Sportskeeda's preseason top 5 TEs in College Football

The 2021 college football tight end class was one to remember, with Florida Gators tight end Kyle Pitts leading the way. Pitts paved the way for the 2022 tight end class by being selected fourth overall in the NFL draft.

There may not be any top-ten picks in this year's tight end group but there are still a number of talented athletes trying to work their way into the conversation. The tight end position has grown in stature in the NFL in recent years. That growth has teams searching for the next dynamic athlete.

Here's a look at our top five tight ends in college football heading into the 2021-2022 college football season.

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Top five College Football TEs heading into the season

Texas A&M TE Jalen Wydermyer

#1 Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M

Jalen Wydermyer kicks off our top five tight ends list. Wydermyer is coming off a successful sophomore season with the Aggies. The junior tight end caught 46 passes for 506 yards and six touchdowns during his sophomore season in college football.

Wydermyer's size and athletic ability allows the Aggies to use him in multiple ways on offense. Texas A&M has showcased Jalen's talent by utilizing him in a vertical route tree which brings in size mismatches with defenders. Wydermyer may not have the speed to blow past defenders, but his strong hands make him a reliable target for the Aggies.

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#2 Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State

The Iowa State Cyclones are returning Brock Purdy, Breece Hall and Charlie Kolar. Their offense runs through both Purdy and Hall, but Charlie Kolar could be the wildcard in the Cyclones offense.

Highest % of catches that resulted in a 1st-down among returning TEs:➤ Charlie Kolar, ISU - 73%➤ Marcus Williams, UNM - 72%➤ Brant Kuithe, Utah - 72%➤ Brevin Jordan, Miami - 70%➤ Jalen Wydermyer, A&M - 69% pic.twitter.com/CmS9LRh0eb

— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 23, 2020

Kolars production picks up once the Cyclones hit the red zone. The senior tight end's averages are in the trenches as a blocker. Charlie Kolar has been productive in all three years at Iowa State but his sophomore and junior years have been his most productive.

Kolar has caught 106 passes for 1,425 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns heading into his senior season at Iowa State.

Wisconsin TE Jake Ferguson

#3 Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin

Jake Ferguson has put together three productive years at Wisconsin despite playing with multiple quarterbacks. Ferguson is the perfect fit for the Badgers offense with his size and reliable hands.

The Badgers utilize Ferguson as more of a security blanket over the middle of the field. Jake Ferguson's 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame allows him to challenge defenders. Ferguson isn't afraid to lower his shoulder and bulldoze defenders, either.

@BadgerFootball let’s go! pic.twitter.com/2TvniXxdZ5

— Jake Ferguson (@jqfergy11) January 2, 2021

Wisconsin should feel comfortable with Jake Ferguson entering the 2021 college football season. He has caught 99 passes for 1,168 yards and ten touchdowns entering the upcoming college football season.

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#4 Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina

Isaiah Likely is a dark horse in the tight end rankings. The senior TE doesn't get the same national television exposure as the other tight ends on the list. Likely has caught 74 passes for 1,138 yards and 15 touchdowns over the past three seasons.

Coastal Carolina has been successful of late and is expected to have a big year once again. Isaiah Likely will have an even bigger role in Coastal's offense during the 2021-2022 college football season. He may be the most athletic tight end in college football with his speed and ability to change direction in the open field.

BYU TE Isaac Rex

#5 Isaac Rex, TE, BYU

Isaac Rex had a monstrous 2020 college football season. Fans have argued that a lot of his success came from his quarterback, Zach Wilson. Now that Wilson has moved on, it'll be interesting to see if Rex can continue to trend upwards.

Isaac Rex caught 37 passes for 429 yards and 12 touchdowns during the 2020 college football season. Rex only appeared in one game during the 2019 college football season before playing in 11 games in 2020. Now that college football is back to full strength, Isaac Rex should have more success in 2021.