Tucker Kraft Bio
Tucker John Kraft is an American professional football tight end for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) and weighing around 259 lb (117 kg), Kraft has built a reputation as a reliable receiving target and blocker at the pro level.
He played college football for the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, where he became one of the most decorated tight ends in Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) history. Selected 78th overall in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft, Kraft now wears jersey number 85 for the Packers and continues to grow into a featured role on offense.
Early Life and Background
Tucker John Kraft was born on November 3, 2000, in Timber Lake, South Dakota. He grew up on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation, a community that shaped his values and identity. In April 2024, Kraft was named an honorary tribal member in recognition of his ongoing acts of service to the area, and he honors that heritage by wearing a Cheyenne River Sioux tribal flag on his football helmet alongside the American flag.
Kraft’s father, Doug Kraft, passed away in 2013. He has two brothers, Cody and Tanner Kraft, who have been part of his support system throughout his athletic journey. Coming from a small South Dakota town, Kraft developed his toughness and work ethic in a close-knit rural environment that produced many college athletes.
He attended Timber Lake High School, where he played running back, middle linebacker, and punter on the football team. As a senior, Kraft rushed for 1,405 yards and 24 touchdowns and was named first team All-State. He committed to play college football at South Dakota State, choosing the Jackrabbits over a late offer from Wyoming.
Path to American Football
South Dakota State offered Kraft the opportunity to develop at the FCS level while staying close to home. He redshirted his true freshman season, allowing him to adjust to the speed and demands of college football while learning the Jackrabbits’ offensive system under the coaching staff.
During the spring 2021 season, which was delayed from the fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kraft caught seven passes for 90 yards. The shortened schedule gave him a glimpse of game action and helped him build confidence heading into a larger role.
As a redshirt sophomore, Kraft started all 15 of South Dakota State’s games and recorded 65 receptions for 780 yards and six touchdowns. That breakout year earned him consensus FCS All-American honors and First-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) recognition, establishing him as one of the premier tight end prospects in the subdivision.
Tucker Kraft Career
Early Career (2019–2022)
Kraft’s early college years were about patience and steady development. After redshirting in 2019, he used the limited 2021 spring season to earn trust from his coaches. The 2021 fall and 2022 campaigns saw him grow into a complete tight end who could line up in-line, in the slot, or detached as a receiver.
Across his South Dakota State career, Kraft earned two First-team All-MVFC selections and two FCS All-American honors. He also helped the Jackrabbits capture the 2022 FCS national championship, capping his college tenure with the highest team achievement available at that level.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits Breakthrough (2021–2022)
Kraft’s statistical leap came in 2021, when he became a full-time starter and a focal point of the Jackrabbits’ passing attack. His combination of size, route-running polish, and physicality after the catch made him a matchup problem for opposing defenses in the MVFC.
The 2022 season represented the peak of his college career. He earned another wave of All-American honors, contributed as a senior leader, and helped South Dakota State finish the year as FCS national champions. His play during that championship run solidified his stock as an NFL prospect.
Green Bay Packers Era (2023–Present)
The Green Bay Packers selected Kraft in the third round, 78th overall, of the 2023 NFL draft. He signed his rookie contract on May 17, 2023, and quickly moved into a complementary role alongside fellow tight end Luke Musgrave. In Week 11 of his rookie season, Kraft scored his first NFL touchdown against the Detroit Lions, and against the New York Giants in Week 14 he posted a then career-high 64 receiving yards on four receptions. He finished his rookie year with 31 receptions for 355 yards and two touchdowns across 17 games, including eight starts, and added a touchdown in the Divisional Round loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The 2024 season brought challenges, beginning with a torn pectoral muscle in May that cost Kraft part of Green Bay’s offseason program. When Luke Musgrave was sidelined by injury, Kraft was elevated to the starting tight end role for quarterback Jordan Love, signaling his growing importance in the offense.
The 2025 season produced the strongest stretch of his NFL career. On October 26, 2025, in a Week 8 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kraft caught seven passes for a career-high 143 yards and two touchdowns on National Tight End’s Day. Through eight games he had recorded 32 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns. In Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers, however, Kraft suffered a serious knee injury in the third quarter and an MRI confirmed he had torn his ACL, ending his season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kraft pairs the frame of a classic in-line tight end with the route-running skill set of a big receiver. He is effective as a possession target over the middle of the field and shows the physicality needed to contribute as a blocker in the run game, traits that made him a natural fit for the Packers’ offense.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature moments are his 2022 FCS national championship with South Dakota State, his first NFL touchdown against the Lions in 2023, his first playoff touchdown in the Divisional Round against the 49ers, and his career-best 143-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Steelers in 2025. His 2025 injury marked his first major setback at the pro level.
Tucker Kraft Career Wins
Although tight ends are measured less by win totals than by production and team success, Kraft has accumulated meaningful victories at every level. He won the 2022 FCS national championship with South Dakota State and has been part of multiple winning seasons with the Green Bay Packers since being drafted in 2023.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits Highlights
Kraft finished his Jackrabbits career with two First-team All-MVFC honors and two FCS All-American selections. His role as a senior leader helped South Dakota State capture the 2022 FCS national title, the program’s marquee achievement of his college tenure.
Other Wins & Performances
In addition to his team success, Kraft earned All-State recognition as a high school senior at Timber Lake, where he rushed for 1,405 yards and 24 touchdowns. Those individual honors foreshadowed the college accolades and NFL opportunity that followed.
Tucker Kraft Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Kraft comes from a tight-knit South Dakota family. His father, Doug Kraft, passed away in 2013, and he has two brothers, Cody and Tanner Kraft, who have remained part of his support network as he progressed from Timber Lake to the NFL.
Personal Life
Tucker Kraft is married to Baylee Jandahl, a graphic designer. The couple wed on May 18, 2024, and welcomed a daughter named Charlotte in early 2025. Kraft is also open about his Christian faith and remains closely tied to the Cheyenne River Sioux community, supporting youth members of the tribe through the NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats initiative.
2025 Season Performance
Kraft’s 2025 campaign began as a breakthrough year for the third-year tight end. Elevated into a featured role with the Packers, he delivered one of the best performances of his career in Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, setting career highs with 143 receiving yards and two touchdowns on National Tight End’s Day.
Through eight starts, he had tallied 32 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns, cementing himself as one of the top targets for quarterback Jordan Love. His development gave the Green Bay offense a dependable pass-catching tight end to build around.
The season, however, came to an abrupt halt in Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers. Kraft tore his ACL early in the third quarter and was placed on a season-ending injury path, putting his recovery and return timeline at the center of Green Bay’s outlook heading into the following year.
