Why Mizzou’s tight ends could have a bigger role in 2026

Mizzou has been blessed pinch immoderate astonishing tight ends this millennium, pinch nan highest occurring betwixt 2005-11 and past again successful nan precocious 2010s. But since Eli Drinkwitz arrived successful 2020, nan utilization of nan position successful nan receiving crippled isn’t arsenic beardown arsenic it erstwhile was.

From 2022-25, here’s really nan Tigers tight extremity room contributed to nan team’s receiving production:

The numbers person somewhat accrued complete nan years, particularly erstwhile Kirby Moore arrived from Fresno State. But, successful comparison, nan past 2 years of Barry Odom, nan room made up 25 and 18% of nan team’s receptions, and 19 and 17% of nan yards.

Now, let’s return a look astatine what Lindsey’s offenses person produced. As mentioned above, I looked astatine Mizzou’s tight extremity usage successful nan receiving crippled starting successful 2022. That’s nan aforesaid twelvemonth that Lindsey returned to coordinating pursuing his departure from Troy.

Here’s nan utilization of nan tight extremity room successful offenses he’s coordinated from 2022-25.

Mizzou’s tight ends accounted for betwixt 6.7-15.7% of nan team’s receiving production, Lindsey’s offenses devoted astir a 4th to nan position.

We spot that statistically, Lindsey’s offenses impact tight ends successful nan receiving crippled astatine a higher complaint than Mizzou successful caller years crossed 3 different schools. With that being said, it’s fascinating to spot what they’ve been asked to do successful a Chip Lindsey offense.

At North Carolina, Lindsey had some Bryson Nesbit and John Copenhaver, who are now pinch nan Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars. Both dense contributors to UNC’s passing game, combining for 1,542 yards and 16 scores successful their last 2 years of college.

Of course, they ran their information valve tight extremity routes, moving arrows, drags, and slipping retired of nan backfield for easy gains. But, they were besides asked to onslaught nan seams, push vertically, arsenic good arsenic having designed slants and screens specifically for them.

This play against James Madison successful 2024 specifically shows getting nan tight extremity opportunities. UNC lines up successful a quad formation, isolating Nesbit by himself connected nan different broadside of nan formation. He runs a speedy slant successful a one-on-one business for an easy conversion.

And who doesn’t emotion a bully stick-nod.

At Michigan, nan squad utilized its full tight extremity extent pinch Marlin Klein, Zach Marshall, Hogan Hansen, Deakin Tonielli, and Max Bredeson. The Wolverines were much of a blimpish discourtesy successful 2025, arsenic opposed to UNC, but nether Lindsey, you tin spot immoderate of nan akin aggressiveness pinch nan position.

Klein was utilized moving up nan seams, arsenic this glimpse way shows below, and moreover asked to do an retired and up for a score.

Mizzou’s tight extremity room saw nary alteration successful nan offseason, nary departures, nary transfers, and nan aforesaid extent arsenic nan play prior, which is astonishing successful nan world of nan portal.

But besides an astonishing point astir nan group is that they are experienced. Norfleet has 1,460 snaps successful achromatic and gold. Jordon Harris himself has 1,3000. Jude James showed strides arsenic a existent sophomore, playing 371 snaps, while Gavin Hoffman entered his 2nd twelvemonth pinch nan team.

As for your receiving options, it will beryllium Norfleet, a existent senior, and James.

Norfleet is 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, a ample assemblage for a tight end, but his drawback radius allows him to make immoderate reliable catches, and he likes nan occasional hurdle. When examining really nan Tigers person utilized him, successful 2023 and 24, it was predominantly arrow routes, bootlegs, and him trading a artifact earlier releasing into nan flat.

But, that’s not to opportunity that Norfleet has nan expertise to agelong nan section vertically, which Lindsey’s history suggests he will beryllium asked to do more.

In 2025 against Kansas, South Carolina, and Alabama, we saw glimpses of that, which led to affirmative results.

James, connected nan different hand, is 6-foot-2, 236 pounds. A size that you’ll expect from much of a receiving action astatine nan position, which allows for a amended alteration of direction.

And then, of course, expect Harris to person an effect successful nan blocking crippled arsenic usual. He’s been a cardinal portion successful nan Tigers tally game, and Lindsey sewage a close-up position of Bredeson astatine Michigan past year.

To wrap it up, I’d honestly beryllium shocked if we didn’t spot much of a committedness to nan tight extremity room to nan receiving crippled successful 2026. It isn’t that Lindsey throws to tight ends much often, it’s much of what he asks them to do, and we’ve seen it astatine UNC and Michigan. Their little information valves and much morganatic vertical routes.

Time will show if this each comes to fruition, but this twelvemonth could beryllium nan champion for nan tight extremity room successful 7 years of nan Drinkwitz era.