Spring football preview: Tight end
Missouri will enter kick off its first spring under new head coach Eliah Drinkwitz on Saturday, March 7. Each day until then, we will break down the roster one position group at a time. Today, we take a look at the tight ends.
The starter: With Albert Okwuegbunam gone to the NFL, the stage appears to be set for Daniel Parker Jr. to show what he can do as an every-down tight end. The converted defensive lineman found a niche as a run blocker the past two seasons, although he also showed decent hands when he got the chance, catching 15 passes for 140 yards last season. The Blue Springs native may never find himself split out wide like Okwuegbunam often was the past two seasons, but his blocking ability and experience certainly make him the favorite to play the most snaps at the tight end position.
The backups: There should be plenty of room for other tight ends to see the field in addition to Parker this season, and there will be several players vying to do so. Niko Hea won the favor of the coaching staff last season, playing in 10 games and catching three passes as a true freshman. Hea came to campus as a reputation as a skilled receiver, but he has bulked up quickly and showed an ability to block as well last season. Considering he just arrived on campus last summer, the St. Louis native could step into an even larger role as a sophomore, although it’s worth noting that new position coach Casey Woods won’t put any stock in last season’s depth chart.
Other names to know will be Brendan Scales, Messiah Swinson and Logan Christopherson. Scales, a senior, drew positive reviews from the coaching staff before last season but suffered a broken foot during fall camp and missed most of the year. Swinson, a 6-foot-7 former basketball player, certainly looks the part of a dynamic red zone receiving threat, but he missed all of the 2018 season with a torn ACL and found himself buried on the depth chart last year. Christopherson, on the other hand, projects as more of a blocking specialist than a receiving threat. He played in 11 games last season but did not record a catch.
Newcomers to know: Missouri didn’t add any tight ends to the roster during the offseason.
Potential storylines: How will the new offensive staff utilize the tight ends? The answer could determine which players see the field in addition to Parker, as each brings a different skillset to the table. Drinkwitz relied on H-Backs in his run-heavy offense at Appalachian State; if that follows him to Missouri, Hea (who lined up at H-Back a few times last season) and Christopherson would seem logical fits. If the staff wants to split a tight end out wide and use him as a receiving threat, Swinson could fit the bill, although he seemed to struggle learning the playbook last season, so that would have to improve.
PowerMizzou prediction: Parker will take the majority of the first-team reps, with Brendan Scales listed as his top backup at the end of spring. However, no one will really separate himself for the No. 2 spot heading into fall, leaving the door open for each of the four backups mentioned above to work into a regular role by the time the season kicks off.