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Nebraska Football: Tight end competition heating up for 2020

By Danny Jaillet

PISCATAWAY, NJ - APRIL 14: Rutgers Scarlet Knights tight end Travis Vokolek (89) runs after a catch during the Rutgers Scarlet Knights spring football game on April 14, 2018 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, NJ. (Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ - APRIL 14: Rutgers Scarlet Knights tight end Travis Vokolek (89) runs after a catch during the Rutgers Scarlet Knights spring football game on April 14, 2018 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, NJ. (Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Nebraska football has a crowded tight end room

It’s no secret that the tight end position for Nebraska football is one that struggled last year. Thankfully, there is some new blood coming into the position and it should help it produce more.

You have people who were already on the roster such as Austin Allen and Kurt Rafdal However, there are two tight ends, one who will be a sophomore and another who is an incoming transfer, both of whom should provide some competition.

Chris Hickman was a freshman last season. He received some playing time in November of last season, but it was sparse. Travis Vokolek comes over from Rutgers and is certainly a player that can make an impact, particularly in the red zone. He didn’t have the best statistics at Rutgers, but it was evident he didn’t really get the ball thrown his way a ton. Measuring in at six-foot-six, 250 pounds, he could fit into the Nebraska football offense very nicely.

Considering Nebraska football runs a two-deep tight end system, there isn’t going to be a lot of snaps for some at the position. Austin Allen and Kurt Rafdal are going to have some competition this year. I really liked what I saw from Hickman. I thought he was fast for the position. I haven’t read too much on Vokolek so far, but just his size alone makes him an intriguing target. Thus, we could have something brewing this spring.

When you talk about competition, there is bound to be some at the tight end position. Right now, I would consider Volkolek as a player who is on the outside looking in, just because he is a newcomer. That certainly doesn’t take him completely out of the equation. If anything, that makes him an interesting story to follow as spring practices get underway. Hickman and Allen would be the two players who I think will be battling it out.

I can’t say that for certain, but given how the Nebraska coaching staff is high on Hickman, and how Allen was the main tight end last season, it would make sense that these two would battle it out. that doesn’t mean that the coaching staff is not going to give the other two an extended look, either. I’ll be interested to see exactly how they manage the position.

For now,  Nebraska football has many tight ends in the position room. I suspect that we will get a little bit more clarity in the coming weeks.

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