The Texas football team has begun its preparations for the 2015 season. Aside from the quarterback battle, another position has emerged as one to watch in fall camp.
Charlie Strong needs to find a tight end.
It has been years since the Longhorns had a receiving threat at the position. Blaine Irby was the last, but injuries derailed his career. You really have to go back to Jermichael Finley to find a tight end that could stretch the field and force defensive coordinators to game plan for this threat.
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2015 rolls around and Strong is breaking in a young but athletic group. Andrew Beck made two starts, but he played in Geoff Swaim’s shadow last year. Blake Whiteley has the best size and is the only player at the position to have actually caught a pass – but that was in junior college. In the spring game both players were targeted – Beck hauled in three passes from Jerrod Heard while Whiteley had one reception from Tyrone Swoopes.
Recognizing the need to add depth, Strong has thrown receivers Garrett Gray and DeAndre McNeal into the mix.
Gray had a prolific career in high school. He played just two years, but had 160 catches and 37 touchdowns. He gives Texas its best vertical threat since Finley. The problem is Gray will need to learn the blocking schemes and be able to hold the edge on running plays. At 6-foot-3 and 226 pounds he may be a liability against some of the conference’s better edge rushers. Gray seems like the obvious choice in obvious passing downs, however, and is an intriguing prospect.
McNeal is in the same boat as Gray. A versatile player in high school, McNeal will be learning the position. He is a little heavier than Gray, but is listed at 6-foot-1. I would not be surprised to see McNeal line up as an H-back so Shawn Watson can take advantage of his athleticism. He played six different positions during his time in high school so I could see him moving to another position either this season or next year. Why?
Because of a wild card.
Texas Longhorns
Texas recruited several tight ends this year, but landed just one – Devonaire Clarington. A gifted athlete from the state of Florida, Clarington could come in and make a significant contribution at some point in the season. Unfortunately he is behind the eight ball as he waits for the NCAA to clear him to enroll at Texas. The practice time he is missing will stunt his growth for 2015.
It is safe to say this is the most athletic group of tight ends the Longhorns have had in many years. How quickly these guys learn the nuances of playing the position is the big question. This bears watching as fall practice continues.
Come September one or two of these players will have separated themselves from the group. In the meantime it should be fun watching them develop.