The Five: Top Senior Flex Tight Ends

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The hottest position in the game of football these days, especially on the college and NFL levels are the flex tight end. These unicorn style pass catchers are becoming wanted men due to their size and ability to be used in a variety of ways. We feel like the TN2027 class has several of those guys that fit the role and have a shot at excelling on the college stage. </h2>     (TE) [player_tooltip player_id='1577078' first='Parker' last='Newman'] - Sevier Co.    - Sporting one of the best offer lists of anybody coming out of the East Tennessee region, Newman is a multi-talented tight end prospect that fits the bill of playing flex in college with potential to get bigger and move closer to the line of scrimmage over time. I think his best upside comes working out of the slot where Newman can gain mismatches and exploit them with his athleticism, speed and wide radius. The Smoky Bears senior runs almost like a wideout, so you can place him in a variety spots on the field to take advantage of smaller competition. Newman does need to gain more weight to sustain himself physically but the raw pass catching abilities are there to become a dangerous weapon for whoever he eventually signs with.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/12/pnewman.jpg?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-2090362" style="width:234px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - - - -    (TE) [player_tooltip player_id='1260422' first='Brady' last='Lewis'] - Baylor   - Moving to Baylor to play his senior season, Lewis is an interesting addition to the Red Raiders offense due to his versatility and ability to play several roles on offense. I like his game best working out of the slot or somewhat in the backfield as a H-Back option. Lewis is a safety blanket that knows how to get open and produce positive gains after the catch. He is a willing blocker too but not big enough at the moment to stay in-line and sustain physical blocking. Where the Red Raiders tight end operates best is in open space where he can create and present mismatches against smaller or slower linebackers. I do like his addition alongside rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1201841' first='Braxton' last='Rein'] to form possibly the best tight end duo in the state. Having Rein alongside him, should allow Lewis to shine to produce some big numbers that might boost his stock.    - - - - -    (TE) [player_tooltip player_id='1582353' first='Brayden' last='Atwood'] - MBA   - There is a lot of upside residing with this Nashville area tight end but for Atwood to fulfill his potential, he must get bigger and stronger while crafting his skill set much further. College coaches are starting to pay attention however as Atwood landed his first offer recently from UMass and I believe they are seeing what I see and that's a matchup problem for opposing defenses. The Big Red senior moves, runs well for his size while sporting some of the best hands in this year's tight end class. Atwood is an outstanding athlete too that can take short passes and turn them into big gains or stretch the field with his deceptive speed. From a raw talent point of view, Atwood is up there with some of the best at his position but to become the kind of pass catcher I think he can be, gaining additional mass is critical for his overall success.    - - - - -    (TE) [player_tooltip player_id='1776850' first='Charles' last='Vlach'] - Ravenwood   - Opportunity sits in front of this Williamson County tight end this Fall to not just establish himself as a full time starter but someone that can boost his stock significantly. Vlach is an athletic pass catcher that fits and looks the part of a flex tight end that can cause damage in the slot or several areas of the field, where it utilizes his skill set. The Raptors senior shows the ability to run well into his routes and after the catch. He also has a good frame that can be formed much further in college. There is a lot to like about Vlach but he is still a raw prospect that is growing into his body while enhancing his athletic talents. Watching how he develops into the summer with camp and into his senior season will be interesting to follow because I see upside here with Vlach and his potential on the next level.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/04/cvlach.jpg?w=768" alt="" class="wp-image-2197703" style="aspect-ratio:0.7508305647840532;width:226px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - - - -    (TE) [player_tooltip player_id='1893028' first='Luke' last='Hayden'] - Walker Valley   - It's very possible that down the road, Hayden turns out to be one of the best flex tight ends to come out of this class due to his athletic profile, size and wide radius. This East Tennessee product stands about 6'5 205 plus pounds with great arm length and a broad target that should be quite appealing to quarterbacks when throwing over the middle. Hayden has the athleticism and size to work the seams and stretch the field. He also has the speed to work across the middle as well and produce after the catch. Much of his career has been spent out wide and I still think he can be used there but Hayden has the look and feel of a flex tight end with a high ceiling that presents a lot of mismatch problems for opposing defenses.    - - - - -    Five More Flex Tight Ends to Know   (TE) [player_tooltip player_id='2005494' first='Julian' last='Douglas'] - Maryville: This East Tennessee pass catcher is a long term big potential prospect that has spent most of his time at receiver but I think his upside resides best at flex tight end. Douglas brings a physical body and frame to the field that opposing defenders have a hard time tackling but the Rebels senior is athletic enough to work the seams against man to man or zone coverage. He has a lot of growing left to do but the raw talent is certainly in place to excel in college.    (TE) [player_tooltip player_id='2165226' first='Mack' last='Lee'] - Page: Just recently landing his first offer from Butler, this Williamson County pass catcher is starting to gain steam as a versatile weapon that has the look of a future college flex tight end. Standing 6 '5 210 pounds, Lee is a tall, long and wide radius target for his quarterback that brings a nice athletic profile to the playing field. He shows the ball skills and developing speed to become an excellent weapon that can work the seams and stretch the field.    (TE) [player_tooltip player_id='2141935' first='Lake' last='Helton'] - TCA: Last season as a junior, Helton spent most of time out wide, showing flashes of strong game play but for the future, I think he is a flex tight end that can line up in a variety of ways. This West Tennessee product is an athletic pass catcher that displays enough speed to cause problems along with excellent ball skills that show up against physical contact. If Helton can gain the weight needed, he can develop into an outstanding flex guy on the college stage.    (TE) [player_tooltip player_id='2047637' first='Bryce' last='Baldwin'] - Springfield: Baldwin is a long term, potential based pass catcher that has spent most of his high school career at receiver but for college, his upside fits best at flex tight end. This guy is a versatile weapon that brings impact with his run blocking, so Baldwin could be used in the H-Back role when needed. The Yellow Jackets senior is a good athlete that runs well but also brings that physical aspect to the game coaches like, so I believe Baldwin is a value option for someone that would enjoy his versatile skill set.    (TE) [player_tooltip player_id='1668442' first='Clarence' last='Snodgrass'] - Nash. Christian: Recently transferring to NCS, Snodgrass is a strong handed pass catcher that can produce after the catch due to his athleticism and physicality. The Eagles senior is a versatile prospect that has spent time on defense as well as receiver. I like his potential as a flex guy on offense that can line up in several spots across the offense while providing the ability to block in space. Further development with his route running as well as adding more size is needed but the ball skills are in place to become a nice receiving threat in college.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/04/bbaldwin.jpg?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-2197706" style="width:271px;height:auto" /></figure>