9. Rob Gronkowski– The tight end is such an interesting position because the guys playing it are extremely big, they can handle the physicality thrown their way and they are mismatch nightmares all over the field and as a defense, you can only hope to contain them. What I just described for you is exactly what this player does each and every week for his team and he’s been no stranger to this list and I’m sure you’ve figured out who I’m talking about now. Rob Gronkowski, or better known as Gronk is back and he checks in as my ninth best player on my ten best players list and my second-ranked tight end entering the 2018 season. What’s not to like about this guy as a player? Since coming into the league in 2010, he’s been a problem for every defense that’s lined up against him. I understand that as the years go on, positions in different sports can change and now, you’re seeing more tight ends being used in wide receiver like capacities but Gronk brings that old school mentality to the position and I enjoy it every week that he’s on the field. He has such a wide catch radius and no matter how many guys are defending him or are around him, he finds a way to make that catch and keep the chains moving. For a man his size, he has excellent footwork and his route running speaks for itself. The Patriots have been creative with how they use him on the field. They’ll of course line him up inside, they use him in the slot and they can even flank him out wide as a receiver and when he’s wide, he’s getting the football. A cornerback can’t cover him, a linebacker is simply too slow so it takes a very athletic safety to slow him down and limit him. His best moment of last season was in week 15 against the Steelers. When the game was on the line, Tom connected with 87 on every pass and even scored on the two-point conversion. That’s what happens when you decide to put a 5’9 corner on a 6’6 tight end, you take full advantage of the mismatch. We can even talk about the second half of the Super Bowl in February when he turned it on and made big play after big play. When he retires, he’s a lock for Canton, Ohio and he’s one of the three best tight ends I’ve seen play the game behind Shannon Sharpe and Tony Gonzalez.
