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Unlike at quarterback, running back and wide receiver, the SEC doesn’t have as many returning household names at tight end in 2017.
Gone are Alabama’s O.J. Howard, Ole Miss’s Evan Engram and even Jeremy Sprinkle of Arkansas.
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New names will have their chance to shine this fall as offensive coordinators around the conference figure out how to work tight ends into their schemes.
There are several, however, who showed their talents last season, so we’ve taken the best qualities from six SEC tight ends and molded them into a perfect tight end for the 2017 season.
Here’s whose talents we’d steal to form our hypothetical star for this fall:
Hands: Hayden Hurst, South Carolina
Among tight ends, only Engram had more catches and yards than Hurst last season. That easily makes Hurst, a rising junior, the most productive returnee at the position. Though he only found the end zone once last year, he proved himself as a reliable threat and build a solid foundation with young QB Jake Bentley.
Every young quarterback needs a safety valve, and Hurst proved he can be that and more. His best game was in South Carolina’s bowl game, when he caught 6 passes for 83 yards and his lone touchdown.
Now that he’s shown what he can do, South Carolina will likely look to make him an even bigger part of the offense in 2017, when he’ll have even more opportunities to show off his reliable hands.
Speed: DeAndre Goolsby, Florida
Florida’s quarterback situation has limited Goolsby’s ability to showcase his speed. Without a quarterback to get him the ball down the field, the rising senior has largely been limited to short routes.
To put Florida’s offensive struggles in perspective, Goolsby actually led the team with three touchdown catches in 2016, and his 38 overall catches ranked third.
However, hope springs eternal in Gainesville, as redshirt freshman QB Feleipe Franks has been working with the first-team offense while Luke Del Rio, one of last year’s starters (along with Austin Appleby), has been recovering from an injury.
Franks has a strong arm and has been encouraged to “let it fly” this spring, so if he wins the starting job this fall, Goolsby will be able to showcase his speed more often. With better performance from the quarterbacks in 2017, the Gators could even try to line up Goolsby, 6-4, 244, in the slot for a few plays each game.
Big-play ability: C.J. Conrad, Kentucky
Though Conrad only had 19 catches as a sophomore in 2016, four went for touchdowns.
He wasn’t just a red-zone threat, though — he averaged 13.8 yards per catch. That mark was the best among all returning SEC tight ends with at least 15 receptions.
Conrad will miss Kentucky’s spring session due to injury, but when he’s healthy this summer, the Wildcats would be foolish not to work him into a bigger role in the offense. At 6-5 and 245 pounds, Conrad is a mismatch down the field for smaller SEC defensive backs.
Blocking: Ethan Wolf, Tennessee
Tennessee had four rushers (Joshua Dobbs, John Kelly, Alvin Kamara and Jalen Hurd) top 450 yards in 2016, and Wolf was a big part of that success on the ground.
The 6-6, 245-pound rising senior is only a minor part of the passing game, recording 21 catches for 239 yards and two scores last year, but he certainly knows how to create space as a blocker.
With only Kelly returning from last year’s group of talented rushers, Wolf will need to learn to block for a new crew in 2017. But with his size and athleticism, he’ll do what he can to help the Vols’ backfield continue to run well.
Versatility: Isaac Nauta, Georgia
As a freshman in 2016, Nauta played a key part in Georgia’s offense. In addition to blocking for talented running backs like Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, Nauta also caught 29 passes for 361 yards and three touchdowns.
With Chubb and Michel returning this fall, Nauta will once again be counted on to help the linemen create running lanes. But with QB Jacob Eason having a full year of SEC action under his belt, Nauta should take another step in the passing game, too.
He likely will battle Hurst for top receiving honors this season.
Too often these days, especially at the NFL level, tight ends hardly ever line up alongside the offensive linemen, instead starting their routes from the slot or an wide split.
Nauta, 6-4, 246, can line up anywhere and be successful. He is talented at both blocking and pass catching, and his versatility will be a valuable asset for the hypothetical perfect SEC tight end.
Body: Kendall Blanton, Mizzou
At 6-6 and 260 pounds, Blanton is an absolute monster on the field, towering over most of those who try to defend him on a pass route.
Despite his near-lineman size and weight, though, the rising junior is still one of the most athletic receivers Mizzou has.
Check out this one-handed catch from last year’s game against Middle Tennessee, when Blanton used every inch of his 6-6 frame to stretch out and corral a Drew Lock pass for a touchdown:
Kendall Blanton.
ONE HAND. ?
Touchdown @MizzouFootball.Watch » https://t.co/fhQBnWlfxE #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/yXEo0VnLL9
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 22, 2016
Combining the other assets listed above into Blanton’s NFL-ready body would make our perfect tight end a menace — even for the SEC’s star-studded defensive units.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
