The tight end position has evolved over the past 20 years into a key function of any modern offense, much as the Big 12 Conference has evolved into a 16-team coast-to-coast league over that same time.
While the Big 12 will never be known as a hotbed for tight ends, the schools currently in the league have produced their fair share of great tight ends — from All-Americans to Mackey Award winners to future NFL stars.
Below is a look at the best tight ends of all time from 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 at Arizona for just three seasons and played in only two, earning All-Pac-10 honors each year, but sat out 2009 after undergoing back surgery.
“With the 42nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select Rob Gronkowski. Tight end, Arizona.”
Just over nine years ago, Gronk went from a Wildcat to a Pat. photo.twitter.com/9EUdIKMpAS
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) March 25, 2019
Arizona State, Zach Miller (2004-2006): Miller, a native of Arizona, was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 2004 and capped his career with All-American honors in 2006.
Baylor, Bo Lee (1975-1978): Lee is the only Baylor player in program history to be named All-Conference first-team. In 1975, he was named All-SWC Freshman of the Year and won the title.
BYU, Gordon Hudson (1981-1983): One of the toughest decisions on this list was between Hudson and Dennis Pitta — two great BYU tight ends. Hudson gets the slight nod because he played in an era when BYU was one of college football’s elite teams and was a two-time unanimous All-American.
Cincinnati, Travis Kelce (2008-2012): Ever heard of this guy? Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion who is arguably the greatest tight end of all time, transitioned from quarterback to tight end with Cincinnati, where he went from leaving 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 for the nation’s best collegiate tight end did so during Colorado’s first stint in the Big 12, when Graham won the award in 2001 after posting 55 receptions for 753 yards and six touchdowns.
Houston, Riley Odoms (1969-1971): Playing in an era when freshmen could not play on the college team, Odoms barely played in 1969 and 1970 before having an All-American season in 1971 with 45 receptions for 730 receiving yards and eight 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 and then was 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 posted an 18-0 record 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 was twice named to the All-Big Eight team.
Kansas State, Ben Sinnott (2020-2023): Sinnott was twice named to the Wildcats’ All-Big 12 team in 2022 and 2023 before being selected by the Washington Commanders in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Oklahoma State, Alonzo Mayes (1994-1997): Mayes, 6’3″ and 250 pounds, was a dominant tight end for the Cowboys. He was voted All-Big Eight in 1995 and All-Big 12 in 1996 and 1997. Mayes was a consensus All-American in 1997 with 24 receptions for 497 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
TCU, Kelly Blackwell (1988-1991): Blackwell left college with the NCAA record for career receptions by a tight end (181) and was selected to the All-American team twice and the All-SWC team twice.
Texas Tech, Jace Amaro (2011-2013): The thought of handling the 6-foot-1, 250-pound Amaro should make your shoulders ache. 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 seven touchdowns.
UCF, Jordan Akins (2014-2017): UCF’s tight ends don’t have a great history, but Akins improved his stats every season he played, culminating in All-AAC honors in 2017.
Utah, Dalton Kincaid (2020-2022): Kincaid was one of the NFL’s top young tight ends and was a first-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2023. He 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-3, 275-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.
