Best high school tight ends in the nation entering the 2023 football season
Summer is waning and fall is approaching, so it's time to start getting excited for the 2023 high school football season.
Several of the nation's top teams start their season in just a couple of weeks, and SBLive Sports is highlighting some of the best players in the nation heading into the fall season.
Over the next few weeks we'll be taking a position-by-position look at some of the best of the best in high school football. We started with the defensive backs, moved on to quarterbacks, athletes, kickers and offensive linemen, and now it's the tight ends' turn.
Christian Bentancur, sr., Marian Central Catholic (Illinois)
Bentancur, a four-star Clemson commit, is a two-way standout for Marian Central Catholic. He had 57 receptions for 1,085 yards and 11 touchdowns last fall while recording seven sacks and five forced fumbles on defense.
Jonathan Echols, sr., IMG Academy (Florida)
Echols caught seven touchdown passes as a sophomore for Heard County (Georgia) and transferred to IMG Academy for his junior season where he helped the Ascenders finish No. 5 in the final SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25 rankings. The four-star senior is committed to Tennessee.
Kaleb Edwards, jr., Oak Ridge (California)
A four-star junior with more than a dozen offers, Edwards had 628 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season. He nearly averaged a double-double in basketball as a sophomore.
James Flanigan, jr., Notre Dame Academy (Wisconsin)
The son of former NFL defensive lineman Jim Flanigan, James Flanigan was a standout on both sides of the ball during his sophomore season. The four-star class of 2025 recruit had 520 receiving yards and nine touchdowns from the tight end position while piling up 66 tackles (seven for loss) on defense.
Tayvion Galloway, sr., Pickerington Central (Ohio)
Galloway, a four-star senior with more than 30 Division I offers, had 36 catches for 697 yards and six touchdowns last season. He also played defensive end and was a star basketball player for Chillicothe before transferring to Pickerington Central this summer.
Trey'Dez Green, sr., East Feliciana (Louisiana)
The 6-foot-7, 230-pound Green ranks among the best football and basketball players in Louisiana. The four-star LSU commit is a dominant pass-catching threat who hauled in 14 touchdowns as a junior.
Hogan Hansen, sr., Bellevue (Washington)
One of the few traditional tight ends on this list, the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Hansen excels as a blocker in Bellevue’s run-heavy offense. The four-star Michigan commit is also a dominant defensive end at the high school level.
Kendre Harrison, so., Reidsville (North Carolina)
Harrison was a factor on both sides of the ball during his freshman season for Reidsville. He caught five touchdowns from the tight end position while recording 92 tackles (24 for loss) and nine sacks on defense. Harrison already holds more than a dozen college offers, including Alabama, Ohio State and Oregon.
Amir Jackson, sr., Portal (Georgia)
Jackson, a four-star Florida commit, has averaged a double-double during his three seasons playing for Portal’s basketball team. He is also a football standout who had 428 receiving yards and four touchdowns as a junior to go along with 71 tackles on defense.
Max LeBlanc, sr., Baylor (Tennessee)
LeBlanc has a huge catch radius thanks to his 6-foot-5 frame. The four-star Ohio State commit recorded 39 receptions for 695 yards and three touchdowns last fall.
Elija Lofton, sr., Bishop Gorman (Nevada)
Lofton is a well-rounded athlete who is capable of playing tight end, H-back and slot receiver. The four-star Miami commit had eight touchdowns as a sophomore and added 756 receiving yards and 11 more TDs last season.
Davon Mitchell, sr., Los Alamitos (California)
Mitchell had 731 receiving yards and nine touchdowns during his sophomore season for Allen (Texas). Mitchell transferred to Los Alamitos earlier this year and decided to reclassify to the class of 2024. The four-star recruit committed to Oklahoma in early July.
Carter Nelson, sr., Ainsworth (Nebraska)
A small-school standout, Nelson scored 25 total touchdowns and had six interceptions on defense playing eight-man football for Ainsworth. The four-star Nebraska commit is also a dominant interior basketball player and state champion high jumper.
Joey Olsen photo by Naji Saker
Joey Olsen, sr., Lakeridge (Oregon)
Olsen has been productive since his freshman season for Lakeridge. The four-star USC commit has 82 receptions for 1,652 yards and 20 touchdowns entering his final year with the Pacers.
Brady Prieskorn, sr., Adams (Michigan)
Prieskorn is another four-star Michigan commit who enjoys blocking as much as receiving. As a junior, Prieskorn caught 10 touchdowns while also starring at defensive end.
Jaden Reddell, sr., Raymore-Peculiar (Missouri)
Playing more of a receiver role as a junior, Reddell caught 49 passes for 1,002 yards and 12 touchdowns last fall. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound four-star prospect will play tight end in college for Georgia.
Nate Roberts, jr., Washington (Oklahoma)
Roberts recorded 33 receptions for 705 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore, helping lead Washington to a perfect 15-0 record and the Oklahoma Class 2A state championship. The four-star recruit is committed to Notre Dame.
Brock Schott, jr., Leo (Indiana)
Schott, a four-star junior, had 468 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore. He was even more dominant on defense, piling up 20.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.
Michael Smith, sr., Calvary Day School (Georgia)
Smith averaged more than 25 yards per reception as a junior and finished with 12 touchdowns. The four-star South Carolina commit is an excellent route runner for his size (6-foot-5, 230 pounds).
Landen Thomas, sr., Colquitt County (Georgia)
A five-star recruit and the nation’s No. 1 tight end prospect for the class of 2024 according to 247Sports, Thomas has been an impact player for Colquitt County since his freshman season. The Florida State commit had seven touchdowns as a sophomore and caught 44 passes for 753 yards and eight scores last fall. He also ran for five TDs as a short-yardage quarterback.
