Ranking the Big Ten: Tight End

As the 2024 college football season quickly approaches, it is time to look at the top players in the Big Ten Conference.

We continue our Ranking the Big Ten series with the league’s best returning tight ends. As usual, the Big Ten is loaded with future NFL talent at the position.

Related: QB | RB | WR

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1. Colston Loveland, Michigan

Colston Loveland was one of Michigan’s primary receiving threats during its national championship march in 2023. The first-team All-Big Ten selection returns as one of the top tight ends in college football.

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound native of Gooding, Idaho, finished last season with 45 catches and ranked second on the team with 649 yards and four touchdowns. That included snagging three catches for a team-high 64 yards in UM’s win over Washington in the national title game.

Colston was named a Preseason All-American by Lindy’s, and his accolades should only continue to pile up as the year goes on.

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2. Jack Velling, Michigan State

After following head coach Jonathan Smith from Oregon State to Michigan State, Jack Velling will make his Big Ten debut in 2024. But the junior from Seattle should quickly establish himself as one of the league’s best at his position.

Velling feasted under Smith at OSU, posting 29 catches for 438 yards and setting a school record for tight ends with eight receiving touchdowns. Those eight scores also tied for the most by a tight end in the FBS.

The 6-5, 246, Velling earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors for his efforts, and his stock could soar even higher now on the Big Ten stage.

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3. Luke Lachey, Iowa

Had it not been for a gruesome broken leg during the first quarter of Iowa’s third game of last season, Luke Lachey could easily be No. 2 on this list. In fact, he might even be No. 1.

Projected as the next in line at “Tight End U,” Lachey shined in the first two outings before his injury. He caught seven balls for 73 yards (both team highs) in the opener vs. Utah State and then led the Hawkeyes with 58 yards on three receptions vs. Iowa State.

The 6-6, 253, native of Columbus, Ohio, checks all of the same boxes as his Iowa predecessors. If he can return to his old form and get more help from his quarterback, Lachey could be among the nation’s best.

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4. Thomas Fidone, Nebraska

Thomas Fidone came to Nebraska as a heralded recruit with lofty expectations. However, injuries have kept his Husker career from hardly getting off the ground over his first three years in Lincoln.

A torn ACL as a freshman kept him off the field in 2021 and ’22. He finally got healthy last season and quickly showcased his potential. The former four-star recruit led NU with four touchdown catches and hauled in 25 receptions for 260 yards.

The Council Bluffs, Iowa native stayed healthy all season and through the spring, and now he’s primed for a breakout campaign in 2024. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound native of Council Bluffs, Iowa, should also benefit from improved quarterback play.

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5. Terrance Ferguson, Oregon

Oregon’s offense should be absolutely loaded in 2024, and tight end Terrance Ferguson will likely be a significant reason why.

The senior from Littleton, Colorado, has been a fixture in the Ducks’ passing game for years. His 91 career receptions are tied for fourth-most all-time by an Oregon tight end. He needs 34 more to set the program record at his position.

Ferguson had one of his best campaigns yet last season, setting career highs with 42 catches for 414 yards and six touchdowns. That earned him first-team All-Pac-12 honors and vaulted him into the conversation as one of the Big Ten’s best.

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