Choosing a Husky Starting Lineup: After Otton, Here's the Bookend Tight End
Jacob Kizer didn't come back.
It must have been a difficult decision for him — opting out because of COVID-19 — because he'd waited a long time for an opportunity to be a full-time tight end for the University of Washington.
He'd grayshirted, delaying his enrollment to make sure he was fully healed from a back injury.
Kizer started three games as a freshman, the last time in the Fiesta Bowl against Penn State.
He had a late start to the 2019 season, again coming back from back problems.
Finally, in his senior season, Kizer appeared ready to line up opposite junior Cade Otton and flourish in his final season.
Yet he's gone.
The thing about Husky tight ends is this — there's never a short supply. The UW always has two or more ready to play at a high level and draw NFL eyes on them.
When Hunter Bryant passed up this season to launch his pro football career early, Cade Otton, likely an even better NFL prospect, became the No. 1 Husky tight end.
Now with the departure of Kizer, who seemed a strong candidate to become the second starter at tight end for his size, experience and blend of receiving and blocking skills, who's next to log a lot of game-day snaps?
There are plenty of candidates, held back only by youth.
As we continue to choose a Husky starting lineup, we find a suitable tight end to open against California, line up opposite Otton on the other side should new offensive coordinator John Donovan continue to rely on two tight ends and take the plays seemingly reserved for Kizer.
The UW, with impressive looking freshmen filling up the tight-end room, will look for another Ernie Conwell or Darrell Daniels, a second option fully capable of becoming the top short-yardage receiving target or a fearsome escort coming around the corner.
Tight end candidates: Jack Westover, 6-foot-3, 245-pound, sophomore; Devin Culp, 6-3, 245, sophomore; Mark Redmond, 6-6, 245, freshman; Mason West, 6-4, 225, freshman; Jack Yary, 6-6, 250, freshman.
Starting TE experience: Cade Otton, 23 games.
Our selection: Culp. He's not quite as big as Otton or even Kizer, but his athleticism at tight end leans to what Hunter Bryant brought the past three seasons. He hasn't caught a pass yet as a Husky, but he will. What will define him as a college player and a pro prospect is whether he can block effectively. If he wants to be an NFL draftee, Culp has to build that reputation for physical play. Bryant, as good as he is as a pass-catching tight end, didn't get draft over questions about his blocking ability. Fortunate for him, the Detroit Lions see promise and are trying to get him on the field.
Other options: Want to go huge? Check out the dimensions on Redmond and Yary. The Huskies haven't had a tight end that tall for more than two decades, since Jeremy Brigham left Montlake for the NFL. They're taller than Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Aaron Pierce. Guys like that are automatic first downs and touchdowns if they have halfway decent hands. Westover, as a walk-on redshirt freshman, played like a scholarship player in 2019, demonstrating he can block and catching a touchdown against Arizona. West comes with proven credentials as well.
Greatest UW blocking TE: Mark Bruener, whose son is a freshman linebacker for Jimmy Lake's team, has been the most fundamentally sound blocking tight end for the Huskies in modern times. You don't play 14 seasons and start 139 games in the NFL — more than any other UW tight end — and not be able to knock people out of the way.
Other legendary UW TEs: Austin Seferian-Jenkins set UW tight career records for receptions (146), yards (1,838) and touchdowns (21); Aaron Pierce, was the national championship starter in 1991; Ernie Conwell replaced Bruener at the UW and played 11 NFL seasons; Hunter Bryant ranks second among UW tight ends in career yards (1,394) and was an AP second-team All-American selection; Jerremy Stevens played nine NFL seasons; and Dave Williams twice caught a school-record 10 passes in Husky games.
The UW Starting Lineup:
Left tackle — Jaxson Kirkland
Left guard — Ulumoo Ale
Center — Luke Wattenberg
Right guard — Corey Luciano
Right tackle — Henry Bainivalu
Tight end — Cade Otton
Tight end — Devin Culp
Wide receiver — Puka Nacua
Wide receiver — Ty Jones
Running back — Richard Newton
Quarterback —
Kicker —
Punter —
Outside linebacker — Laiatu Latu
Defensive tackle — Tuli Letuligasenoa
Defensive tackle — Josiah Bronson
Outside linebacker — Sav'ell Smalls
Inside linebacker — Edefuan Ulofoshio
Inside linebacker — Miki Ah You
Cornerback — Kyler Gordon
Cornerback — Trent McDuffie
Nickel back — Elijah Molden
Strong safety —
Free safety —
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