Xavier Tiller

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-5, 226 lbs. Taller than 53% and heavier than 53% of 2026 Tight End prospects in the SEC Scouts database (116 with a listed size).

Play Style

Tiller is a receiving-first move tight end. Langston Hughes used him flexed out, in the slot, and as a wing or H-back, and he wins with length, body control and hands more than raw speed. He is most dangerous on seam routes, corner and fade routes in the red zone, and short routes where he uses his body to shield defenders from the ball. As a blocker he is effective from a moving start, on lead blocks, split-zone cut-offs and blocks on the edge, but he is still developing as a stationary in-line blocker. He fits an offense that moves the tight end around to create mismatches before the snap.

Strengths

• Red-zone and contested-catch production: 70 catches for 1,054 yards and 19 touchdowns over four seasons at Langston Hughes. A touchdown on more than a quarter of his catches shows he is a real end-zone target.
• Can line up in several spots. Evaluators describe him flexing out as a bigger receiver, working as an H-back, or lining up in-line, so he can be used in 11, 12 and 13 personnel without the offense telegraphing the play.
• Strong, reliable hands and a large catch radius, backed by his length. He finishes above defenders' heads and away from his frame.
• Moves unusually well for his size. His quickness in and out of routes is a matchup problem for linebackers, which is why he drew offers from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Texas.
• Rated highly by the whole industry for a long time. He was a top-50 prospect and the No. 3 tight end early in the cycle, and he stayed a top-10 tight end nationally through signing day.

Areas to Improve

• Functional strength and mass for in-line blocking. At about 226 pounds he has to add 15-20 pounds of good weight and improve his hand placement and leg drive before he can be trusted to block defensive ends by himself on the line.
• Production was inconsistent in high school. His junior season was a modest 25-344-3, and his totals depended on how much the offense used him. He needs to show he can be a dependable every-down target and not just a red-zone option.
• Route detail against college coverage. He needs sharper releases against press from linebackers and safeties, and better recognition of zone coverage so he can find open space between defenders.

College Projection

Year 1 at Florida State (2026): a developmental reserve who could play special teams and a limited package as a big-bodied red-zone and 12-personnel target while he adds weight in the strength program. Malzahn's scheme uses H-backs and multiple-tight-end sets heavily, so he may see the field earlier as a move tight end than as an in-line Y. Years 2-3: a realistic path to a starting or co-starting receiving tight end role once he reaches the 240s. He projects as a productive ACC tight end for multiple years if his frame fills out as expected.

NFL Outlook

He has Day 3 upside as a move tight end or H-back, and a Day 2 ceiling if he reaches 245-250 without losing movement and shows he can block well enough to stay on the field on early downs. Length, hands and red-zone production are the traits the NFL values. Whether he gets drafted as a complete tight end or only as a big slot receiver will likely depend on how much his blocking improves.

Best Fit

A multiple-personnel, gap and RPO offense that moves the tight end and uses H-backs, like Gus Malzahn's system at Florida State. In that offense he can motion, flex out, and work in space while he develops as an in-line blocker. A strong strength-and-conditioning program and patience through Year 1 will get the most out of him.