To prove to anyone who doubts the above statement, I have two words for you -- Antonio Gates. A surefire Hall-of-Famer, Gates (Detroit Central, Kent State) retired in January, 2020 after a legendary 16-year career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers. At the time of Gates' retirement, he finished seventh all-time and first for tight ends in NFL history with 116 career receiving TDs. He ended up 17th all-time in NFL history and third for tight ends (behind only Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten) with 955 career receptions, while he finished 29th all-time and third for tight ends (behind only Gonzalez and Witten) with 11,841 career receiving yards. Gates (6-foot-4, 255 pounds), an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time All-Pro pick, is on a short list of the greatest tight ends to ever play the game of football.
Other top tight ends from the state of Michigan include Fred Arbanas (6-3, 240, Redford St. Mary, Michigan State, Kansas City Chiefs, started in Super Bowl I and Super Bowl IV for Chiefs, six-time All-AFL selection, named to the All-Time All-AFL team, enshrined in the Kansas Chiefs Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame), Ron Kramer (6-3, 235, East Detroit, U-M, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, two-time All-Pro, one-time Pro Bowl, won NFL championships with Packers in 1961 and 1962, enshrined in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame and the U-M Athletic Hall of Honor), Rodney Holman (6-3, 240, Ypsilanti, Tulane, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, started in Super Bowl XXIII, three-time Pro Bowl, three-time All-Pro, at time of retirement his 318 catches were most for a TE in Bengals history, enshrined in the Tulane University Athletics Hall of Fame), Pete Metzelaars (6-7, 255, Portage Central, Wabash College, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, at time of retirement his 235 games played was most by a TE in NFL history, three-time Pro Bowl, played in four straight Super Bowls with Bills, his 302 receptions for Bills are a team record for tight ends).
Currently, tight ends in the NFL from the Great Lakes State include Tyler Conklin (6-3, 255, L'Anse Creuse North, CMU, Minnesota Vikings), Nick Keizer (6-4, 250, Portage Northern, Grand Valley State, Kansas City Chiefs), Matt Sokol (6-5, 250, Rochester Adams, Michigan State, Detroit Lions) and Adam Trautman (6-5, 255, Elk Rapids, Dayton, New Orleans Saints).
Trautman, a third round pick of the Saints in this past April's NFL draft, is one of the reasons I write this blog. A true sleeper/diamond-in-the-rough-type player out of Elk Rapids, near Traverse City in northern Michigan, was recruited by basically no one. He ended up setting multiple school receiving records at Dayton and overall was the fifth tight end selected in the 2020 NFL draft. Trautman is the type of talent that is found all over the state of Michigan and quite often getting overlooked by college recruiters and coaches, especially Michigan's five Division I-football playing programs. Part of the motivation behind this blog is to try and shine a spotlight on ALL D-I-potential players from throughout the Great Lakes State, not just players from the usual hot spots and usual nationally known top state programs. I get tired of year after year seeing so many deserving state of Michigan kids, normally from smaller schools or more out-of-way, off-the-beaten-path remote locations, passed over by our five D-I college football programs. Anyhow, I apologize for getting up on my soapbox, but it's something that's always been an issue for me. I have no idea how much my little blog does for any of these sleeper/diamond-in-the-rough-type kids from the Great Lakes State, but at least I can sleep well knowing I'm doing my best to find and research players from throughout the state of Michigan who I believe are worthy of D-I football scholarships.
Anyhow, enough of that. Here are the top 10 tight end prospects for the state of Michigan's class of 2021.
Top 10 Tight End Prospects for Michigan's Class of 2021 --
1. Jake Plamondon-6-3, 245-Ludington -- From a smaller northern Michigan school, Plamondon is the best prospect out of Ludington since Bob Organ (6-3, 250, TE-FB two-year starter for Michigan State, 1990-1994). I've been high on this kid since his freshman year. Last season, Plamondon was named to the Muskegon Chronicle Dream Team, catching 34 passes for 619 yards and nine TDs, while as a defensive end he had 81 tackles and two interceptions. Plamondon has also played tailback for the Orioles and is talented in the open field for a bigger-type player.
2. Blake Nelson-6-5, 235-Walled Lake Central -- Big, strong, prototypical Big Ten-type tight end. Nelson is athletic and fluid as a pass-catching tight end, but also possesses the physical nature and stature to be a high-level blocker at the next level. Already has 11 Division I college football offers. Nelson is raw, but his ceiling is off the charts. Purdue, Rutgers, Kentucky, Louisville among offers.
3. Josh Schell-6-4, 240-Mount Pleasant -- From same high school as current Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and current Georgia, and former Indiana, head basketball coach Tom Crean, Schell is a stud on both sides of the football for the Oilers, a mid-Michigan powerhouse program. Named to the AP Division 3-4 All-State squad in football last year, Schell is also a standout basketball player helping lead Mount Pleasant to a No. 12 state-ranking and a 20-1 overall record this past season. A physical presence on both sides of the line of scrimmage, Schell, a three-year varsity starter, is a coordinated big man with good hands and blocking ability as a TE. Bowling Green State, CMU, Toledo, Ball State, EMU, Buffalo, Akron, Air Force, Army and multiple Ivy League offers.
4. Thomas Beckman-6-4, 245-Saugatuck -- From same high school as former Tennessee head coach Butch Jones, 2013-2017 (currently assistant coach at Alabama), Beckman is a load on both sides of the line of scrimmage for Saugatuck, a small town in southwest Michigan on the shores of Lake Michigan. A starter since his freshman year, Beckman was named to the Holland Sentinel All-Area first team last season after catching 17 passes for 262 yards and three TDs and recording 71 tackles and three sacks as a defensive end. Runs a reported 4.8 40-yard dash.
5. Blake Kosin-6-6, 225-Clarkston -- Tall, lanky prospect at the tight end position. From one of the top programs in the Midwest, the Wolves, Division 1 (big school) state runner-up two years ago, have sent multiple players to D-I college football teams the past few years. An outstanding blocker, Kosin is a converted offensive tackle. Also hoops player for strong Clarkston program (2018 and 2017 Class A state champions). Verbal to Northern Illinois
6. Colin Weber-6-4, 230-Hopkins -- I love this kid. From a small town situated between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo in southwest Michigan, Weber is a gifted all-around athlete. With an offer from Grand Valley State (Division II) for basketball already in his pocket, Weber reminds me of current Minnesota Vikings tight end Tyler Conklin (6-3, 255, L'Anse Creuse North, CMU), who played college hoops at D-II Northwood University before transferring to CMU and walking onto the Chippewas football team and later, of course, playing in the NFL. Weber played multiple positions for Hopkins last season catching 16 passes for 387 yards and 10 TDs as a wide receiver/tight end, while also rushing for 841 yards and seven TDs as a running back. Weber is also a high-level defensive end/linebacker prospect. CMU offer.
7. Cade Conley-6-4, 225-Williamston -- A top prospect from the Lansing area, Conley is a player who can line-up outside and create opportunities one-on-one with an opposing DB or move inside next to the OT and make plays from a more traditional TE spot. Either way, Conley, also a top hoops player for Williamston, is an athletic, agile receiver who causes match-up problems wherever he lines up offensively. Also a talented DE for the Hornets. Last season, Conley caught 17 passes for 265 yards and three TDs, while making 26 tackles, five TFL and four sacks on defense.
8. Grant Lowery-6-4, 240-Rochester Hills Stoney Creek -- Quite possibly the top blocking TE in the state of Michigan. When Lowery locks onto a defender, it's all over. Athletic, Lowery also plays basketball for Stoney Creek, a large suburban Detroit school. Former NFL No. 1 overall pick OT Eric Fisher (CMU, starter for Kansas City Chiefs, Super Bowl LIV champion) is a Stoney Creek graduate. Despite being a skilled blocker, Lowery also displays soft hands as a receiver. A two-way starter for Stoney Creek since his sophomore season, Lowery is also a dominant DE for the Cougars.
9. Bryce Hall-6-3, 235-Bloomfield Cranbrook-Kingswood -- Outstanding DE for Cranes, Hall is a play-maker on both sides of the line of scrimmage. A physical blocker as a TE, Hall is an intense, powerful football player who could play either TE or DE at the next level. I love Hall's natural football ability and I put him with the TE group to highlight his overall ability. Hall has an explosive first step on either side of the football and displays excellent foot work and balance. If not a DE at the next level, I see Hall as a bone-crushing blocker as an H-Back-type player or fullback. Had 67 tackles, 22 TFL and six sacks last season as DE. Verbal to Yale.
10. (TIE) Nick McArthur-6-5, 240-Gibraltar Carlson -- A three-sport standout, McArthur also plays basketball and baseball for Carlson. A big body, with room to grow, McArthur also starts at DE for the Marauders. A D-I prospect on either side of the football, what makes McArthur such an intriguing prospect is that he's also one of the state of Michigan's top long snappers. Carter Sullivan-6-5, 230-Saginaw Heritage -- A love this kid's overall athletic ability and football skill. A quarterback and defensive end for Heritage, I see Sullivan transitioning to an athletic tight end, with quarterback wisdom and knowledge, at the next level. A top baseball prospect as well, Sullivan is a big-time athlete with untapped potential as a tight end. A sleeper/diamond-in-the-rough-type prospect, Sullivan is one of those players who could truly excel at the next level.
Other top tight end prospects for Michigan's class of 2021 -- Mason Shroad-6-3, 245-Olivet (Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Division 5 All-State, 4.7 40, also top DE prospect), Michael Pruchnic-6-3, 230-Macomb Dakota, Andrew Kanary-6-3, 220-Grayling (12 receptions for 145 yards and one TD last year as junior), Rasheed Sampson-6-6, 205-Ann Arbor Pioneer, Karvon Stigall-6-5, 255-River Rouge, Jacob Hetchler-6-2, 230-Holt, Danny Krajewski-6-4, 215-Grand Rapids Catholic Central (starter for defending Division 4 state champions, high-motor, never-stop-type player for powerhouse program).
