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According to NFL Insider Adam Caplan, the Indianapolis Colts have claimed former Philadelphia Eagles tight end Noah Togiai off of waivers on Sunday:
#Eagles were targeting to sign later to 53 if he cleared waivers. He was one of the biggest surprises of their training camp. https://t.co/xZeSjEuVnz
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) September 6, 2020
The 6’4”, 247 pound tight end was signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon State following the 2020 NFL Draft.
As a redshirt senior for the Beavers, he caught 44 receptions for 406 receiving yards (9.2 ypr. avg.) and 3 touchdown receptions during 12 starts in 2019—earning All-Pac 12 honorable mention and was on the 2019 John Mackey Award Watch List.
Togiai had a strong training camp for the Eagles, and it appears as though the team was hoping he would go unclaimed to ultimately stash him on their practice squad:
Noah Togiai was claimed by the Indianapolis Colts. Togiai had 16 catches and 2 TDs in training camp. #Eagles now stuck with only 2 TEs on the roster and (presumably) in need of a 3rd.
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) September 6, 2020
At his pro day this past March, Togiai ran a 4.70 forty time, posted a 33 1⁄2 inch vertical jump, and has 32 1⁄4 inch arms. He has a RAS [Relative Athletic Score] of 7.43 out of 10.0.
He looks like a pretty good athlete for the tight end position and could be a nice receiving threat for the Colts in time:
Colts newest TE Noah Togiai looks like a pretty good athlete.. pic.twitter.com/dI7PjATV8C
— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) September 6, 2020
Of course, the Colts were in real need of another healthy tight end on their 53-man roster—as the team was initially just carrying Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox—with Trey Burton expected to miss the first few weeks of the season with a calf injury.
A bit undersized at tight end, Togiai definitely looks like he’s in the Burton mold as a receiving tight end (more than any sort of in-line blocker)—that the Colts will look to split out and move around their offensive formations.