With Moore Leaving, Who's Next Great UW Blocking TE?

On the University of Washington football team, the tight end as a position of a point of emphasis is a given.

There's always going to be one or two each year eventually capable of playing in the NFL.

All of them typically show they can catch.

Where the Huskies have to dig a little deeper is finding that guy who can and wants to block in a dominant manner.

For instance in 2023, while Devin Culp was making a spectacular end-zone catch against USC, the guy behind him, Jack Westover, often was doing the dirty work, typically coming in to lead an envoy of blockers around the corner.

Cade Otton, Drew Sample and Will Dissly are others who have made themselves into effective blockers after initially showing off good hands for hauling in passes.

These past four years, Quentin Moore did it the other way, establishing himself as a physical presence before showing his finesse side.

Yet now that this 6-foot-5, 260-pound Kenmore, Washington, product is off to a certain NFL career himself, who's next to provide blocking prowess?

Moore is partial to 6-foot-4, 245-pound junior Decker DeGraaf, who for two seasons has shown himself to be a high-level receiver at his position. After all, he caught a touchdown pass on one of his first college football plays against Weber State.

"They might not want me to say, but I've got to give it to Decker," Moore said, meaning that as a compliment. "That's my guy."

DeGraaf, it seems, is driven to be elite at all facets of the tight-end position.

Baron Naone played in seven games as a freshman. | Dave Sizer photo

If it's not DeGraaf, the Huskies seemed to anoint the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Baron Naone as the next blocking heavy tight end last season as a freshman.

Naone played in seven game during his first season and came away with no receptions, which meant he had marching orders to open up some holes up front as his primary responsibility and catches would come later.

All of these Husky tight ends who come through the program are strongly encouraged to be well-rounded players, especially since the school is widely known for supplying guys from that position to the NFL ranks.

Yet it's the guy who uses the tough stuff as a calling card, who doesn't mind hitting people, who is going to turn it into Husky success followed by a long pro football career.