In the Lab: Building the Perfect TE Recruit

<p>The TE position here in WI has seen some absolutely dominant, rare athletes come through the ranks in recent years. We have so many athletes committed to Power 4 and other FBS programs. So we have an unbelievable tray of talent to choose from as we build our Perfect TE. The big group of talent comes in a wide array of skill sets also, so there is a dominant athlete for every category. The TE position may be our closest to building perfection because of all the talent. Let's get into the lab and build this freak athlete!</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frame Build</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">The biggest TE of the bunch, and there are a lot that are 6'5"+, is DeForest's [player_tooltip player_id='685844' first='Jackson' last='Accuardi']. The 6'7" 230+ lbs senior towers over his opponents. He dwarves them at the catch point and has the well rounded game to be able to overpower them in the run game. A kid with the size and length of Jackson is the perfect blueprint to build our Perfect TE recruit around.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ball Skills</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">There were several options for this category, but the sophomore TE [player_tooltip player_id='1226882' first='Korz' last='Loken'] ended up being the choice. The 2027 is outstanding at finding the ball and finding ways to get his hands on it. Hands that are big, soft, and strong so that if he can get his hands on it then he is probably going to catch it. Because of that, Korz offers a huge catch radius. Loken also earned this category because of his ability to make the toe-tapping sideline grab or the twisting grab while having a DB draped all over him. The concentration and body control at his age are elite and one of the reasons he already has FBS offers. We need our Perfect TE to attack the ball and bring it in like Korz.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mismatch Ability</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">With so many big, athletic, and strong TEs to choose from the mismatch category became the toughest to choose. In the end we had to go with Ben. Verges runs like a WR when he is in space and attacking downfield or up the seam. He also has the leaping ability, hand-eye coordination and strong hands to be able to go and get the ball. The way he can run routes also opens up plenty of separation, and after the catch he has the speed and some elusiveness to get away from DBs and won't hesitate to lower the shoulder. The Coastal Carolina commit is a nightmare matchup for DBs/LBs.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Blocking</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">The blocking category was the easiest one to select. Bennett has made himself synonymous with the term blocking. For the past couple years the TE has given Bay Port essentially a 6th OL to collapse DEs inside or get to the second level or drive his DL off the ball. Bennett has a strong blend of power and athleticism and that allows him to overwhelm and also with the leverage battle vs the DL. Bennett also offers a receiving threat, and fits the role of the traditional TE who can help in the run and pass game.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pass Game Impact</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">The biggest pass game impact is [player_tooltip player_id='385215' first='Trent' last='Oiler']. The senior has spent time inline and out wide creating mismatches all across the field. Trent is an excellent route runner. He has the speed to get deep and the balance to run the quick developing underneath routes. The big man possesses outstanding hands and is as reliable a target as you could hope your QB to have. After the catch Oiler is a serious weapon too. He has the vision and speed to find the green grass and exploit it and Trent won't shy away from contact when he finishes his runs. The overall impact Trent has on the passing game is what we want in our Perfect TE Build.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Route Running</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">One of the more surprisingly easy choices in the article is [player_tooltip player_id='685978' first='Eli' last='Johnson'] as our route runner build for our Perfect TE. Eli is such a smooth route runner. He has excellent balance, accelerates out of breaks, and shows nuanced moves to get DBs to overcommit and get themselves out of position. Johnson also does a great job at the end of his route positioning himself so that he has the best chance to be able to high point the ball or to catch and run with the ball. Eli forces teams to play DBs on him in coverage, and that plays right into his hand as he easily overwhelms defenders that size.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Toughness</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">The toughness shines through in a few different ways from the GB Notre Dame athlete. First off, James is an outstanding run blocker. He has the ability to overpower his opponent and reset the line of scrimmage. The senior also has shown that he has excellent power and contact balance after the catch to punish tacklers and force the defense to gang tackle him. Last, Flanigan helped his team win a state championship while also playing both sides of the trenches. On defense the senior shined as a DE. Having the impact he has on both sides of the ball is enough to earn the toughness category on its own. We need this type of grit from our TE.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Run After the Catch</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">We had to have Blake as our Run After the Catch Build. It seemed like he spent over half the season as an RB for PdC. That experience running through the trenches has helped him out in space. He understands how to make defenders miss, has the speed to beat pursuit angles, and will run angry. Having an athlete who can win with speed or power when he gets out in space gives the defense so much trouble, and that is what Thiry has to offer. The Indiana commit is going to be so fun to watch as he learns and develops at the TE position.</p>

The TE position here in WI has seen some absolutely dominant, rare athletes come through the ranks in recent years. We have so many athletes committed to Power 4 and other FBS programs. So we have an unbelievable tray of talent to choose from as we build our Perfect TE. The big group of talent comes in a wide array of skill sets also, so there is a dominant athlete for every category. The TE position may be our closest to building perfection because of all the talent. Let's get into the lab and build this freak athlete!