It is never too early to begin watching prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has made the draft a must-see event for Vikings fans for all the wrong reasons as he continues to take chances and miss.
We are going to be covering every position in the draft, but not all of them will be the Vikings’ needs necessarily. But of course, anything is possible for a team, and if not, they will be drafted by a division rival that the Vikings see twice a year.
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For this report, we will be discussing a tight end. The team has T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver, so they are not likely to need one with much priority, but they did draft one last year despite their presence. For that reason, among the other points that we have laid out with other positions, we will be covering them.
With that in mind, here is our report on Houston’s Tanner Koziol.
Information
Tanner Koziol
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Height/Weight: 6-6, 251 (unofficially)
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Previous Schools: Ball State
Background
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Originally committed to North Dakota
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Third-Team All-MAC in 2023
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Second-Team All-MAC in 2024
Notable Stats
Notable PFF Numbers from 2025
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PFF Receiving Grade: 82.9
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Yards After Catch Per Reception: 4.1
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Yards Per Route Ran: 2.21
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Average Depth of Target: 6.8
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Contested Catches Made: 17
Skills
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Extends for the ball, attacks it in the air
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Good breakaway speed with the ball in his hands
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Makes contested catches even while absorbing big contact
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Tracks the ball well in the air
Player Summary
Tanner Koziol is a rare blend of pure athletic playmaking and grit. I will get the lone downside to him out of the way, which is that I wish he had a little more bulk to him, but that may slow him down if he gains it. Now, as for the rest of his play, I love his hands, he can make contested catches, and he does it while making it all seem effortless at times. He could use some work being done to hone his route tree, but he has enough out of the gate to get himself in successful positions as a rookie. He can step in and play day one, and I believe he should while developing into a promising tight end in the league.
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This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston
