College tight ends to watch in 2012



Notre Dame's Tyler Effert

Given how the San Diego Chargers already possess one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history backed up by solid veterans and a promising rookie, one may believe general manager A.J. Smith will not target the position for next April’s draft. The great Antonio Gates may not have many years left, however, and rookie Ladarius Green still needs to prove himself. Not to mention the fact that the New England Patriots’ offense dominated the NFL last year by using athletic studs Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez in two-tight end sets.

So, with all that in mind, Smith may want to check out the following prospects this fall:

1.      Notre Dame’s Tyler Eifert: Considered the top tight end in the nation right now, this 6-6, 251-pound junior can do it all as a pass-catcher and route-runner. He had 63 catches for 803 yards and five touchdowns last year.

2.      Arkansas’ Chris Gragg: The 6-3, 236-pound senior is being counted on to catch a lot of passes in the Razorbacks’ offense this season. He caught 41 passes for 518 yards and two touchdowns in 2011.

3.      San Jose State’s Ryan Otten: This 6-6, 245-pound senior made first-team All-WAC last season after catching 52 passes for 739 yards and a team-leading five touchdowns.

4.      Western Kentucky’s Jack Doyle: A 6-6, 255-pound senior, he had 52 catches for 614 yards and made second-team All-Sun Belt in 2011.

5.      Stanford’s Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo: Both are seniors possessing immense talents. The 6-6, 252-pound Ertz caught 27 passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns last season. With Coby Fleener now in the NFL, Ertz should get more playing time this fall. Toilolo, meanwhile, is a 6-8, 265-pound nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators. He was named All-Pac-12 honorable mention last year after finishing with 25 receptions for 343 yards and six touchdowns. He has also proven to be a dominant blocker in the run game.

6.      Colorado State’s Crockett Gilmore: A 6-6, 245-pound junior, he had 45 catches for 468 yards and four touchdowns in 2011. His efforts led to him making the All-Mountain West second team.

7.      UCLA tight end/wide receiver Joseph Fauria: He’s a 6-7, 258-pound senior who caught 39 passes for 481 yards and six touchdowns in 2011. His size makes him quite an intriguing prospect as a hybrid.

8.      Auburn’s Philip Lutzenkirchen: This 6-5, 255-pound senior caught 24 passes for 238 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He was also voted second-team All-SEC by the coaches and the Associated Press.

 

The tight end position isn’t one many seem to get excited about at the college level, but a few of these prospects are intriguing, and more will probably emerge.