The Indianapolis Colts tight end room is virtually the same as last season. Mo Alie-Cox is still the veteran presence in the tight end room. Jelani Woods is looking for a bounce-back year after being sidelined all season with an injury. Kylen Granson is looking to pick up where he left off as the most productive tight end on the team. Will Mallory is going into his second year, hoping to continue to develop and grow. Then there is Drew Ogletree, who blossomed last season and showed the Colts that he has the upside and potential to be a quality tight end.
Why The League Shouldn’t Sleep on Drew Ogletree
Pass Catching Ability
Drew Ogletree was drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. During his rookie year, however, he suffered a season-ending ACL tear during training camp. It was not until year two that he finally saw some playing time on the field. With the leading tight end, Jelani Woods, going down with an injury, Ogletree had his opportunity to shine on the Colts offense.
In the 2023 NFL season, Ogletree appeared in 12 games and started in nine of them. He finished the season with nine receptions on 21 targets for 147 yards and two touchdowns. The impact that Ogletree had on the offense was producing first downs. Out of his nine receptions, eight of them were for first downs. A lot of this had to do with the routes he was running. His average depth of target was 10.0 yards. He also averaged 13.0 yards before the catch and 3.3 yards after the catch. Needless to say, whenever he got the ball in his hands, he was able to move the chains and create plays in space. At 6 feet, 5 inches, and 260 pounds, Ogletree has the makeup to be a really good tight end for the Colts moving forward.
Ability to Run Block
In an interview last season, Colts tight ends coach Tom Manning stated, “(Ogletree) has the ability to block as a tight end… Those are the guys that are hard to find. Those are the guys that can do a lot for your offense with great versatility. He’s grown in both aspects of it and he’s become a more well-rounded player”.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen also heaped praise on Ogletree as an all-around tight end. He stated, “He was powerful at the point of attack… He’s doing a little bit of everything for us right now – catching and blocking. But he keeps progressing every week”.
Even outside of the Colts organization, the impact of Ogletree as an all-around tight end is undeniable. Zack Hicks from Horseshoe Huddle also praised Ogletree’s abilities as a pass catcher but also a run blocker. Some of the best tight ends in the league, like George Kittle and Travis Kelce, possess the ability to run block. This feat within the position is crucial, and Ogletree appears to be making the most of his opportunities. One of his most note-worthy games came in week five against the Tennessee Titans. In that contest, he was placed in a position to run block, and Pro Football Focus gave him a grade of 78.6, which is strong for a young tight end.
Main Image: Kelly Wilkinson – USA Today Sports
