College Football's Tight End Boom Is Already Here and NFL Teams Can't Get Enough

The tight end revolution isn't coming. It's already happened. This year's NFL Draft dropped 22 tight ends across all seven rounds, the most since 2002. Nine of them went in the first three rounds. That's not a fluke. That's a trend with teeth.

Sean McVay at the Los Angeles Rams and Ben Johnson at the Chicago Bears, two guys known for cooking up offensive masterpieces, are both loading up on tight ends despite already having solid options. Why? Because modern offenses are built around 12 and 13 personnel sets, that's two tight end and three tight end formations. It's a direct answer to how defenses have evolved over the last two decades.

The Defensive Shift That Started It All

Here's the thing: college and pro football are always in this back-and-forth dance. Spread offenses dominated the landscape at high school and college levels, so defenses adapted by getting smaller and faster. But you can't leave that door open in football. The counter move? Get bigger. Bring in 6-4, 240-pound athletes who can move. Enter the tight end revolution.

The numbers back it up hard. In 2016, college offenses were running 12 personnel just 17.6% of the time. By 2025, that number jumped to 23.0%. Even with some ups and downs along the way, the trajectory has been climbing the whole time. Peak came in 2024 at 24.0%. Same story with 12 and 13 personnel combined, rising from 19.2% in 2016 all the way to 25.2% last season.

More Targets, More Yards, More Everything

It's not just the play calling either. Tight ends are catching more passes and racking up more yards every single year. Targets are up. Receptions are up. Yards are up. The position has become a core part of FBS offenses, and it's not leveling off anytime soon.

Sure, not every team is riding this wave the same way. College football has enough variety that you'll find outliers. But broadly speaking, FBS offenses are embracing heavier formations and exploiting the fact that there are more massive athletic specimens with track speed available than ever before.

The game keeps evolving. By the time your kid is playing college ball, who knows what the offense will look like. But one thing's for sure: the tight end position is having a moment, and the NFL is doubling down on it.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.