Tight Ends: Rankings and Sleepers for Class of 2010

by Lee Brecheen

December 30, 2009 - This is a position where it’s hard to find a true Tight End playing the Position in High School for College. Usually the case in High School, it’s always an undersized kid, that’s not big enough to be an offensive lineman or defensive lineman, but helps block for run plays. I would say almost 90% of the High School teams in Louisiana, don’t utilize a Tight End, if they throw it’s usually a WR, or RB out of the backfield, or they just use the position as a extra offensive lineman. I see this a lot in Louisiana, that most Tight Ends average about 6-0 to 6-1 in height in 4A or 5A class, and weight around 200 to 230, and lower classes you see kids even smaller usually overall, like 5-10 to 6-0, 180 pounds to 200 pounds. SO what I’m trying to say it’s very, very hard to find a true (DI) TE for college in the High School ranks, either their not big enough or not fast enough. When a kid tries to make a highlight tape as a TE it is hard to do, because they don’t get the ball enough on film to show what they can or cannot do in open field.

There are two types of Tight Ends for college, one is a blocker, who’s usually a bigger kid in weight, like 250 to 260, and stands 6-1 to 6-6, or they are great H-Back, Shannon Sharpe types (Denver Broncos) retired now Sportscaster. These guys usually go from 6-1 to 6-3, but weigh only 220 to 240, but they can run as fast as most WR’s on a good day.

This year’s crop of Louisiana Tight Ends is more of the H-Back types, who can run, and not big on blocking. The Best overall TE in Louisiana, and to me one of the best since Marcus Spears 6-4 275, coming out of High School (Southern Lab), LSU, and now Dallas Cowboys (6-4)300 pounds, is Nic Jacobs of Many HS, who stands 6-5, and weighs about 250 pounds, and looks 4.6 forty in a game, will time in the high 4.7 range, and can weigh 285 to 300 when done like Marcus Spears. Nic is a very gifted big man that can run, he has great hands, he’s tough to bring down in open field, and most of all he’s all out, he’s a big time blocker, and he’s fast, he can break some long runs in open field with his feet. I do believe he’s the best DE committed to LSU for 2010, and will be listed as a TE, but mark it down his future is chasing QBS, in the NFL one day at close to 300 pounds on defense.

The best Pass catching Tight End in Louisiana, that I saw in the entire state from filming all the teams is a kid named Nick Scelfo 6-3 220, from St Michaels HS, this kid is well advanced in the hand department of catching a football, he always finds a way to get open, and usually even if the ball is thrown on a post route or too high, he goes up and gets it. Nick like most H-Back type Tight Ends is quicker than he is fast, he’s capable of running a high 4.6 in the forty, but more in the 4.7 range, but he plays at a faster speed, and to me he’s big time, once this kid gets about 10 more pounds on his frame to go with his hands and smarts, he will then be about 230, and a nightmare for many DI schools to defend, linebackers will not enjoy covering this kid in college. I feel like he will be every bit as good as Richard Dickson 6-2 240 of LSU as Senior, who has a NFL future as a H-Back type pass catching TE, or like a David Thomas type for the saints, who goes about 6-3 240, but only played at 220 at Texas for Mack Brown, and by the way Dickson, when he arrived at LSU from Ocean Springs HS in MS, he weighed only about 225.

The top sleeper in the state , that can do both blocking and pass catching is Tucker Mims 6-3 240, from St. Thomas More HS in Lafayette, I’ve seen Tucker destroy DE’ s and DT’s in a game blocking up field, I’ve also seen this kid catch passes and go up field for gains over 15 yards. This was a team, that did not throw to the Tight End much, and so there’s not a lot of film to see him do this, but if I’m a college coach, and saw what he did do on film or in person like I did, when the ball was thrown to him, or what he does as a blocker, I sign him up today for DI football, at most programs. Tucker should weigh in the 255 range and stay at TE for college. He is a tough kid that has a bright future.

The fastest Tight End in the state is Thomas Hart 6-1 211, from Amite HS, Thomas can run in the 4.6 range, and looks faster in open field, with great hands. Three more great blockers , who could move to offensive line if they gained 20 more pounds are Brad Norris , 6-2 240 Cecilia HS, Chad Griffin 6-2 250 , from MCD 35, and Glenn Stagg 6-3 235, from Mamou HS, these kids all can block, and if used might develop as pass catchers in college. Glenn lost over 40 pounds, and is a converted DT, Chad played some DE for his school, and Brad, is just a tough blocker as a TE.

Kevin Wright

Four kids that would make great H-Backs in college, but played other positions in High School, are ED Cutno 6-2 222 of Central, who has good hands, but played QB, and RB, would make a great H-Back, Kevin Wright 6-3 215, of Christian Life HS, played QB, and FS, but runs better to be a TE, and not fast enough o be a big time WR. Chris Anderson 6-4 210, from Richwood HS in Monroe, this kid played WR for the first time as a starter, and let me tell you, he’s going to be a 240 to 250 pound TE in college, with hands and speed. The last kid, I saw play with a tall frame and a future TE body is Dominique Jones 6-4 215, from Wossman HS, Jones played WR, and there was so much offensive talent on his team, he did not get the ball a lot, but wow, can he run, and he’s only a couple of meals away from being a TE.

Ed Cutno

Here’s some more good looking (TEs) listed below in no order of rank.

1 Adrian Dorsey 6-2 215 O P Walker
2 Clayton Ashley 6-3 215 Peabody
3 Leonard Wasike 6-3 235 John Curtis
4 Matt Bourgeois 6-2 233 West Monroe
5 Tavis Clark 6-1 230 Edna Karr
6 Corey Williams 6-2 220 Istrouma
7 Andrew Auler 6-3 215 Comeaux
8 Hunter Romero 6-2 220 Teurlings Catholic
9 Patrick Corry 6-3 215 St Thomas More
10 Ryan Bernard 6-2 205 Fontainbleau
11 Nick Oubre 6-3 210 Brusly
12 Luke Anderson 6-4 195 Dunham
13 Terrence Bridges 6-3 205 Hammond
14 Gavin Smith 6-1 210 Clark
15 Alex Price 6-3 210 Captain Shreve