Houston Predicted Starting TE After Tanner Koziol Picked in NFL Draft

Who will be the Houston Cougars tight end next season after Tanner Koziol was selected in the NFL Draft?

Houston Cougars tight end Tanner Koziol (9) celebrates a touchdown reception during the fourth quarter against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

The Houston Cougars may not have a large number of their players from the 2025 roster getting selected in the NFL Draft, but the ones that did were all critical pieces of their success.

One of those players was Tanner Koziol, who will take his talents to the next level in the NFL. That wasn't a surprise for head coach Willie Fritz and his staff; they went through the spring camp looking to find their new tight end.

That's why it was critical for the Cougars to land a player out of the transfer portal, and Patrick Overmyer looks like the guy to take over the job, and be a significant piece of the offense's success in 2026.

Why Overmyer Will Be the Guy Next Season

UTSA Roadrunners tight end Patrick Overmyer (9) celebrates his touchdown catch against the Army Black Knights during the first half at the Alamodome. | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Koziol was a new addition for the Cougars this past season, having spent the three seasons prior at Ball State. He made the most of his time here, though, earning First-Team All Big 12, so replacing that production will be tough, but the Cougars believe Overmyer is the guy for the job.

He is one of the most productive tight ends around the country, with plenty of experience, having spent three seasons with the UTSA Roadrunners. In 2023, his first season with the program, he only participated in five games, and it wasn't until the following season that would have his first big season.

Overmyer made his mark as a redshirt freshman in 2024, playing in all 13 games and recording 31 catches for 283 yards and a pair of touchdowns, earning a First-team Freshman All-American selection by The Athletic. He was part of a duo that gave the Roadrunners more than 500 receiving yards in the tight end room.

He used the 2024 season as a stepping stone, improving on the field, contributing in 13 games, and starting eight of them, to cap off the season with 344 yards and five touchdowns on 27 touchdowns. More impressively, those numbers were once again recorded as he shared the room with another talented tight end who transferred to the Texas A&M Aggies.

Losing a player as talented as Koziol will be tough for the Cougars, as they look to show they can start a streak of success, but Fritz and his staff believe Overmyer is the guy for the job. Now that he should get the lion's share of work in the offense, it could be his big breakout year that he has shown glimpses of over his career.