Freakish Tight Ends 6’6″ and Taller
Today, we’ll take a look at four ranked tight ends who are 6’6″ and OVER. These are extraordinary talents, some serve as in-line blockers, some great pass catchers, but what they all have in common is their terrific height. All…
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Continue ReadingToday, we’ll take a look at four ranked tight ends who are 6’6″ and OVER. These are extraordinary talents, some serve as in-line blockers, some great pass catchers, but what they all have in common is their terrific height. All four players contribute elsewhere on their respective teams, showing versatility in their game. Here are four Pennsylvania tight ends who can touch the sky.
T.J. Wagner – 6’6″, 215lbs, c/o 2021
Hudl Profile: https://www.hudl.com/profile/11469855/TJ-Wagner
We start with T.J. Wagner out of Nativity B.V.M. High School in Pottsville, PA. Wagner, a giant prospect, which really goes without saying, is a nasty line-of-scrimmage player who can still get low and move defenders despite his height. The 11th best tight end in our 2021 rankings is a smart player who displays the understanding of the importance of hand placement. His long limbs make it difficult for defenders to shed once he has a hold of you. Impactful when run blocking, he does a good job keeping his feet moving and getting his head around to the correct side, sealing off defenders when ball carriers are running off tackle. There’s a substantial amount of developing needed as a pass-catcher but there’s potential with Wagner in the passing game. He carries his weight well and has a great stride. His stride, however, takes some time to open up but once it does he’s capable of surprising defensive backs in the open field. Wagner is stiff in his route running. It’s more of a repetition thing, as to why he seems stiff and rigid in his cuts. He’s a good athlete, just needs time to develop quicker feet and hips in the open field. Wagner contributes on special teams and heavily at defensive end. His stock will rise if he can put together another productive and healthy season at Nativity B.V.M.
Marquell Darnell Marquell Darnell 6'7" | 210 lbs | TE Erie | 2022 State PA – 6’7″, 210lbs, c/o 2022
Hudl Profile – https://www.hudl.com/profile/13230626/Marquell-Darnell
Twitter – @MarquellDarnell
Darnell, a junior out of Erie High School, is the pass-catcher of this group. He’s natural in the open field and has some of the best ball-tracking skills Pennsylvania has to offer. A hell of an athlete who can line up almost anywhere on offense, rush the passer on defense and you can also catch him on the court for Erie. Darnell is a red zone monster, displaying great hands and high point ability when running fade routes. Isn’t just a jump ball guy, he has a wide catch radius even on the run and can catch the ball away from his body well. Darnell, a top 40 ranked 2022 prospect, shows great acceleration off the line of scrimmage, which is why Erie loves to leak him out when running play-action. He’s a physically imposing player who is hardly moved off of his route despite at times being double covered deep. Out of this group, Darnell has the best chance at big-time program attention because of his ball skills and overall athleticism, blended together with that elite 6’7″ frame.
Logan Bernesser – 6’7″, 250lbs, c/o 2022
Hudl Profile: https://www.hudl.com/profile/11468556/Logan-Bernesser
Twitter: @bernesser26
Bernesser is a different breed of player. He looks like an offensive lineman, weighing in at 250 pounds, but is often asked to catch the ball for Shaler and despite little to no fluidity in his route running, he actually can get the job done. However, his routes are limited and he doesn’t show much ability after the catch. Bernesser, who has about 40-50 pounds on the other prospects on this list, has a future at offensive line and defensive tackle. There’s no doubting a coach can use his athleticism, position versatility, and of course that 6’7″ height. He’s a good run blocker and displays real upper body strength, enough to flatten defensive players. We will keep an eye out for where Bernesser gets his reps this upcoming junior year, that being a huge factor as to how far his stock can rise.
Christopher Dvorak Christopher Dvorak 6'6" | 210 lbs | TE Mars | 2022 State PA – 6’6″, 200lbs, c/o 2022
Hudl Profile – https://www.hudl.com/profile/8307009/Christopher-Dvorak
Twitter – @chrisdvorak_82
Dvorak is the rawest of the group. Dvorak, much like the others, contributes at all phases of the game and is a standout power forward/center and student at Mars High School. Dvorak excels as a run blocker on offense, showing significant upper and lower body strength. Dvorak is a little stiff in his routes, he isn’t asked to participate in the passing game often but can catch an occasional ball or two. There’s a ton of growth and potential in Dvorak’s game. Contributing elsewhere on the team can be a coach’s dream but it can really take away reps necessary for finding a true position. He has unquestionable ability, given his size and athleticism, it’s just a matter of where Mars wants to utilize him and whether or not that decision is a right fit for him. Our scouts, as well as myself, will keep a watchful eye on his upcoming junior and senior campaigns.