8/5/2023 football Edit

Mizzou football notebook: Open tight end competition, young prospects

Jarod Hamilton • PowerMizzou

Staff Writer

Mizzou football is nearing the end of its first week of fall camp with it being a little less than four weeks from the team’s season opener versus South Dakota on Aug. 31.

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Going into 2023, much has been made about the quarterback competition, the shuffling of the offensive line, the depth at wide receiver and who will or will not ascend on the running back depth chart.

But one of the more underrated storylines is the tight end position and how the group can be more impactful this season.

Of all the offensive positions, the tight end spot was probably the biggest sore spot for the team a year ago.

The Tigers are looking to change the misfortunes of the group with some open competition among a couple of veterans and some promising younger players.

Open competition

Of all the offensive positions that are in a true position battle tight end may be the one truly starting from scratch.

Before camp, head coach Eli Drinkwitz said he’s looking for the tight ends to be more physical and create opportunities in the passing game and then once they do that, consistently catch the football.

Last season, Tyler Stephens, Kibet Chepyator and Ryan Hoerstkamp combined for 10 receptions, 102 yards and two touchdowns a season ago with the former two ranking among the bottom five on the team in run blocking, according to PFF College.

Stephens had the most snaps and opportunities of the three. He played in 12 games and had five receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown.

When tight ends coach Erik Link talked to the media on Sunday he made sure to point out that Stephens’ experience doesn’t put him ahead of the pack to start camp.

“Tyler has the most in-game snaps played, but by no means is it a job that’s closed and Tyler knows that and the guys in the room know that,” Link said.

Even though Stephens had a rough 2022 campaign, Link gives Stephens the benefit of the doubt as he believes last year was a big adjustment period for Stephens, who transferred from Buffalo last offseason.

However, with Stephens having been a Tiger for over a year and a half, Link also believes Stephens needs to take a big step forward.

“I think it was a big investment physically coming from the MAC to the SEC,” Link said. “I think two offseasons from a physical standpoint 一 we need him to be a more effective, more efficient blocker both in the inside run game and the perimeter stuff. But he also has the ability to make some plays and when the opportunity arises we need him to seize that opportunity within the lifetime of that opportunity.”

Stephens will also be joined by another veteran in camp in Hoerstkamp who recorded a pair of receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown.

Link said in the spring they’re working on getting Hoerstkamp prepared physically and mentally for the role of being a complete tight end.

Hoerstkamp flashed during the week 12 game versus New Mexico State last year and proved to have solid hands, but he’s an undersized tight end at 6-foot-2 and 241 pounds.

Both veterans will be competing with some younger guys, who the team believes has some playmaking potential that’ll possibly be on display in the near future in Brett Norfleet and Jordon Harris.

Young prospects who can make an impact

Norfleet is one of five four-star star true freshmen on this roster, and of all of them, he probably has the best chance to start.

At 6-foot-7 and 235 pounds, Norfleet is already one of the bigger tight ends on the roster and his high school tape showed he is a solid pass catcher and has the potential to be the best blocker at the position on the team.

Harris was a three-star signee, but his 6-foot-4 and 239-pound frame intrigues the coaching staff despite this upcoming season being just his second season playing football.

To Link, size and athleticism isn’t the only thing these two have in common.

“Honestly, they’re probably more similar than they are different,” Link said. “They’re both athletic and have shown an ability to be physical and they both have the ability to play inline, attached but also do some of the off-the-ball, split-out stuff we ask our tight ends to do. So, they’re probably more similar than different. Brett’s just played the game longer.”

In addition to their size, both players were multi-sport athletes with Norfleet playing baseball and Harris playing basketball.

Link said he likes when players come to the team having played other sports because it has given them an extra sense of competing and it means they've tested their bodies athletically in different ways

“I love multi-sport athletes,” Link said. “We want guys that come in and are used to competing and having adversity.A lot of times guys that we have here that are multi-sports guys were probably one of the better football players in their school if not the best. But maybe they weren’t the best baseball or basketball player. And those two particular instances, they probably were 一 but they have to overcome.

“I favor multi-sport guys because they have other team experiences and athletic ability. That’s a huge part of it and there’s different movements putting your body in different situations athletically, and so I think that’s a plus.”

Drinkwitz was sure to point out that they don't want any undue pressure on them, especially Norfleet. But he did say they both had good offseasons.

"I'm excited that Brett is here and I know he's excited to be here and don't want to put any undue expectations on him," Drinkwitz said. "We want him to be the best version of himself that he can be and get acclimated to college football. But I think it's unfair to put too much pressure on him too soon. But he and Jordon, both have done a really nice job this summer.

The two true freshmen have a ways to go before they actually crack the rotation, but another young player who Link doesn’t want to get lost in the shuffle is Max Whisner.

The redshirt freshman didn’t play last year but in the spring Link said Whisner “is a young kid that you can tell has really capitalized and taken advantage of his redshirt season.”

He also said Whisner has physically matured faster than some would’ve expected.

“So, I think everyone talks about the two young guys but really there’s a third young guy in Max Whisner,” Link said. “He was just here last year, redshirted and hasn’t played, but we’re looking forward to big things from him. He’s had a great offseason, a great spring.”

This week, Stephens was with the first team while Whisner was with the second team and Norfleet was with the third.