Owen Pustell
“Checking the tape” is a weekly series that highlights the Ole Miss football team’s offseason acquisitions. Whether it’s coaches, transfers or recruits, sports writer Owen Pustell goes in-depth and analyzes each individual. This week, Pustell takes a look at transfer tight end Caden Prieskorn.
Height/Weight/Position: 6’6/255/TE
2022 stats with Memphis: 48 receptions, 602 yards, 7 TDs
Ole Miss seriously struggled at the tight end position last season. The addition of Michael Trigg was huge, but he was not physically ready to start in the SEC and suffered from injuries as a result. The position contributed under 175 receiving yards in 2022, and that number must rise in 2023 if the offense is going to take the next step.
Strengths
Prieskorn is going to be mammoth over the middle. At 6-foot-6, 255 pounds, he will be bigger than just about every SEC linebacker and even some defensive ends. This will give the Rebels a serious physical threat in the intermediate portion of the field that simply did not exist last season.
In 2022, it was impossible for players crossing the middle to go untouched, and it resulted in poorly timed throws, turnovers and a general lack of production. But given that LBs will struggle to redirect Prieskorn, expect to see the middle of the field targeted with much more efficiency.
At Memphis, Prieskorn was used a fair amount as a jumbo slot receiver, as opposed to strictly being an in-line tight end. I suspect the Rebels will use Trigg outside of the formation more often, but having two tight ends with that versatility opens up intriguing motion options out of 12 personnel.
As a run blocker, Prieskorn is about what you’d expect from someone of his size. He shows good power blocking downhill and was able to seal off defenders to open lanes. However, he struggles to get in front of quicker defenders and can sometimes be left empty handed when looking for a man. It is possible that we will see Prieskorn used as a fullback next season in short yardage situations moving downhill to clear out RBs.
Expect to see Prieskorn play 60-70% of snaps this season, splitting time with Trigg. He should bring value as a blocker as well as in the short passing game and red zone.
Weaknesses
Having a TE roughly the size of a walrus has pros and cons. Unfortunately, Prieskorn is not the twitchiest prospect.
Though he meets the minimum requirements for the position, do not expect to see Prieskorn stretching the field or putting DBs in a blender with his advanced route running.
His role in the passing offense is as much to occupy the middle of the field as it is to actually be a target, meaning that his lack of speed probably won’t be the end of the world.
Fun Fact:
Prieskorn is the older brother of top-100 2024 prospect Brady Prieskorn, who also plays tight end.
