2027 Collision Course: Tight Ends and Linebackers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's a natural collision course between tight ends and linebackers. No matter the system, no matter the scheme, those two groups end up seeing each other over and over again on Friday nights — in coverage, in the run game, in the dirty work that doesn't always show up in the stat sheet. One minute it's a linebacker trying to carry a tight end up the seam, the next it's that same tight end digging him out of the hole on a run fit. It's a chess match that plays out snap after snap.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That's part of what made this group fun to watch. All six of these guys are heading into their final year of high school football, and they each bring something a little different to that battle. Some stress you in space. Some make life miserable between the tackles. But all of them show traits that translate to the next level, because they already understand the physical and mental demands of their position. If you want a good feel for where the modern game is going, watch the tight end–linebacker matchup. It tells you a lot.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tight Ends</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Karter Kleinman","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2407","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"ALA - Gilbert-North","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69a0a803133b0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kleinman feels like the kind of tight end a quarterback is going to <em>love</em> having around, because he's a reliable answer when the pretty stuff isn't there. He's a legit checkdown option you can trust — catches it, turns upfield, and he's strong with the ball in his hands. What stood out to me is how well he sees the edge once he's got it; he's not just lowering his head into the first body he finds, he's actually feeling leverage and working toward daylight. And the versatility is real: slot, H-back, tight, motion… he can be moved around to create favorable matchups and keep defenses honest. If there's one clear offseason focus, it's getting those feet a little quicker so the routes and the releases get even cleaner, because the role and the skill set already fit what a lot of offenses want from that position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Thomas Godfrey","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2407","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"ALA - Mesa-North","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69a0a80313530"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Godfrey was some genuinely fun tape. For a 2027 tight end, he's already moving around the field like he understands how to play the position — not just run where he's told. He's smooth getting into routes, and what I loved most is how comfortable he looks settling into soft spots, especially when the defense is trying to zone off the middle. That's quarterback-friendly stuff. The hands look legit too — he's not fighting the ball, he's just catching it and moving on. He's not going to scare anyone with his first two steps off the line, but once he gets rolling, you see real speed show up, and that length gives him a big catch radius that bails out imperfect throws. Add in the two-way ability and the instincts showing up on defense, and yeah… this is simply very impressive tape.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jonas Phillips","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2407","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Youngker","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69a0a8031369e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Phillips is listed as a tight end, but the way he actually plays? That's a slot weapon. He'll line up tight here and there, sure, but his build and skill set scream “let me live in space and stress defenses.” He's explosive off the line, and that first burst matters because it lets him get on top of routes and start stacking defenders early. The deep threat is real, but the best part might be how dependable he is for a quarterback — the hands are trustworthy, and he has a feel for becoming an outlet when things break down. He's never just standing there waiting on the play to happen. He stays active, keeps working, and that's exactly how you turn extended plays into chunk gains. Smooth game, smooth athlete, and a really clean profile for a modern pass-game piece.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Linebackers</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Nathaniel Olmos","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Centennial","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69a0a8031383f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Olmos is one of those guys where you can tell the system he's in knows what they have, because they're using him like a true nickel backer — and he looks comfortable living in that role. He spends a lot of time in coverage, and for a kid his age, the movement skills pop: nice hips, stays in phase, and he transitions between routes in zone like he actually understands what offenses are trying to do. That's not common this early. And the best part is it's not “coverage-only.” When it's time to fit the run, he'll get off blocks and he's a sure tackler in space — no panic, no diving, just gets you on the ground. He's being used to his strengths, and he's taking full advantage by consistently showing up around the ball and making the kind of plays that keep drives from getting easy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Ashton Goddard","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Ben Franklin","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69a0a803139bb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Linebacker versatility is gold, and Goddard has a whole toolbox. He's quick in a way that shows up in the biggest moments — when he makes a decision, he's there <em>now</em>, not two steps late. That speed plays in a bunch of ways, but the blitzing really stood out because he has a knack for timing it up instead of just sprinting into a wall of bodies. He sees it, triggers, and suddenly the quarterback's got a problem. Then you flip it to coverage and it's the same deal: he's agile enough to hang with speed, and you'll see him recognize something developing, detach from his original responsibility, and close on another route to erase what would've been a big YAC play. The translation to the next level is easy to see — just keep building the frame over time, because the movement skills and instincts are already there.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2101860"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69a0a80313a65"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kraus is one of those linebackers where the run instincts jump off the screen, and that's the stuff you don't just coach into somebody overnight. He plays the box with patience — lets the play declare itself, doesn't fly out of his gap for no reason — and then he attacks the hole <em>as it forms</em>. That's why he's so slippery to get a clean block on. It's honestly rare to see a kid this consistent at getting to the ball without someone getting square on him, and that consistency tells you it's not luck… it's feel. There weren't a ton of coverage reps on the tape, but you can see he has awareness in zone — he understands where receivers are and where routes want to break. Tightening up the footwork in coverage will help as he gets more reps there, but as a run-defender? He's already someone you can trust to lock down the middle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->