An Inside Look at Northern California Tight Ends

Photo: Jack Endries Twitter

Paul Gregorian April 23, 2021 @ 11:35 PM

Northern California, specifically the Bay Area has produced some top tier talent at the Tight End position with the likes of Austin Hooper from De La Salle and Zach Ertz who played at Monte Vista. Over the years, not much has changed as guys such as [player_tooltip player_id="25035" first="Jermaine" last="Terry"], Bradley Archer and [player_tooltip player_id="25030" first="Brock" last="Bowers"] have all made their way to the Power Five ranks and could be playing on Sunday’s in the near future. The class of 2022 and 2023 is no different across the region, and there are plenty of talented tight ends that will play big time college football. Below, we will break down the film from some of the top tight ends within Northern California, as their Spring season has come to a close.   Walker Lyons, Folsom HS Lyons is one of the top Tight Ends on the West Coast in the 2023 class and deservingly so. Only a Sophomore and ranked by 247-Sports as a 4-Star prospect, he has a ideal frame for the next level and can gain separation through the second and third level while able to make contested catches and use his size/power to box out defenders and make them miss in the open field. He is a sure fire Power Five impact player at the next level and has multiple offers from around the Country and will add plenty more.   [player_tooltip player_id="25259" first="Brodie" last="Tagaloa"], De La Salle HS Tagaloa is a stand out on both sides of the ball and has offers from both the SEC and Pac-12 conferences. Potentially able to also play defensive end at the next level due to size and natural strength, he is a mismatch against smaller defensive backs and moves extremely fluid for a player his size. He is violent on both sides of the ball and catches the ball naturally from various body angles. He should have 10+ FBS offers by the time he leaves high school and will be a impact player at the FBS level.   Cooper Flanagan, De La Salle HS One of the most physically intriguing prospects in the entire state, Flanagan currently holds National offers from the likes of Michigan, and Tennessee and will be one of the premier tight ends in the West. Ranked as a 4-Star recruit, he is a legit 6’5 and has long arms and a huge catch radius. Showing strong hands in traffic and the ability to go up and get 50/50 balls, he can also play in-line and block when needed while finishing with a strong inside punch and good base while playing with good toughness and physicality for one of the best teams in the Nation.   Jack Endries, Monte Vista HS During last off-season, Endries broke out to be one of the premier tight ends in California in the 2022 class and really impressed at the Bay Area National Preps Showcase in November. Having good size for the Power Five level, he currently holds offers from the likes of Fresno State, Colorado State and Army among others. During his Junior season, he displayed an explosive first step with the ability to adjust well to the ball in the air while being athletic enough to make defenders miss in the open field by showing good lateral movement abilities. Also having good lower body strength, he is tough to bring down and can break arm/ankle tackles while always falling forward after the catch.   Dillon Golden, Saint Francis HS Golden is a big bodied prospect that has really nice arm length and is a long strider with the ball in his hands. Used mostly from the in-line position, he is a violent run blocker that wins with leverage, punch and finish ability through out the play while playing with good toughness and physicality at the point of attack. On tape, he also shows good explosion out of his stance and is a vertical threat up the seam while athletic enough to run out-breaking routes and come back to balls. Due to his nice combination of length, versatility and overall athletic ability, he projects as a FBS or FCS level talent at the college level.   Christoph Horton, Napa HS Horton is a very athletic tight end that had another solid season for the North Bay power. On tape, he shows he is a dynamic player that can not only stretch the field, but work underneath and sink his hips against zone coverage and attack the ball. Having a true FCS floor in terms of talent, Horton will once again be one of the top tight ends the Bay Area has to offer next Fall.   Other Top Tight Ends... 2022 Kai Burgermeister, Amador Valley HS 2023 Jonah Leaea, Saint Francis HS 2022 Ta’Jon Bloomer, Live Oak HS 2022 Tyler Hoffman, San Ramon Valley HS 2022 Christoph Horton, Napa HS