AggieYell.com's preview of Texas A&M football's spring camp continues with a look at the tight end position.
Returning players
Junior Jalen Wydermyer (46 catches, 506 yards, 6 TD; second-team All-SEC)
Redshirt junior Max Wright (1 catch, 42 yards, 1 TD)
Losses
Ryan Renick (2 catches, 26 yards, 1 TD)
Additions
Redshirt sophomore Baylor Cupp (missed 2020 due to a shoulder injury)
Redshirt freshman Blake Smith (missed 2020 due to a torn ACL)
May arrivals
Fernando Garza (3 catches, 39 yards, 1 TD; likely sitting out 2021 due to ACL injury)
Analysis
Could the magic moment finally arrive, where two of the best tight ends in America actually play at the same time?
The Aggies have a proven commodity in Wydermyer, who will not only be a likely preseason All-SEC pick, but an All-American. He's earned that distinction with two years of stellar play.
But here's the thing: Baylor Cupp was ahead of him on the depth chart in 2019 before suffering the first of two serious injuries. People forget that Cupp, at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, ran like a wideout when we last saw him. IF he's able to return to that form and IF he's teamed with Wydermyer, opponents have a major problem. That combination will easily be the best tight end duo in the nation -- IF Cupp is healthy.
Smith was having a stellar summer of his own last year before he went down the same day Cupp did. While he could be held back during spring ball, he should be fully ready to go in the fall and adds a bigger body who can block and catch.
Wright didn't get to play a whole lot in 2020, but when he did he made it count -- his first career catch ended up being his first career touchdown, and not a short one, either: a 42-yard catch and run against South Carolina. He may not see a whole lot of passes thrown his way if Wydermyer and Cupp are both good to go, but he brings size and the ability to block that will be needed after the selfless Renick finally ran out of eligibility.