Most college football teams would be in bad shape at the tight end position if they had their top 2022 option drafted No. 25 overall in the first round of the NFL Draft. The University of Utah, however, is in that rare position where the production really shouldn’t drop off. It’s crazy to think that Dalton Kincaid, the first tight end taken in the recent draft, wasn’t even viewed as the top tight end on his college team to start last season.
Of course, as history would have it, Brant Kuithe was lost for the season against Arizona State, and Kincaid emerged as one of the most reliable and lethal offensive weapons in college football. The injury also opened the door for Thomas Yassmin, a former rugby player who was still learning how to put on pads and play football, when he first arrived at Utah.
Just like 2022, the tight end position will remain the focal point of the passing game in 2023. This offseason, Utah has also done a great job reloading the room.
The Starters
Brant Kuithe
Redshirt Senior
6-foot-2, 229 pounds
The three-time All-Pac-12 selection is back and heading into the season with a clean bill of health. Kuithe needs 45 receptions to surpass Kevin Dyson as Utah’s all-time receptions leader. He needs 845 yards to pass Dyson for second all-time in receiving yards, and he needs 1,262 yards to pass Bryan Rowley for the all-time yards mark.
With health on his side, one of those records is bound to be broken this season. It’s not out of the realm of possibility to see both categories with Kuithe eventually at the top.
Thomas Yassmin
Senior
6-foot-5, 251 pounds
Last I checked, Yassmin is still pushing USC’s Caleb Bullock around. All joking aside, Yassmin’s late season breakout wasn’t a surprise at all. The tight end room had just been insanely damn talented and Yassmin was viewed as a raw but tantalizing prospect until he got his chance to shine.
Even with Kuithe back as the top offensive target, Yassmin will have a key role in the offense.
The Backups
Landen King
Sophomore
6-foot-5, 225 pounds
King transferred from Auburn this offseason largely due to them wanting him as a big receiver. Once he hit the NCAA Transfer Portal and visited Utah, the match made too much, as Utah likes to use the tight ends and the primary weapon in their offense.
Being a sophomore, King has time to pack on the weight and learn the system. However, the faster he’s ready, Utah will find ways to unleash him.
Miki Suguturaga
Junior
6-foot-4, 256 pounds
The former defensive end has impressed early on with his move to tight end. The Utah staff’s intent was to move him over for solely blocking purposes, but Suguturaga has been hard at work to prove he’s an all-around tight end.
Dallen Bentley
Sophomore
6-foot-5, 255 pounds
The JuCo All-American was a late signee for this season. He was a full-qualifier out of high school and he had another year of JuCo eligibility he could have used. In the end it came down to Utah and Washington, and the former HS receiver is ready to find his role in Utah’s productive tight end system.
Hayden Erickson
Sophomore
6-foot-2, 246 pounds
The former walkon earned a scholarship over the last year and is currently battling Suguturaga to fill the role vacated by Logan Kendall.
UteNation Take
There’s zero doubt that the pecking order starts with Kuithe and Yassmin. Those two should be in line for massive production this season. The big question will be who fills Kendall’s H-back role. While Suguturaga seems to many like the obvious choice, Erickson is a wild card, as he played offensive line in HS.
