Here are the Des Moines Register's top 10 Iowa high school football tight ends in 2023
The tight end position isn’t always about the glitz and glamor of football.
Tight ends can often be the difference between winning and losing the game. Whether they are lining up right alongside the offensive line to create lanes for the running back or splitting out to create mismatches in coverage, a great tight end can be a massive difference-maker in any given game.
The state of Iowa has produced many great players at the position, including the highest-paid tight end in the NFL currently in TJ Hockenson. Even today, there are some pretty stellar players at the position throughout the Iowa high school ranks.
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Here are the top 10 high school tight ends in the state of Iowa currently, who are all trying to make it big like the guys before them.
Carson Bruhn, Sioux Center
Senior. Bruhn's production doesn't pop off the stat sheet, but there's a reason he commanded five Division I offers before committing to play for Lance Leipold and the Kansas Jayhawks. The 6-foot-6 tight end is a great blocker in the run game, helping the Warriors rush for over 1,300 yards thus far in 2023. In the passing game, Bruhn has brought in three touchdowns on 12 receptions.
Koby Higginbotham, Knoxville
Junior. Someone playing tight end and defensive back for a team is not something you see very often, but that’s exactly what Higginbotham does. He’s a weapon in the passing game, leading the team with 27 receptions, 427 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Ty Joss, Regina Catholic
Senior. Joss is one of several high-impact receivers on this team, but his eight touchdowns from the tight end position are a massive help. In total, the senior has hauled in 18 receptions and 413 yards in the air.
More: Here are the top 10 best wide receivers from the 2023 Iowa high school football season so far
Nick Merrifield, Columbus Catholic
Senior. The Sailors are off to a 5-2 start and Merrifield is the captain of this ship. He leads the team with 34 receptions, 454 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He’ll be crucial in their upcoming game against South Hardin.
Hudson Miller, Des Moines Roosevelt
Senior. Another tight end who is leading his team in receiving. Miller has caught 25 passes for 351 yards and five touchdowns. He’s had some massive games this season, like against Des Moines Lincoln when he hauled in all five of his touchdowns this season in a 42-32 win.
Cael Reichter, North Fayette Valley
Junior. Reichter isn’t on one of the more efficient passing teams in the state, with the TigerHawks only having two passing touchdowns on the season. Despite that, the 6-foot-7 target has recorded 26 receptions, 490 receiving yards and a touchdown. As seen in his Hudl tape, he can high-point a ball with the rest of them on this list.
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Jake Schulz, Bettendorf
Senior. The Bulldogs are having a really solid season at 6-1, and Schulz is a major reason why. The 6-foot-2 tight end is the team's leading pass-catcher and has hauled in 20 catches for 443 yards and six touchdowns.
Jacob Simpson, Johnston
Senior. Easily could be a wide receiver on his skills alone, Simpson is the steadying hand on the wheel of the Johnston offense. The Minnesota commit has 32 receptions, 542 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023.
Tyeson Vaas, MOC-Floyd Valley
Senior. The Flying Dutchmen have a potent passing attack, and Vaas is a big part of it. The team’s second-leading pass catcher in terms of yardage and touchdowns, Vaas has notched 23 receptions, 304 yards and four scores to help power his team to 5-2.
More: The Des Moines Register's top 10 offensive linemen in Iowa high school football
Dalton Weepie, Dunkerton
Junior. This 8-player football tight end is one of the class’ best, snatching 28 receptions, 535 yards and seven touchdown catches, all of which lead the team. He has helped them get off to a 4-3 record.
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Top 10 Iowa high school football tight ends for the 2023 season
