Florida’s Kyle Pitts headlined the 2021 NFL Draft tight end class. Unfortunately, this year’s tight end class lacks a superstar like him. However, this year, there are several intriguing mid-round targets, including Iowa State’s Charlie Kolar.
Kolar was a three-star recruit in 2017, and he was the 57th rated tight end and the 20th rated player in Oklahoma. As a three-star recruit, Kolar didn’t receive offers from the top programs in the Big 12 like Texas and Oklahoma. Instead, he had offers from New Mexico, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, and others. Kolar ended up at Iowa State and became a critical part of the offense over the next four years.
While Kolar only played sparingly as a freshman, he broke out during his sophomore season. He finished the 2019 season with 51 receptions on 81 targets for 697 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. In 2020, Kolar put up similar numbers but played in two fewer games.
He then became the go-to target for quarterback Brock Purdy in 2021. Kolar finished second on the team with 62 receptions and 756 receiving yards while leading Iowa State with six receiving touchdowns. He was atop the Big 12 leading boards in several categories throughout his collegiate career.
Florida’s Kyle Pitts headlined the 2021 NFL Draft tight end class. Unfortunately, this year’s tight end class lacks a superstar like him. However, this year, there are several intriguing mid-round targets, including Iowa State’s Charlie Kolar.
Kolar was a three-star recruit in 2017, and he was the 57th rated tight end and the 20th rated player in Oklahoma. As a three-star recruit, Kolar didn’t receive offers from the top programs in the Big 12 like Texas and Oklahoma. Instead, he had offers from New Mexico, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, and others. Kolar ended up at Iowa State and became a critical part of the offense over the next four years.
While Kolar only played sparingly as a freshman, he broke out during his sophomore season. He finished the 2019 season with 51 receptions on 81 targets for 697 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. In 2020, Kolar put up similar numbers but played in two fewer games.
He then became the go-to target for quarterback Brock Purdy in 2021. Kolar finished second on the team with 62 receptions and 756 receiving yards while leading Iowa State with six receiving touchdowns. He was atop the Big 12 leading boards in several categories throughout his collegiate career.
He finished top 10 in receptions in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Kolar also finished top five in receiving yards in 2020 and 2021. Most importantly, he finished top six in receiving touchdowns in 2019, 2020, and 2021. The one thing NFL general managers don’t have to worry about with Kolar is production. After an impressive college career, Kolar will be a mid-round pick during the 2022 NFL Draft.
Charlie Kolar 2022 NFL Draft Profile
| Position |
TE |
| School |
Iowa State |
| Height |
6’7″ |
| Weight |
252 |
| 40-Yard Dash |
DNP |
| Age |
23 |
| Year in School |
4 |
| Recruit Stars* |
3 |
* Recruit Stars via 247Sports.
2022 NFL Draft Prediction: Round four or five
Charlie Kolar College Statistics
| Year |
Games
|
Receptions
|
Targets
|
Yards
|
Yards/Rec
|
Catch%
|
TDs
|
|
2018
|
7
|
11
|
13
|
137
|
12.5
|
84.6
|
3
|
|
2019
|
13
|
51
|
81
|
697
|
13.7
|
63
|
7
|
|
2020
|
11
|
44
|
70
|
591
|
13.4
|
62.9
|
7
|
|
2021
|
12
|
62
|
96
|
756
|
12.2
|
65
|
6
|
Charlie Kolar Dynasty Fantasy Analysis
Kolar is an overall solid prospect. However, some have compared him to Travis Kelce, given how Iowa State used Kolar. Both have experience lining up all over the field, from the Y tight end role to the F tight end role to even playing snaps out wide as an isolated receiver.
The Iowa State product doesn’t have the same upside as Kelce. Furthermore, he is limited when running routes downfield. Instead, Kolar will make his living in the NFL in the middle of the field and creating mismatches against smaller cornerbacks in the red zone.
His size and ability to locate the ball in the air make him an appealing option for fantasy players. If he lands in a fantasy-friendly situation, Kolar could warrant a mid to late-round rookie pick. An ideal situation for Kolar is the Indianapolis Colts.
While the Colts re-signed Mo Alie-Cox in March, veteran Jack Doyle retired. Matt Ryan has a history of throwing to his tight ends, especially in the red zone. He spent the time with Tony Gonzalez, Austin Hooper, Hayden Hurst, and last year with Pitts in Atlanta. During his time with the Falcons, Ryan threw 61 touchdowns to those four tight ends. Pairing Kolar with Ryan is an appealing fantasy pairing.
Player Comp
Cole Kmet (ceiling) | Adam Shaheen (floor)
Kolar’s ability to play the F or Y tight-end role means his NFL team will have options. Ideally, Kolar lands with a team that can give him a chance as a starting tight end. Even if he gets slotted into the No. 2 tight end slot, Kolar should have a role in the red zone and two-tight end sets.
His fantasy value will heavily depend on his landing spot. If he gets drafted in a situation where he can earn the starting role, Kolar is a mid-third-round rookie pick in 1QB leagues. However, if Kolar gets drafted by a team with a clear-cut starter, he is a late fourth or fifth-round rookie pick at best. Kolar is a likely fourth or fifth-round NFL Draft pick. Thus, his fantasy future is limited regardless of his landing spot.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.