Best 2021 NFL breakout candidate from every team

By Randy Gurzi | Jun 28, 2021

ASHBURN, VA - JUNE 02: Ryan Fitzpatrick #14 of the Washington Football Team hands the ball off to Antonio Gibson #24 of the Washington Football Team during the organized team activity at Inova Sports Performance Center on June 2, 2021 in Ashburn, Virginia. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 13: Cole Kmet #85 of the Chicago Bears runs for yards during a game against the Houston Texans at Soldier Field on December 13, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Texans 36-7. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Chicago Bears: Cole Kmet, Tight End

Making the transition from the NCAA to the NFL is an incredibly hard thing for any player to do and one of the hardest positions to make the leap at is tight end. It seems as though tight ends can get by due to their mismatch in size over defensive backs and speed over linebacker with ease at times in the collegiate world, but then things change in the NFL.

That athletic advantage can still be there but it’s not as pronounced. Not only that, but there’s much more work asked of the players in-line as blockers once they get to the NFL. Throw all that together and it means even the best tight ends often need a full season under their belt until they really begin to show off their potential.

All of that being said, the Chicago Bears should be excited about what they saw from Cole Kmet as a rookie. He was solid in both the pass-catching aspect of the job as well as with his blocking. He wasn’t great, but he did what was asked of him and was able to start nine games for them.

Kmet, who was a second-round pick out of Notre Dame, finished with 243 yards receiving on 28 catches with two touchdowns while playing second fiddle to veteran Jimmy Graham. With Graham turning 35 this season, there should be more of a transition toward Kmet as the primary target in the passing game, and as long as he improves there — and continues to do his job as a blocker — he should be given plenty of chances to prove he was worthy of his status as the 43rd overall pick last year.

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