An undervalued piece of any successful offense
The first kickoff of the 2024 season is just around the corner. We approach the conclusion of our 2024 position preview by diving into the Swiss army knives of the offense: the tight ends.
Who did we lose?
Texas A&M lost one of its most reliable pass catchers over the offseason when tight end Jake Johnson transferred to North Carolina. The tight end room also lost one of the most tenured members of the roster and a locker room leader as senior Max Wright exhausted his eligibility.
Who do we bring back?
- Donovan Green: After suffering a season-ending injury in fall camp last year, Donovan Green will look to bounce back in a big way in 2024. Way back in 2022, Green was a favorite target of Conner Weigman. Can he return to form this season?
- Theo Melin Ohrstrom: The Swedish prospect was always going to be a bit of a project given he needed time to develop once he got to the States. Ohrstrom has gotten better as he spends more time in College Station and even made two starts last year. He has a chance to take another step forward in 2024.
- Jaden Platt: The true freshman only saw the field in three games last year but flashed ability in the Texas Bowl against Oklahoma State. Platt feels like a solid prospect but given how crowded the tight end room will be this season, I’d expect it to be more of a rotation than some other offensive position groups.
What other names should we know?
- Garrett Miller: The Purdue transfer comes in with a wealth of experience. I see him being more of a factor in the run game than as a pass catcher but having reliable depth at the position will be a boost in Collin Klein’s offense.
- Tre Watson: Where Miller feels like a huge add in the run game, Watson feels like more of a pass-catching tight end. The Washington transfer also figures to see time in the rotation right away.
- Shane Calhoun: The final of the trio of talented tight end transfers brought in over the spring, Calhoun comes to the Aggies from ECU. Though not a Power Five transfer, I’m high on Calhoun’s skill set and think he’s also likely to factor in as an immediate contributor.
(it should be noted that 2024 TE commit Eric Karner has decided to grayshirt and plans to join the team in 2025)
Overall Grade: B-
Like linebacker, there’s a lot of uncertainty at this position. However, I think the rotational talent and depth are a bit stronger here overall. I’m not exactly sure how this group will shape up over the course of the season but I’d expect a lot of different faces to log minutes throughout the season. Additionally, I think Collin Klein’s offense will do a lot to highlight their skillsets. I’m cautiously optimistic for this group in 2024.
Check out our other position previews to get you prepped for the 2023 season: