The tight end position has evolved into one of the most dynamic roles in modern college football. Programs across the country have discovered innovative ways to deploy these versatile weapons as receivers, while their blocking prowess remains essential to offensive success.
Using the PFSN College Football TE+ metric, we’ve identified the top 25 returning tight ends in college football ahead of the 2025 season.
Who Are the 25 Best Tight Ends in College Football for the 2025 Season?
PFSN’s College TE+ assigns a letter grade to an individual tight end’s performance. The grade factors are both receiving efficiency and blocking performance in the run game and pass protection.
For receiving, we also incorporate proprietary yards after catch over expected and receptions over expected metrics. Those both adjust a receiver’s average YAC and reception percentage based on target depth.
Each player’s game and season grades are also adjusted for opponent strength. Past seasons used end-of-season SOS, but this means that in-season grades can and will fluctuate as we learn more about each team’s true performance level.
A tight end must average 25 snaps per team game to qualify for the season’s leaderboard and 35% of a team’s snaps in a given game to be eligible for the game’s leaderboard.
25) Gabe Burkle, Iowa State
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 77.94 (C+)
Although Gabe Burkle’s receiving statistics may not stand out compared to others on this list, his exceptional run blocking and anticipated increased role in 2025 secure his position among the nation’s elite tight ends.
The Iowa State tight end enjoyed his most productive season in 2024, making 26 receptions for 296 yards and a touchdown.
His impact grew as the season progressed, as he recorded 24 of those catches over the final seven games, becoming a more integral part of Matt Campbell’s offensive scheme. Burkle’s reliability in blocking was also evident in his 347 run-blocking snaps, which ranked 12th nationally among tight ends.
24) Benji Gosnell, Virginia Tech
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 78.27 (C+)
Benji Gosnell started all 13 games for the Virginia Tech Hokies in 2024 and proved to be a consistent target for Kyron Drones, gathering 32 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns. The 6’5”, 254-pound weapon has elevated game, steadily improving as both a receiver and blocker year over year.
Gosnell allowed 0.07 pressures per pass blocking snap last season, according to TruMedia, while his added physicality meant he was more impactful on his 307 run blocking snaps.
23) Dylan Wade, UCF
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 78.70 (C+)
Dylan Wade returns home to Central Florida after transferring from Maryland, bringing 374 receiving yards and two touchdowns from his 2024 campaign. Under Scott Frost’s system, the Knights figure to utilize more 12 personnel packages, positioning Wade to continue his development as a focal point of the passing attack.
22) Seydou Traore, Mississippi State
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 78.85 (C+)
Few players have traveled a more unique path to college football success than Seydou Traore. Born in London, England, the three-star recruit played just one season of 11-man football before spending two seasons at Arkansas State as a three-star recruit before transferring to Mississippi State.
After sitting out 2023 due to eligibility requirements, Traore made his mark with 34 receptions for 361 yards and a touchdown in 2024. His career totals now stand at an impressive 96 catches for 1,113 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 31.8 yards per game.
21) Lawson Luckie, Georgia
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 78.77 (C+)
Lawson Luckie should be in for a big season in 2025, as the Georgia Bulldogs look to defend their SEC title. The 6’4”, 240-pound Georgia native ended the 2024 season with 24 catches for 348 yards and three touchdowns, while averaging an impressive 14.5 yards per reception.
Though primarily utilized as a pass catcher with limited blocking duties (17 pass blocking snaps, 157 run blocking snaps), Luckie’s role should expand significantly as Kirby Smart integrates premium receiving talent acquired through the transfer portal.
20) Hayden Hansen, Florida
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 78.79 (C+)
Hayden Hansen has established himself as a cornerstone blocker for Florida, which returns key offensive line pieces and elite quarterback DJ Lagway in 2025. The tight end didn’t allow a single sack on 72 pass blocking snaps in 2024 while also fleetingly adding dynamism as a pass catcher.
Despite modest receiving totals of 207 yards and one touchdown, Hansen averaged 8.1 yards after contact per reception and posted an EPA per target of 0.71.
19) Oscar Delp, Georgia
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 79.23 (C+)
Oscar Delp formed a formidable tandem with Luckie in 2024 and returns as part of Georgia’s dynamic tight end duo for 2025.
Delp allowed just one sack on 34 pass blocking snaps in 2024 while committing zero penalties. Additionally, the 6’5”, 245-pound tight end had 21 receptions for 248 yards and four touchdowns, marking his second successive season with 20-plus receptions.
18) Dae’Quan Wright, Ole Miss
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 79.28 (C+)
A pure receiving tight end, Dae’Quan Wright played in 13 games for the Ole Miss Rebels in 2024, and even started two games as a wide receiver in his first season in Oxford. The Virginia Tech transfer had 394 yards and four touchdowns on 27 catches last season, taking his career totals to 74 receptions for 968 yards and four scores.
17) Bauer Sharp, LSU
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 79.33 (C+)
Bauer Sharp was a workhorse for Oklahoma in 2024, logging 618 offensive snaps (36th-most among tight ends nationally) while leading the Sooners with 42 receptions for 324 yards and two touchdowns. His pass protection was stellar, allowing zero sacks across 40 blocking attempts.
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Transferring to LSU ahead of the 2025 season, Sharp has the potential to blow those numbers out of the water in the Tigers’ high-powered, star-studded offense.
16) Luke Hasz, Ole Miss
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 79.35 (C+)
Luke Hasz was primed for national recognition after transferring to Ole Miss, but a lower-body injury requiring surgery has reportedly sidelined him for the 2025 season, according to 247Sports.
It is a blow for the Rebels, who will lean more on Wright in 2025, and it is easy to see why Hasz was so highly regarded. In 2024 with the Arkansas Razorbacks, he amassed 324 yards and four touchdowns on 25 receptions, leading to an EPA per target of 0.99.
15) Miles Kitselman, Tennessee
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 79.54 (C+)
Miles Kitselman proved to be one of the SEC’s most efficient tight ends in 2024, recording 301 yards and four touchdowns on 22 receptions while averaging 13.7 yards per catch.
Furthermore, an impressive 81.8% of his receptions resulted in first downs or touchdowns. The impactful tight end also added a further touchdown on the ground, and his five touchdowns from scrimmage were the third-most among tight ends in the SEC.
Entering his final season of eligibility in 2025, Kitselman is expected to be one of the top players at his position in the conference once more.
14) Jeremiah Franklin, Boston College
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 79.58 (C+)
Following a breakout 2024 campaign, Jeremiah Franklin enters his senior season as a key leader under Bill O’Brien. The three-star recruit finished third on the team with 311 yards and three touchdowns while posting an outstanding 1.12 EPA per target without recording a single drop.
13) Joe Royer, Cincinnati
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 80.14 (B-)
The 11th-most targeted tight end nationally in 2024, Joe Royer thrived in his first season at Cincinnati after transferring from Ohio State. His 50 receptions for 521 yards and three touchdowns set a program record for most catches by a tight end in a single season.
With quarterback Brendan Sorsby returning, Royer’s continued development could position him as one of the top tight end prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft.
12) Blake Bosma, Western Michigan
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 80.55 (B-)
Blake Bosma excelled as both receiver and blocker in 2024, earning him an 80.55 grade by PFSN’s College TE+ metric. His six receiving touchdowns tied for 12th nationally among tight ends, complementing 403 receiving yards on 37 catches.
The Western Michigan standout also proved reliable in protection, logging 300 run-blocking snaps while yielding zero sacks across 42 pass-blocking assignments.
11) Sam Roush, Stanford
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 80.56 (B-)
Sam Roush emerged as one of the nation’s premier blocking tight ends, averaging just 0.05 pressures per pass-blocking snap. His 110 pass-blocking attempts ranked third among all tight ends nationally, and he didn’t allow a single sack.
Despite Stanford’s disappointing 3-9 season, Roush provided consistent production with 40 catches for 334 yards and two touchdowns while ranking seventh in the FBS with 757 offensive snaps.
10) Dorian Fleming, Maryland
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 80.85 (B-)
A superb athlete, Fleming had a breakout season with Georgia State in 2024, as he finished the season as the Panthers’ second-leading receiver. His 49 catches for 558 yards and six touchdowns earned the 6’3”, 234-pound tight end 2024 CSN All-Sun Belt First Team Offense honors and put Power Four schools on notice as he transfers to Maryland in 2025.
9) Randy Pittman Jr., Florida State
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 80.92 (B-)
Randy Pittman transfers to Florida State for the 2025 season. Having previously spent time under Guz Mahlzan at UCF, he follows his former head coach to Tallahassee, where he will serve as the offensive coordinator for the upcoming season. In 2024, Pittman had 32 catches for 416 yards and two scores while averaging 13 yards per reception.
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Additionally, Pittman averaged 0.02 pressures per pass blocking snap as a blocker, an impressive number given his large sample size. The fresh Florida State tight end had 59 pass blocking snaps and 383 run blocking assignments, giving up just one pressure all year.
8) Matthew Hibner, SMU
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 81.86 (B-)
Matthew Hibner’s transfer from Michigan to SMU proved a masterstroke, as he evolved from a special-teams contributor to one of the nation’s top tight ends. His 24 catches for 368 yards and four touchdowns averaged an impressive 15.3 yards per reception.
After three seasons in Ann Arbor playing primarily special teams across 28 games, Hibner’s move to Dallas finally unlocked his potential and established him as one of the top returning tight ends for the 2025 season and a leader for the Mustangs under Rhett Lashlee.
7) Matt Lauter, Boise State
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 82.33 (B-)
Ashton Jeanty rightly took all the plaudits for the Boise State Broncos in 2024, but the rest of the offense also performed exceptionally well. Matt Lauter ranked 12th in the country among tight ends with 619 receiving yards and also ranked fifth with seven touchdowns. The Broncos tight end averaged 8.1 yards after the catch last season.
Meanwhile, he also showed prowess as a blocker. Lauter allowed one sack on 52 pass blocking snaps and averaged 0.06 pressures per blocking snap.
6) Justin Joly, NC State
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 82.71 (B-)
Justin Joly was a tight end analytical darling in 2024. After transferring from UConn, the NC State tight end formed an instant connection with quarterback CJ Bailey in his first season in Raleigh.
On his way to ranking fifth in the FBS among eligible tight ends with 15.4 yards per catch, Joly recorded 43 catches for 661 yards and four touchdowns. Those numbers can be further boosted in 2025 as a primary pass catcher in the Wolfpack offense.
5) Terrance Carter Jr., Texas Tech
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 84.61 (B)
Terrance Carter Jr. was instrumental in Louisiana’s impressive 10-4 season, recording 48 catches for 689 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 57.4 yards per game. His 404 yards after the catch ranked fourth nationally among tight ends, leading to a solid 0.72 EPA per target.
Carter’s blocking was equally impressive, allowing just one pressure across 31 pass-blocking snaps. His transfer to Texas Tech adds another weapon to a program that many consider a Big 12 title contender.
4) Max Klare, Ohio State
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 85. 14 (B)
Purdue’s 2024 season was quickly forgotten as the team faced a dismal run, resulting in 56 players entering the transfer portal. Among them was one of the most influential tight ends in the nation, Max Klare. Klare earns a transfer to current national champions Ohio State for the 2025 season, where his strong usage in the passing game can unlock a new level to the Buckeyes’ offense.
While Ryan Day returns a loaded receiving corps, Klare’s versatility from the slot (46.7% of his 2024 snaps) and ability to create after the catch add a unique element. His 338 yards after the catch ranked 11th nationally, generated from 51 receptions for 685 yards and four touchdowns.
3) Tanner Koziol, Houston
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 85.51 (B)
With a 3-8 record in the MAC, Ball State was largely overlooked in the national conversation in 2024. However, their tight end, Tanner Koziol, emerged as one of the top performers in the nation.
He ranked fifth among tight ends with 839 receiving yards, and third with eight touchdowns and 94 receptions. Koziol exceeded expectations with 11.4 more receptions than anticipated, making him one of the most impactful pass catchers in the country.
A move to the Big 12, with the Houston Cougars, will provide Koziol with further opportunities to test himself against Power Five opponents.
2) Jack Endries, Texas
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 84.72 (B)
Jack Endries could be the key to Texas’s championship aspirations in 2025. During his 2024 season at California, the elite tight end recorded 56 catches for 623 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 11.1 yards per reception and exceeding expectations by 13.1 receptions.
Endries aligned in the slot for 25% of his snaps, providing flexibility that should serve Arch Manning well in his first season as a starter. His blocking was exceptional, allowing just 0.01 pressures per blocking attempt with only one pressure allowed across 77 pass-blocking snaps.
1) Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
2024 PFSN College TE+ Grade: 86.89 (B)
Eli Stowers did minimal blocking in 2024 (just nine pass blocking snaps), but Vanderbilt didn’t want him to. They just wanted to get the ball in his hands. Eli Stowers enters 2025 as the nation’s top tight end after a remarkable journey to elite status.
The physically gifted athlete recorded 49 catches for 638 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 13 yards per catch and 7.6 yards after the catch. Originally recruited as a quarterback to Texas A&M, Stowers found his calling at tight end during his time at New Mexico State, where a 366-yard, two-touchdown receiving season earned him a move to the SEC with the Commodores.
His transition to Vanderbilt has transformed him into one of college football’s elite playmakers, meaning he is the top returning tight end in the nation heading into the 2025 season.
