Tanner Arkin
Illinois
Scouting Report

Old-school, block-first tight end who earns his keep at the point of attack and on special teams — not on the stat sheet. Arkin is a steamrolling run blocker who sets edges, leads through the hole, and pass protects with the toughness of a sixth offensive lineman. He's a capable enough possession receiver with strong hands and solid route fundamentals on short-to-intermediate concepts, but the extremely limited college production (45 career receptions in five seasons) and lack of separation ability make him a TE2/TE3 at the NFL level. The floor is a special teams contributor and blocking TE who carves out a long career doing the dirty work; the ceiling is a functional two-way inline starter if the receiving game continues to develop, but that development path is narrow.

Strengths
Weaknesses
Pro ComparisonTip Reiman

Multiple sources drew the direct comparison: both were Group of 5 transfers to Big Ten programs, both are known primarily for blocking prowess with limited receiving numbers, and both project as potential late-round or UDFA blocking TEs who can stick via special teams value.

Trait Grades
🏀 Receiving
52
✂️ Route Running
62
🪵 Blocking
82
🦅 Athleticism
55
🤲 Hands
72
🏎️ Speed
50
College Production (2025)
Receiving
13 rec, 114 yds, 2 TD
Per catch
8.77 YPR
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