Baylor Position Preview: Tight Ends

Fall camp is approaching rather quickly and it is time to begin our look at the depth chart. Position by position I will break down what the Bears have on the roster and who will be making a big impact this season. Today we take a close look at the tight ends.

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Position Preview Series: Quarterbacks | Running Backs

Flashback to 2017

Another group that struggled for the Bears was the tight end position because there was simply no depth left over for the new staff after Sam Tecklenburg and Josh Malin were needed to move to have enough bodies for the offensive line.  Jordan Feurbacher and Ishmail Wainwright combined for only 11 catches and three touchdowns on the season and both missed significant time because of injury or illness. True freshman offensive lineman Ryan Miller chipped in on several occasions at the position while wearing No. 99. There is not much production going out the door, but it still is the only notable production from last year.

Projected Starting Tight End

Colt Barber

Tyler Henderson (6-4, 241, RS-FR)

High School Stats: 51 receptions; 516 yards; 4 TDs; 77 rushes; 482 yards; 7 TDs

Henderson was able to keep his redshirt last year and for good reason. He needed time to learn the position and put on the necessary weight after playing a wide variety of positions in high school including wildcat quarterback. Now that he has had a full year to learn everything and weighs over 240 pounds, he will have a chance to make a major impact on the field, especially in the pass game where his athletcism will be welcomed.

Expectation for 2018

Henderson will be the most targeted tight end by a long shot because he is the most experienced pass catcher, at least within the system, this unit has. You will see him bring a new element to the offense that was not seen a year ago and that will be beneficial to the offense. He will be given every opportunity to impress and he needs to take advantage of it because there are young talented freshman that will be trying to get playing time this season.

Projected Stat Line: 

15 receptions, 120 yards, 3 TDs

2018 PROJECTED DEPTH CHART | CLASS BREAKDOWN

Projected Backup Tight End

Colt Barber

Jamie Jacobs (6-3, 243, RS-SR)

Career Stats: 29 Tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.0 Sacks

Jacobs was moved to tight end after the season and his physicality will be welcomed to the position as a blocker. He never really put together much production on the defensive line even though he played in 20-plus games. This move will give him a chance to use his physical skill set and size to block while also using his athletic ability to contribute in the passing game.

He received a couple of looks during the spring game and even scored a touchdown. It looked as if he will be a steady fixture in the lineup at least in the two-deep.

Expectations for 2018

Jacobs will bring some senior leadership much like Feurbacher and Wainwright did a year ago. The fifth-year senior will be a consistent blocker for this unit but he will also have the ability to make a few plays down the field. Overall, I don’t anticipate huge numbers but he will be solid for the unit as the young guys progress.

Projected Stat Line

5 receptions; 30 yards; 1 TD

Projected Backup Tight End

Colt Barber

Christoph Henle (6-6, 247, FR)

High School Stats: 55 receptions; 927 yards; 10 TDs; 55 tackles, 15 TFL; 13 sacks

Henle was the only freshman tight end that early enrolled which will give him a huge advantage for playing time especially early in the season. He is a talented pass catcher who was also dominant on the defensive line in high school so he has no problem being physical. The competition he faced was not very good so we will see if it translates early on.

Expectations for 2018

His playing time is going to come down to how much he progressed this offseason physically and mentally as he learned the scheme. In the end, Henle likely ends up burning his redshirt and playing in many games this season because the position needs depth. His size should allow him to play significant minutes and not be overwhelmed physically. Henle has a long ways to go though as far as becoming a complete tight end, but the tools are all there.

Projected Stat Line

5 receptions; 30 yards

Projected Backup Tight End

Ben Sims (6-5, 241, FR)

High School Stats: 65 receptions; 1,063 yards; 11 TDs

Sims was my favorite tight end recruit that Baylor signed in the 2018 class because he provides the best blend of receiver and blocker plus andl he arrives as the most ready to play in all areas. He had a ton of production in high school but by not arriving in Waco in January as an early graduate will start him down the bottom of the depth chart as fall camp begins.

Expectations for 2018

Sims is another who will likely burn his redshirt. The more I think about it, I believe that Baylor will need the depth from him and Hence for more than four games. The good news is that he has the size and skills to play now, he will just have to get a grasp on the playbook. He will be good to go for the season and could gain more minutes later in the year if he performs.

Projected Stat Line

5 receptions; 50 yards; 1 TD

Projected Backup Tight End

Bralen Taylor (6-7, 221, FR)

High School Stats: 50 receptions; 989 yards; 10 TDs; 59 rushes; 558 yards; 12 TDs

He might end up being one of the biggest mismatch problems in the country at some point with his  athletic 6-7 frame, but he has a lot of adjusting to do in order to play in the college game. The biggest will be taking his weight to the proper level. At 220 it will be very hard to play this year as an in-line TE and he also is most likely going to take some time learning how to block effectively.

Expectations for 2018

I think he may play a little because of the new redshirt rule but I would not expect a lot as a true tight end. He is a project currently that is more of a wide receiver right now than a tight end and he could be used as such this fall in red zone situations to catch a jump balls or in late-game situations.

Projected Stat Line

1 reception; 10 yards; 1 TD