catdaddyp Posted 1 hour ago Report Posted 1 hour ago Returning Starter: Last year, C. Cravaack took advantage of Newell missing time with an injury to lay claim to the starting tight end position. I thought Cravaack was playing substantially better than Newell by the end of 2025 and I imagine that played at least a part in Newell deciding to transfer out. New Faces: W. Hook comes in as a transfer from Michigan State. Although Hook only saw snaps on special teams during his time as a Spartan, he easily has the most upside of all the newcomers. An insider at MSU compared Hook to Josh Whyle, who was selected in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. I don’t know if I’d go that far with the praise, but Hook definitely has the potential to immediately step in and be a productive player for the Zips. E. Alexander is a JUCO signee with some potential. He’s a good athlete with a long frame and uses it well to gain yards after the catch. He may not be a great blocker at this time, but he is a willing blocker and should improve in that area with some added mass and experience. Y. DeReese is the most recent, and probably final, addition to the tight end room. He’s actually listed as the smallest TE on the roster, but looks bigger on film, so there’s some discrepancy there. The way he moves reminds me of former Bowling Green and current Wisconsin tight end Jacob Harris. My guess is DeReese is more of a depth addition at this time, but he has the ability to eventually become a contributor down the line. Conclusion: I thought the tight end room had the potential to be one of the best in the MAC last year between Newell and Cravaack, however that did not come to pass. Cravaack came on strong the more he played, while Newell only saw action in six games and didn’t necessarily play all that well when he was on the field. This season will feature some new faces alongside Cravaack that should have enough ability to help this offense be productive. Returning: Cravaack (R. Jr.) In: DeReese (Jr.) - JUCO Hook (R. So.) = Michigan State Alexander (So.) = JUCO Out: Newell = Toledo Whisner = Sam Houston Witherspoon = Still in portal (Transitioned to WR) Quote
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