Deep Dive: Top 10 TEs in RDU

We're in the middle of our Deep Dives series, where we're going county-by-county, breaking down the top players at every position. We're at a weird spot here, as we're hitting the tight ends. In the modern high school game, most teams don't actually have a dedicated tight end, either because the offense is so spread out or condensed. So, we're combining our county rankings into one big regional rankings piece. Here are the top 10 tight ends in the Raleigh-Durham area.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top 10 TEs in RDU</h2>   Editor's Note: The ranked tight ends are listed in order from first to 10th. Rankings reflect a combination of 2025 results and projected 2026 impact.    Arguably the best dual-threat tight end in the state, Easter can run, block, and catch with the best of them. He'll stay in line and function as a safety valve, play as a key blocker Southeast Alamance can run behind, or even line up as the weak side receiver and run fades against single-coverage.     Lascallette, to my knowledge, was second or third in the state in receiving among tight ends, depending on how you classify players. More of a pure receiver than a dual-threat tight end, he's the clear top option on that offense. His ball skills are fantastic, and his catch radius is absurd. Some colleges may recruit him as a true receiver, but we love him in-line at the tight end position.     If we separated tight ends into archetypes, Vetter would be our top H-Back, regardless of class. One of the best blockers at the position in the state, he can line up in the backfield, in-line, flex out to receiver, or go in motion. He's everywhere for Williams, and he's vital to that offense's success. You have to go six plays into his season highlights before you see him line up at the same spot twice, and we think his receiving numbers will tick up as a senior.     The top tight end prospect in our 2028 rankings, Evans is more of a hybrid-receiver/big slot. He split time with other talented tight ends, but thrived as the downfield threat, making some really impressive catches throughout the year. I'd expect his numbers to tick up a bit as a junior, but his importance to the Rolesville offense is already obvious.     Brawner only caught 11 passes for Millbrook, but he's the leading returning receiver for the reigning 8A East Regional Champions. He's an impressive athlete who's already picked up plenty of interest on the recruiting trail, and he showed himself to be an excellent blocker in 2025. Could 2026 be the year he breaks out as a receiver?     Clopton is one impressive athlete, an imposing 6'6", 235-pounder who can run. He's a high-academic offer candidate who did a little bit of everything for Wakefield last season, with over 100 passing attempts, 25 rushing attempts, and 13 receptions. Some stability on the offensive side of the ball could put him in position for a massive senior season.     Devaughan is a versatile athlete who can line up in the backfield as an H-Back or as an in-line tight end. He caught several passes last season, getting impressive depth on some of his routes. Fike returns several key offensive linemen and its quarterback, but loses some receivers, so his target share could grow next year.     Barfield recently came across our radar, and we like what we've seen so far. He's the rare high school in-line tight end, and he's flashed the ability to find holes in zone coverage and do damage after the catch. Also an impressive punter, Barfield could have a big senior season on an ascending squad.     Jones is a high-upside athlete at the tight end position with some explosive qualities. He's put up a nine-foot broad jump before, and though he only played in parts of four varsity games last season, he caught six passes for Franklinton. He's a guy we could see taking a bigger target share next season on a team that loses a few offensive playmakers.     Morgan is used as an H-Back in Northern Nash's run-heavy scheme, often inserting in the A, B, or C-gaps as the lead blocker on power concepts. But, he's got some wiggle after the catch, and while he doesn't catch a ton of passes, he's been a valuable safety valve out of the backfield.    This is the time of year when we have the most time to dive into film, re-evaluate prospects, and change our minds about players. Send your film on Twitter/X (<a href="https://x.com/whelms21">@whelms21</a>), so I can evaluate you. Our 7-Day free trial offer runs from March 5-9. <a href="https://prepredzone.com/subscribe/?coupon=march26freetrial&utm_medium=scout&utm_source=braze&utm_campaign=free-trial-email&utm_term=free-trial&utm_content=free-trial-offer">Share Prep Redzone with a friend!</a>

We're in the middle of our Deep Dives series, where we're going county-by-county, breaking down the top players at every position. We're at a weird spot here, as we're hitting the tight ends. In the modern high school game, most teams don't actually have a dedicated tight end, either because the offense is so spread out or condensed. So, we're combining our county rankings into one big regional rankings piece. Here are the top 10 tight ends in the Raleigh-Durham area.