2023 Tight ends to watch

If you have seen him play – live or on tape – you will know Robbinsdale Cooper’s [player_tooltip player_id="19001" first="Jaxon" last="Howard"] is on a different plant when it comes to football players in Minnesota – much less tight ends. That doesn’t mean there are others at the position who aren’t going to make a splash. While these guys are likely not going to end up with double-digit Power Five offers, the likelihood that they put up numbers as seniors and are playing in college in a year is. [player_tooltip player_id="287255" first="Ashton" last="Lloyd"] <strong>TE Blue Earth Area</strong> Lloyd plays all over the field on the offensive side of the ball. He is listed as a tight end – and he does line up in the traditional tight end spot – but he also lines up wide and in the backfield or at a wing position. As a wide receiver, the junior is too tall for most defensive backs. He has a huge catch radius, and his long-striding style eats up ground quickly. He is a weapon in the running game when lined up wide, as his size is hard for smaller defensive backs to handle him when run blocking. In the traditional tight end position, Llyod might be a little light, but he is able to make up for it with good arm extension – keeping defenders off his body. [player_tooltip player_id="112079" first="Kellen" last="Kinzer"] <strong>TE St. Cloud Cathedral</strong> Kinzer plays well in the traditional tight end spot with a good release off the line of scrimmage in the passing game. He is not a bulky player but is a willing blocker with more power than his frame appears. Kinzer keeps his hips low to get under shorter players’ pads in the running game. When he splits out in the slot, he has sneaky speed. His long strides eat up ground quickly, allowing him to get deep down the seam. His frame gives him a solid catch radius and makes him a threat in the red zone. [player_tooltip player_id="295822" first="Jermell" last="Taylor"] <strong>TE Eden Prairie</strong> Outside of you-know-who from Cooper – Taylor is this class’s most complete tight end. I like some of the subtle things he does in the passing game. Taylor is great at getting a chip on the defensive end or making the defense think he is blocking before releasing into a pass pattern. He is a physical blocker that the offense has no problem running behind. He gets off the line of scrimmage quickly, gets into his man, and turns his hips toward the hole efficiently. He runs good routes – and in combination with his speed - allows him to get good separation. [player_tooltip player_id="295811" first="Caleb" last="Lange"] <strong>TE Brainerd</strong> Lange is a throw-back tight end. In a world in which tight ends are more like oversized receivers, Lange – while he holds his own in the passing game – is a physical tight end. He plays more like a third tackle than a receiver. He does a great job getting his hips turned to get himself between the defender and the ball carrier and then has the power to move his man backward and even move him to the ground. He is often used almost like a pulling guard coming out of a wing-back position. In the passing game, he has solid hands and uses his body well to give himself space to make a catch. [player_tooltip player_id="112091" first="Charlie" last="Fragassi"] <strong>TE St. Paul Highland Park</strong> Fragassi has the best hands of any tight ends I have seen on tape from this class. Sometimes he only needs to use one of those hands. He rarely lines up in the traditional tight end spot but runs good routes and has excellent length on the outside. Fragassi does look like a tight end in the open field; however – he is tough to bring down. The junior has great body control; combined with his hands, Fragassi is a threat near the sidelines and in the red zone.