From Desert to Jungle, Tanner McLachlan finds home with Benagals

Mar 1, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona tight end Tanner McLachlan (TE09) works out during the
Mar 1, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona tight end Tanner McLachlan (TE09) works out during the | Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Capping off a terrific day three of the NFL Draft, former Arizona Football tight end Tanner McLachlan becomes the third Wildcat selected.

Unlike recent years, it has been a busy draft for the Arizona Football program as the Wildcats have had three players drafted. Joining Jordan Morgan (Green Bay Packers) and Jacob Cowing (San Francisco 49ers), former Wildcat TE Tanner McLachlan was the third Wildcat selected.

Despite a rather solid NFL Combine in which he tested well, McLachlan fell in draft waiting all the way until the 194th pick to finally hear his name called.

Falling into the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals, McLachlan was the 10th tight end (second by the Bengals) to be taken in the draft, and as he heads to the 'Queen City', he should be another solid weapon for this prolific offense.

Hailing from Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, Tanner's football journey to the NFL is a bit of an interesting one and despite not garnering the attention of others coming out of high school, nonetheless, McLachlan persisted.

Committing to Southern Utah out of high school, Tanner showcased his talent with the Thunderbirds before eventually moving on to bigger and better. Transferring to Arizona in 2022, Tanner quickly became a standout in Arizona's offense and was a key focal point over the past two seasons as he accumulated 984 yards and six touchdowns on a record-breaking 79 receptions.

Luckily, McLachlan's talent did not go unnoticed for long as his versatility and athleticism caught the eye of scouts and coaches.

Joining the Bengals, McLachlan has a chance to prove a lot of people wrong, and as he teams up with Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, and others in Cincy, he should be able to make a quick impact.

His combination of size, speed, and athleticism should allow him to succeed and we couldn't be happier for him! We cannot wait to see him playing on Sundays and continuing to hurdle over defenders just as he did in Tucson!

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