PFF on top flight TEs for 2021.
There's no question that Kolar's work as an in-line blocker has been the weak link in his game so far, but I’d rather have a top-tier receiving tight end than college football's best blocker at the position. And Kolar has made short work of working up the receiving ranks over the last two seasons, as his PFF receiving grade over that span ranks second to only Kyle Pitts among FBS tight ends. Over those two years, Kolar’s receiving grade in the slot or out wide actually surpasses Pitts' for the best in the FBS.
Kolar has lined up as a receiver on almost half of his snaps over the past two years, and the Cyclones coaching staff put a greater emphasis on giving him reps out wide down the back end of 2020.
He’s not going to provide much value after the catch, but he has the ball skills you want at the position. The 6-foot-6, 257-pound tight end should be the focal point of this offense once again in 2021.
The Badgers went from using him primarily as a slot receiver in 2018 to lining him up more as a traditional in-line tight end, which likely has something to do with his stunted development.
Ferguson’s rate of in-line passing snaps went from 33% in 2018 to 71% in 2019 and 2020, a curious trend given that Ferguson put up the highest receiving grade in college football when lined up at receiver. Still, he has been the sixth-most-valuable tight end according to PFF’s Wins Above Average (WAA) over the last three years.
Hendershot is perhaps the most interesting. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound tight end looked like he was on the rise in 2019 and was inching closer to being deemed one of the top tight ends in college football, but then his play took a drastic turn for the worse in 2020.
Back in 2019, Hendershot was both a vertical threat and a weapon underneath. He tied for fourth among all FBS tight ends in vertical route receptions that year with 11, and he also led the entire FBS in yards after the catch (263) and broken tackles (11) on underneath concepts.
Hendershot was also among the 10 most productive Power Five tight ends that season at 1.81 yards per route run and looked like he was on the path to stardom. But then everything fell apart in 2020: His receiving grade dropped to 53.4, his yards per route run average was less than a third of what it was in 2019 (0.59) and he dropped 21% of his catchable targets.
It’d be a big boost to the Hoosiers if Hendershot can reclaim his 2019 form, and if he does, he has the potential to become one of the top players at the position.
Listening to many fans online, IU and football have new expectations with coach Tom Allen at the helm.
Iowa opens 2021 with two of the most hyped programs in the nation with Iowa State and Indiana. The Cyclones have beat every Big 12 program at least once under Matt Campbell.
However, Iowa has had Campbell's number, especially in the last game played in Ames. Of course, the last two in Ames went down to the wire, so the Hawkeyes face a very tough challenge.
As we know, typically Kirk Ferentz, Matt Campbell and Tom Allen teams are known for slow starts. Iowa State lost their home opener in 2020. Indiana won in OT in 2020 and it was a matter of inches.
Iowa opens 2021 with their stiffest 1-2 bunch, since the 1992 season.
We shall see how it all plays out in early September. Later start in 2021, also, later report for players, as the other thread reported June 12th is reporting day for most new Iowa players.
1. CHARLIE KOLAR, IOWA STATE
Brock Purdy doesn’t have many trustworthy wideouts in his receiving arsenal, but he does have the best tight end in college football.There's no question that Kolar's work as an in-line blocker has been the weak link in his game so far, but I’d rather have a top-tier receiving tight end than college football's best blocker at the position. And Kolar has made short work of working up the receiving ranks over the last two seasons, as his PFF receiving grade over that span ranks second to only Kyle Pitts among FBS tight ends. Over those two years, Kolar’s receiving grade in the slot or out wide actually surpasses Pitts' for the best in the FBS.
Kolar has lined up as a receiver on almost half of his snaps over the past two years, and the Cyclones coaching staff put a greater emphasis on giving him reps out wide down the back end of 2020.
He’s not going to provide much value after the catch, but he has the ball skills you want at the position. The 6-foot-6, 257-pound tight end should be the focal point of this offense once again in 2021.
10. JAKE FERGUSON, WISCONSIN
While Ferguson never did take that step forward to elite status after putting up an 81.4 receiving grade as a redshirt freshman in 2018, he has been a steadily solid tight end throughout his time at Wisconsin.The Badgers went from using him primarily as a slot receiver in 2018 to lining him up more as a traditional in-line tight end, which likely has something to do with his stunted development.
Ferguson’s rate of in-line passing snaps went from 33% in 2018 to 71% in 2019 and 2020, a curious trend given that Ferguson put up the highest receiving grade in college football when lined up at receiver. Still, he has been the sixth-most-valuable tight end according to PFF’s Wins Above Average (WAA) over the last three years.
ONE MORE NAME TO WATCH: PEYTON HENDERSHOT, INDIANA
Washington's Cade Otton, Iowa's Sam LaPorta, Notre Dame's Michael Mayer, Louisville's Marshon Ford and Indiana's Peyton Hendershot were all on the cusp of cracking this top-10 list and are more than capable of grabbing a spot at some point in 2021.Hendershot is perhaps the most interesting. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound tight end looked like he was on the rise in 2019 and was inching closer to being deemed one of the top tight ends in college football, but then his play took a drastic turn for the worse in 2020.
Back in 2019, Hendershot was both a vertical threat and a weapon underneath. He tied for fourth among all FBS tight ends in vertical route receptions that year with 11, and he also led the entire FBS in yards after the catch (263) and broken tackles (11) on underneath concepts.
Hendershot was also among the 10 most productive Power Five tight ends that season at 1.81 yards per route run and looked like he was on the path to stardom. But then everything fell apart in 2020: His receiving grade dropped to 53.4, his yards per route run average was less than a third of what it was in 2019 (0.59) and he dropped 21% of his catchable targets.
It’d be a big boost to the Hoosiers if Hendershot can reclaim his 2019 form, and if he does, he has the potential to become one of the top players at the position.
Listening to many fans online, IU and football have new expectations with coach Tom Allen at the helm.
Iowa opens 2021 with two of the most hyped programs in the nation with Iowa State and Indiana. The Cyclones have beat every Big 12 program at least once under Matt Campbell.
However, Iowa has had Campbell's number, especially in the last game played in Ames. Of course, the last two in Ames went down to the wire, so the Hawkeyes face a very tough challenge.
As we know, typically Kirk Ferentz, Matt Campbell and Tom Allen teams are known for slow starts. Iowa State lost their home opener in 2020. Indiana won in OT in 2020 and it was a matter of inches.
Iowa opens 2021 with their stiffest 1-2 bunch, since the 1992 season.
We shall see how it all plays out in early September. Later start in 2021, also, later report for players, as the other thread reported June 12th is reporting day for most new Iowa players.
