DanielHouse
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By: Daniel House- Follow on Twitter: @DanielHouseNFL
As head coach P.J. Fleck said during his signing day press conference, when people think of Minnesota, tight ends and burly offensive lineman come to mind. After injuries struck the position, the Gophers didn’t receive the accustomed level of production at tight end last year.
In 2016, Brandon Lingen missed ten games and Nate Wozniak was thrust into the main role as a pass catcher. The Gophers had five tight ends on the roster this spring, but three missed time with injuries. With four new freshman joining the team, tight ends coach Brian Callahan will look to develop young players quickly. This will be even more important as injury concerns loom over this group on a consistent basis.
Player development will be critical for cultivating necessary depth at the tight end spot. Brandon Lingen and Nate Wozniak can be an impressive duo if they are healthy and play in their natural roles. However, it wouldn’t be shocking if one freshman emerged as an instant contributor this year.
Brandon Lingen
When he is healthy, senior Brandon Lingen is a player who has consistently made an impact. In 2015, he hauled in 33 catches for 428 yards and three touchdowns. Lingen was used frequently to run crossers and short screens in the offense. He was also a threat vertically when he was split out wide. He flashed his excellent hands and ball tracking skills during his time on the field. In 2016, he was plagued by injuries and missed ten games with a foot injury. Lingen is a player that can be lined up all over the field as a playmaker. He wins contested catch battles and does a fantastic job of high pointing passes in traffic. Lingen is a threat in the red zone because of his 6’5” frame and above average ball skills. Not to mention, he has proven himself as a run blocker and can get to the second level to open holes. It will be a huge asset to the offense if the 2015 John Mackey Award finalist can be on the field for the Gophers this year.
Nate Wozniak
Redshirt senior Nate Wozniak is a player that many would like to see as a consistent red zone threat on offense. Wozniak is the tallest skill player in the country (6’10”) and has a massive catch radius to haul in passes. He started in all 13 games last year, but had just 13 catches for 135 yards. Most of the time, he struggles to get separation, lacks the natural ball tracking skills to make grabs, and notches drops. However, he is meant to be more of an inline tight end and was forced to develop more of a pass catching role when injuries struck at tight end. Where Wozinak makes his mark is as a run blocker. He has an excellent base, anchor, and lower body strength to power through defenders. His footwork and hand technique are on par with what you would expect from offensive linemen. This year, he’ll play within his natural role and it will be a huge benefit for the Minnesota running game.
Colton Beebe
Colton Beebe is the tough, hard-nosed player every football team needs to have. His punishing mentality as a run blocker opened lanes for the Minnesota running backs last year. He has impressive size at 6’3”, 270 pounds and is a tough player to move because of his strong base. His technique as a run blocker has been impressive and he consistently wins by staying low. Beebe drives through defenders and uses his lower body strength to win consistently. He also is a threat in the passing game and caught several passes in the flat after defenses collapsed on play-action looks. Beebe is the type of physical player every coach wants to have in the trenches. I would love to see him receive more looks as an h-back and lead blocker in the offense. I think he’ll be a solid fit in this system because is is important to clear the edge in the inside zone blocking scheme.
Ko Kieft
Ko Kieft was a player who caught my eye during portions of spring ball. He consistently made plays up the seam and displayed improved footwork. At the high school level, he played linebacker/quarterback and was an extremely talented defensive player. The Gophers converted him to tight end and he is making strides at his new position. Kieft has athleticism to pair with his 6’4” frame and is willing to play physical at the catch point. He is still working to learn the nuances of the tight end position, but he showed growth throughout the spring campaign. He is a player to keep an eye on over the next few seasons as he continues to learn under tight ends coach Brian Callahan.
Jake Paulson
Freshman Jake Paulson is one of the young players I’m most excited to see this fall. At 6’4”, Paulson moves extremely well and can create yards after the catch. Paulson has an impressive stiff arm and isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder and drive through defenders. He gets open consistently because of his above average route running skills. He snaps out of his breaks and perfectly moves with light feet and an inside plant at the stem.
He swivels his hips well at the top of his route and opens up to catch the pass outside of his frame. Paulson is a natural pass catcher and tracks the ball extremely well. He is a very smooth player and is going to be a major threat in the offense. What’s more, he is a complete player because of his run blocking ability. He plays extremely physical and mauls linebackers in the second level. Paulson has all the traits you would look for in a dual-threat tight end. I would not be surprised if he emerges as a surprising difference maker this year. If Brandon Lingen is unable to stay healthy, we will likely see a heavy dose of Paulson.
Nathan Bursch
Freshman Nathan Bursch brings size and run blocking ability to the tight end room. His tape consistently shows a player who plays to the whistle, engaging defenders with a strong base and inside hand position. He has impressive strength and wins with fantastic power. Bursch doesn’t move extremely well, but is a big target for quarterbacks to find. At this point, it looks like he’ll be more of an inline run blocker because of his sound technique. He had just one touchdown in his senior campaign and hasn't been an active pass catcher. He won’t create significant yardage after the catch, but is a player that could emerge in the passing game as a red zone target. However, he must develop this aspect of his game.
Nate Umlor
Freshman Nate Umlor was more athletic than I anticipated for a player with his size. He has great leaping ability and made tough grabs in traffic because he high-pointed the ball in traffic. Umlor has pretty consistent hands and can be lined up all over the field to make plays. He needs more work as a route runner and is pretty rough around the edges in this respect. He has a tendency to round off his routes, which is something he’ll need to clean up at the next level. However, he has the size, speed, and ball tracking skills to develop into a consistent threat. Umlor will need to perfect the small details in his game, but he’ll be coached extremely well to make this happen. He recently posted a tweet hinting he may be moving to defensive end, but he is listed as a tight end on the official roster. I'll also break him down as a defensive lineman when that preview comes around. He showed some excellent tape on defense and I think he could be a fit there too.
Redshirt sophomore Bryce Witham and freshman Clayton Witherspoon will round out the depth at the tight end spot.
As a whole, the Gophers have a history of injuries at the tight end spot, but there are talented players in the room. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if a player like Jake Paulson emerged if the injury bug hits Brandon Lingen or Nate Wozniak.
As head coach P.J. Fleck said during his signing day press conference, when people think of Minnesota, tight ends and burly offensive lineman come to mind. After injuries struck the position, the Gophers didn’t receive the accustomed level of production at tight end last year.
In 2016, Brandon Lingen missed ten games and Nate Wozniak was thrust into the main role as a pass catcher. The Gophers had five tight ends on the roster this spring, but three missed time with injuries. With four new freshman joining the team, tight ends coach Brian Callahan will look to develop young players quickly. This will be even more important as injury concerns loom over this group on a consistent basis.
Player development will be critical for cultivating necessary depth at the tight end spot. Brandon Lingen and Nate Wozniak can be an impressive duo if they are healthy and play in their natural roles. However, it wouldn’t be shocking if one freshman emerged as an instant contributor this year.
Brandon Lingen
When he is healthy, senior Brandon Lingen is a player who has consistently made an impact. In 2015, he hauled in 33 catches for 428 yards and three touchdowns. Lingen was used frequently to run crossers and short screens in the offense. He was also a threat vertically when he was split out wide. He flashed his excellent hands and ball tracking skills during his time on the field. In 2016, he was plagued by injuries and missed ten games with a foot injury. Lingen is a player that can be lined up all over the field as a playmaker. He wins contested catch battles and does a fantastic job of high pointing passes in traffic. Lingen is a threat in the red zone because of his 6’5” frame and above average ball skills. Not to mention, he has proven himself as a run blocker and can get to the second level to open holes. It will be a huge asset to the offense if the 2015 John Mackey Award finalist can be on the field for the Gophers this year.
Nate Wozniak
Redshirt senior Nate Wozniak is a player that many would like to see as a consistent red zone threat on offense. Wozniak is the tallest skill player in the country (6’10”) and has a massive catch radius to haul in passes. He started in all 13 games last year, but had just 13 catches for 135 yards. Most of the time, he struggles to get separation, lacks the natural ball tracking skills to make grabs, and notches drops. However, he is meant to be more of an inline tight end and was forced to develop more of a pass catching role when injuries struck at tight end. Where Wozinak makes his mark is as a run blocker. He has an excellent base, anchor, and lower body strength to power through defenders. His footwork and hand technique are on par with what you would expect from offensive linemen. This year, he’ll play within his natural role and it will be a huge benefit for the Minnesota running game.
Colton Beebe
Colton Beebe is the tough, hard-nosed player every football team needs to have. His punishing mentality as a run blocker opened lanes for the Minnesota running backs last year. He has impressive size at 6’3”, 270 pounds and is a tough player to move because of his strong base. His technique as a run blocker has been impressive and he consistently wins by staying low. Beebe drives through defenders and uses his lower body strength to win consistently. He also is a threat in the passing game and caught several passes in the flat after defenses collapsed on play-action looks. Beebe is the type of physical player every coach wants to have in the trenches. I would love to see him receive more looks as an h-back and lead blocker in the offense. I think he’ll be a solid fit in this system because is is important to clear the edge in the inside zone blocking scheme.
Ko Kieft
Ko Kieft was a player who caught my eye during portions of spring ball. He consistently made plays up the seam and displayed improved footwork. At the high school level, he played linebacker/quarterback and was an extremely talented defensive player. The Gophers converted him to tight end and he is making strides at his new position. Kieft has athleticism to pair with his 6’4” frame and is willing to play physical at the catch point. He is still working to learn the nuances of the tight end position, but he showed growth throughout the spring campaign. He is a player to keep an eye on over the next few seasons as he continues to learn under tight ends coach Brian Callahan.
Jake Paulson
Freshman Jake Paulson is one of the young players I’m most excited to see this fall. At 6’4”, Paulson moves extremely well and can create yards after the catch. Paulson has an impressive stiff arm and isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder and drive through defenders. He gets open consistently because of his above average route running skills. He snaps out of his breaks and perfectly moves with light feet and an inside plant at the stem.
He swivels his hips well at the top of his route and opens up to catch the pass outside of his frame. Paulson is a natural pass catcher and tracks the ball extremely well. He is a very smooth player and is going to be a major threat in the offense. What’s more, he is a complete player because of his run blocking ability. He plays extremely physical and mauls linebackers in the second level. Paulson has all the traits you would look for in a dual-threat tight end. I would not be surprised if he emerges as a surprising difference maker this year. If Brandon Lingen is unable to stay healthy, we will likely see a heavy dose of Paulson.
Nathan Bursch
Freshman Nathan Bursch brings size and run blocking ability to the tight end room. His tape consistently shows a player who plays to the whistle, engaging defenders with a strong base and inside hand position. He has impressive strength and wins with fantastic power. Bursch doesn’t move extremely well, but is a big target for quarterbacks to find. At this point, it looks like he’ll be more of an inline run blocker because of his sound technique. He had just one touchdown in his senior campaign and hasn't been an active pass catcher. He won’t create significant yardage after the catch, but is a player that could emerge in the passing game as a red zone target. However, he must develop this aspect of his game.
Nate Umlor
Freshman Nate Umlor was more athletic than I anticipated for a player with his size. He has great leaping ability and made tough grabs in traffic because he high-pointed the ball in traffic. Umlor has pretty consistent hands and can be lined up all over the field to make plays. He needs more work as a route runner and is pretty rough around the edges in this respect. He has a tendency to round off his routes, which is something he’ll need to clean up at the next level. However, he has the size, speed, and ball tracking skills to develop into a consistent threat. Umlor will need to perfect the small details in his game, but he’ll be coached extremely well to make this happen. He recently posted a tweet hinting he may be moving to defensive end, but he is listed as a tight end on the official roster. I'll also break him down as a defensive lineman when that preview comes around. He showed some excellent tape on defense and I think he could be a fit there too.
Redshirt sophomore Bryce Witham and freshman Clayton Witherspoon will round out the depth at the tight end spot.
As a whole, the Gophers have a history of injuries at the tight end spot, but there are talented players in the room. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if a player like Jake Paulson emerged if the injury bug hits Brandon Lingen or Nate Wozniak.
