Best high school tight ends in the nation at the end of 2022 football season
Before the start of the 2022 high school football season, SBLive highlighted 20 tight ends we expected to rise above the rest across the nation this fall.
The season has ended and we're finalizing our Top 20 for 2022.
So far, we've featured the top quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers.
There were players who project as tight ends at the next level and were tasked based on necessity with stepping into a different position, like Oregon State tight end commit Dorian Thomas, who filled in as quarterback at Kentridge (Washington) and put up a 4A North Puget Sound League MVP-worthy season.
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And then there were primarily defensive standouts who also made big impacts at tight end.
Some are repeats from the preseason and midseason lists and others rose to prominence during the season.
Here are SBLive's national 2022 high school all-stars at tight end:
Benjamin Brahmer, sr., Pierce (Nebraska)
The Nebraska commit helped Pierce to a 13-0 season, which ended in winning its second Nebraska state title in three seasons. The 6-foot-6 tight end had a monstrous receiving season, logging 81 catches for 1,525 yards and 21 touchdowns.
John Mark Charette, jr., Pulaski Academy (Arkansas)
Pulaski Academy is playing for an Arkansas Class 6A state championship on Friday and Charette is a big reason why. In addition to being a difference-making edge blocker, the junior has recorded 1,277 receiving yards — his second straight 1,000-yard season — with a 22.4 yard-per-catch average and 10 touchdowns. Logged five catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns in a semifinal win over Little Rock Catholic.
Tayvion Galloway, jr., Chillicothe (Ohio)
All-conference selection and LSU commit had a strong two-way senior season, racking up 697 yards (19.4 yards per catch) and seven touchdowns on offense to lead Chillicothe to a 7-4 season and an Ohio Division III postseason appearance.
Jaden Greathouse, Westlake (Texas)
He lined up in the slot, out wide and on the line and made an impact from each — especially as an outside blocker. The 6-foot-2 Notre Dame commit had 882 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns and became the first player in school history with 4,000 career receiving yards, and added five punt returns for touchdown on the year
Hogan Hansen, Bellevue (Washington)
After helping Bellevue win a WIAA 3A state title as a sophomore, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound 4-star prospect sealed the edge in a run-heavy Wing-T offense that reached the semifinals. When the Wolverines passed, Hansen was the top target, logging eight catches and 208 receiving yards with six touchdowns on the season. He's considering Arizona, Arizona State and Arkansas among a slew of high-major offers.
Jack Larsen, jr., Charlotte Catholic (North Carolina)
A two-way starter at D-end and tight end, Larsen finished his third impactful high school season with 686 receiving yards on 37 catches (18.5 yards per catch) and 11 touchdowns as a junior. The Notre Dame commit led Charlotte Catholic to a 9-3 season, which ended in the second round of the NCHSAA Class 4A playoffs.
Lawson Luckie, Norcross (Georgia)
As a senior, Luckie was a focal point in the Blue Devils' offense for the fourth consecutive year, averaging 13.2 yards per catch on 633 yards with eight touchdowns, leading them to an 8-4 record and postseason appearance. Luckie heads to University of Georgia, where his father Mike — a triplet — played with his brothers Miles and Dustin in the late '90s.
Brett Norfleet, Francis Howell (Missouri)
He may not have jump-off-the-page offensive stats, but much of his impact is immeasurable. The Missouri football (defensive end) and baseball pledge has played a massive role in unlocking the run game for Francis Howell, which is playing for an MHSAA state championship this weekend.
Joey Olsen, jr., Lakeridge (Oregon)
The USC 2024 tight end commit, built in the mold of NFL All-Pro Mark Andrews, lined up mostly at receiver and shined, leading the Pacers with more than 575 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns. Lakeridge reached the OSAA 6A Columbia Cup semifinals. First team all-Three Rivers League selection at wideout.
Josh Palmer, sr., Montgomery Catholic (Alabama)
Senior tight end caught 22 passes for 476 yards and eight touchdowns on offense in the regular season and helped lead Montgomery Catholic to the Class 4A AHSAA state semifinals, where it lost 29-26 to Andalusia.
Brennan Parachek, Dexter (Michigan)
Michigan State football and baseball commit posted a strong senior season, logging 30 catches for 467 yards and five touchdowns to go with his impactful season on the d-line (52 tackles — nine for loss — and 13 deflections). He helped Dexter reach Saturday's MHSAA Division 2 state championship game. He caught a game-tying touchdown pass in overtime, but the Dreadnaughts ultimately lost 20-17 in double-overtime.
Ka'Morreun Pimpton, North Crowley (Texas)
The 6-foot-5 senior was the fan-voted winner of SBLive's midseason national top tight ends watch list, and didn't slow down in the final stretch of the season. He caught 57 passes for 914 yards and 17 touchdowns to help the Panthers go 12-1 and reach the UIL Class 6A regional round, where it lost to Prosper, 35-21.
Brady Prieskorn, jr., Adams (Michigan)
A standout pass-catcher and big-bodied downfield threat, Prieskorn helped Adams reach the Division I MHSAA state quarterfinals, where the 6-foot-6, 225-pound junior had two long-gain touchdown receptions in a narrow loss. He's recorded as hauling in 19 catches for 516 yards and eight touchdowns in his first seven games — and kept pace through the playoffs.
Julien Randolph, sr., Independence (Virginia)
The 6-foot-5, 210-pound senior had a strong final high school campaign, accruing 733 yards and six touchdown catches in seven games. He had an especially hot start to the season, going for 567 receiving yards in his first five games. Randolph de-committed from Vanderbilt last spring and committed to North Carolina in June.
Andrew Rappleyea, Milton Academy, (Massachusetts)
New England's top-ranked tight end prospect had a strong senior season despite Milton Academy missing the postseason (5-3 overall) in 27-year head coach Kevin MacDonald's final season. Rappleyea committed to Penn State after de-committing from Michigan and has continued to rise in recruits rankings. On3 lists him as its No. 2 tight end in the nation and the No. 80 overall 2023 prospect.
Duce Robinson, sr., Pinnacle (Arizona)
The multi-sport standout can seemingly do it all, but is best regarded as the nation's top tight end. And the 6-foot-6 five-star baseball/football standout — who has yet to commit — has led Pinnacle through to the AIA 6A state semifinals. He has 1,228 receiving yards on 64 catches (19.2 yards per catch) and 10 touchdowns on the season.
Kenyon Sadiq, sr., Skyline (Idaho)
The top recruit in the Northwestern United States led Skyline to a 50-35 Class 4A IHSAA championship win over Bishop Kelly to cap a dominant senior season. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound tight end, a class of 2023 four-star Oregon commit, had 376 total receiving yards and seven touchdowns in the state semis and finals.
Matayo Uiagalelei, St. John Bosco (California)
The 5-star edge-rusher may be, pound-for-pound, the nation's best athlete. He showed that in spades and came up big in limited action at tight end — highlighted by catching a 20-yard touchdown pass on a fade route to give St. John Bosco its first lead in the third quarter of the CIF Southern Section title win over Mater Dei Friday.
Riley Williams, IMG Academy (Florida)
The Miami commit and All-American Bowl selection left Central Catholic (Oregon) and shined at IMG Academy as a senior producing highlight reel-worthy touchdowns on national TV. Recruiting sites tab Williams as the nation's No. 2 tight end, and his former high school coach called him a "once-in-a-generation" player.
Damarion Witten, Glenville (Ohio)
The uncommitted junior has breakaway speed, which he flashed when he took a 98-yard screen pass for touchdown in the OHSA Division IV semifinals. Glenville (14-0) is the top overall seed and plays Cincinnati Wyoming (15-0) for the Division IV title on Saturday. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, he'll have a host of Power Five college options to choose between.
