Fourth of an 11-part series. Coming tomorrow: offensive line.

Pat Freiermuth grew up in Massachusetts and wore No. 87 in college because of one of his favorite players on the Patriots, Rob Gronkowski.

Even if he admittedly doesn’t like being tagged with the nickname “Baby Gronk.”

The Penn State tight end intends to establish his own name in the NFL. And though Florida’s Kyle Pitts is the consensus stud at the position for the upcoming draft — and likely the only one who’ll be selected in the first round — Freiermuth projects as a Day 2 name to watch, possibly even for the Jets or the Giants if they seek upgrades in the second or third rounds.

The 6-foot-5 potential red-zone target might have been rated even higher on some draft boards if not for the shoulder surgery he underwent after appearing in four games for the Nittany Lions as a junior last season.

“Pitts is a unique entity, so it’s Pat Freiermuth, with Hunter Long emerging from Boston College,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said of the top tight ends on a Thursday conference call. “Freiermuth had the injury, but the guy provides a nice target in the hook zone, there’s no question.

“But tight end is not a big need for a lot of teams.”

As Kiper noted, the Jets “obviously got nothing out of their tight end position” last season, with Chris Herndon and Ryan Griffin combining for just 40 receptions, 373 yards and three touchdowns. The Giants’ tight end needs seem less pressing after they signed veteran Kyle Rudolph in the offseason to pair with former first-rounder Evan Engram.

Kiper also mentioned the Cardinals and Jaguars as teams likely to target a tight end from the second tier at the position, and there’s always Bill Belichick and the Patriots, who have been looking to replace Gronkowski since he initially retired in 2018 — before rejoining Tom Brady last season on the Super Bowl-winning Buccaneers. The Bills and Steelers also have been mentioned as potential landing spots for Freiermuth.

“The guys I look up to are obviously Gronk, watching him growing up. But I don’t like the name Baby Gronk,” Freiermuth stressed at his Pro Day workout last month. “Obviously [Travis] Kelce and [George] Kittle, and I’ve watched Tyler Eifert a little. I’ve been comped to him, kind of seeing what he does well. I like to watch a bunch of NFL tight ends.”

Gronkowski actually took notice of Freiermuth during the latter’s sophomore season in 2019, saying it was “something special when you hear a player in the younger ranks that has a nickname ‘Gronk,’ that wears the number 87.”

Freiermuth scored 15 touchdowns during his first two seasons at Penn State, and he added another score with 23 receptions in four games before injuring his shoulder in 2020. Head coach James Franklin even thought so highly of Freiermuth’s leadership ability that he named him a team captain as a sophomore and a junior, a rare designation for an underclassman.

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has Freiermuth ranked as his 46th overall player and the No. 2 tight end behind Pitts, who could be selected among the top 10 picks. Kiper ranks Freiermuth third, behind Pitts and Long.

“Freiermuth is a big tight end with toughness and strong/reliable hands,” Jeremiah wrote in his most recent draft rankings. “He is physical and fights for extra yards after the catch. He doesn’t offer much top speed or wiggle … and isn’t a dynamic athlete, but he has a good feel for the position and should be a steady, reliable starter.”

Kiper also gave Notre Dame’s Tommy Tremble, Georgia’s Tre’ McKitty Miami’s Brevin Jordan and Boise State’s John Bates fourth-round or fifth-round grades at the position.

“I think the depth is pretty good. But I think the elite guys, outside of Kyle Pitts, that’s the only one,” Kiper said in a previous draft call. “Freiermuth would be in that mix. Mike Gesicki came out of Penn State a couple of years ago and he’s doing good job in Miami. So Freiermuth could be a two, at worst a three.”

Indeed, Gesicki was Freiermuth’s predecessor at Penn State. The 2018 second-round pick has posted back-to-back seasons with at least 50 receptions and five touchdowns for the Dolphins. Another former Nittany Lions tight end, Jesse James, has played six seasons with the Steelers and the Lions.

“Obviously, [Gesicki] had success at Penn State and I use him as a resource. I use all the tight ends at Penn State as a resource. It’s kind of like a fraternity of tight ends,” Freiermuth said. “I wouldn’t be shocked if Penn State is Tight End U in the next couple of years.”

Especially if Baby Gronk makes his own name at the NFL level.