The 6-foot-7, 265-pound tight end is only scratching the surface of what he can become. Affectionately known as Thor, no other tight end during the BCS era was as versatile and productive in two seasons as Casey. There is always debate over ranking the best players in the sport. To be fair, a top 10 list just doesn't do justice to some of the greatest tight ends of all time. Let us know on Twitter at @AthlonSports, using the hashtag #AthlonTE30. 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.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'fanrankings_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_12',137,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); Mayer, who announced in early December his intentions to enter the draft will rank among the best tight ends within the 2023 Draft class. Garrett Graham, Wisconsin (2007-09)Stats: 121 rec., 1,492 yds, 16 TD, Related: The Top 50 Wide Receivers of the BCS Era, 31. MacAfee didn't let up once he got to college, either. I don't want to hear it. Zach Miller, Arizona State (2004-06)Stats: 144 rec., 1,512 yds, 14 TDs Agree or disagree with our ranking of College Football's Top 30 Tight Ends of the BCS Era? He was one of three finalists for the Mackey Award before leaving school early to become a first-round NFL Draft pick. Durham, like many of the other top draft picks, elected to skip his teams Bowl matchup to prepare for the 2023 NFL draft. In the last 30 years, the tight end position has changed the game of football. The Golden Retriever was a two-time All-Pac-10 performer who was as dependable as any player at his position. The 6-foot 5-inch tight end is a mismatch at the position for linebackers while also being a proven red zone threat. Two years in a row Michigan has won the award. Dwayne Allen, Clemson (2009-11)Stats: 93 rec., 1,079 yds, 12 TDs. Kenny Pickett is now in the NFL, so Bartholomew will be one of new quarterback Kedon Sloviss favorite targets. Greg Olsen 13. South Carolinas top tight end is Bell, after already listing Stogner. Let's continue with the college football tight ends: #1. All Hernandez did while at Florida is set school records for receptions in a season (68) and a career. Iowa will be relying on LaPorta to block and be a reliable receiver again in 2022. Yurosek started for the first time in his career during the 2021 season and impressed. A consensus All-American, Allen was one of the most clutch performers in the game during his time at Clemson. Ben Coates 15. Who knows how great of a season Brayden Willis would have had if Chip Riley stayed on as head coach and Caleb Williams was under center for him. Michael Mayer, Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Novacek was a truly freakish athlete he was the WAC decathlon champion and All-American in the decathlon and pole vault while competing in the 1984 Olympic trials in the decathlon. Perhaps the greatest tight end in ACC history, Miller became the first player in league history to win the John Mackey Award in 2004. 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. In a testament to how little NFL players were being paid in the late 1970s, MacAfee retired from football instead of moving to offensive guard following two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. 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. My guess is the Bowers is faster, has less drops, blocks better and is more dynamic. The Evolution of Tight Ends in the NFL 1. But he turned that into a college career at Missouri, where he became a star in the Big Eight Conference, leading the league in touchdown receptions in 1977 and 1978. Among those with at least 50 targets, his 133.7 passer rating when targeted trailed only Brock Bowers. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. in 2022. Dallas Clark 18. Prior to a nightmarish 50.6 receiving grade in 2021, Billingsley showed a lot of potential in 2020. Mayer had 67.4 yards per game this season, Bowers had 62.8. Much. James Casey, Rice (2007-08)Stats: 157 rec., 1,914 yds, 17 TDs, 362 rush, 11 TDs, 2 TD passes. He was poised to set NCAA records for a tight end until a broken leg in Week 6 ended his college career. One of the few games that had no national championship sidebars, this was simply a great football game in the greatest, grandest and oldest bowl game. Bottom line: Chase Coffman seemed like he was going to be a transcendent tight end during his time at the University of Missouri, where the Lee's Summit, Missouri, native capped his career by winning the John Mackey Award as a senior in 2008. He also helped lead the Golden Bears' basketball team to the Sweet Sixteen as a junior in 1996 the same year he wowed NFL scouts on the football field by catching 44 passes for 699 yards and five touchdowns. Billingsley was reportedly in Alabama head coach Nick Sabans dog house in 2021 and will now play under his old Crimson Tide offensive coordinator, Steve Sarkisian, at Texas. He rejoins Spencer Rattler in South Carolina after having 654 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in his career. 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. ?pic.twitter.com/B3MAalHCMm, The Transfer Portal CFB (@TPortalCFB) September 10, 2022. Jeremy Shockey, Miami (2000-01)Stats: 61 rec., 815 yds, 10 TDs. 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. 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. 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. He played college football for the University of Iowa .more #373 of 1,316 The Best Football Players Ever #2 of 69 The Most Likable NFL Players In 2022 #11 of 87 Brock Bowers, Georgia Oregon v Georgia This is the first college football position group where the name at the top. Matt Spaeth, Minnesota (2003-06)Stats: 109 rec., 1,293 yds, 12 TDs25. What his role ends up being for the Longhorns is something to monitor, especially with him dropping from 230 pounds to 216. 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. 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. High School: Fort Morgan High School (Fort Morgan, Colorado), Career highlights: John Mackey Award (2021), two-time AP All-American (2020, 2021), three-time All-Mountain West (2019-21). With that, we've seen a radical shift in how tight ends are viewed on every level. Heath Miller 19. The Louisville Cardinals football program is loaded with potential NFL draft prospects as the 2022 NCAA Football season ends. Another year with the combination should lead to success. Born: April 19, 1965 (Little Rock, Arkansas), High School: Parkview High School (Little Rock, Arkansas), Career highlights: Two-time AP All-American (1986, 1987), National Champion (1985), NFL All-Rookie Team (1988), six-time Pro Bowl (1988-90, 1992, 1994, 1996), four-time NFL All-Pro (1988-90, 1992, 1996), NFC Rookie of the Year (1988), Super Bowl champion (1997), NCAA Silver Anniversary Award (2013), College Football Hall of Fame. 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). He lost 35 pounds during the brutal recovery process, and he struggled to regain that breakout level of play when he returned in 2021. Knowing the offense gives him a leg up for 2022 and he could have a big year. 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. Both were great players and Heaps NFL career proved his school records were legitimate. 198 games - 7,980 yards (12.1 ypc), 662 catches, 47 touchdowns. 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. The Virginia native won the John Mackey Award as a junior in 2004 and set ACC career records for a tight end for receptions (144), receiving yards (1,703) and touchdowns (20), despite leaving school with one year of eligibility remaining. Ed Dickson, Oregon (2006-09): 124 rec., 1,557 yds, 12 TDs38. 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. 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. He won the John Mackey Award that year and was an All-American. 6. His speed, explosiveness and ball skills are all in elite territory. Fred Davis, USC (2004-07)Stats: 117 rec., 1,408 yds, 13 TDs. Over the years the Iowa Hawkeyes have been known to produce big play caliber tight ends who can not only produce at the college level but at the NFL level. Bowers was in the conversation for the best tight end in college football last year despite being a true freshman. Heath Miller, Virginia (2002-04)Stats: 144 rec., 1,703 yds, 20 TDs. . 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 . 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. Gavin Bartholomew, Pittsburgh Panthers. Washington, who is often overlooked based on the fact Bowers is on the team, has all the tangibles to be a great tight end at the next level. He had his first year of solid production in 2021 with 23 receptions for 296 yards and one touchdown. While he may not start or play a traditional tight end position, Gilbert has a ton of talent. pic.twitter.com/WY3Rm2RJVj, Joe Broback (@joebroback) October 23, 2022. That's when the Fort Morgan, Colorado, product caught 22 passes for 330 receiving yards and four touchdowns, as the Rams only played four games that season because of the pandemic. Oh, and dont forget about his willingness to block an underrated aspect of his game. The 2019 four-star recruit earned a 75.4 receiving grade last year, more than 30 grading points higher than his 2020 mark. He earned a 73.5 receiving grade that year, catching 18 of 19 targets for 287 yards and three touchdowns. 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. 84 jersey retired immediately following his final game. McBride is one of the top all-around tight ends in college football when it comes to combining blocking prowess and receiving ability. Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State (2005-08)Stats: 112 rec., 1,450 yds, 9 TDs28. Bowers is already a college football star and has the chance to piece together a historic career if he can sustain his current pace. 2022 College Football Preseason Rankings: Top 25 tight ends Indianapolis, IN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers (19) against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2022 CFP college football national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Ford has consistently improved over his Louisville career and is now a star.

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best college football tight ends of all time