2025 Rankings: Tight Ends/H-Backs Bolstering Offenses
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The tights ends in the Class of 2025 comprise our largest crop of tight ends in four-plus years of Prep RedZone South Carolina’s existence. Sure, some of that is due to increased player identification, a larger staff seeing more athletes…
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Continue ReadingThe tights ends in the Class of 2025 comprise our largest crop of tight ends in four-plus years of Prep RedZone South Carolina’s existence.
Sure, some of that is due to increased player identification, a larger staff seeing more athletes and more exposure across the board due to the bounce-back from the heaviest eras of the pandemic.
But we can also credit an increase in talent and diverse skill sets at the position, too.
These nine players each bring something different to the table. There are excellent pass catchers and punishing blockers. We have others who move around, including all the way to the outside receiver spot, while others find ways to look more like fullbacks.
Rank
|
Player
|
Height
|
High School
|
Commitment
|
Weight
|
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
6’4″
|
Hammond
|
||||
2 |
6’1″
|
Crestwood
|
||||
3 |
6’4″
|
Catawba Ridge
|
||||
4 |
6’4″
|
Lower Richland
|
||||
5 |
5’10”
|
Summerville
|
||||
6 |
6’4″
|
Gilbert
|
||||
7 |
6’2″
|
North Myrtle Beach
|
||||
8 |
6’4″
|
Dutch Fork
|
||||
9 |
5’8″
|
Carolina Forest
|
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Continue ReadingThat’s all of them by the numbers. But it doesn’t get into each of their stories. All nine have a special part of his game that makes them well worthy of a ranking in our system.
Joe Ober Joe Ober 5'8" | 210 lbs | TE Carolina Forest | 2025 State SC Carolina Forest
We hear about tailbacks who are able to hide behind large offensive linemen all the time. Ober is a rare example of when opposing defenders don’t see the lead blocker. The 5-foot-8, 210-pounder gets set all around the line, including behind it, and is chock full of highlights of pummeling much larger linebackers who don’t give him credit. Those three receptions for 33 yards were inconsequential; his business is to hit people and open up holes. And business is good.
Boone Miller Boone Miller 6'4" | 210 lbs | TE Dutch Fork | 2025 State SC Dutch Fork
Miller had one huge game in 2023, against River Bluff on October 20. He caught five passes for 165 yards that night, showing glimpses of what could be. And while he never reached that top end again, he stayed consistent throughout the season, finishing with 20 catches for 349 yards and two scores. He’s got an excellent release off the initial block and moves across the field into his routes in order to get himself open.
Brown Reaves Brown Reaves 6'2" | 230 lbs | TE North Myrtle Beach | 2025 State SC North Myrtle Beach
There aren’t a lot of players in Grand Strand & Pee Dee who look like Reaves while also being able to do some of the things he does. He’s an excellent combo tight end who has traditionalist in his blood and the coaching staff leading him. Last fall, in addition to pummeling some opposing linebackers, he also caught 25 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns. He’s got the build (6-foot-2, 230 pounds) and rollout ability to give the Chiefs another much-needed weapon.
Connor Gooding Connor Gooding 6'4" | 215 lbs | TE Gilbert | 2025 State SC Gilbert
Gooding has hit another level over the course of the last year. He put up just shy of 400 receiving yards and eight touchdowns as a junior, increased his weight up to 215 pounds and then performed pretty well at both the Joanne Langfitt Showcase and the Carolinas Coaches Combines. If you were to stop after his first two highlights, you’d think we put him in the wrong category. But trust us, keep watching. It’s all part of the shell game disguising his skill set to opponents.
Keshon Washington Keshon Washington 5'10" | 205 lbs | TE Summerville | 2025 State SC Summerville
At 5-foot-10 and 205 pounds, Washington is built like a tailback. But he’s also been clocked at north of 22.5 miles per hour, a figure most high school receivers would be proud to reach. He’s got excellent hands (scroll to the :30 mark) and finished the year with 31 receptions for 384 yards and five touchdowns. On top of all that, he’s the most consistent outside weapon coming back for a Summerville offense graduating most of its other pass catchers.
Noah Lucas Noah Lucas 6'4" | 235 lbs | TE Lower Richland | 2025 State SC Lower Richland
We’ve got Lucas listed at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds. The truth of the matter is that he’s actually slightly north of both of those listings (verified). However, our system is only so specific. The measurement that has some folks really wondering what he could be those is 86. As in, that’s his wingspan. That’s 7 feet, 4 inches. Or nearly a full foot above his height. Lucas is a fast riser and jumped directly into our top 100 because we think his ceiling is super high, both as a senior and beyond.
Brady Ambrose Brady Ambrose 6'4" | 230 lbs | TE Catawba Ridge | 2025 State SC Catawba Ridge
The Copperheads struggled a bit after losing a big Class of 2023, and as such, Ambrose (pictured) was targeted more. He also missed three games with an injury. Still, he led Catawba Ridge in receptions (18) and yards (273) and he’s almost certainly going to finish his varsity career north of 1,000 receiving yards. Ambrose is 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds; more importantly, he’s one of the more established tights ends in this class and has a mean streak in the trenches.
Jahiem Jones Jahiem Jones 6'1" | 180 lbs | TE Crestwood | 2025 State SC Crestwood
A new-age tight end, Jones is more likely to split off tackle than he is to line up beside him. Some of that was scheme-based last season, as quarterback Javion Martin Javion Martin 6'2" | 185 lbs | QB Crestwood | 2024 State SC was spreading the ball around a ton. Jones’ piece of the pie was 12 receptions for 200 yards and four touchdowns. Jones never had huge games throughout his junior season, but he was a consistent presence on an offense that had multiple.
Mike Tyler Mike Tyler 6'4" | 220 lbs | TE Hammond | 2025 State SC Hammond
The frontrunner in this class is Hammond, at least for now, as he’s proved his size, blocking acumen and catch ability both short and deep form the best combination for the position. Last fall, Hammond put up 543 yards and seven touchdowns on 33 catches. Across the middle, he can break tackles from linebackers; when he extends downfield, he uses his body to box out defenders. Hammond is going to have his pick from a large list of offers.