Ranking all 18 Big Ten tight end rooms from worst to first
The Big Ten saw six tight ends selected during the 2025 NFL draft -- three of whom were selected in the first two rounds. Those players were Michigan's Colston Loveland (first round, No. 10 overall), Penn State's Tyler Warren (first round, No. 14 overall), Oregon's Terrance Ferguson (second round, No. 46 overall), Nebraska's Thomas Fidone (seventh round, No. 219 overall), UCLA's Moliki Matavao (seventh round, No. 248 overall) and Iowa's Luke Lachey (seventh round, No. 255 overall).
Those programs will now need strong replacements in 2025. In all likelihood, the player who emerges in their respective starting slots will have a significant say in the team's success on offense.
Position Previews: Defense -- Offense -- Quarterbacks -- Running Backs -- Wide Receivers
Now, less than seven weeks away from kickoff, here is a look at those replacements, as well as the Big Ten's full ranking of tight end rooms.
18. Northwestern Wildcats
Starter: Alex Lines (Redshirted at New Mexico State in 2024)
Northwestern has more questions than answers at tight end entering 2025. Lines transfers in after redshirting in 2024. He tallied 138 yards on 10 catches for Arizona back in 2021 before spending a year at Garden City CC, then one at New Mexico State. He's joined in the room by senior Hunter Welcing. Combined, the two have just 12 career receptions over eight seasons at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.
17. Purdue Boilermakers
Starter: George Burhenn (1 reception, 3 yards in 2024)
Purdue is tasked with replacing All-Big Ten tight end Max Klare, who transferred to Ohio State this offseason. Burhenn is the favorite to take the role. While he only caught one pass in four games last season, he tallied five receptions for 74 yards and a score as a freshman in 2023. UNLV transfer Christian Moore also has a chance to win this job.
16. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Starter: Luke Lindenmeyer (5 receptions, 50 yards in 2024)
Lindenmeyer is Nebraska's likely starting tight end in 2025. The former walk-on finally entered the stat sheet last season, catching five passes for 50 yards. The Cornhuskers' other option is quarterback-turned-tight-end Heinrich Haarberg. Either way, this room won't replicate Thomas Fidone's 36 receptions and 373 yards from a season ago.
Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire
15. Washington Huskies
Starter: Quentin Moore (1 receptions, 14 yards in 2024)
Washington has a high-ceiling, low-floor tight end room. Quentin Moore enters his fifth year with the program in 2025. He played just one game last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound tight end has a ton of potential; he just needs to stay on the field.
Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire
14. Illinois Fighting Illini
Starter: Tanner Arkin (16 receptions, 111 yards, 3 TD in 2024)
Arkin was a dependable red-zone threat for the Fighting Illini in 2024, turning three of his 16 receptions into touchdowns. He has real breakout potential entering 2025. Illinois has one of the conference's better quarterbacks in Luke Altmyer and a strong supporting cast. If the team's running game takes off, Arkin could double his touchdown total.
13. UCLA Bruins
Starter: Hudson Habermehl (9 receptions, 148 yards 3 TD in 2024)
Habermehl has tallied 24 catches, 315 yards and five total scores over the last two seasons. Those numbers could skyrocket with Tennessee transfer Nico Iamaleava under center for the Bruins in 2025. Just like with Arkin, Habermehl could very well finish as a top-half tight end.
Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions on UCLA Wire
12. Indiana Hoosiers
Starter: Holden Staes (15 receptions, 131 yards, 1 TD at Tennessee in 2024)
Staes is an intriguing player entering the 2025 season. The former blue-chip prospect spent two years at Notre Dame before transferring to Tennessee in 2024. His combined 30 catches, 307 yards and five touchdowns in 2023/2024 give a glimpse at what to expect when he joins the Hoosiers' offense in 2025. Notably, he'll benefit from having one of the conference's better signal-callers in Fernando Mendoza under center.
11. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Starters: Kenny Fletcher Jr. (20 receptions, 137 yards, 2 TD in 2024), Colin Weber (21 receptions, 213 at Charlotte in 2024)
Tight end is one of Rutgers' strengths entering the 2025 season. The room is deep with Fletcher and Weber, two players who caught over 20 passes a season ago. The duo should provide QB Athan Kaliakmanis with two of his more dependable receiving targets.
10. Michigan Wolverines
Starter: Marlin Klein (13 receptions, 108 yards in 2024)
While Klein is mostly inexperienced, with only 14 career catches, Michigan deserves the benefit of the doubt at this position. The program has gone from Luke Schoonmaker to A.J. Barner to Colston Loveland over the last few years. It's unlikely Klein matches that trio of NFL draft picks. However, he should emerge as one of the more important players on the 2025 Michigan offense.
Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire
9. Maryland Terrapins
Starter: Dorian Fleming (49 receptions, 558 yards, 6 TD at Georgia State in 2024)
Dorian Fleming may be Maryland's best offensive player in 2025. The Georgia State transfer broke out in 2024 with 558 yards and six scores. On an offense that lost nearly its entire production after the 2024 campaign, expect Fleming's name to rise to the top of its statistical leaders.
8. Wisconsin Badgers
Starter: Lance Mason (34 receptions, 590 yards, 6 TD at Missouri State in 2024)
Wisconsin's tight end position has been an interesting follow this offseason. The program first landed Ball State transfer Tanner Koziol -- one of the portal's top players at the position. He then reentered the portal during spring practice, forcing the program to pivot to Missouri State transfer Lance Mason. Mason is set to play a major role as the program shifts back to a pro-style offense under Jeff Grimes. Strong quarterback play could help Mason to a top-five finish.
7. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Starter: Jameson Geers (28 receptions, 290 yards, 4 TD in 2024)
Geers delivered a solid season as Minnesota's starter in 2024. While the team is worse off at quarterback with Max Brosmer gone, it's reasonable to expect Geers to take another step forward in 2025. He's a classic high-floor, low-ceiling option entering 2025.
6. Iowa Hawkeyes
Starter: Addison Ostrenga (15 receptions, 114 yards, 1 TD in 2024)
Iowa is one of the few programs that deserves the benefit of the doubt at tight end. It sent George Kittle, Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson to the NFL in the late 2010s. Just in the last three years, Sam LaPorta, Erick All and Luke Lachey were all draft picks. Ostrenga had limited production as Lachey's primary backup in 2024. He could now be in for a major breakout as the full-time starter, plus with Mark Gronowski looking like the Hawkeyes' most talented quarterback in five-plus years.
Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire
5. USC Trojans
Starter: Lake McRee (24 receptions, 245 yards in 2024)
McRee is poised for a major breakout in 2025. He shares an offense with one of the Big Ten's best and most crowded receiving corps (Makai Lemon, Ja'Kobi Lane and Zachariah Branch), which could make targets hard to come by. But if the Trojans' offense is performing at its capability, McRee could be among the conference's leaders in touchdown receptions.
Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire
4. Penn State Nittany Lions
Starter: Luke Reynolds (9 receptions, 111 yards, 1 TD in 2024)
Reynolds has major shoes to fill with All-American Tyler Warren off to the NFL. The true sophomore performed well as Warren's backup last season. He's a former five-star recruit and the No. 29 overall player in the class of 2024, so none should be surprised if Penn State doesn't miss a beat at the position.
Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire
3. Michigan State Spartans
Starter: Jack Velling (36 receptions, 411 yards, 1 TD in 2024)
Velling is one of the more experienced returning starting tight ends in the Big Ten this season. He's topped 400 yards in each of the last two seasons, one at Oregon State and one at Michigan State. 2025 should see his touchdown total return to the six-to-eight range after he notched only one in 2024. Velling is a near lock to finish as one of the conference's top-tier players at the position.
Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire
2. Oregon Ducks
Starter: Kenyon Sadiq (24 receptions, 308 yards, 2 TD in 2024)
Oregon has yet another top talent at the position after Terrance Ferguson's departure to the NFL. Sadiq fared well as Ferguson's backup last season, eclipsing the 300-yard mark. While quarterback Dante Moore can't possibly recreate Dillon Gabriel's Heisman-caliber season, Sadiq should be one of the Big Ten's more productive tight ends.
Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
Starter: Max Klare (51 receptions, 685 yards, 4 TD at Purdue in 2024)
The rich often get richer in college football. That was the case this offseason, as Ohio State landed Purdue transfer tight end Max Klare. The rising junior totaled nearly 700 yards at Purdue in 2024 while playing in one of the worst offenses in the country. His move to Ohio State has 1,000-plus yards written all over it.
Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indianapolis Star
12 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
'It's been organic': Indy shoots for summer economy bump with WNBA All-Star Game
Streets downtown have been ceremoniously renamed after WNBA teams. Hotels are nearly sold out. Caitlin Clark's shooting form adorns the sky-blue JW Marriott hotel. It's a sign: The WNBA All-Star Game is coming to town — for the first time ever — and Indianapolis leaders, restaurant owners and residents are prepping for what they hope will be a healthy infusion to the local summer economy. On July 18 and 19, all eyes in the sports world will focus on Indianapolis, the city that has arguably catapulted professional women's basketball into the national spotlight and brought a fervor to the sport not seen before in the league's nearly 30-year history. Though the city predicts 70,000 visitors next weekend, the possible economic impact remains a mystery, as no known formal academic studies have analyzed the economic impact of the annual women's All-Star Game, Pacers Sports and Entertainment CEO Mel Raines said. Economic impact, a somewhat vague term used to discuss how certain events drive the economy, looks at direct spending from visiting fans and businesses; indirect revenue, or additional spending in Indianapolis; and the value of viewership, earned media and social media traffic. With such marquee sports events, the host committee typically also sets aside money to invest in local neighborhoods, which can boost the quality of life in Indianapolis. Studies say the NBA All-Star Game brings in hundreds of millions of dollars to host cities. In 2024, Indianapolis saw a $400 million boost to the economy while hosting the festivities, according to experts at Temple University's Sports Industry Research Center. That was the largest economic impact of an NBA All-Star Game recorded to date, even though a winter snowstorm hit the Circle City for most of the weekend. Pacers Sports and Entertainment contracted the same researchers behind the 2024 study to assess how the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will impact Indianapolis, Raines said. Raines predicts the upcoming All-Star weekend will be bigger than ever before, as Indianapolis flexes its well-oiled tourism muscles and fans rally around women's basketball players like the Fever's Caitlin Clark, captain of one of the All-Star teams, and Aliyah Boston, both of whom have become household names. A 2024 analysis placed Clark's economic value at more than $36 million less than a year after the Fever drafted her. "We often help the host realize how big the event is when Indianapolis hosts events," said Raines, who also leads the weekend's host committee. "It's been organic to get the fans to lean in, and we know there will be some fans coming downtown rooting for Team Clark." Indianapolis landed the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game less than a year ago after scheduling issues with other franchise cities. Indy, just off a successful stint hosting the NBA All-Star Game, seemed like a natural fit. "If we hadn't just hosted the NBA All-Star Game, I might have been a little skeptical," Raines said of the last-minute call-up. At the time, the Fever were regularly selling out home games, with Indianapolis still reaping the rewards of Clark's rise to stardom. Just last week, fans lined the blocks outside Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a Wednesday noon game, an unseen sight until last year. The WNBA All-Star Weekend will have fewer ticketed attractions and a shorter event window than its NBA counterpart, meaning more people will be roaming the city in the span of two days. Downtown bars and restaurants are especially happy about the bump in attendance and foot traffic. The WNBA attracts a high number of families attending games with young daughters. Bryan Hillard, operations manager at The District Tap, said the bar sees women's basketball fans come in a few hours before tip-off for a whole meal compared to NBA fans who stop in for a quick beer right before games. WNBA fans often come in Iowa gear, a tribute to Clark's college days. This week, the bar is offering themed cocktails with nods to Indiana, the Fever and Clark. July is normally a slow month for District Tap, and Hillard predicts the All-Star Game could double the restaurant's sales this Saturday. "We are incredibly excited. I feel like the city in some ways has gotten lucky, but a lot of it has been a great job by the city to get a lot of great attractions," Hillard said. "As a whole with inflation and with a fear of tariffs and other things in the economy, I hear that industry sales are down all over the place, but I feel like we are not seeing that here," he added. On July 10, the 90-degree weather did not stop dozens of kids from playing basketball on a new court unveiled at Al Polin Park at the corner of 29th and Pennsylvania Streets. The court was part of a $1 million investment from the WNBA host committee to uplift communities in the lead up to the 2025 All-Star Game. The Legacy Court initiative included money for new asphalt, custom art, goals, hoops and backboards. With its bright blue color and signature WNBA branding, the court is hard to miss. Indianapolis artist Kierra Ready said she designed the court with fun and girly designs in mind to encourage young girls in the neighborhood to play the sport. "My style is very feminine, and it definitely connects and speaks to girls," Ready said. "I wanted girls to see the court and say 'Hey, I can play, too.'"
New York Times
25 minutes ago
- New York Times
Why did it take this long for Francisco Lindor to make the All-Star Game with the Mets?
On Tuesday night in Atlanta, Francisco Lindor will take the field, likely to a chorus of boos from rival fans, to represent the New York Mets at the All-Star Game. Since being acquired from Cleveland in January 2021, Lindor has been one of the very best players in baseball, and yet this is the first time he's made an All-Star team with the Mets. Advertisement 'It's a real honor,' Lindor said, 'to be able to take the field in Atlanta as a Met. I'm looking forward to it. There's a lot of good people in this organization, and to be able to represent them, I'll do that with a lot of pride and utmost respect.' Just look at the league leaders among position players in wins above replacement (according to FanGraphs) from 2021 through 2024, with their number of All-Star appearances: That's 26 players. Seven of them have made the All-Star team all four years, nine have made it three times, seven have made it twice and two have only made it once. Only one player in the top 26, the one who places fourth over that stretch, did not make an All-Star team: Francisco Lindor. (For what it's worth, players 27 through 30 on the list combined for zero All-Star appearances: Alex Bregman, Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Lindor's teammate Brandon Nimmo.) From the outside, Lindor's continued exclusion from the All-Star Game looks like an inexplicable injustice. But there are a few reasons why it's taken one of the sport's best players this long to be showcased in the Midsummer Classic in blue and orange. Let's explore. By WAR, Lindor was the best shortstop in baseball from 2021 through 2024. But the second-best, Trea Turner, also spent those four years in the NL. So did the fourth-best, Dansby Swanson. And the third-best, Corey Seager, played one of those years in the senior circuit. (Seager made two All-Star teams in five chances with the Dodgers; he's three for four with the Rangers in the AL.) Over those four years, Turner made three All-Star teams and Swanson two. That left little room (or, in 2022, no room) for Lindor to crack the club. He's not alone: It's why a very good player like Adames, who was valued enough to sign a contract worth more than $180 million, has never been an All-Star. Advertisement Fan voting decides who starts the All-Star Game, and this is the first year in his career that Lindor has ever been elected at shortstop. It's not just that he had never won it before (even dating back to his years in Cleveland), it's also that he had never really come particularly close while with the Mets. Major League Baseball has used a two-phase voting system for the All-Star Game since Lindor joined New York, with the initial phase creating a pool of finalists (three in 2021, two in the years since) and the second phase picking one winner. Until this season, Lindor had only been a finalist once, in 2023, when Atlanta's Orlando Arcia beat him out. Even then, Arcia had more than 1 million more votes than Lindor in the initial phase, or almost three times as many ballots in his favor. It was not a surprise that Arcia won the second phase. Last year, when Lindor ended up finishing second in MVP balloting at the end of the season, he was seventh in fan voting among National League shortstops in the summer. (Lindor was also seventh in 2021.) Why did Lindor do so poorly in fan voting? Maybe it's because even large swaths of his own fan base didn't fully appreciate him until the second half of last season. Mainly, though, it's because … Lindor's seasons with the Mets have generally followed the same track: sluggish starts buoyed by excellent performance from about the middle of May onward. Fan voting begins in early June. Here's what Lindor's numbers have looked like on June 1 in each of his five seasons with the Mets: Compare that to what he's done from June 1 on: A similar dynamic has hurt Lindor's chances in balloting done by his peers, which happens by late June. Slow starts obviously alter the narrative around a player. (It's why Juan Soto, whose numbers made him look like a slam-dunk All-Star by the time the team was announced, didn't make it this year in the National League.) For All-Star purposes, it's much better to slump in June (as Lindor did this year) than in April. Let's use June 20 as an additional cutoff point; by that time, most players probably have an idea of who they're putting on their ballot. Here's how Lindor has fared against the reserves selected for the All-Star Game in the last four years: The most glaring snub there is C.J. Abrams making the club over Lindor in 2024, but that's because Abrams was a league selection to ensure the Nationals had a representative in the game. Last year, when he once again didn't make the team, Lindor quipped, 'I guess I've got to have a better April.' That last chart reveals the way offense is rewarded more than defense at the All-Star Game. In late June of each season, Lindor had done less offensively than every player selected ahead of him. His usually terrific defense sometimes brought his WAR closer to the group, but it couldn't make up the gap entirely. It's ironic, then, that Lindor made the team this year despite having his worst first half defensively while with the Mets. That's the power of having power. (Top photo of Francisco Lindor: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Get ready for Tuesday's WNBA showdown at TD Garden: Block party schedule, how to watch Fever-Sun, and more
Fans can attend a block party on Canal Street outside TD Garden from 3-7 p.m. A DJ will be spinning, the Sun will have a merchandise pop-up shop, and there will be giveaways and samples from sponsors. The Sun will also celebrate out its 'Real Recognize Real Award' honorees. How to get tickets to Fever-Sun Last year, This year, tickets are still available as of Monday night. You can get in the door for about $90 with a balcony seat. Tickets in the lower bowl range from about $175 to $550 for seats closest to the court. Advertisement How to watch and listen The game will air on ESPN, with the network's 'WNBA Countdown' beginning at 7:30 p.m. featuring Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike, and Andraya Carter. The ESPN broadcast team of Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, and Holly Rowe will call the game. Brendan Glasheen and Terrika Foster-Brasby will call the game on 98.5 The Sports Hub. What to know about the matchup The Sun are a drastically different team than the one that won at the Garden in 2024. All but two players on the roster — Marina Mabrey and Mabrey, who is averaging 15.2 points in 31.5 minutes per game, has missed Connecticut's last eight games with a knee injury, and will not be available on Tuesday against the Fever. Advertisement The Sun (3-18) will rely on 36-year-old veteran Tina Charles, who joined the team as a free agent during the offseason. The eight-time All-Star is averaging 15.4 points to lead the team. Bria Hartley has seen her minutes tick up as of late; the 11-year veteran is averaging 8.7 points and leads the team with 3.1 assists per game. Rookie Saniya Rivers (8.3 points, 1.7 steals) is starting to come into her own. The former NC State standout scored a career-high 20 points in Leila Lacan was activated in early July after missing the first part of the season to compete for her native France in EuroBasket. The 10th overall pick in 2024, Lacan made her WNBA debut in a July 6 loss to Las Vegas. She's averaging 7.5 points and recorded a career-high seven rebounds in Friday's loss to the Storm in Seattle. The Fever (11-10) are coming off a 102-83 win over the Dallas Wings on Sunday, a showdown between 2024 No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark and 2025 No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers. Clark returned to action for the Fever on Wednesday after missing five regular-season games due to a groin injury. The phenom is averaging 16.7 points per game, to go with nine assists and 4.8 rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell leads the team with 19.2 points per game. She scored a season-high 32 points in last month's win over Dallas on the road. Massachusetts' own Aliyah Boston was honored on Monday at the State House Advertisement The top pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, Boston is averaging 16.2 points and a team-best 7.9 rebounds.
