Kentucky HSFB: 10 Freshmen (2029) Tight Ends to Know in 2025

After a year of finding prospects, evaluating them in person and on film, speaking with different coaches and sources throughout the state, the Prep Redzone Next Kentucky Class of 2029 Rankings and Watchlist is complete. This list contains nearly 400 prospects that are set to make their high school football debut this upcoming fall—and the talent is immense.   A few things to remember:   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>EVERY SECTION IS LISTED ALPHABETICALLY BY FIRST NAME</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>This list is NOT final and will be updated by Prep Redzone Kentucky as HS careers progress</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Things change quickly on this level and there may be incorrect information that I simply missed/wasn't aware of</li> </ul>   <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Brayden-Walsh-Body.png?w=875" alt="" class="wp-image-1803344" style="width:525px;height:auto" /></figure>     <h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Top-5 Tight End Prospects</h2>   **Listed Alphabetically By First Name**    It's been a calendar year season of growing for incoming Bullit East High School freshman, [player_tooltip player_id='1311369' first='Brayden' last='Walsh']. Walsh has put on nearly 40 pounds since this time a year ago and it shows. A long, field-stretching Tight End who very easily could play Wide Receiver as well. In fact, he's honestly somewhere in between. Walsh knows how to go up and get the ball when it's anywhere in his vicinity. Also a basketball player, many of the physical traits translate to the football field. His vertical, spacial awareness and hand eye coordination are all on another level from playing both sports.     A former Kentucky Future Stars Offensive MVP, [player_tooltip player_id='1295700' first='Everest' last='Whitaker'] is a Tight End/Outside Linebacker prospect with a bright future. At a legitimate 6-foot-2 and 185-pounds he's long and athletic for a Tight End at this level and looks like a natural pass catcher. A two-time Kentucky Future Stars selection, Whitaker is coming off a standout middle school career at Southern Pulaski and will be joining a very complete 2029 group enrolling at Pulaski County High School. Regularly gains yards after contact. Blocks with a Linebackers mentality and is very agressive.     Out of all the Tight Ends in this writeup, [player_tooltip player_id='1685691' first='Jackson' last='Basinger'] has the most varsity-ready body of them all. Also plays a classic Defensive End position utilizing his mix of size and length. Last year as an eighth-grader Basinger was an All-Conference selection, as he was hands down the top Tight End in the Norsemen Conference. Basinger is an obvious mismatch in the red zone with his size and ability to complete the catch through contact and reel in contested passes. Playing with the Union Raiders a year ago, he was just one of the many weapons at the disposal of Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1790293' first='Brody' last='Smith']. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, the duo will stay together in high school.     Listed at 6-foot-3 and 200-pounds, [player_tooltip player_id='1803304' first='Kobe' last='Reed'] out of Knox Central High School is a Tight End prospect to get familiar with early in his high school career. A two-sport athlete, Reed is already dunking a basketball with ease as he starts high school. Watching him on film it's easy how to see how the two sports shape his style of play. As a Tight End he can stretch the field vertically with his speed on the outside and then high point the ball -- just like getting a rebound. Additionally, he does an elite job of continuing to move to get open if he sees his Quarterback is scrambling and in trouble. A skill that is akin to continuing to cut and move to get a pass.     Yet another basketball/football combo prospect, perhaps none is closer to the basketball side of that combo that the 6-foot-6, 195-pound [player_tooltip player_id='1686612' first='Steven' last='McAnally']. If he's not legitimately 6-foot-6, he has to be close. I originally saw McAnally play while looking at film of his St. Matthews Catholic teammate, LB [player_tooltip player_id='1668627' first='Sam' last='Raider']. Last year they were two of the big reasons for St. Matthews Catholic coming home with the 2024 CSAA Louisville championship. Raider is 6-foot-3 and McAnally looked a good bit taller than him last year. McAnally also played Edge and has all the potential in the world to become a highly recruited prospect at both positions in football -- in addition to basketball.     Weese is another prospect that currently has the frame/body that fits somewhere between a Wide Receiver and Tight End. At 6-foot-2 and 170-pounds he's a physical mismatch on the outside and routinely blows past smaller Defensive Backs. He was a favorite target of QB [player_tooltip player_id='1757037' first='Braydon' last='Wallis'] last year and that should continue into high school. Weese has no problem getting vertical up the seam, but really excels at finding passing windows at the short and intermediate levels. I initially had Weese grouped in with the Edge players because of the violent nature he plays the game, but he brings that mentality to Tight End as well.      <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Cooper-Daniels-body.png?w=875" alt="" class="wp-image-1803398" style="width:523px;height:auto" /></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">The Best of the Rest Wide Receiver Watchlist</h2>   **Listed Alphabetically By First Name**   [player_tooltip player_id='1803388' first='Brady' last='Houp'] | West Jessamine High School - Despite not having prototypical Tight End size (listed at 5-foot-9, 145-pounds at last check) he plays and produces like one of the best in the state. Built like a Wide Receiver and moves like one too. Exceptionally quick bust off the line. Often lined up as an H-Back and was simply too athletic/fast for LBs and DBs to stay with.   [player_tooltip player_id='1803376' first='Cooper' last='Daniels'] | Johnson Central High School - Good looking physical Wide Receiver/Tight End that has bulked up considerably over the 4-6 months. More of a pass catcher than a blocker right now, but checks the box of the current style of Tight End play. Muscles past Defensive Backs who try to hand fight with him and plays with more range than most Linebackers at this level.   [player_tooltip player_id='1666462' first='Cooper' last='Quaglio'] | Lexington Catholic - Previously playing for the middle school, Quaglio will continue on at Lexington Catholic for high school. Comes with good size at 6-foot-1 and 185-pounds as he starts his high school career. On early film from this summer, looks less robotic and more athletic than he did a year ago. A multi-sport athlete who also plays baseball at a high level.   [player_tooltip player_id='1291226' first='Parker' last='Barnes'] | Garrard County High School - A big, lumbering Tight End with prototypical size, as he gets set to enter high school at 6-foot-2 and 190-pounds. Has to pick up the speed as he moves onto high school. Dangerous weapon in the short/intermediate passing game. Has to be accounted for inside the red zone at all times.

After a year of finding prospects, evaluating them in person and on film, speaking with different coaches and sources throughout the state, the Prep Redzone Next Kentucky Class of 2029 Rankings and Watchlist is complete. This list contains nearly 400 prospects that are set to make their high school football debut this upcoming fall—and the talent is immense.