Gophers Nation continues to take a position-by-position look at the Minnesota Golden Gophers' football program and their individual position groups as spring practices got underway this week.
So far, we have taken a look at the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers. Today, we turned our attention to the tight ends.
Last season, it's safe to say the tight end position didn't put up the numbers that many expected, specifically star tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford. The 6-foot-7 Spann-Ford who entered the 2023 season as one of the country's top regarded tight ends never really got it going in the passing game, struggling to find consistency. That being said, Spann-Ford's struggles were not a result of his own struggles, but also was a victim of poor quarterback play throughout the season.
After recording 42 receptions for 497 yards and two touchdowns in 2022, Spann-Ford saw those numbers drop to 25 receptions for 239 yards and a pair of touchdowns last season with Athan Kaliakmanis at quarterback.
While the quarterback play is expected to be better for the Gophers in 2024, the tight end room will be without the big, athletic Spann-Ford in the middle of the field and will look to replace with him a talented but yet highly inexperienced group of tight ends.
Of the nine tight ends discussed below, only two have recorded receiving stats in their career in Nick Kallerup and Jameson Geers. Combined, Kallerup and Geers have a career nine receptions for 56 yards and two touchdowns.
PROJECTED STARTER: Nick Kallerup
After serving as the backup tight end, the sixth year Gopher will enter the 2024 spring as the projected starter at the position. The Wayzata, Minnesota native has recorded just five receptions for 34 yards and one touchdown in his career. After grading out very well in 2022 in the eyes of PFF, Kallerup saw a big dip in his grade in 2023 dropping from an 87.1 to a 49.7. While we are projecting him as the starter, this is by no means set in stone either. If Kallerup is a starter, it will likely be in name only as he does not project to be a key piece of the Minnesota passing game, instead he'll play a big role in the rushing attack.
PROJECTED ROTATION: Nathan Jones, Jameson Geers, Pierce Walsh OR Sam Peters
The Gophers' next big pass catcher at the position likely is among this trio. Of the three, Geers is the only player to record any stats at the collegiate level with four career receptions for 22 yards and a touchdown including two receptions for 10 yards and a touchdown in 2023.
Geers, a 2022 signee has yet to see the field in his first two years on campus while Pierce Walsh, a 2023 signee did not play in any games as a true freshman last fall. Long term, Walsh projects to more of a receiving tight end than an inline blocker. Much of the same can be said about fellow 2023 signee Sam Peters.
DEPTH: Julian Johnson, Jacob Simpson, Frank Bierman, Jack DiSano
True freshmen Julian Johnson and Jacob Simpson barring any surprises will not factor into the tight end position this upcoming fall though the Golden Gophers do love the upside that both present going forward. Walk-ons Frank Bierman and Jack DiSano also don't project to see the field this fall but will play important factors in a week-to-week basis.
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