While he may be forgotten about by some due to the injury, his total college body of work earns him a spot on this list. With that, we've seen a radical shift in how tight ends are viewed on every level. Born: July 6, 2001 (Independence, Kentucky), High School: Covington Catholic High School (Park Hills, Kentucky), Career highlights: Two-time AP All-American (2021, 2022), All-ACC (2020). Bowers is already a college football star and has the chance to piece together a historic career if he can sustain his current pace. Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo is the highest-rated prospect remaining on NFL.com's list going into the final day of the draft. Tight end is absolutely not one of them. Meet my #1 ranked tight end in the BIG 12 for 2023 and top 5 nationally, JaTavion Sanders of the Texas Longhorns. He made five big-time blocks this past season (PFFs highest-graded blocks), which was tied for fourth among Power Five tight ends. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Type above and press Enter to search. He had 26 receptions for 410 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021. At a school known for elite All-American tight ends, Beckum was the most explosive, most talented and most productive. Top 25 College Football Tight Ends - The Game Haus The numbers were never huge, but Witten is clearly one of the greatest tight ends to ever play the sport. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'fanrankings_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',120,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Two of those talented tight ends that stand out are the Utah Utes Dalton Kincaid and the Georgia Bulldogs Brock Bowers. Brevyn Spann-Ford is 270 pounds and doing this ???? 14. In 2021, he had 50 receptions for 611 yards and six touchdowns. 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. He will try to reclaim that old form as he reunites with quarterback, Trigg was one of Lane Kiffins star signings out of the transfer portal. Garrett Graham, Wisconsin (2007-09)Stats: 121 rec., 1,492 yds, 16 TD, Related: The Top 50 Wide Receivers of the BCS Era, 31. Kenny Pickett is now in the NFL, so Bartholomew will be one of new quarterback Kedon Sloviss favorite targets. 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. Bowers already has 119 receptions for 1,824 yards and 20 touchdowns through two seasons but has also rushed for four touchdowns. 2. John Mackey. Tim Stratton, Purdue (1998-2001)Stats: 190 rec., 1,976 yds, 15 TDs27. Here are the top 25 college football tight ends heading into the 2022 season. He was one of the team's best players as a freshman in 2004 before he left school to go on a two-year mission in the Dominican Republic. Hell test his talents in the SEC next season with Ole Miss. All made some big plays for Michigan in order for them to make the College Football Playoff following the 2021 season. Now that he is with Lane Kiffin, Trigg is expected to put up bigger numbers, so expect to see him rise up this list once he gets some work. Williams, Arkansas (2007-10)Stats: 152 rec., 1,855 yds, 10 TDs. Here is a look at the Top 10 College Football Tight Ends January 2023 rankings: Honorable Mention Thomas Yassmin School: Utah Utes NFL Draft Status: Returning to Utah As Aidan OConnell emerged at quarterback for the Boilermakers last season, Durham provided a good, reliable target. Inglewood, CA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers (19) with the ball against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first half in the CFP national championship game at SoFi Stadium. As a sophomore, he led all tight ends with 3.67 yards per route run. Now, tight ends are offensive weapons. Andrews was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round for the 2018 NFL Draft and made three Pro Bowls through his first five seasons and was an NFL All-Pro in 2021. 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 won the John Mackey Award that year and was an All-American. In an interesting twist, Clark played linebacker for Iowa before converting to tight end in 2001. The undersized but athletic playmaker came from Bristol (Conn.) Central originally, but proved quickly he had what it took to succeed in the deep South. He's a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame. ???? Joshua Simon, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. College Football's 15 best tight ends of 2021 - Stay Alive In Power 5 He was one of three Mackey finalists in 2006. In a generational TE room at Georgia, hes clearly the generational talent.pic.twitter.com/Fq1pnLIDrw, Max Chadwick (@Chad_Maxwick) September 18, 2022. He had seven catches for 109 yards and one touchdown. Todd Heap, Arizona State (1998-2000)Stats: 112 rec., 1,658 yds, 10 TDs Stroud. In 2021, he had 36 receptions for 510 yards and eight touchdowns. BROCK BOWERS, GEORGIA BULLDOGS Bowers was in the conversation for best tight end in college football despite being a true freshman this past season. His 11.8-yard average depth of target ranked sixth highest among Power Five tight ends, and that helped him average the fifth-most yards per route run in the country (2.21). Coffman was a journeyman during his NFL career, playing eight seasons for six different teams. East Carolina won seven games last season and if they continue to utilize Jones well, could make some noise in the ACC. He was the No. However, that wasnt the case, but the Oklahoma Sooners senior tight end didnt disappoint during the 2022 NCAA Football Schedule. Aaron Hernandez, Florida (2007-09)Stats: 111 rec., 1,382 yds, 12 TDs. Points: 15Draft picks: 4. This move could also play a key role in whether Benjamin Yurosek will look to enter the 2023 NFL Draft or return for his senior season. The Best NFL Players Who Retired In 2020 - Ranker Widely considered one of the greatest high school football players from his time at Parkview High in Little Rock, Arkansas, Jackson went 42-5-1 during his four seasons at Oklahoma and is one of just two tight ends in NCAA history to earn unanimous AP All-American honors twice. That's a never-before-seen level of production at PFF from a true freshman and a level rarely obtained by any player at the position. Vernon Davis, Maryland (2003-05)Stats: 83 rec., 1,371 yds, 9 TDs26. From a dual-threat (blocking and receiving) perspective, Witten might be the best tight end to play the game during the BCS era. The reigning John Mackey Award winner is easily the best returning tight end in college football. 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. Bottom line: Colorado State's Trey McBride won the John Mackey Award as the nation's best tight end in 2021, but his most impressive college season may have been in 2020. All three of those metrics ranked inside the top five among FBS tight ends. He had 43 receptions for 658 yards and three touchdowns. 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. Born: Feb. 27, 1976 (Torrance, California), High School: Huntington Beach High School (Huntington Beach, California), College: University of California, Berkeley, Career highlights: AP All-American (1996), All-Pac-10 (1996), 10-time NFL All-Pro (1999-04, 2006-08, 2012), 14-time Pro Bowl (1999-2008, 2010-13), NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team, NFL All-Rookie Team (1997), Pro Football Hall of Fame. His teams went 32-7 during his three-year starting career and few tight ends in the history of the sport have topped 200 catches, nearly 3,000 yards or 20 touchdowns much less all three. Pro Football Hall of Fame (1999). He began to live up to that billing in his sophomore season, catching 32 combined first downs and touchdowns in 2022, which trailed only. MacAfee went to dental school and moved back to Massachusetts, where he opened up his own practice. Hudson had the great fortune of catching passes from a pair of future NFL star quarterbacks during his time at BYU Jim McMahon for his first two seasons, followed by Steve Young for his last two seasons, in which Young was also named a unanimous AP All-American in 1983. 21. Jonny Harline, BYU (2005-06): 121 rec., 1,788 yds, 17 TDs42. and Brock Bowers among FBS tight ends. Stogner was in the midst of a breakout sophomore 2020 season before suffering an injury in Week 10 that led to a staph infection. , his 89.6 receiving grade ranked fourth among all tight ends in the country, and his 340 yards after the catch tied for the fourth most. Ben Troupe, Florida (2000-03): 64 rec., 958 yds, 7 TDs34. Below are PFFs picks for the top 25 tight ends entering the 2022 college football season, along with some superlatives, including the biggest projections and sleepers. Nonetheless, Nesbit quickly turned himself into a four-star recruit and is now a prime candidate to break out in 2022 after his true freshman campaign. However, many of the tight ends on the Top 10 College Football Tight Ends January 2023 rankings are exceptional athletes with the talent to be a game changer during any game. ?pic.twitter.com/B3MAalHCMm, The Transfer Portal CFB (@TPortalCFB) September 10, 2022. Kory Sperry, Colorado State (2004-08): 141 rec., 1,763 yds, 20 TDs58. 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. Bizarre post-game interviews aside, Winslow was a monster on the field at Miami. Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame (2010-12)*Stats: 140 rec., 1,840 yds, 11 TDs23. For the Pirates, he had 37 receptions for 442 yards and five touchdowns. Among those with at least 50 targets, his 133.7 passer rating when targeted trailed only Brock Bowers. Here are the Top 30 tight ends since the BCS was implemented in 1998: Agree or disagree with our ranking of College Football's Top 30 Tight Ends of the BCS Era? Georgia Wide Receiver RaRa Thomas Arrested on Two Charges, Sedrick Van Pran to Return to Georgia in 2023, 5 Potential Destinations for Ilkay Gundogan. There are some very cool facts about John Mackey. He claimed the Mackey Award as a junior, was an All-American and helped Clemson win its first ACC title in two decades in 2010. Jason Witten 6. Bottom line: Over 40 years since he finished his All-American career at Northeastern, Dan Ross still holds school records for career receptions (143), single-season receptions (68), career receiving yards (2,343) and single-season receiving yards (988). . Washington has converted 10 of his 27 career targets into a gain of 15 or more yards while averaging 18.8 yards per reception overall. 198 games - 7,980 yards (12.1 ypc), 662 catches, 47 touchdowns. 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. Jeremy Shockey, Miami (2000-01)Stats: 61 rec., 815 yds, 10 TDs. Brock Bowers, Georgia Oregon v Georgia This is the first college football position group where the name at the top. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end earned a 54.2 receiving grade across 75 routes last season, and while there were some missteps on his part, he still showed flashes of what he can be. Hes the reigning John Mackey Award winner, given to the best tight end in college football. Jaheim Bell WILL NOT BE DENIED! One of our representatives will be in touch shortly. RELATED: Greatest NFL Tight Ends of All Time, High School: Jefferson High School (Roanoke, Virginia), Career highlights: Three-time All-CVAC (1967-69), NAIA Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame. The following are the top 10 tight ends returning to college football this fall. Hudson still holds NCAA career records for a tight end for catches per game (5.4) and receiving yards per game (75.3), and he set the single-game NCAA receiving record for tight ends with 13 receptions for 259 yards against archrival Utah in 1981. My top-10 tight ends in Hawkeye football history - Hawk Fanatic What his role ends up being for the Longhorns is something to monitor, especially with him dropping from 230 pounds to 216. last year Head to head, Georgia s line was much better. B/R CFB 150: Top 16 Tight Ends - Bleacher Report Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington (2011-present)Stats: 109 rec., 1,396 yds, 13 TDs. He owns nearly every major receiving record at BYU for tight ends and is BYUs all-time leading receiver with 221 receptions regardless of position. Greg Olsen, Miami (2004-06): 87 rec., 1,215 yds, 6 TDs59. In todays game of football built around high-powered offenses that rely on big play potential the tight ends are often looked over for running backs and wide receivers who are designed to be home run hitters for their offenses. Hudson played two seasons in the USFL and one season in the NFL before he retired from football. 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. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. 13. He was once again the most valuable tight end in the nation this past season and led the position in receiving yards (942), yards after the catch (479) and receiving yards after contact (274). His 613 receiving yards also trailed only Bowers among returning Power Five tight ends. 4 overall pick the highest drafted tight end in NFL history. At 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, Washington is a matchup problem. Sanders joined Texas with a ton of hype as a top-15 recruit in the 2021 class. So all factors were considered when trying to determine who the greatest tight ends of the BCS era have been. James Whalen, Kentucky (1997-99): 120 rec., 1,324 yds, 13 TDs48. He not only is a good tight end that can help Utah compete for a Pac-12 Championship, he is also coveted as an NFL tight end. Gamble spent the first part of his college career at Florida, but has now transferred to UCF. He had 71 receptions for 840 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021. PFF 2022 Preseason John Mackey Award Watch List: Most outstanding tight Related:The Top 50 Quarterbacks of the BCS Era, 11. This year against a common opponent, TCU, whos offensive line played better? Jake Butt was great for Michigan football - like top ten great - but Iowa. The Bulldogs tight end lists at 6 foot 7 inches while also showcasing solid power and speed to make him a mismatch against NFL linebackers. Like Bell, Yurosek had a relatively disappointing season after breaking out in 2021. Bottom line: Ken MacAfee was one of the most highly recruited tight ends ever after he led Brockton High to back-to-back Massachusetts state championships. There are some positions where the best returning college player is debatable. The walk-on began his career as a linebacker but quickly developed into a star at tight end. Is this another consolation prize like the Joe Moore award. He posted back-to-back 900-yard seasons and saved his best games for the biggest competition (9 rec., 140 yds vs. Ohio State, 10 rec., 132 vs. Michigan State, for example). The son of longtime NFL offensive lineman Jamar Nesbit, Bryson Nesbit was a late bloomer in the football recruiting process due to his proclivity for basketball. Rob Gronkowski 3. 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. Jimmy Graham 16. Miller gets a slight nod over fellow Sun Devil Todd Heap due to slightly better production and All-American recognition. He died in 2006, at 49 years old, after he collapsed following a jog. Still, his 1,099 receiving yards and 596 yards after the catch over the past two seasons trail only Brock Bowers among returning Power Five tight ends. Hey Richard, was very close between the two. Georgias Brock Bowers: The reigning John Mackey Award winner is easily the best returning tight end in college football. The red-zone touchdown machine improved his production each of his four seasons at UCLA, culminating with All-American and John Mackey honors as a senior in 2005. Prieskorn was a John Mackey Award semifinalist this past season at Memphis. He won a national championship with Oklahoma as a sophomore in 1985 when he caught a 71-yard touchdown pass in an Orange Bowl win over Penn State. He had two seasons with over 900 receiving yards at Northeastern as a junior and as a senior and had his No. High School: Moorpark High School (Moorpark, California), Career highlights: Two-time AP All-American (2008, 2009), three-time All-Mountain West (2007-09), Super Bowl champion (2013). After dazzling in his 2020 true freshman campaign with LSU, the former five-star opted to transfer. From a speed and agility standpoint, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound pass-catcher has few peers. 19. Mayer finished the season with 67 catches for 809 yards and nine touchdown receptions. The redshirt seniors 82.5 run-blocking grade in 2022 ranked second among FBS tight ends, while his 82.1 receiving grade placed eighth. But he left as a revolutionary player for the tight end position, earning Western Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year and AP All-American honors in 1985. However, that wasnt the case, but the Oklahoma Sooners senior tight end didnt disappoint during the 2022 NCAA Football Schedule.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-leader-2','ezslot_14',134,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-leader-2-0'); Willis finished the season pulling in 39 catches for 514 yards to go along with seven touchdown receptions. Mayer is a better blocker IMO and also as ranked by PFF. Born: Nov. 10, 1986 (Lee's Summit, Missouri), High School: Raymore-Peculiar High School (Peculiar, Missouri), Career highlights: John Mackey Award (2008), AP All-American (2008), three-time All-Big 12 (2006-08). You have to admire a player who seems to play with absolutely no fear of anything. 1. Kincaid is one of two Utah tight ends who produce a lot. He averaged 7.4 yards after the catch on seven receptions and caught three of his five contested opportunities. Daniel Graham, Colorado (1998-2001)Stats: 106 rec., 1,543 yds, 11 TDs24. He played a small role on the national championship team in 2001 and was a huge force 57 rec., 726 yds, 8 TD on the '02 team that was defeated by Ohio State in the title game. 4. His All-American junior season features Sooners' tight end records for yards (950) and touchdowns (14) one shy of Mark Claytons all-time single-season record regardless of position. Bowers had an incredible freshman season for Georgia that ended with a National Championship win. Born: Oct. 22, 1982 (Richlands, Virginia), High School: Honaker High School (Honaker, VIrginia), Career highlights: John Mackey Award (2004), AP All-American (2004), two-time All-ACC (2003, 2004), Freshman All-American (2002), NFL All-Rookie Team (2005), two-time Pro Bowl (2009, 2012), two-time Super Bowl champion (2006, 2009). Jacob Tamme, Kentucky (2004-07): 133 rec., 1,417 yds, 11 TDs40. The award for the best tight end in college football carries his name. Michael Mayer, Notre Dame Fighting Irish. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. Trigg was one of Lane Kiffins star signings out of the transfer portal. After helping the Golden Gophers win nine games last season, he will try to do the same this season. Georgia's Brock Bowers: The reigning John Mackey Award winner is easily the best returning tight end in college football. Ranking the top 10 Michigan football tight ends since 1995 - WolverinesWire Miami has been one of the top tight end programs in college football for a long time. Expect North Carolina to give him plenty of opportunities at receiver to create even more mismatches. Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin (2008-10)Stats: 78 rec., 1,160 yds, 8 TDs30. 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. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end is a terrific route runner and has the skill set to be a solid blocking tight end while also being a red zone threat. Today, Kenyon presents. In his first season with the team, he had 73 catches for 692 yards and five touchdowns. While many of the players on Cincinnatis roster decided to head to the pros from last season, Whyle returned. He actually played some running back for the Gamecocks this past year, as his 257 rushing yards led all tight ends in the country. He will pair back up with quarterback Clayton Tune to try to take the Cougars to a New Years Six Bowl. Gavin Bartholomew, Pittsburgh Panthers. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. In fact, he set NFL receiving records for tight ends that stood for over 30 years and finished with over 1,000 receiving yards three times, and he was a four-time NFL All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler in just nine NFL seasons. He initially committed to Florida but backed out to join Georgia. Jackie Smith 14. Five best college football tight ends in the transfer portal The 6-foot-6, 245-pound tight end has a big, long frame and is an after-the-catch threat. While he lacks the numbers of a few of the other tight ends on the list, Latu has all the tangibles that a great tight end requires. He delivered on that promise by setting Notre Dame's career record for tight ends with 180 receptions and doing so in just three seasons. Landing at number three on the Top 10 College Football Tight Ends January 2023 rankings list is Michael Mayer who will also be joining Dalton Kincaid in the 2023 NFL Draft. Brock Bowers has a very good chance at surpassing Kyle Pitts as a prospect. He has 320 yards and one touchdown in his three seasons. His speed, explosiveness and ball skills are all in elite territory. Owen Daniels, Wisconsin (2002-05): 62 rec., 852 yds, 8 TDs, 41. He lost playing time and then decided to transfer to Texas, following Steve Sarkisian. Florida went 26-2 over his last two years in Gainesville. The 2022 PFF College Football Preview Guide 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. He was just a freshman in 2021, but Bartholomew was able to catch 28 passes for 326 yards and four touchdowns. Mayer had a poor Combine performance finishing with the third-slowest 40-yard time (4.70), third-shortest vertical jump (32.50 inches), and the fifth . Top 10 College Football Team Rankings 2022-2023, Top 10 College Football Player Rankings 2022-2023, Top 10 Freshman Football Players 2022-2023 Rankings, Top 10 College Football Quarterbacks 2022-2023 Rankings, Top 10 College Football Running Backs 2022-2023 Rankings, Top 10 College Football Wide Receivers 2022-2023 Rankings.