Ole Miss tight end Caden Prieskorn has come a long way since his quarterback days
Aug. 8—OXFORD — There aren't a ton of tight ends in Division I football that weigh 215 pounds. So, Ole Miss senior tight end Caden Prieskorn knew he had a bit of work to do to get himself physically ready for the demands of his new position.
In hindsight, Prieskorn knows how far he's come.
Prieskorn, who is listed at 6-foot-5, is from Lake Orion, Michigan and was a quarterback during his prep days at Orchard Lake St. Mary's High School. He threw for 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Eaglets' 2016 state championship win over Muskegon his junior season, according to MLive. He then attended Fork Union Military Academy, where he played under center and was listed as a safety as well.
He walked onto Memphis and moved to tight end, a position he didn't have experience with. Prieskorn also said he had never blocked in his life. What better place to learn than a Division I program filled with people who have been playing in the trenches forever?
"Going down to scout team, blocking fifth-year seniors, fourth-year players. Yeah, it was not an easy transition at first," Prieskorn said. "But I feel like the background, with the IQ and the quarterback position and my basketball background kind of helped me mold into a good tight end."
Prieskorn kept working, becoming a frequent user of the one-man sled — "I used that the most probably the most out of anybody in the four years I was there" Prieskorn said with a grin — and he lived in the weight room. Prieskorn, now listed at 255 pounds, grew into his new role as a tight end. He redshirted in 2019 and caught seven passes over his first two college seasons.
Prieskorn broke out in 2022, leading Memphis with 602 receiving yards (48 catches) and tied for the team lead with seven touchdown catches. He was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, was a first-team All-AAC pick by a pair of publications and was a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, given annually to the best player nationally who began his career as a walk-on.
When it came time to choose a new school upon entering the transfer portal for his senior season, Prieskorn said he had his fair share of suitors, including Miami, Oregon and Louisville. But Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin's history of successful tight end play made Prieskorn's choice a lot easier. Oxford's football-centric atmosphere was a huge draw as well, he said.
Kiffin coached first-round pick O.J. Howard when he was the offensive coordinator at Alabama, was the head coach at FAU when Harrison Bryant won the Mackey Award and oversaw Kenny Yeboah's huge 2020 campaign with the Rebels.
Kiffin lauded Prieskorn for his intangibles on Monday.
"Prieskorn has fit in really well. Players put him on the leadership council committee already after not being here very long says a lot," Kiffin said. " ... He's extremely mature. And so, we're excited about him."
On the field, Prieskorn said he sees himself as a good fit with junior tight end Michael Trigg, who was one of the prize hauls in last year's transfer class. The former USC player caught 17 passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns despite missing time with an injury.
"I feel like I'm someone that can do both, kind of a combo dude that can block and can also catch the football. I feel like what helps my game the most is ... that quarterback background. I just always know what I'm doing coverage-wise, just knowing the offense. Kind of being a second quarterback out there."
