If there was a bright spot on this UCLA Football offense in 2016 it could have been the tight end position. As the Bruins move into their second year under TE coach Rip Scherer there is plenty of room for improvement.
I won’t try and hide this from you folks. I love tight ends. I think if you come out in a four wideout set, two of those guys should be tight ends. The last big name at the position for the UCLA Football team was Thomas Duarte. However he wasn’t built or used in the traditional TE mold.
The last guy that UCLA Football had who could do everything you want a TE to do was Joseph Fauria. He could kill you from an inline position, flexed out wide or pancake block you into the ground.
I’ll be honest I was excited thinking about what Nate Iese was going to bring to the group last year with his size and athleticism. He had an okay year for the 2016 UCLA Football team catching the ball but his 25 catches for 400 yards and four touchdowns didn’t blow anyone out of the water.
As a whole this group managed 56 catches for 881 yards and five scores. Those are numbers one dominant TE can have. Despite losing their receiving leader I actually have higher expectations for his group in 2017.
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A big reason for that is new offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch who spent last year as the passing game coordinator for the University of Michigan. He had the chance to work with stud TE and Denver Bronco rookie, Jake Butt in 2016. Last year Butt was a focal point of the offense despite having plenty of talent around him and he went 46-456-4 before being injured in his bowl game.
Much of his work was done on shallow crosses, drag routes and the occasional out route. Michigan made the intermediate area his by using receivers to clear out the underneath space with more vertical routes.
With the stage set for a big 2017 for these tight ends, let’s get started with their grades.
Grading the Tight Ends
While UCLA Football head coach Jim Mora doesn’t really release depth charts, red shirt sophomore Caleb Wilson should be at the top. His size, speed and catching radius make him a fast rising play maker for the Bruins.
While he doesn’t have a start under his belt, Wilson saw action in twelve games last year and made catches in eight of those contests. He had his best game on one of the biggest stages against USC. In that game Wilson notched four catches for 38 yards.
Not mind blowing stats but let’s dive deeper. Wilson is complete TE. He can line up in line, detached or fully split out wide. He is also a willing blocker who will only improve in that respect but demonstrates sound technique.
The Bruins should look to feature more two tight end sets but the focus has to be getting the ball to Wilson.
2017 has all the makings of a TE explosion for this UCLA Football team and he should be the brightest star at the position.
Wilson gets a B+ from me.
Should the Bruins decided to go with two TE sets Austin Roberts will likely be the the second starter. Roberts came to this UCLA Football program as a wide receiver but was seldom used early on in his career. After bulking up Roberts was moved to the tight end position mostly because the Bruins were desperate to build some depth.
Despite being an emergency option early last season, Roberts seemed to be a natural fit at TE with his pass catching ability but leaves some to be desired as a blocker. Still he gives good effort and I’d rather have effort over talent and no effort.
Look for Roberts to be used more as an H-back or a move tight end. Fischer was able to get plenty out of his tight ends last season by lining them up as move tight ends. With his previous history as a WR, Roberts becomes an immediate matchup nightmare especially with teams focusing on Caleb Wilson.
I give Roberts a C grade. (This is purely because I don’t see Roberts inline effectively)
Now we can look at the depth at the TE position for the UCLA Football program. Here the grades will be based on potential since these guys haven’t seen game action yet. Their grades will be very similar until mid season.
The next guy up would have to be newly eligible Jordan Wilson. While having no relation to Caleb, Jordan is built very similarly and will likely be used in a similar fashion. Another long strider, Jordan is a well built TE who gives the Bruins a big, reliable target.
He’s another true inline TE and in my opinion if the Bruins were in a goal line formation I’d like to see both Wilsons lined up tight or even put on the same side in jumbo packages. Both of them are capable blockers and exceptional receivers. Having them both on the field in those situations would be a huge headache for defenses.
Jordan played both QB and TE in high school so in theory he he understands coverages and might even subscribe to the idea that a TE is a QB’s best friend. His use as a TE may look limited this year but that is only to ensure that he’s more familiar with the nuances that make an elite college TE elite.
As a backup TE I give Wilson a C+ grade.
Jimmy Jaggers is a true freshmen that enrolled early to get a jump on the competition and there’s a good chance he will see the field at some point this season. Jaggers is more of an old school TE in the sense that he’s a solid blocker and can be a safety valve in the passing game.
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He will likely never be much of a receiving threat downfield but in the short to intermediate zone he will see plenty of targets. He’s a crafty route runner at this point but his routes still need refinement. He reminds me of former NFL TE Matt Spaeth.
Jaggers will, in my estimation, find work in some goal line or jumbo packages and on special teams this year. He may also find work in the full back role given his ability to block.
Jaggers gets a C grade in my book.
Now we are going to take a look at two guys who will almost certainly not see game action in 2017.
Moses Robinson-Carr is another incoming freshmen like Jaggers but I think will need some time improving his strength and technique as a blocker. He’s more explosive than Jaggers but the numbers ahead of him will make it difficult for him to see the field.
Lastly we have to talk about Devin Asiasi who transferred from the University of Michigan this offseaon. A huge Bruin target, literally and figuratively, Asiasi is all but guaranteed to red shirt this year unless a magical waiver from the NCAA falls from the heavens. My question is how much bigger will Asiasi get (he’s listed at 287 pounds) and will the coaches try to move him to DE?
This UCLA Football TE group gets a collective grade of 2.25 or a C from me. Now that number can change as the season approaches and gets underway. Also both backup TEs were essentially given the C grade because we haven’t gotten the chance to see them yet.
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Did anyone get a higher grade than you expected or do you think I was too low on someone? Let me know in the comments and on Twitter. Also make sure to keep an eye out for the next episode in “Grading The” series where next time we move over to the defensive line.