The tight end position has evolved in the last 20 years to become a key function of any modern offense — much like the Big 12 Conference has evolved into a league with 16 teams from coast-to-coast in that same times.
While the Big 12 will never be known as a hotbed for tight ends, the schools that currently make up the league have had their fair share of great tight ends — from All-Americans to Mackey Award winners to future NFL stars.
Here’s a look at the greatest tight end of all time for the 16 teams currently in the Big 12:
Arizona, Rob Gronkowski (2007-2009): Gronkowski earned All-American honors as a sophomore in 2008 with 47 receptions for 672 yards and 10 touchdowns in just 10 games. Gronkowski was only at Arizona for three seasons and only played two, earning All-Pac-10 honors each yer but sitting out 2009 after back surgery.
“With the 42nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select Rob Gronkowski. Tight end, Arizona.”
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) March 25, 2019
Just over nine years ago, Gronk went from a Wildcat to a Pat. pic.twitter.com/9EUdIKMpAS
Arizona State, Zach Miller (2004-2006): Miller was an Arizona native who was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 2004 and capped his career by earning All-American honors in 2006.
Baylor, Bo Lee (1975-1978): Lee is the only Baylor player named first-team All-Conference in program history, earning All-SWC honors in 1975 when he also was named SWC Freshman of the Year.
BYU, Gordon Hudson (1981-1983): One of the toughest calls on this list was choosing between Hudson and Dennis Pitta — two amazing BYU tight ends. Hudson gets the slight nod for playing in an era when BYU was one of college football’s elite teams and being a two-time unanimous All-American.
Cincinnati, Travis Kelce (2008-2012): Ever heard of this guy? Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion, might be the greatest tight end of all time and made the move from quarterback to tight end at Cincinnati, where he went from being thrown off the team in 2010 to being an All-Big East pick in 2012.
Colorado, Daniel Graham (1998-2001): The only player on this list to win the Mackey Award as the nation’s best collegiate tight end did it during Colorado’s first stint in the Big 12, when Graham won it in 2001 after putting up 55 receptions for 753 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Houston, Riley Odoms (1969-1971): Odoms played in an era where freshmen couldn’t play on the varsity team in college and barely played in 1969 and 1970 before having an All-American season in 1971 with 45 receptions for 730 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns.
Iowa State, Mike Busch (1986-1989): Busch was a two-sport star at Iowa State, where he was an All-American tight end in 1989 then drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth round of the 1990 MLB Draft. Busch, a third baseman, played two seasons in the majors.
Kansas, John Mosier (1967-1969): The Wichita, Kansas, native went 18-0 as the starting quarterback for Wichita West High School as a junior and senior before switching positions in college, where he was Big Eight Newcomer of the Year in 1967 and a two-time All-Big Eight pick.
Kansas State, Ben Sinnott (2020-2023): Sinnott was a two-time All-Big 12 pick for the Wildcats in 2022 and 2023 before the Washington Commanders drafted him in the second round (No. 53 overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Oklahoma State, Alonzo Mayes (1994-1997): Mayes, 6-foot-4 and 259 pounds, was a dominant tight end for the Cowboys as he earned All-Big Eight honors in 1995 and All-Big 12 honors in 1996 and 1997. Mayes was a consensus All-American in 1997 with 24 receptions for 497 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns.
TCU, Kelly Blackwell (1988-1991): Blackwell left college with the NCAA record for career receptions by a tight end (181) and was a two-time All-American and two-time All-SWC selection.
Texas Tech, Jace Amaro (2011-2013): The idea of tackling the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Amaro should make your shoulders hurt. He was a two-time All-Big 12 selection and was a unanimous All-American in 2013 when he set the NCAA single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end with 106 receptions for 1,352 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns.
UCF, Jordan Akins (2014-2017): There’s not a great history of tight ends at UCF, but Akins improved his stats across the board each season he played, capped by earning All-AAC honors in 2017.
Utah, Dalton Kincaid (2020-2022): One of the NFL’s elite young tight ends and a 2023 first-round pick by the Buffalo Bills, Kincaid starred at San Diego, an FCS school, before becoming an All-Pac-12 pick at Utah.
West Virginia, Anthony Becht (1995-1999): One of the biggest tight ends on this list, the 6-foot-6, 270-pound Becht was a two-time All-Big East pick and an All-American as a senior in 1999. Becht was a first-round pick by the New York Jets in 2000 … before it was cool to draft tight ends in the first round.
