Notre Dame football: 10 best players to play in the NFL this past decade
By Matt Clark
Selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2013 draft, with the 21st selection, tight end Tyler Eifert has shown flashes of what made him an All-American at Notre Dame and worthy of a first-round pick.
While career totals of 185 receptions for 2,152 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns may not seem that good for a player who has been in the league for seven seasons now, it should be noted that Eifert has struggled with injuries throughout the course of his NFL career.
He was limited to just one game in 2014 due to a dislocated elbow, 13 games in 2015 due to a neck stinger, eight games in 2016 due to an ankle injury, two games in 2017 due to back surgery and four games in 2018 due to a broken ankle. In seven years he has averaged just over eight games played per season.
Extrapolated out, his numbers would project to 50 receptions for 584 yards and seven touchdowns in a 16 game season. While the numbers do not jump off the page, they are solid for an NFL tight end.
Despite missing two games in 2015, that season would be far and away Eifert’s best since coming into the league in 2013. He would have 52 receptions for 615 yards and 13 touchdowns and would earn himself a Pro Bowl selection.
Talent has never been a question for Eifert, as he has been highly productive when healthy. The issue has been that he cannot remain healthy on a consistent basis. Last season was the first season where he was able to play a full 16-game schedule since coming into the league.
Due to his inability to remain on the field consistently, Eifert falls to tenth overall on the list. His career is currently a story of what-ifs as he showed the talent to be an elite tight end in the NFL, but the misfortune of injury has prevented him from recognizing his full talent.