Former Wyoming tight end John Michael Gyllenborg was a late bloomer on the football field.
Gyllenborg didn’t even play tackle football until his senior year of high school. A little more than five years later, the 6-foot-6, 249-pound All-Mountain West pick is projected to be a late-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Gyllenborg focused primarily on basketball and baseball during his high school career. He only had two football scholarship offers after graduation: Wyoming and Columbia. He chose the Cowboys, and during his time in Laramie, he grew into one of the best receiving tight ends in the Mountain West.
John Michael Gyllenborg NFL Draft Projection
I project John Michael Gyllenborg will be picked in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos, or New England Patriots would be good fits. All three of those teams are looking to get younger at the position and get more production out of their tight ends.
Tampa Bay needs to add a playmaking tight end after the position commanded just 86 targets last season. Cade Otton, who was on the receiving end of 81 targets last fall, led all tight ends on the roster with 59 catches for 572 yards.
John Michael Gyllenborg’s 40 Time & NFL Combine Results
Gyllenborg ran the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds, which ranked No. 6 among tight ends who competed in that drill at the NFL Combine. His 10-yard split of 1.6 seconds ranked No. 4.
He was slowed by a leg injury last season and needed to show scouts at the NFL Combine that he was fully recovered. He did much more than that.
Gyllenborg performed well enough to earn a spot on NFL.com’s All-Combine Team.
Gyllenborg led all tight ends with a time of 4.22 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle and posted a broad jump of 10 feet, 8 inches, which ranked No. 3 at the position.
John Michael Gyllenborg’s Stats & Highlights
John Michael Gyllenborg played in 43 games and started 19 in four seasons at Wyoming. He’s leaving the program with 80 career receptions for 1,023 yards and seven touchdowns.
Gyllenborg earned second-team All-Mountain West honors in 2024 with career highs in receptions (30) and receiving yards (425). He also caught three touchdowns and averaged a team-high 47.2 receiving yards a game.
Gyllenborg accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl this year and was clocked at 18.57 miles per hour, which was the fastest among tight ends in attendance.
Where Is John Michael Gyllenborg From?
John Michael Gyllenborg is from Leawood, Kansas. He played at Rockhurst High in Kansas City, Missouri, where he helped lead the team to the 6A District Playoffs in 2020.
John Michael Gyllenborg Draft Profile & Comparison
My NFL comparison for John Michael Gyllenborg is New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely. Gyllenborg isn’t as explosive as Likely. They’re both athletic enough to haul in a deep pass, but neither is consistent enough as a receiver or blocker to be considered elite at the position.
Gyllenborg has the size NFL scouts like to see, and he’s proven that he can contribute in the passing game. He runs good enough routes to get open and has reliable hands, although he struggled with a couple of drops at the Senior Bowl.
He needs to improve as an in-line blocker, and he’ll probably line up off the ball in obvious passing situations early in his career.
The most appealing thing about Gyllenborg may be that he’s a bit of a blank slate as a football player. He has only been playing for five or six years, so despite some injury battles the past couple of seasons, there isn’t that much wear on the tires. Gyllenborg also hasn’t achieved his full potential, which is one of many reasons he could end up being a Day 3 steal in the draft.
