Fansided

NFL Power Rankings: 30 best TE of all-time

By Jeffery Reynolds

Dec 20, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85, left) speaks with San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates (85) after the game at Levi
Dec 20, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85, left) speaks with San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates (85) after the game at Levi /
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Dec 14, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) signals for a first down to the crowd during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots won 41-13. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) signals for a first down to the crowd during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots won 41-13. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 8 Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots

Rob Gronkowski is not merely a player. He’s a force of nature. The outsized personality, the gaudy statistics, the well publicized nightlife, and the sheer force of will on the field all combine to create a phenomenon known simply as Gronk.

Gronkowski has missed quite a few games to injury so far in his five year career, so his career numbers – while impressive – don’t jump off the page. When he’s healthy, though, he’s unstoppable. In his second season, Gronkowski set tight end records for yards in a season – 1,327 – and touchdowns – 17. In 65 games, Gronk has scored 54 touchdowns.

Another of the modern basketball-turned-football players, Gronkowski has an imposing 6′ 6″ inch frame and packs on 265 pounds of brute force. He’s an imposing blocker and is near impossible to stop one-on-one. Gronkowski is not blessed with natural speed, but he more than makes up for it with brute force and an innate ability to find soft spots in the zone.

If Gronkowski, now 25, can stay healthy and maintain something close to this level of production, it’s no stretch to imagine him shattering every record in the book.

Next: The No. 7 Tight End in NFL History

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