2006 Preseason All-Americans - Tight Ends

2006 CFN All-America Tight Ends

QBs | RBs | WRs | OTs  OGs | Cs | DEs | DTs | LBs  CBs | Ss | PKs | Ps | KRs

2006 CFN Preseason First Team All-American
Zach Miller, Jr. Arizona State - 38 catches, 476 yds, 12.5 ypc, 4 TD
One of the nation's best tight ends, the 6-5, 258-pound junior is a Todd Heap clone who'll set every record for ASU tight ends before his time is done. He gets the headlines for his receiving skills, but he's one of the nation's best blocking tight ends and a possible top 15 pick if he chooses to come out next season. He makes plays like a wide receiver with soft, reliable hands.

Preseason 25 Best Tight Ends
1. Zach Miller, Jr. Arizona State
2. Greg Olsen, Jr., Miami
3. Matt Spaeth, Sr. Minnesota
4. Chase Coffman, Soph., Missouri
5. Clark Harris, Sr. Rutgers
6. Martin Rucker, Jr., Missouri
7. Matt Herian, Sr., Nebraska
8. Joe Newton, Sr. Oregon State
9. Jonny Harline, Sr. BYU
10. Shawn Nelson, Soph. Southern Miss
11. Brent Celek, Sr. Cincinnati
12. Tyler Ecker, Sr. Michigan
13. Anthony Pudewell, Sr. Nevada
14. Tom Santi, Jr., Virginia
15. Scott Chandler, Sr. Iowa
16. Jacob Tamme, Jr. Kentucky
17. Samuel Smith, Sr. FIU
18. Martellus Bennett, Soph. Texas A&M
19. Eric Butler, Jr. Mississippi State
20. Martrez Milner, Sr. Georgia
21. Daniel Coats, Soph. BYU
22. Chad Upshaw, Sr. Buffalo
23. Dan Murray, Sr. Connecticut
24. Chris Hopkins, Sr. Toledo
25. Ryan Kennedy, Sr. SMU

2006 CFN Preseason Second Team All-American
Greg Olsen, Jr. Miami - 31 catches, 451 yds, 14.5 ypc, 4 TD
The sky's the limit for the soon to be first round draft choice. Olsen has it all from fantastic hands to good deep speed to good blocking ability in a 6-5, 252-pound frame. There are few better route runners and few tight ends in college football that can match what he can do in the open field. He'll likely be the team's leading receiver and the number one option on third downs. 

2006 CFN Honorable Mention All-Americans
(in alphabetical order)

Chase Coffman, Soph. Missouri - 47 catches, 503 yds, 10.7 ypc, 4 TD
He'll be a First Team All-American before his career is up. At 6-6 and 230 pounds he has the size to outmuscle most defenders, and he has baby-soft hands that haul in everything thrown his way. He's fast enough to be used as a big wide receiver if needed.

Clark Harris, Sr. Rutgers - 38 catches, 584 yds, 15.4 ypc, 4 TD
The two-time All-Big East performer is back as one of the nation's better receiving tight ends and a should up his already considerable draft stock even more after returning for his senior season. He's 6-6 and 255 pounds with great route-running ability and soft hands catching 109 passes over the last three seasons. He has developed into a dependable blocker.

Matt Herian, Sr., Nebraska
Herian finally appears to be back and ready to contribute after missing almost two years trying to recover from a broken leg that required two surgeries. He's a decent blocker, but he's an NFL caliber target, or at least he was before the injury, and he needs to prove that he can be the fast, 6-5, 245-pound wide-receiver-playing-tight-end that he was before getting hurt. From 2002 to 2004 he caught 53 passes for 1,093 yards and ten touchdowns averaging 20.7 yards per catch.

Jonny Harline, Sr. BYU - 63 catches, 853 yds, 13.5 ypc, 5 TD
A tight-end-not-a-tight-end, Harline is a big wide receiver at the Y position finishing last year as the team's leading pass catcher while showing off the hands and deep speed to make him a good pro prospect. He's a decent blocker with a strong 6-4, 240-pound frame, but he's all about catching the ball with three 100-yard games last year and a ten-catch performance against New Mexico.

Shawn Nelson, Soph. Southern Miss  - 35 catches, 540 yds, 15.4 ypc, 5 TD
Nelson led the team in receiving as a freshman and was the New Orleans Bowl MVP catching six passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns. In fact, he closed the year out hot with 11 grabs for 234 yards and three scores in the final two games. He's a quick 6-5 and 230 pounds with great route running ability and excellent hands. He needs to improve his blocking skills.

Joe Newton, Sr. Oregon State
One of the nation's best tight ends, the 6-7, 252-pound senior is back after missing last year with a leg injury. He caught 56 passes for 687 yards and seven touchdowns in 2004 and is now back too 100% and looks like the players of old. Along with being a great receiver, he's a strong blocker. Expect a huge year as the go-to guy in the red zone.

Martin Rucker, Jr. Missouri - 47 catches, 567 yds, 12.1 ypc, 1 TD
A two-year starter, Rucker led the team in receiving yards and earned a few All-Big 12 accolades. He's a big 6-5, 245-pound target who doesn't get enough credit for his blocking skills. He was a bit overshadowed by newcomer Chase Coffman on a national scale, but now he's ready to get his due recognition as he'll be on the Mackey Award short list.

Matt Spaeth, Sr. Minnesota - 26 catches, 333 yds, 12.8 ypc, 4 TD
An excellent all-around tight end, the 6-6, 270-pound senior is a devastating run blocker and finished third on the team in receiving on his way to First-Team All-Big Ten honors. He wasn't a part of the passing game early on, but he became one of the team's most reliable targets over the second half of the season and should be in the hunt to be the school's all-time leading receiving tight end needing 483 yards.