be available. Hockenson is generally considered to be the better end, but Fant is not far behind. It’s probably safe to say that drafting one of these Hawkeyes is still not a realistic option in the first round, but it can’t be ruled out entirely.

The tight end market in this draft is certainly deep and the next tier of prospects is an obvious testament to the talent that will be available late next week. There are five ends in this second tier that could be of interest to the Redskins in the third round. Adding any one of these players: Irv Smith, Jr. of Alabama, Jace Sternberger of Texas A&M, Josh Oliver of San Jose State, Isaac Nauta of Georgia, and Kahale Warring of San Diego State would make sense. Any of these tight ends would be a good fit for the Redskins, but keep an eye on Warring. Multiple social media reports suggest that he could be a target late in the third round.

The deep tight end class extends to the third tier of players and most of them should be considered legitimate prospects. This list includes Foster Moreau, Dax Raymond, Caleb Wilson, Dawson Knox, Kaden Smith, Zach Gentry, and Alize Mack. They could be available in the fourth and fifth rounds, but many on this third tier list will likely need some time to adjust to life in the NFL. It’s a solid third tier group and any of these ends would be a good addition.

If the Redskins are looking for late-round tight end gems, then they are in luck. Tommy Sweeney, Andrew Beck, C.J. Conrad, Kendall Blanton, Donald Parham, and Drew Sample are players to consider. This group could be drafted in the sixth or seventh rounds.

The tight end class for 2019 is a solid corps of prospects. Each tier provides immediate starters, future starters, solid backups, and good long term prospects. It is the best class in several years. Look for the Redskins to possibly add a tight end in the third round, but one could be drafted sooner under certain conditions.