Welcome to the latest edition of the Cajuns position preview, where every position is broken down. This week it’s time for the tight ends to be looked at!
Who Left After Last Season?
A pair of tight ends left the program due to eligibility: Evan Tatford and Greg Seiner. Tatford was a bigger hit to the program as he had a ton of talent during his time with the Cajuns. Seiner saw a lot of different positions in his career, but was utilized as a tight end last season. They also lost Jacob Beasley, who didn’t see a whole lot of time on the field during his two years as a Ragin Cajun.
Who’s Coming Back?
A pair of tight ends will be returning after last season and both have experience. Matt Barnes was used primarily as a reserve player in 2014, but has potential to be a candidate for the starting job. However, this is all dependent on how he has recovered from an injury during fall camp last year. One of the biggest storylines coming out of fall camp last season was the amount of offensive players that suffered season-ending injuries. If the Cajuns can stay healthy in this position, their less than stellar offense could improve. Another TE that has some experience on the field is senior Nick Byrne. Byrne has seen his workload increase with every year with the program, so he should be the front runner for the starting job. It doesn’t hurt that he’s a senior either.
The Other Guys
A trio of players will be coming aboard as incoming freshmen. Carlos Robinson, a three star recruit out of Monroe is going to be a player that might see some experience on the field in the special teams game, but should be a major part of the offense in 2017. Alex Allen and Chris Turner are the other incoming freshmen but unlike Robinson, they might not see the field for a bit. Only time will tell if and how they will be used.
Who Will Start?
As mentioned earlier, the Cajuns should consider starting Byrne due to his seniority. But Barnes should be heavily considered if his injuries from last season have healed and can knock off some of that rust from being out for a year.
Conclusion
The tight end position for the Ragin Cajuns is low on experience, but has depth in terms of talent. If they can be utilized properly, the Cajuns offense could be revitalized.
-Clint Domingue
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