The tight end position has undergone an epic transformation over recent years, becoming one of the most important positions on the field as more and more elite athletes in the role. A good tight end can be a difference-maker for offenses all over the field, whether it's converting a huge third or fourth down, becoming a mismatch in the middle of the field or the red zone, or throwing a key block to spring a running back.
Last season, two tight ends (Bowling Green's Harold Fannin Jr and Penn State's Tyler Warren) were among the nation's top seven players in receiving yards, and several more heard their names called in the 2025 NFL Draft in April. Who will be next?
Here are the top 10 tight ends in college football entering the 2025 season.
1. RJ Maryland, Jr., SMU
Those who haven't watched Maryland might be shocked to see him at the top of this list, but he's one of the most valuable, skilled, and underrated tight ends in the country. He also has NFL bloodlines as the son of former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Russell Maryland.
As a sophomore in 2023, RJ Maryland was SMU's second-leading receiver and led the team with seven touchdown catches. That doesn't happen often for a tight end, especially in an offense that spreads the ball around so much and has so many different receivers to utilize.
Maryland was a massive part of SMU's successful 2024 season. As the team struggled during its season opener on the road against Nevada, he emerged as its best offensive source -- catching eight passes for 162 yards. He also scored twice against Florida State in ACC play.
The junior was on track for the best season of his collegiate career before tearing his ACL against Stanford in late October. That may hamper his availability and usage on the field, but he was a sure-fire NFL draft pick before the injury and should remain so once back to full strength.
2. Eli Stowers, Sr., Vanderbilt
The former four-star quarterback recruit and Texas A&M backup has found a home as a tight end for Vanderbilt. He initially made the switch after transferring to New Mexico State, eventually earning honorable mention All-Conference USA honors.
Upon his arrival in Nashville last season, Stowers took his game to new heights -- becoming a go-to target for quarterback Diego Pavia (also a New Mexico State transfer) by leading the Commodores with 49 receptions for 638 yards and five touchdowns. Former Commodore Jared Pinkney is the only Vanderbilt tight end to have more receiving yards and touchdowns in a single season.
His 2024 performance earned him a nod as a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, given to the nation's best tight end, plus first-team All-SEC recognition and a place on Phil Steele's third-team All-America. Stowers has a case to be the best tight end in college football, and with both he and Pavia returning, Vanderbilt has a viable duo to drive its passing game.
3. Max Klare, Jr., Ohio State
Klare might be an unknown nationally because he spent the beginning of his collegiate career with an underachieving Purdue program. His first two seasons were extremely brief due to injuries, but he quickly became the Boilermakers' best offensive threat in 2024 -- catching 51 passes for 685 yards and four touchdowns.
Those numbers ranked among the Big Ten's leaders, and his reception total placed him in the top 10 nationally among tight ends. He was named a third-team All-Big Ten selection for his efforts and now joins an Ohio State offense that should have no shortage of weapons.
Klare's size and frame at 6-foot-4, 236 lbs are a prototypical combination, and he has the skillset to go with it. Plus, with Jeremiah Smith and the other wide receivers getting the bulk of the attention from opposing defenses, he'll likely see plenty of opportunities. Ohio State has had some good tight ends before, but the recent ones haven't been quite the threat Klare was at Purdue, so it could add a more dynamic dimension to the Buckeye offense.
4. Jack Endries, Jr, Texas
Endries transfers to Texas after three years at Cal and is expected to take over the starting tight end role for Gunnar Helm, who is now trying to stick in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans. That won't be an easy task, as Helm proved to be an x-factor for the Longhorns with 786 yards and seven touchdowns during his senior season.
However, the Cal transfer seems like he should be up for it. After not seeing any game action as a freshman in 2022, Andries quickly announced his presence in Berkley by becoming the Golden Bears' starting tight end as a redshirt freshman. He ended up being a Freshman All-American and a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, given to the country's best player in the FBS who started their career as a walk-on.
Endries followed that with an even better redshirt sophomore campaign in 2024 as Cal's leading receiver. Adding talent and accolades like that to a Texas team that still had plenty on the roster (even during a reload) will only make the Longhorns more dangerous. Helm showed us what the tight end position can do for Texas, and Andries should be more than capable of picking up where he left off.
5. Tanner Koziol, Sr., Houston
Koziol has been a little bit of everywhere this offseason. He initially transferred from Ball State to Wisconsin, then re-entered the transfer portal after spring ball and is now a Houston Cougar. What that means for his development and how much he can contribute remains to be seen, but Houston needed playmakers, and Koziol has been just that.
Yes, there is a step up in the level of competition between the MAC opponents he's faced and the Big 12 foes he'll take on in 2025, but Koziol has quietly been one of the best tight ends in the country while playing for Ball State. He was an All-MAC selection in all three seasons for the Cardinals and had over 1,500 yards with 18 touchdowns.
Last season, Koziol led all tight ends in college football with 94 catches, becoming the first Ball State tight end to lead the team in receiving. He was also the program's first tight end to amass at least 80 catches and 800 yards in a single season. If he can do the same in a power conference, Koziol will be a player to know for college football fans this fall.
6. Justin Joly, Sr., North Carolina State
Joly certainly has a case to be higher on this list, but there's a little bit of clutter to sort through after the top three, so he's at No. 6 for now. After two years at UConn, he transferred to NC State and has the potential to become a gamebreaker and take a place in the national spotlight.
The 20-year-old became a great weapon for the Wolfpack during his first season in Raleigh. He led the team with 661 receiving yards and was second in receptions with 43. Both were among the best single-season totals for a tight end in program history. His 15.4 average yards per catch was also the fourth-highest among FBS tight ends.
Joly has progressed each season and was a bright spot for a North Carolina State team that otherwise didn't live up to expectations. With over 1,800 yards in his career, he should have a big role for the offense again in 2025.
7. Jack Velling, Sr., Michigan State
Jack Velling has the tools to be one of the nation's best tight ends and has proven it when given the chances. While the Spartans wanted to see more touchdowns from him last season, his yardage numbers were similar to previous seasons, and the scoring will pick up again as the team improves.
Velling began his college career playing for head coach Jonathan Smith at Oregon State, where he started seven games as a freshman and became a featured player. He followed an impressive freshman year with a program-record-setting sophomore campaign, leading all FBS tight ends with eight touchdown grabs.
He entered last season as one of the top players at the tight end position nationally, and his commitment to follow Smith to East Lansing was supposed to mean Michigan State had a legitimate red zone threat. Much of the scoring struggles were due to little nuances like timing and inaccurate throws, so as quarterback Aidan Chiles steps into his second year as the starter, expect Velling to get better opportunities and step up as a consistent weapon for the Spartans.
8. Michael Trigg, Sr., Baylor
Trigg was a top-300 high school recruit and spent his first college football season at USC before transferring to Ole Miss. He had a hard time staying on the field due to injuries, but he has always been considered a player with incredible potential.
Despite a couple of trips into the transfer portal, he remained one of the highest-rated and most sought-after players available and finally had a chance to break through at Baylor last season. Plus, it was by far his healthiest as he only missed two games.
Trigg's debut season for the Bears saw him collect more receiving yards than he had in his first three years combined. He was also the second-highest rated player on the Baylor offense, according to PFF. That earned him a second-team All-Big 12 nod from the conference's coaches, and he'll be back for more as one of the top pass-catchers in the Big 12 as he tries to secure an NFL future in 2025.
9. Joe Royer, Sr., Cincinnati
Cincinnati's lackluster debut season in the Big 12 overshadows some solid individual performers, and Royer was one of them. He's an Ohio State transfer who excelled with his first chance to take on the featured, No. 1 tight end role, earning a first-team All-Big 12 selection.
Royer appeared in just 14 games with four catches in two years for the Buckeyes, but he came on strong after transferring. Cincinnati gave him a chance to contribute and become a difference-maker immediately. He rewarded the Bearcats with 50 catches for 521 yards and three touchdowns, breaking NFL All-Pro Travis Kelce's program receptions record set in 2012. Only wide receiver Xzavier Henderson had more receiving yards for the Bearcats in 2024.
That's an impressive debut season for a first-time starting tight end, especially considering some of the tight ends Cincinnati has produced. And with a host of transfers coming in to fill many of the skill positions on offense, Royer will be someone who has already built trust and chemistry with junior quarterback Brendan Sorsby.
10. Miles Kitselman, Sr., Tennessee
Kitselman went the junior college route after high school and is now one of the top tight ends in the SEC, transferring to Tennessee just before the 2024 season after two years with Alabama. He only caught two passes as a member of the Crimson Tide but held his own after making the move to Knoxville.
The senior led the Volunteers' tight ends with 301 receiving yards and three touchdown catches and was the fifth-leading receiver on the team. He also ran for a score as a fullback, showcasing a unique versatility that can be a valuable asset to the Tennessee offense.
Tennessee loses its top three receivers from last year's squad, plus quarterback Nico Iamaleava. That makes Kitselman and wide receiver Chris Brazzell II the only two returning players to have contributed at least 20 catches and 300 yards to the passing game. Both will be relied on heavily in 2025, and Kitselman can quickly become a go-to target and security blanket for whichever inexperienced quarterback wins the starting job.