Position Previews: The New Look Ole Miss Tight End Room
So you don't know a single Ole Miss tight end? Don't worry, they're pretty much all new faces.
Ole Miss has not had a relevant tight end since Evan Engram's senior year in 2016. Sure, there's been some success in the draft since with Dawson Knox in 2019, but even his last season in Oxford was far from impressive when he caught only 15 passes.
All of that should change in the 2020 season with Lane Kiffin and Jeff Lebby's offense.
One season ago, while Lane Kiffin was at Florida Atlantic, FAU tight end Harrison Bryant was named the John Mackey Award winner for the nation's top tight end. Yes, the best tight end in college football was at FAU. Bryant caught 65 balls for 1,004 receiving yards with seven touchdowns that season.
Now, Kiffin is bringing that offense to Oxford. Who will be the Ole Miss tight ends that will likely be a big part in the Ole Miss offense? Let's take a look:
Returning Starters: None
Returning Contributors: D'Vaughn Pennamon (RS Sr.)
Coming to Ole Miss in 2016 as a four-star running back, Pennamon made the transition to tight end in 2019 after never having carried more than 53 times in a season prior. Despite a tight end room in 2019 that lacked significant depth, Pennamon played very few snaps at the position one year ago. He's not expected to be a major contributor in 2020.
Newcomers: Kenny Yeboah (Grad Transfer from Temple), Chase Rogers (RS Jr. Transfer from Louisiana), Damarcus Thomas (Fr.)
The two major tight ends that should see significant time this season are a pair of transfers in Kenny Yeboah from Temple and Chase Rogers from Louisiana. Rogers transferred last season and sat out 2019 following two years with Louisiana where he appeared in 11 games, making two starts.
Yeboah is truly the Rebel tight end that could break out and fill that Harrison Bryant role. Kiffin's hand picked guy who will be immediately eligible as a grad transfer, Yeboah had 19 catches for 233 yards and five touchdowns on a team that rarely utilizes a tight end. His two-touchdown game against Tulane was the first such game from a TE in school history.
The final Rebel that could see playing time at the position is freshman Damarcus Thomas, a four-star tight end recruit by Rivals from Saraland, Ala. Thomas recorded 739 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a senior.
It's been quite some time since tight ends were super relevant in Ole Miss offenses. All that should change in 2020.
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The Good and the Bad from Ole Miss Football's Fourth Scrimmage
Four-star QB Nicco Marchiol Names Ole Miss Among Top Eight
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