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Perhaps no position in football has evolved over the decades more than the tight end position.
From a primarily blocking position to one where in modern football, they're one of the top pass-catchers on a team, there's no denying that having an elite tight end could be the difference to team's success on offense.
While some offensive schemes at the high school level may not require a tight end, most today do and a select few have a tight end that could be considered as one of the best in the nation.
Here's a look at the top 15 tight ends in the country heading into the start of the 2026 high school football season.
High School: Ruston (LA)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: LSU
Breakdown: One of the best football and basketball players in the country, the Tigers hold Hudson's pledge but have been in a battle with Nebraska to keep it. Keeping him home would be massive as he's coming off of a junior season that saw him catch 41 passes for 718 yards and six touchdowns.
High School: East Lincoln (Denver, NC)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Georgia
Breakdown: One of two Georgia commitments on this list, Dollar could very well come to Athens and immediately give the Bulldogs another weapon on offense. There weren’t many teams that could cover him last season as he finished the year with 54 receptions for 1,190 yards and 20 touchdowns.
High School: Boyle County (Danville, KY)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Oklahoma
Breakdown: Brent Venables and the Sooners went into Kentucky to land their tight end of the future. They landed a great one as Driver is coming off a 49-reception season for 875 yards and 11 touchdowns.
High School: John Milledge Academy (Milledgeville, GA)
Class: 2028
College Commitment: Georgia
Breakdown: Wall is a weapon wherever he’s playing on offense. While he did rush for 656 yards and 15 touchdowns, he was even deadlier as a receiver, catching 47 passes for 941 yards and 10 more touchdowns.
High School: Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, WA)
Class: 2028
College Commitment: Uncommitted
Breakdown: Like a few other guys on this list, McNeal is a star both on the football field and the basketball court. Standing at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, 247Sports ranks McNeal as the top tight end prospect for the 2028 class.
High School: Kindred (ND)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Minnesota
Breakdown: Minnesota went to North and South Dakota, landing a pair of the nation’s best tight end prospects. Bakko was the North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year last season, catching 41 passes for 757 yards and 12 touchdowns to go with 70 tackles and seven interceptions on defense.
High School: Sevier County (Sevierville, TN)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Duke
Breakdown: Newman played a pivotal role in leading the Smoky Bears back to a Class 5A championship last season starring on both sides of the ball. He was at this best as the team’s leading receiver, totaling 78 receptions for 1,059 yards and 10 touchdowns.
High School: The Lawrenceville School (NJ)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Michigan
Breakdown: Michigan has historically always had good tight ends and Lumpris appears to be next in line. As a junior he caught 44 passes for 812 yards and eight touchdowns.
High School: Lennox (SD)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Minnesota
Breakdown: Minnesota’s second commitment on this list, Mikkelsen is one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the country. He showed that last year, catching 70 passes for 1,111 yards and 17 touchdowns.
High School: Choctaw (OK)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Notre Dame
Breakdown: Notre Dame is known for its rich history of tight ends, and the Fighting Irish went to Oklahoma to land a big win with Hawk. The future Fighting Irish tight end caught 31 passes for 644 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior.
High School: Norman North (OK)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Stanford
Breakdown: Another one of the Sooner State’s top prospects heading to another prestigious private school, Kolar should be a huge addition to the Cardinal offense once he gets to Palo Alto. Last year he totaled 44 receptions for 622 yards and nine touchdowns.
High School: Grant Union (Sacramento, CA)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: California
Breakdown: Keeping Edwards home was a massive recruiting win for the Bears. Last year he only caught 23 passes but totaled 634 yards and five touchdowns on those receptions.
High School: Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Kansas
Breakdown: Gazzaniga is coming off of a junior season that saw him catch 20 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns. Playing for one of the nation’s top programs, expect to see a jump in his production before he heads off to Lawrence.
High School: Rutherford (NJ)
Class: 2028
College Commitment: Uncommitted
Breakdown: Weber will be a name to keep an eye on going forward as he will undoubtedly shoot up the rankings if he improves upon what was a breakout sophomore season. He finished the year with 34 receptions for 427 yards and five touchdowns.
High School: St. Francis de Sales (Columbus, OH)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Virginia Tech
Breakdown: A massive recruiting win for James Franklin was landing Karhoff's pledge as his tight end of the future. Last year he caught 31 passes for 548 yards and five touchdowns while also starring on defense with 56 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: [email protected]. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LSU commit Ahmad Hudson headlines top 15 tight ends entering 2026 season
Continue reading...
From a primarily blocking position to one where in modern football, they're one of the top pass-catchers on a team, there's no denying that having an elite tight end could be the difference to team's success on offense.
While some offensive schemes at the high school level may not require a tight end, most today do and a select few have a tight end that could be considered as one of the best in the nation.
Here's a look at the top 15 tight ends in the country heading into the start of the 2026 high school football season.
1. Ahmad Hudson
High School: Ruston (LA)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: LSU
Breakdown: One of the best football and basketball players in the country, the Tigers hold Hudson's pledge but have been in a battle with Nebraska to keep it. Keeping him home would be massive as he's coming off of a junior season that saw him catch 41 passes for 718 yards and six touchdowns.
You must be registered for see images attach
2. Jaxon Dollar
High School: East Lincoln (Denver, NC)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Georgia
Breakdown: One of two Georgia commitments on this list, Dollar could very well come to Athens and immediately give the Bulldogs another weapon on offense. There weren’t many teams that could cover him last season as he finished the year with 54 receptions for 1,190 yards and 20 touchdowns.
You must be registered for see images attach
3. Senece Driver
High School: Boyle County (Danville, KY)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Oklahoma
Breakdown: Brent Venables and the Sooners went into Kentucky to land their tight end of the future. They landed a great one as Driver is coming off a 49-reception season for 875 yards and 11 touchdowns.
4. Asa Wall
High School: John Milledge Academy (Milledgeville, GA)
Class: 2028
College Commitment: Georgia
Breakdown: Wall is a weapon wherever he’s playing on offense. While he did rush for 656 yards and 15 touchdowns, he was even deadlier as a receiver, catching 47 passes for 941 yards and 10 more touchdowns.
5. Tytan McNeal
High School: Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, WA)
Class: 2028
College Commitment: Uncommitted
Breakdown: Like a few other guys on this list, McNeal is a star both on the football field and the basketball court. Standing at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, 247Sports ranks McNeal as the top tight end prospect for the 2028 class.
6. Brooks Bakko
High School: Kindred (ND)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Minnesota
Breakdown: Minnesota went to North and South Dakota, landing a pair of the nation’s best tight end prospects. Bakko was the North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year last season, catching 41 passes for 757 yards and 12 touchdowns to go with 70 tackles and seven interceptions on defense.
7. Parker Newman
High School: Sevier County (Sevierville, TN)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Duke
Breakdown: Newman played a pivotal role in leading the Smoky Bears back to a Class 5A championship last season starring on both sides of the ball. He was at this best as the team’s leading receiver, totaling 78 receptions for 1,059 yards and 10 touchdowns.
You must be registered for see images attach
8. Colt Lumpris
High School: The Lawrenceville School (NJ)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Michigan
Breakdown: Michigan has historically always had good tight ends and Lumpris appears to be next in line. As a junior he caught 44 passes for 812 yards and eight touchdowns.
9. Drake Mikkelsen
High School: Lennox (SD)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Minnesota
Breakdown: Minnesota’s second commitment on this list, Mikkelsen is one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the country. He showed that last year, catching 70 passes for 1,111 yards and 17 touchdowns.
10. Titus Hawk
High School: Choctaw (OK)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Notre Dame
Breakdown: Notre Dame is known for its rich history of tight ends, and the Fighting Irish went to Oklahoma to land a big win with Hawk. The future Fighting Irish tight end caught 31 passes for 644 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior.
You must be registered for see images attach
11. Ben Kolar
High School: Norman North (OK)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Stanford
Breakdown: Another one of the Sooner State’s top prospects heading to another prestigious private school, Kolar should be a huge addition to the Cardinal offense once he gets to Palo Alto. Last year he totaled 44 receptions for 622 yards and nine touchdowns.
You must be registered for see images
12. Rahzario Edwards
High School: Grant Union (Sacramento, CA)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: California
Breakdown: Keeping Edwards home was a massive recruiting win for the Bears. Last year he only caught 23 passes but totaled 634 yards and five touchdowns on those receptions.
13. Luke Gazzaniga
High School: Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Kansas
Breakdown: Gazzaniga is coming off of a junior season that saw him catch 20 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns. Playing for one of the nation’s top programs, expect to see a jump in his production before he heads off to Lawrence.
14. Quinn Weber
High School: Rutherford (NJ)
Class: 2028
College Commitment: Uncommitted
Breakdown: Weber will be a name to keep an eye on going forward as he will undoubtedly shoot up the rankings if he improves upon what was a breakout sophomore season. He finished the year with 34 receptions for 427 yards and five touchdowns.
You must be registered for see images attach
15. Jordan Karhoff
High School: St. Francis de Sales (Columbus, OH)
Class: 2027
College Commitment: Virginia Tech
Breakdown: A massive recruiting win for James Franklin was landing Karhoff's pledge as his tight end of the future. Last year he caught 31 passes for 548 yards and five touchdowns while also starring on defense with 56 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: [email protected]. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LSU commit Ahmad Hudson headlines top 15 tight ends entering 2026 season
Continue reading...
