Big Time 2024 Tight Ends Due for a Breakout Season
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Fantasy Football connoisseurs always claim that Tight Ends are scarce, and this statement applies to any level of football. The ability to block, catch passes, and be physical with some of the fastest and strongest guys on the field is…
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Continue ReadingFantasy Football connoisseurs always claim that Tight Ends are scarce, and this statement applies to any level of football. The ability to block, catch passes, and be physical with some of the fastest and strongest guys on the field is no easy task for any athlete. Combine this with a need for height and size, and it’s easy to see why good Tight Ends are so coveted. In this list, I’ll be looking at some guys who are due for a big senior season.
The Wayzata tight end played a big part in paving the way for a 1,000 yard rusher in his backfield, which allowed his team to pound the rock at will. Jack Simon Jack Simon 6’3″ | 225 lbs | TE Wayzata | 2024 State MN exhibits a natural love for blocking that radiates off his film. Whether he’s crashing down on the play side or leveling a defensive end on the back side, Simon is always operating at 100 percent and seems to take no plays off. On the receiving side of things, he shows great situational awareness. He knows when to peel off a block and be an outlet for his Quarterback, which can turn debilitating sacks into first downs. When he’s running up the field, Simon shows a knack at extending the play by working back towards the ball, a trait many receivers struggle with picking up on, much less tight ends. Pack all of this into a 6-foot-4, 220 pound frame, and you have a guy who will likely make a big splash in the fall.
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A do it all offensive player out of Edina, Josh Quirk Josh Quirk 6’1″ | 245 lbs | OL Edina | 2024 State MN will line up anywhere you put him at, making him an asset to any locker room he steps in. He’s played guard, tackle, and tight end at the varsity level, all of them combining to give Quirk a diverse range of skills on the line. At 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, one might think he doesn’t go into motion often, but Quirk is as dangerous out in space as he is on the ball. When he pulls, he shoots down the line of scrimmage with uncanny speed for a lineman, flattening linebackers before he promptly moves up the field to defensive backs. This athleticism at his size makes him a nightmare to game plan against, as he can quite literally play anywhere on the line. All of these skills, combined with his aforementioned flexibility on where he plays, is a big reason why Quirk was named a team captain heading into the fall, where he will look to have his best season yet.
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Kameron Zurek Kameron Zurek 6’4″ | 205 lbs | TE Chanhassen | 2024 MN is a fascinating case study at the tight end position. At 6-foot-3 and a hair over 200 pounds, he is on the lighter side for the position, but the way Chanhassen uses him perfectly fits his skill set. Often lining up off the ball in a two point stance, Zurek almost seems to be more of a wingback, yet this unique place on the field feeds into his strengths. The room for acceleration allows Zurek to both stalemate larger defenders on a block and use his speed get out wide for an outlet pass that can gain his team pivotal early down yards. However, what stood out to me the most about Zurek was his team first mentality. On any sort of big gain for Chanhassen, Zurek was sprinting down the field, high fiving the ballcarrier and corralling his team into the huddle. This leadership, combined with his height and speed, are all big reasons as to why I believe Zurek will have a breakout fall season.
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A two way player for Lourdes, Thatcher Bochmann Thatcher Bochmann 6’5″ | 225 lbs | TE Rochester Lourdes | 2024 State MN is at his best when he’s allowed to run. The 6-foot-5, 215 pound tight end and defensive end moves at a breakneck pace whether he is running a route, throwing a block, or chasing down a quarterback. This type of acceleration and nose for the ball benefits him everywhere, and some of his best plays involve him hawking down scrambling quarterbacks from the other side of the field. Simply put, his athleticism for his size is a big reason as to why he was plugged in at so many different positions last season. Although he was primarily a defensive contributor his junior year, I’ll expect to see Bochmann take plenty of reps on both sides of the ball this fall.
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Rounding out the list is the guy who was destined for a breakout year the minute he joined Totino Grace’s varsity program. At 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, Adam Molitor Adam Molitor 6’7″ | 225 lbs | TE Totino-Grace | 2024 State MN was born to play tight end, as his size and long frame allow him to pull down balls no one else could feasibly grab. His speed and shiftiness serve him incredibly well, and to make things even better, he plays with his pads lower than a majority of his much shorter defensive opponents. He doesn’t rush or drag any of his routes, and this smart situational play gets him open for big plays of 15 or more yards. There’s no mystery as to why Molitor is receiving Power Five interest, and if he keeps this up, these inquiries should turn into offers.