Dan Villari is a tight end and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who played his final four seasons with the Syracuse Orange after beginning his career as a quarterback with the Michigan Wolverines. A native of Manhasset, New York, Villari attended Plainedge High School in North Massapequa and was ranked a three-star recruit and one of the top quarterbacks in New York in the 2021 class, committing to Michigan over offers from smaller programs. He redshirted in 2020 and appeared briefly in 2021 before entering the transfer portal with his dream of playing for Syracuse, where he arrived as a quarterback in 2022 before coaches converted him to tight end just one week before the season opener, identifying his athleticism as more valuable at that position. He developed progressively across four seasons with the Orange, contributing across all phases of the offense and earning a unique role as a multi-positional weapon. In 2023 he recorded 20 receptions for 180 yards and three receiving touchdowns while also rushing for 326 yards, two rushing touchdowns, and a passing touchdown while earning conference recognition after a legendary 154-yard rushing performance against Pittsburgh. He focused on refining his receiving skills in 2025 and delivered his most productive pass-catching season, finishing with 39 receptions for 412 yards and a rushing touchdown across 13 games with 10 starts. His 48-game career at the two schools totaled 66 receptions for 671 yards, 93 rushes for 445 yards, and a passing touchdown in addition to his rushing and receiving scores. He earned a Senior Bowl invitation and was named to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
Standing approximately 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, Villari is known for a quarterback's instincts and football IQ applied to the tight end position, versatility to line up across all tight end alignments including as a legitimate rushing option and trick-play weapon in Taysom Hill-style packages, a physical running style and punishing contact balance that made him one of the ACC's most effective designed-run threats at the position, and the competitive mental fortitude demonstrated by converting from a high-profile scholarship quarterback to a productive starting tight end through relentless work across multiple seasons. NFL evaluators project him as a developmental Swiss Army knife tight end and special teams contributor at the next level, where his combination of positional versatility, football intelligence, and the rare ability to operate as both a traditional tight end and a short-yardage weapon position him as a late-round or priority free agent with legitimate roster value in a creative offensive system.
