Penn State Football Early Position Preview 2017: Tight End

Penn State enters the 2017 football season with one of the top tight ends in the nation.

The Penn State Nittany Lions transformed into a very dangerous and potent offense last season under offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead. A big part of that was the use of the tight end position in the passing attack. Mike Gesicki had a phenomenal season and enters 2017 as one of the very best at his position in the entire nation.

After struggling through his first two seasons in Happy Valley, Gesicki enjoyed a breakout performance last year. While dropped passes and mistakes plagued him early on in his career, he has since turned into a very reliable weapon for Penn State and showed why he was rated as a top tight end prospect in the 2014 recruiting class.

Gesicki finished second on the team last year with 48 receptions and 679 yards. His five touchdowns ranked second on the team as well. The talented tight end finished the season with a spectacular, leaping touchdown grab in each of the last three games.

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While Gesicki will once again be the main target at tight end this season, as he was the only one to catch a pass last year, there are others who will be available to step in when needed this season.

Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Holland is a talented player who appeared in 12 games last season. He should start this season as the backup to Gesicki. Fifth-year senior Tom Pancoast has been with the program a long time, but likely won’t find himself involved in the passing game.

Two intriguing options will be in the mix at tight end for the upcoming season. Redshirt sophomore Nick Bowers and redshirt freshman Danny Dalton could both receive an opportunity to make some plays.

Bowers was given a redshirt as a true freshman in 2015 and was expected to play in 2016 before suffering a season-ending injury. Dalton was a talented tight end in high school and makes an intriguing target in the passing attack.

The tight end position has completely transformed at Penn State and is no longer primarily used in blocking. Moorhead was known for his use of tight ends while he was the head coach at Fordham, and that continued last year with the Nittany Lions.

Next: Penn State Football Recruiting Roundup: March 22, 2017

Penn State returns a wealth of experienced and talented receivers this season, so adding talent at the tight end position should help the offense continue to be explosive.

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