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Eli Stowers Draft ProfileEli Stowers Combine Results Eli Stowers Highlights

Eli Stowers isn’t your typical tight end prospect, and that’s exactly what makes him interesting.

He took a winding path, starting as a QB, switching positions mid-career, and eventually developing into one of the most dynamic receiving TEs in college football.

Now he enters the NFL Draft as one of the most explosive athletes in the class, backed by elite production and rare movement skills.

The question isn’t whether Stowers can play; it’s how teams will use him and what that means for your dynasty roster.

Because if he lands in the right system, you’re looking at a difference-making fantasy weapon. If he doesn’t, you’re betting on traits over role.

Eli Stowers Dynasty Value

To see Eli Stowers's dynasty value for your exact league setup, check out our Dynasty Draft War Room.

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Eli Stowers Draft Profile

Eli Stowers Combine Results

Eli Stowers College Stats

A Unique Journey to the NFL

Stowers led his high school team to a Texas state title as QB (and added a state championship in the high jump in track season).

He began his college career at Texas A&M as a QB but never attempted a pass before transferring to New Mexico State and switching to TE.

In 2023, Stowers posted 35 catches for 366 yards and 2 TDs, while also adding value as a runner (28 carries, 108 yards, 2 TDs) and even throwing for 99 yards and a score.

From Just a Guy to THE Guy

After just one season at NMSU, Stowers followed OC Tim Beck to Vanderbilt and became a focal point, leading the Commodores in receiving in back-to-back seasons.

In 2024, he earned first-team All-SEC honors with a 49-638-5 line despite inconsistent QB play from Diego Pavia, who completed just 59% of his passes and averaged 176.4 passing yards per game. 

In 2025, Pavia led the SEC with a 70.6% completion rate and 29 TDs. That helped boost Stowers’ numbers to 62 catches, 769 yards (leading all FBS TEs), and 4 TDs. He won the John Mackey Award (nation’s top TE) and earned first-team All-America honors.

Among FBS TEs with 25+ targets in 2025, Stowers ranked:

• second in yards after catch (377)
• third in route rate (90.4%)
• third in yards per route run (2.55)

Stowers sat out Vanderbilt’s bowl game to prepare for the draft and put on a show.

Stowers Demands Attention at the Combine

Stowers was one of the Combine's biggest winners, pairing strong measurements with elite testing.

He set an all-time TE record with a 45.5-inch vertical and posted an 11’3 broad jump, highlighting his explosiveness.

He also posted elite numbers in several other metrics:

• 99th-percentile catch radius (10.72)
• 97th-percentile 40-yard dash (4.51)
• 95th-percentile speed score (114.9)

Add in his QB background and after-catch skills, and you get one of the most athletic and versatile TE prospects ever.

But There’s One Factor to Worry About

Stowers’ elite athleticism is exciting, but he’s lacking in some other areas. He lined up inline on just 21% of snaps for his career and was rarely asked to pass protect (17 total pass-blocking reps across his three seasons at TE).

Stowers did get many more shots at run blocking, but he didn’t do that well. His 51.3 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus in 2025 ranked 184th among 269 qualifying FBS TEs and marked a decline from his also-weak 2024 grade (59.3).

After running 70.7% of his routes from the slot in college, Stowers’ profile points to more of a “big slot” or move TE role at the next level. That profile -- including the lack of blocking -- carries the risk of limiting his playing time in the pros. 

Stowers also managed just a 41.2% contested catch rate in 2025, which ranked 88th out of 131 qualifying FBS TEs with 25-plus targets. Stowers’ career rate looks nearly identical (41.5%), raising a potential issue that could prove tougher to overcome against bigger, faster NFL defenders and smarter defensive schemes that tend to leave more open space.

But before we get further into his NFL projection, let’s dig into how this athletic marvel applied his physical ability on the field. 

Eli Stowers Highlights 

Film breakdown by Shane Hallam

Games Watched: Alabama (2024), Alabama (2025), Auburn (2025), Missouri (2025), South Carolina (2025), Kentucky (2025), LSU (2025), Tennessee (2025), Texas (2025)

Stowers Separates Early and Wins at Catch Point

Stowers bursts off the snap on this play, sells the outside route, and glides back inside past the DB.

The pass floats high on an overthrow, but Stowers turns and high-points the ball for a leaping catch.

Because he rarely saw accurate in-stride passes, Stowers got good at tracking the ball and contorting for catches -- a trait that could keep him fantasy-relevant even without strong QB play.

Catch Technique Makes for Dangerous Red-Zone Threat

Stowers settles into an open zone against Cover 3 and makes a clean catch with good technique here. He extends for a hands catch and secures the ball as he turns upfield, then quickly identifies the DB and sidesteps direct contact.

That lets Stowers lower his pads, churn through contact, and break the tackle for the score.

Stowers flashes consistent catch technique and enough tackle-breaking ability to be a big-play threat, especially in the red zone. That should give him immediate TD upside.

Stowers' Zone Awareness Should Make Him a QB Favorite

Stowers runs a drag from a stack formation in this clip. The shallow route puts him in line with the LBs in zone coverage. He identifies the space behind them and settles there to get open.

Stowers leaps to secure the high pass before the tackle arrives.

His ability to find holes in zone coverage bodes well, with NFL defenses running zone on 69.5% of snaps last season. He could develop into a high-end, zone-beating TE. That would make him an attractive option in the middle of the field, a particularly helpful area for his QB.

Athleticism That Actually Translates (and Why It Matters)

Stowers bursts off the line and clears the defender while tracking the QB on this play. He keeps moving through the catch and secures the ball while accelerating into the secondary.

The TE takes a smart angle to avoid the first low tackle, then fights for an extra 5 yards after the next defender wraps him up.

Stowers shows strong hands and burst on a timing route while adding after-catch value. He brings WR-type athleticism and receiving ability, which differentiates him from most other tight ends and vaults his fantasy ceiling -- as long as he can get enough weekly playing time.

Eli Stowers Team Fit: philadelphia eagles 

The Eagles re-signed Dallas Goedert for one more year, but he carries durability and age questions. Goedert dealt with injuries in 2025 and will turn 32 by the end of this season. That creates a clear transition window.

Stowers profiles as a pass-catching TE who can function like a big slot. Philadelphia is expected to move on from A.J. Brown, potentially freeing up 121 targets from last year's offense. Of course, Round 1 WR Makai Lemon should absorb most of that.

In "12" personnel (two TEs), Stowers could line up in the slot with DeVonta Smith and Lemon outside. The Eagles used two-TE sets on 26.1% of snaps last season (12th in the NFL), and that rate could climb higher with the Stowers pick and a new OC.

Goedert should open the year as the starter, but his age and injury history add opportunity upside for Stowers. The rookie still needs to improve his blocking -- dramatically -- to work as a true fill-in for Goedert, another short-term hurdle.

Stowers sits at TE34 in our 2026 half-PPR rankings, but he’s an intriguing TE3 stash in TE-premium formats with spike-week potential.

Dynasty Value Conclusion: Clear Path, but potentially fragile role early

Stowers is a classic dynasty stash with a defined runway: Goedert is signed for one more season, so Stowers could take over as early as 2027. His pass-catching profile gives him a chance to be more than just a replacement.

The upside is role and volume. Stowers has the size (99th-percentile catch radius) and athleticism (97th-percentile 40-yard dash)to command targets instead of just filling a spot, and if Philadelphia leans more into 12 personnel -- a real possibility with A.J. Brown likely to be traded -- that ceiling rises quickly.

The risk is role dependency. Stowers is not a complete TE right now. He lined up in-line on just 21% of snaps in college and struggled as a blocker, which could limit his playing time early or force him into a part-time “big slot” role.

If he doesn’t develop enough as a blocker to stay on the field in all situations, his target volume becomes volatile and usage-dependent. His below-average contested catch rate (41%) only adds to the risk that he becomes more of a situational weapon than a weekly starter.

Stowers checks in as the No. 10 target in our 2026 rookie rankings and climbs to No. 8 overall in TE-premium formats. He's just outside TE1 territory in our dynasty TE rankings. 

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