On Texas Football: Tight end position evaluation

On3 imageby:Steve Habel02/25/23

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On the latest video episode of On Texas Football, Bobby Burton and Paul Wadlington of Inside Texas talk about the Longhorns’ tight ends in the latest in a series of position previews for Texas.

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Burton said this spring will be unique in that there will be no new tight ends for the team as it heads to practice in two weeks. In fact, the Longhorns lose depth at the position as Jahleel Billingsley, who contributed very little to Texas last season after transferring from Alabama, is no longer with the team.

Wadlington said Billingsley’s departure is not a big loss for Texas.

“He was not super focused on football and he never put on the weight he needed to put on to become an every-down tight end,” Wadlington said. “As far as just being a pure receiving tight end, you know, I don’t think that’s what Sark wants in his offense. If you’ve got that skill set, and it’s not that outstanding, then he’d rather just put another wide receiver on the field.”

Ja’Tavion Sanders was a revelation for the Longhorns last year, catching 54 passes for 614 yards and five TDs while establishing himself as the team’s top tight end and one of the best in the Big 12 Conference.

“Sanders’ baseline athletic ability level was very high, but there’s also more a subtle athleticism you know,” Wadlington explained. “We tend to speak of athleticism is like just Sparq scores. Well there’s another type of athleticism, which is a guy who moves well, has good lateral agility. Despite being tall, they can get low. They can move side to side – and Sanders is also an easy catcher of the football.

“Sanders is good in space, and that’s what football is becoming. On top of that, the added benefit is that he was a willing and viable blocker and not just in one setting or format. But as a moving tight end or as the old traditional H back that you and I grew up with. He could put his hand on the ground and not just get someone’s way but maybe actually block them.”

The tight end position is definitely top heavy, with a considerable drop-off from Sanders to No. 2 tight end Gunner Helm. Wadlington said there is plenty of upside from Helm as he gets bigger (maybe in the 260-pound range?) and stronger as he gets more experienced. 

“I’d be very curious to see Helm’s impact as a blocker,” Wadlington explained. “As you know, Sark loves those double tight-end sets. And he did he ran those at Bama. Even when he had three NFL first-round draft picks playing wide receiver he put one of those guys on the bench from time to time and would run double tight.

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“People say why would you do that? Well, he knows that that formation draws certain automatic coverages from certain defenses. And when you can be guaranteed a certain coverage, you can be guaranteed a certain look for your quarterback and that’s where Sark likes to do a lot of his play-action stuff.”

There are two other tight end available for spring camp – the undersized Juan Davis and the oft-injured Brayden Liebrock. Texas has Spencer Shannon and Will Randall coming to Austin in the summer as true freshmen and they will help the depth at the position and can contribute as they get bigger and stronger.

The duo has plenty more to say about the Texas tight ends, so go watch the video in its entirety.

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