Post-spring breakdown: Tight end
Missouri concluded its spring football practices with the Black and Gold game on Saturday. Before settling in for the summer and shifting our focus forward to fall camp, we will take a look back at what we learned during the spring for each position group, as well as where the depth chart currently stands. Today, we turn our attention to the tight ends.
Previous positions:
DEPTH CHART
1. Albert Okwuegbunam, RS-Jr.
2. Daniel Parker Jr., So.
3. Brendan Scales, Jr.
4. Logan Christopherson, So.
5. Messiah Swinson, RS-Fr.
THE SKINNY
Nearly as important to the Tiger offense as Kelly Bryant’s announcement that he would transfer to Missouri was Albert Okwuegbunam’s decision to forego the NFL draft and return for his junior season. Okwuegbunam didn’t participate in much of spring practices due to a shoulder injury suffered last season, but he presents a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. His 6-foot-5, 255-pound frame makes him a consistent red zone target, while his speed makes it difficult to cover him with a linebacker. The one aspect Okwuegbunam can improve in is consistency, but he should have plenty of opportunities to do so as a focal point of the offense this season. Okwuegbunam is a legitimate all-American hopeful.
Daniel Parker Jr., one of the revelations of last season, should compliment Okwuegbunam. Parker arrived on campus last summer as a defensive end, but quickly transitioned to tight end and emerged as a strong run blocker. Parker caught six passes for 63 yards and a touchdown as well, and he may be more involved in the passing game this year.
After a strong offseason, Brendan Scales provides needed depth at the position, while Messiah Swinson could also work his way into a regular role this year. The 6-foot-7 Swinson has the look of a potentially dominant receiver, but he tore his ACL prior to last season and has spent the past nine months slowly recovering.
SPRING TAKEAWAY
After he caught just one pass all of last season and saw Parker and converted offensive lineman Samson Bailey pass him on the depth chart, Scales appeared to be a transfer candidate entering this offseason. But the coaching staff has praised Scales for his work over the winter, and he served as the starting tight end during Saturday’s spring game (albeit due to Okwuegbunam and Parker sitting out). Missouri learned the hard way last year the importance of depth at the tight end position, so Scales’ emergence should be welcome.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
How far is Swinson from regular playing time? The massive target apparently impressed his coaches enough during camp last year that he was in position to forego a redshirt until he tore his ACL. The injury set him back both physically and mentally — as tight ends coach A.J. Ofodile pointed out, Swinson didn’t start playing football until relatively late in his pre-college career, and he was away from the team for parts of last season, so he is still working to learn the offense. However, Swinson’s sheer size and athleticism suggest that, once he is able to return to full health and gain comfort with the offense, he could be a force in the receiving game. The question is whether it will happen this season.
QUOTABLE
Tight ends coach A.J. Ofodile on Daniel Parker Jr.:
“You’d never guess that he was not a tight end by nature, just in terms of his understanding of the position. How he’s developed and progressed as a route-runner has been really exciting. He’s never lacked for confidence. … He’s a more complete player now, he’s a more mature player. I know he had a great offseason, so he’s gotten himself quicker, faster, more flexible. He’s really made some improvements to his overall game, just his overall physical presence.”
Ofodile on Swinson:
“He was a kid that was more of a basketball kid, hadn’t played a ton of football, and then he got a few practices in with us and then was injured, so he didn’t get all the scout team reps and didn’t get all the practice reps that some of the other guys in his class got. So really, when you’re looking at him just from a pure experience standpoint, he’s probably a lot closer to our early-enrollee freshmen, in terms of, he’s guy five practices of experience over those guys. So the biggest thing is just he’s young and he’s got a lot to learn and a lot of upside, so just making sure he improves every single day in terms of what he knows scheme-wise and what he knows technique-wise.”