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Ole Miss Rebel Football Position Preview: Tight Ends

The Rebs will be young, thin, and inexperienced at tight end this fall. How will the coaching staff get the production they need out of this position group?

By The Ghost of Jay Cutler
Scott Cunningham

Last Season

Tight ends Jamal Mosley and Ferbia Allen combined for 23 receptions, 309 yards, and three touchdowns. H.R. Greer also caught a pair of passes, one of which was for a three yard touchdown, out of his Flex/H Back position which, occasionally, would line up or motion into a tight end configuration. For the most part, though, Coach Hugh Freeze's offense didn't rely heavily on the tight end, particularly as a receiver. This isn't to say that coach is against tight ends altogether, but rather that he is looking to recruit the type of tight end he's looking for, one that is a bigger wide receiver who can block on the edge and provide a true receiving threat down field when called upon.

This Season

Unfortunately, Freeze doesn't have that just yet. What he does have returning for this year includes Jack Nuismer, a 6'3" walkon from Nashville who saw no action last season, and junior Nick Parker, a converted fullback playing his first season as a tight end. What this team will really be relying on is...

The Incoming Class

So much of what happens this season will rely on the incoming class. The Rebs were in on a lot of good tight end prospects, including Beau Sandland who signed with Miami and AJ Jackson who failed to qualify. Christian Morgan and Evan Engram did, fortunately, make it to campus. Morgan, unfortunately, injured his knee in Spring practices and will take a redshirt this fall. That means that the weight of the tight end duties this year will fall on the shoulders of Evan Engram. Listed at 6'3", 217 pounds, Engram is certainly undersized to be a true tight end in the Southeastern Conference, particularly if called to pick up blitzing outside linebackers in pass protection, but has the athleticism and hands to start right away as a receiving threat. As a senior at Hillgrove High School in suburban Atlanta, Engram had 40 catches for 975 yards and 10 touchdowns.

I would expect to see a lot of Evan Engram this fall, with a smattering of Jack Nuismer and Nick Parker as situational blockers.

ETA: From a friend who has watched some practices, "I would also mention Matt Brown at TE. He's more of a pass catcher than Nuismer. Also, Parker could be more of a 3rd down RB and H-Back in this offense." Take all of that for whatever it may be worth.