Arkansas Football: Preseason Depth Chart – Tight Ends
Tight ends remain one of the biggest question marks for the Arkansas offense heading into their week one matchup with Western Carolina.
Over the summer, we looked at Arkansas’ tight ends groups and projected the depth chart ahead of fall camp. Now, with fall camp in the rearview mirror, the situation at the tight end is a little more clear for Sam Pittman and new tight ends coach Morgan Turner.
As mentioned before, Turner brings an impressive resume with a proven track record of developing NFL-level tight ends, but will have quite the task in his first season at Arkansas.
The Razorback tight end room is short on experience this season, and Turner will need to rely on a handful of young guys in his first season with the Hogs. However, after fall camp, it’s easy to see that this young group has a lot of upside and potential.
Here’s what Arkansas’ tight end depth chart is looking like as we head the season.
Starter: Luke Hasz
Class: True Freshman
Measurables: 6-3, 226 lbs.
2023 Outlook: Var’Keyes Gumms looked like he would be the de facto starter entering this season, but that doesn’t appear to be the case after fall camp. True freshman Luke Hasz was able to build on a really strong spring and has spent the majority of fall running with the starters.
The Bixby (Okla.) native has the size and hands to be a difference-maker in the passing game, and was able to build a comfortable rapport with KJ Jefferson over spring practices. The tight end position will be utilized much more under Dan Enos than it was with Kendal Briles, so it will be important that Hasz continues to make the most of his opportunities throughout the season.
Hasz was named to the SEC “Freshman to Watch” list this preseason, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him have a breakout freshman year.
Backup: Var'Keyes Gumms
Class: Redshirt Sophomore
Measurables: 6-3, 230 lbs.
2023 Outlook: Var’Keyes Gumms had an interesting offseason following his breakout 2022. After entering the portal in March, he committed to Arkansas before backing out, but then re-committing to the Razorbacks all in the span of a week.
Theatrics aside, though, Gumms is a solid player who earned first team All-Conference-USA honors as a freshman last year with North Texas. He’s shown he can be a real weapon in the passing game.
However, things haven’t been smooth through fall camp thus far. Gumms has reportedly struggled completely learning the playbook, which has hampered his opportunities. Still, coach Morgan Turner has vouched that the coaching staff trusts him.
Gumms has some work to do, but the path is there to take the starting position away from freshman Luke Hasz if he can capitalize on his opportunities early in the season.
3rd Team: Ty Washington
Class: Redshirt Freshman
Measurables: 6-4, 244 lbs.
2023 Outlook: Washington was able to get some invaluable experience at the end of last season, particularly in the Liberty Bowl win over Kansas. He made the most of his bowl game moment with his only catch of the year being a 17-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Washington likely won’t beat out Hasz or Gumms, but he’s a very reliable depth piece and solidly the third option right now. He showed in the Liberty Bowl that he can be counted on when needed and when given the opportunity.
4th Team: Shamar Easter
Class: True Freshman
Measurables: 6-5, 230 lbs.
2023 Outlook: Shamar Easter is the most physically gifted tight end out of the entire position group, which could earn him some quality playing time this season. The only reason that he’s not higher on the depth chart is because he enrolled late and didn’t go through spring practices with the team. That means he had some catching up to do in the fall, and sits behind Hasz, Gumms and Washington as of now.
However, Easter’s freakish athletic ability cannot be denied, and will likely be seen in some form or fashion this season. Even if he doesn’t get a lot of playing time this season, the coaching staff is very high on him and sees him as an important part of the Arkansas offense for years to come.
Blocker: Francis Sherman
Class: Senior
Measurables: 6-3, 234 lbs.
2023 Outlook: Sherman transferred to Arkansas in early May after spending his first three seasons at Louisville. He’s not really a threat in the passing game, but he does fit a need as a blocking tight end. He’ll likely be utilized in goal-line situations or “jumbo” packages and act almost as an extra offensive lineman.
Class: Super Senior
Measurables: 6-4, 252 lbs.
2023 Outlook: Bax is the most tenured tight end on the roster, but doesn’t have a lot of actual game experience. He avoided a serious injury during the first scrimmage of fall camp, and should be available this season.
Bax is a very solid blocking tight end but doesn’t really have anything to offer outside of that. He isn’t a dynamic pass catcher, so we’ll likely only see him being used in the same situations that I previously mentioned for Francis Sherman.
