AL Pops: My Favorite Class of 2027 Tight Ends Right Now Pt. 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tight End position has undergone, and continues to undergo, the most dramatic shift in usage and responsibilities on the field. Gone are the days where Tight Ends are actually Offensive Linemen that are too small or Wide Receivers that are just too small, this position is full of athletes. From kids that can stretch the field vertically, to the guys who pick up the tough yards that keep the chains moving to the dudes that cause snot bubbles with their blocks, they can play. Here is a look at Part 1 of my favorite class of 2027 Tight Ends as of this moment.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["402854"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"A 6-foot-3, 195-pound Tight End/Defensive End/Edge out of Arizona that helped propel the Future U team to the Pop Warner championship game this past season. One of the most athletic kids you'll find in the greater Phoenix area. He should have an opportunity to contribute early at Saguaro High School, where the Sabercats will start a new era under a new head coach, with former head coach Jason Mohns heading to Arizona State as a Tight Ends coach.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["557706"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Fresh out of the Box State, Heimlicher looks poised to be the next big time Tight End/Defensive End out of Colorado. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder is the younger brother of Jake Heimlicher who starred at Regis Jesuit High School before earning All-American honors at UPenn, and is now at UCLA, as a Defensive End. The younger Heimlicher looks to be cut from the same mold as as his older brother and played a huge role in his 303 Legends team winning an AYF National Title.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["556692"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Staying in Colorado, [player_tooltip player_id='556692' first='Troy' last='Mailo'] is another Tight End/Defensive End to keep track of early. At 6-foot-2 and 185-pounds, he has more of a Wide Receiver build right now but should really take off once he hits high school. He's looking at a number of options right now, including Mullen High School. The Mustangs are coming off a a 5-6 season and haven't had a winning season since 2016. In addition to having to replace 1,000-yard back Aaron Wehmeyer, they also lose three of their five leading receivers in terms of yardage from last year. Those losses could be Mailo's gain, if he ends up there and continues to succeed.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["545916"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Guertin on the field this past December at AYF Nationals. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Tight End/Linebacker was a man among boys playing on a field full of kids who were named to All-Star teams. He's one of the best play-making Tight End's I have seen in the entire country in the 2027 class. Is simply on a different level physically and athletically than his peers. Look out, world: Rhode Island has ballers, too.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["492889"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Georgia is home to a ton of very impressive athletes. Each year, there are over a hundred eighth-grade prospects that make the National Watch List from the Peach State. This year, [player_tooltip player_id='492889' first='Chris' last='Johnson'] and his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame will certainly be on there. The future Cedartown High School Tight End/Defensive End/Edge athlete looks to project to more of the Defensive Side right now, but he's shaping up to be a can't-miss.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["378967"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Staying in Georgia, 6-foot-3 and 185-pounds Tight End/Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='378967' first='Cole' last='Crawford'] is another big time prospect on the horizon. Like [player_tooltip player_id='492889' first='Chris' last='Johnson'], Crawford is another player I can see sticking on the defensive side of the ball due to his sideline-to-sideline tackling ability. He wrapped up his middle school career this past season playing for Cartersville, the same program that produced Trevor Lawrence. Crawford is also one of the most elite baseball players in the country too.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["378430"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Stamped him as one of top Tight End/Athletes in the 2027 class last summer after spending a few days evaluating him and watching what he did when on both sides of the ball. When I first saw him last June at the Future Stars event in Atlanta, I was more impressed by him than I had been in a long time by a prospect. An absolute can't-miss prospect at 6-foot-4 and 185-pounds with calf muscles as wide as his thighs. His father, whom has the same name, played for the Georgia Bulldogs.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["416494"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Rounding out the run on talented Georgia Tight Ends is Haviland out of Milton. At 6-foot-3 and 180-pounds he's somewhere between a Wide Receiver and Tight End right now, and that spells a ton of trouble for middle school defensive players. He has the hands and route running of a guy on the outside, but plays with the full body functional strength of a Tight End. Also does a phenomenal job of using his frame to box out opponents and win one-on-one balls. If you imagine spinning it forward, he could progress into a player much like current Georgia Bulldog Tight End, Brock Bowers.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["409006"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"A 6-foot-2, 190-pound Tight End/Defensive End out of Illinois, Rice is one of the top players in the Midwest right now. Admittedly, I don't see a way he u003cemu003edoesn'tu003c/emu003e end up playing Defensive End at the next level, but he is still a dangerous big body as a Tight End. While he doesn't necessarily have the overall athleticism as some of the others on this list, there's no way this list gets created without him on it. Also a standout basketball player, he's a physical kid who finished this season with 12 touchdowns and 14 sacks.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["422750"],"_player_evaluations_9_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"Hailing from Stonewall, Louisiana, about 30 mins south of Shreveport in the northwest part of the state, Warren Miller is a kid to get on your radar now. The future North Desoto Griffin Tight End/Defensive End is a 6-foot-3, 180-pound stud. Spent time this year as a Quarterback, simply in order to get the ball in the hands of the best athlete on the field on every play. That said, make no bones about it, he's a future Tight End with super big play ability. Big, fast and strong...look out for Miller over the next four years.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_10_player":["505244"],"_player_evaluations_10_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"Hailing from Maryland, with essentially his choice of private high schools to pick from, [player_tooltip player_id='505244' first='James' last='Pace'] is a Tight End to know in the mid-Atlantic region. Not as tall as some of the other freaky monsters on this list, Pace is a 6-foot-1, 180-pounder with some freaky athleticism. Could easily line up as a Wide Receiver and wouldn't miss a beat. Defensively he can get after it too as a Defensive End/Edge. Pace is an explosive kid that is a mismatch for most to handle.","_player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_11_player":["474868"],"_player_evaluations_11_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"Another midwest Tight End/Defensive End to know is [player_tooltip player_id='474868' first='Anthony' last='Cartwright III']. Wrapped up a crazy youth career in the greater Detroit area, with the Southfield Falcons and Orchard Lake Cardinals. Billed at 6-foot-3 and 188-pounds, he's an excellent receiving Tight End. He's literally a home run threat in football and in baseball. Per his social media he has trained with former Detroit Lion and NFL Hall of Famer, Calvin Johnson.","_player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":12,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63c03a0b462c5"} /-->