Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin (2008-10)Stats: 78 rec., 1,160 yds, 8 TDs30. Its officially time to hit the reset button. With both Josh Downs and Antoine Green off to the NFL, Nesbit could have a massive year as Heisman-candidate quarterback Drake Mayes top returning target. When you look at the teams that have won national championships in recent memory, it's not hard to look at their rosters and pick out dynamic tight ends who helped them get to that level here's a look at the greatest college football tight ends in history. Tight end is absolutely not one of them. He had 1,281 receiving yards in just two seasons, leaving school early for the NFL and ultimately helping the Colts win a Super Bowl in 2007. The only FBS tight ends with higher receiving grades than Traore's 89.6 mark were Utah's Dalton Kincaid and Notre Dame's Michael Mayer two finalists for the John Mackey Award and top-50 prospects on PFF's 2023 NFL Draft big board . All made some big plays for Michigan in order for them to make the College Football Playoff following the 2021 season. If you think Mayer is better than Bowers, you are out of your mind. For NFL teams however another year will have to come and go as Bowers is just a sophomore and will have to return for his junior season. A group that includes George Kittle of San Francisco and possibly Sam LaPorta. He began to live up to that billing in his sophomore season, catching 32 combined first downs and touchdowns in 2022, which trailed only. Bottom line: BYU's Gordon Hudson is just one of two tight ends to be named a unanimous AP All-American twice, alongside Oklahoma's Keith Jackson. Meanwhile Bowers is just a sophomore leaving him to return to the Bulldogs for another season while looking to lead them to a third straight National Championship game. He averaged 7.4 yards after the catch on seven receptions and caught three of his five contested opportunities. He tallied more than 200 fewer receiving yards in 2022 despite receiving four more targets. Bennie Joppru, Michigan (1999-2002): 79 rec., 731 yds, 8 TDs, Top 50s of the BCS Era:The Top 50 Quarterbacks of the BCS Era @ASUFootball's Jalin Conyers gets the Sun Devils on the board. Among those with at least 50 targets, his 133.7 passer rating when targeted trailed only Brock Bowers. He actually played some running back for the Gamecocks this past year, as his 257 rushing yards led all tight ends in the country. Agree or disagree with our ranking of College Football's Top 30 Tight Ends of the BCS Era? Statistical production, individual awards, team success, longevity, supporting cast, level of competition, raw talent and athletic ability all factor heavily in determining overall greatness. Todd Christensen 17. The 6-foot 6-inch tight end has the size to make him a mismatch and the physical traits to help him excel at the next level.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-banner-1','ezslot_7',126,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-banner-1-0'); Turner finished the 2022 NCAA Football season with 29 catches for 378 yards to go along with eight touchdown grabs. 25. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports. Dwayne Allen, Clemson (2009-11)Stats: 93 rec., 1,079 yds, 12 TDs. He is poised to build on his first collegiate season, for which he earned a 73.0 receiving grade that ranked third among SEC tight ends. Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma (2006-09) Stats: 111 rec., 1,629 yds, 26 TDs Had the 6-foot-6, 260-pound star tight end stayed healthy and played his fourth season at Oklahoma, Gresham likely would. From a dual-threat (blocking and receiving) perspective, Witten might be the best tight end to play the game during the BCS era. The Panthers took Bryce Young at No. He is one of the few offensive weapons returning, so he will have to help a new quarterback get comfortable in 2022. Miller relished the blocking side of the game and his physicality and dependability is what has made the consensus All-American one of the NFLs best tight ends for the last decade. Christian Trahan, Houston Cougars Bottom line: There haven't been a lot of great football highlights for Virginia fans to point to in the last 20 years but Heath Miller's time there is definitely one of them. In the college game, that means players who may have been taller wide receivers in high school but also show the ability to pack on muscle become tight ends. He was just a freshman in 2021, but Bartholomew was able to catch 28 passes for 326 yards and four touchdowns. Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo is the highest-rated prospect remaining on NFL.com's list going into the final day of the draft. His 613 receiving yards also trailed only Bowers among returning Power Five tight ends. Notre Dame's 6-foot-4, 250-pound junior tight end has been one of the best at his position since his true freshman year. Durham, like many of the other top draft picks, elected to skip his teams Bowl matchup to prepare for the 2023 NFL draft. The college football world was put on notice in 2020 with Kyle Pitts' electric campaign, helping him become the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft the highest a tight end has ever selected. His speed, explosiveness and ball skills are all in elite territory. He's also a mismatch out in space against linebackers and defensive backs. Dallas Clark, Iowa (2000-02)Stats: 77 rec., 1,251 yds, 8 TDs. George Bryan, NC State (2008-11): 126 rec, 1,323 yds, 17 TDs57. 13. Jonny Harline, BYU (2005-06): 121 rec., 1,788 yds, 17 TDs42. The Napa, California, native has been one of the Bulldogs' best players in his first two seasons, leading his school to back-to-back national championships and making back-to-back All-American Teams along with winning the John Mackey Award in 2022. Both were great players and Heaps NFL career proved his school records were legitimate. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. He had 26 receptions for 410 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. Yurosek started for the first time in his career during the 2021 season and impressed. Washington is one of three tight ends on Georgias roster, making them the best tight end room in college football. He still impressed as a pass catcher, though, as his 110 receiving yards after contact ranked 11th among Power Five tight ends. He will try to reclaim that old form as he reunites with quarterback Spencer Rattler and head coach Shane Beamer at South Carolina. After having a big year in 2020 for Oklahoma, Stogner didnt do as well in 2021, as the quarterback play was inconsistent. The redshirt junior tied for fourth among all tight ends in the country with 340 yards after the catch. Brevyn Spann-Ford, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Stogner was in the midst of a breakout sophomore 2020 season before suffering an injury in Week 10 that led to a staph infection. APRIL 29 ROSCHON TO BEARS The Cowboys want to take a running back somewhere in this Day 3 of the NFL Draft, but that guy won't be a favored Longhorn. He was also a two-time NFL All-Pro with the Cincinnati Bengals, setting a Super Bowl record with 11 receptions for 104 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the San Francisco 49ers in 1983. Born: June 22, 1962 (Everett, Washington), Died: Sept. 27, 2021, 59 years old (San Jose, California), High School: Brighton High School (Salt Lake City, Utah), Career highlights: Two-time AP All-American (1982, 1983), College Football Hall of Fame, All-USFL (1985). Ranking the top 10 Michigan football tight ends since 1995 Teams Big Ten Iowa Michigan St. Nebraska Ohio St. Penn St. Rutgers Wisconsin SEC Alabama Arkansas Auburn Florida Georgia LSU. Mayer had more catches in just 12 games played than Bowers did in 15. has just dropped, and in conjunction with that is an expansion of PFFs preseason positional rankings that will be rolled out over the next couple of weeks. Football Greatest College Football Tight Ends of All Time By Tony Adame on February 27, 2023 Ashley Landis / AP Photo In the last 30 years, the tight end position has changed the game of football. As a sophomore, he led all tight ends with 3.67 yards per route run. Minnesota's Brevyn Spann-Ford: The redshirt senior is one of the most well-rounded tight ends returning in 2023. He is expected to do even more in 2022, especially with quarterback Tyler Van Dyke slinging the ball around the field after a nice freshman season. Both Kellen Winslow II, whom many recognize as one of the best recent tight end threats in college, and his father contributed greatly to the college game from the tight end position. He began to live up to that billing in his sophomore season, catching 32 combined first downs and touchdowns in 2022, which trailed only Dalton Kincaid, Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers among FBS tight ends. Miami has been one of the top tight end programs in college football for a long time. He was named a unanimous AP All-American in 2009 and played seven seasons in the NFL, all with the Baltimore Ravens, which won a Super Bowl in 2013. Prieskorn was a John Mackey Award semifinalist this past season at. He has also broken nine tackles after the catch on 17 career receptions. and Brock Bowers among FBS tight ends. His accomplishments are unmatched by any other player in the position as he dominated for nearly . Hudson played two seasons in the USFL and one season in the NFL before he retired from football. Kenny Pickett is now in the NFL, so Bartholomew will be one of new quarterback Kedon Sloviss favorite targets. Marcedes Lewis, UCLA (2002-05)Stats: 126 rec., 1,571 yds, 21 TDs. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound tight end has a big, long frame and is an after-the-catch threat. Shawn Nelson, Southern Miss (2005-08): 157 rec., 2,054 yds, 16 TDs45. For all intents and purposes, he is a tight end. Jaheim Bell WILL NOT BE DENIED! Rob Gronkowski 3. Copyright 2023 FanRankings. Kincaid is one of two Utah tight ends who produce a lot. MacAfee didn't let up once he got to college, either. Sitting top 10 in the majority of statistical categories for tight ends, Olsen's place among the best of all-time is clear. Oh, and dont forget about his willingness to block an underrated aspect of his game. Gilbert did not play in 2021 due to personal reasons, but was actually moving to wide receiver for Georgia. Kory Sperry, Colorado State (2004-08): 141 rec., 1,763 yds, 20 TDs58. He will pair back up with quarterback Clayton Tune to try to take the Cougars to a New Years Six Bowl. Rank below to be added in the NCAA Power Rankings, For new posts and be up to date to win $50 to Fanatics or Amazon. He initially committed to Florida but backed out to join Georgia. Let us know on Twitter at @AthlonSports, using the hashtag #AthlonTE30. David Thomas, Texas (2002-05): 97 rec., 1,354 yds, 15 TDs37. Willis finished the season with four games with at least 50 yards including his five catch 102-yard performance in the teams 52-42 win over 19th ranked Kansas Jayhawks back in October. In an interesting twist, Clark played linebacker for Iowa before converting to tight end in 2001. Chris Cooley, Utah State (2001-03): 96 rec., 1,255 yds, 11 TDs53. Not giving in. Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma (2006-09)Stats: 111 rec., 1,629 yds, 26 TDs. RELATED: Stadium Talk's 2022 High School All-American Team, Born: Feb. 12, 1963 (San Jose, California), High School: Leland High School (San Jose, California), Career highlights: NCAA Division II Team of the Quarter Century (2000), three-time All-WFC (1983-85), WFC Offensive Player of the Year (1985), AP All-American (1985), four-time Pro Bowl (1992-95), East-West Shrine Game (1985), three-time NFL All-Pro (1992-94), three-time Super Bowl champion (1993, 1995, 1996), College Football Hall of Fame. He still impressed as a pass catcher, though, as his 110 receiving yards after contact ranked 11th among Power Five tight ends. ???? MacAfee went to dental school and moved back to Massachusetts, where he opened up his own practice. Should the Celtics Be Worrying About Jayson Tatum? Fastest Tight End 40 Times in NFL Combine History - Horton Barbell Fastest Tight End 40 Times in NFL Combine History By Coach Horton March 5, 2023 I've always loved the NFL Combine. Other top College Football tight ends include Michael Mayer of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Sam LaPorta of the Iowa Hawkeyes, and Payne Durham of the Purdue Boilermakers. He has two straight seasons of over 300 receiving yards and it could be argued that he is not utilized as much as he should be. Andrews got better in each of his three college seasons, capping things off as a junior in 2017, with 62 receptions for 958 yards and eight touchdowns on the way to winning the John Mackey Award. The Top 50 Running Backs of the BCS Era 5. Meet my #1 ranked tight end in the BIG 12 for 2023 and top 5 nationally, JaTavion Sanders of the Texas Longhorns. The Louisville Cardinals football program is loaded with potential NFL draft prospects as the 2022 NCAA Football season ends. Heath Miller, Virginia (2002-04)Stats: 144 rec., 1,703 yds, 20 TDs. However, it wasnt just his elite receiving ability that made the 6-foot-5, 255-pounder one of the games best. While his production dropped off from his freshman campaign of 882 yards and 13 touchdowns, Bowers is still a mismatch for the defense on nearly every pass play. 18. That year, he was tied for first on the team with 42 catches and ranked second on the team in receiving yards (450). Although he may not be the lead tight end for the Utes, he would start for plenty of teams across the country. Unfortunately, the 'Zona tight end missed all of the 2009 season after preseason back surgery after being named a preseason first-team All-American and the Mackey Award frontrunner. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. Tight end is absolutely not one of them. Bryant has started 21 games in three seasons for the Cleveland Browns since the franchise drafted him in the fourth round in 2020 and was an NFL All-Rookie Team pick that year. His 1,822 yards rank him in the team's top 25 all-time. Brock Bowers has a very good chance at surpassing Kyle Pitts as a prospect. My guess is the Bowers is faster, has less drops, blocks better and is more dynamic. Working against Stover as a receiver is the fact that he plays with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, the two best returning wide receivers in college football. Bottom line: It's hard to think of many college tight ends who have been more exciting to watch than Oklahoma's Mark Andrews, who set state records as a wide receiver at Desert Mountain High in Scottsdale, Arizona, before switching positions in college. They can control a game with their blocking on the edge, often matched up with the other team's best pass rusher, and use their elite size and speed to expose linebackers and safeties downfield. Gary Barnidge, Louisville (2004-07): 108 rec., 1,491 yds, 17 TDs54. Traore was one of the best receiving tight ends in college football this year. There is some projecting with ASJ, but he has already broken most school tight end records and will make a push this fall for the John Mackey Award. He had over 800 receiving yards in each of his last two seasons and decided to forgo his final year of college eligibility to enter the 2023 NFL Draft. Yurosek takes it 49 yards to the ???? One of the fastest and most dynamic tight ends in BCS history, Beckum switched to tight end as a sophomore and became a second-team All-American in just his first season playing the position. During the 2022 college football season and early into draft prep, it was commonly thought that Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer had a first round draft grade and would be the first tight end selected. Brevyn Spann-Ford, Minnesota Golden Gophers. Ford who is one of the Top Tight Ends in all of College Football. Henry won the John Mackey Award in 2015 and was a three-time All-SEC selection, but he's probably best remembered during his college career for one of the craziest plays of all time a blind lateral to teammate Alex Collins in overtime of a win over Ole Miss on 4th-and-25 that resulted in a 31-yard gain and set up the winning score. The award for the best tight end in college football carries his name. Another year with the combination should lead to success. Benton. Jake Butt was great for Michigan football - like top ten great - but Iowa. Willis finished the season with four games with at least 50 yards including his five catch 102-yard performance in the teams 52-42 win over 19. Miller was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft and helped lead the team to two Super Bowl wins in 11 seasons. Michael Mayer was pegged as a tight end who would dominate in college and in the NFL when he was still at Covington Catholic High in Park Hills, Kentucky. The redshirt junior tied for fourth among all tight ends in the country with 340 yards after the catch. There is not a better college tight end than Bowers. Perhaps the greatest tight end in ACC history, Miller became the first player in league history to win the John Mackey Award in 2004. Greg Olsen 13. ???? In at number 10 on the Top 10 College Football Tight Ends January 2023 rankings list is the Alabama Crimson Tide tight end Cameron Latu.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_10',127,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); The Crimson Tide who have been long known for producing high caliber players has succeeded once again with senior tight end Cameron Latu.