Who were the best draft bargain tight ends of the millennium?
Both Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce were the biggest steals of their respective drafts, but who was the biggest?
NFL Network recently ranked the top five, and they gave the nod to Kelce.
The Kansas City Chiefs star tight end was drafted in the third round in 2013 with the 63rd overall pick.
Meanwhile, Gronkowski was drafted three years earlier in 2010, in the second round with the 42nd overall pick.
Both are undoubtedly first-ballot Hall of Famers.
The other three on the list?
George Kittle at three, Jason Witten at four, and Jimmy Graham at five to close it out.
Kittle was taken in the fifth round, while Witten and Graham both went in the third.
Back to Kelce and Gronkowski, there’s no wrong answer, it’s basically splitting hairs.
However, even Gronk himself tipped his cap to Kelce a couple months ago.
During FOX’s pregame coverage ahead of Super Bowl LIX back in February, the retired tight end made a rare admission on the TE GOAT debate.
Gronkowski was secure enough to give Kelce his flowersGetty Kelce was on the verge of retirement but chose to come backGetty“I consider myself to be the best tight end to ever play the position,” Gronkowski said.
“But after watching this guy (Kelce) the past few years, I’m starting to question that.”
Forgot bargain picks in the draft, or hidden gems and steals, both Kelce and Gronkowski have legitimate claims of being the greatest to ever do it at their position.
They both have laundry lists of records that will be hard to top.
Kelce put together seven straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2016 to 2022 and is a 10-time Pro-Bowler.
He has the most postseason receptions in NFL history with 178 (27 more than Jerry Rice), and trails Rice by only two postseason touchdown catches, 22 to 20.
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Kelce is a three-time Super Bowl champion and seven-time All-Pro.
Meanwhile, Gronkowski is a four-time Super Bowl champion, four-time First-Team All-Pro and five-time Pro-Bowler.
Injuries nagged Gronkowski throughout his career, but when he was on the field, there was no debate as to who was TE1 in the league.
Of course the two tight ends benefited from catching passes from a couple of other dudes who are the greatest to play their respective positions, in Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes.
Sometimes it’s as simple as greatness attracting greatness.
And it’s clear Gronkowski has all the respect in the world for Kelce, and vice-versa.
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