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SPORTS Wednesday 28 June 2023
History says highly touted rookie tight ends don’t always make a

major impact right away

By STEVE MEGARGEE ceiving numbers in college
AP Sports Writer discover pass-catching
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — This skills aren’t enough to suc-
rookie class of tight ends ceed in the NFL. “There’s
already made quite an im- just so much that you have
pact on the draft. to, so much knowledge
They’ll have to buck history that you have to acquire in
if they’re going to leave the terms of you’re responsible
same type of impression on in the running game and
the field this year. Tight end the passing game and you
arguably is the toughest might have some protec-
position for rookies to make tion responsibility,” LaFleur
huge contributions. said. LaFleur’s rookie tight
Detroit Lions coach Matt ends already have discov-
Campbell, who played ered that. “I think in college
tight end in the NFL from as tight ends you’re really
1999-2008, understands not asked to do the extent
why. that you are in the pros,”
“I always make this argu- Kraft said.
ment: Besides the quarter- Buffalo’s Dawson Knox puts
back, the tight ends have it in more descriptive terms.
to know more than any- A 2019 third-round pick from
body else offensively,” said Mississippi, Knox has caught
Campbell, who played for Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) makes a catch during the NFL football team’s rookie 15 touchdown passes over
minicamp in Orchard Park, N.Y., May 12, 2023.
the New York Giants, Dal- Associated Press the last two seasons. As he
las Cowboys and Lions. helps Kincaid adapt to the
“You’ve got to know it all.” Dallas’ Luke Schoonmaker duction Atlanta’s Kyle Pitts tight end to reach the NFL, Knox remembers his
Campbell has high hopes (Michigan), Jacksonville’s had a couple of years ago. 1,000-yard mark since Chi- own challenges as a rook-
for Sam LaPorta, the tight Brenton Strange (Penn Pitts caught 68 passes for cago’s Mike Ditka had 12 ie.
end Detroit drafted out of State), Pittsburgh’s Darnell 1,026 yards in 2021 after touchdown catches and “It’s like trying to drink from
Iowa in the second round. Washington (Georgia) and the former Florida star was 1,076 yards receiving both a firehose,” he said.
LaPorta was one of nine San Francisco’s Cameron selected fourth overall, the rookie records in 1961. The Knox said the biggest ad-
tight ends selected in the Latu (Alabama). earliest a tight end had record for catches by a justment is learning the
first three rounds of the re- Kincaid, the 25th overall ever been drafted. But he’s rookie tight end is owned playbook.
cent draft, the highest total pick, was the lone first- an exception. by Keith Jackson, who had “it’s almost like a foreign
since the common draft round selection. Mayer, Only five rookie tight ends 81 receptions for the Phila- language sometimes be-
era began in 1967. Musgrave, Schoonmaker in NFL history have caught delphia Eagles in 1988. cause it could be a 15-word
The others are Buffalo’s and Strange joined LaPor- as many as 60 passes. Four Green Bay Packers coach play call and you’re trying
Dalton Kincaid (formerly at ta as second-round picks. have caught more than Matt LaFleur agrees tight to figure out which words
Utah), Las Vegas’ Michael Kraft, Washington and Latu seven touchdown passes ends face a bigger learning are talking to you, what
Mayer (Notre Dame), went in the third round. in their debut seasons. Pitts curve than most because words mean something to
Green Bay’s Luke Musgrave The question is whether had one. Just two accumu- of all that’s expected of the other guys and then all
(Oregon State) and Tucker there’s anyone who could lated 1,000 yards receiving. them. Some tight ends who these different alerts and
Kraft (South Dakota State), approach the rookie pro- Pitts was the first rookie might have put up big re- stuff,” he said. q

Athletes who sign NLI won’t face penalty if they renege

By The Associated Press scholarship for one aca- policy change takes effect
The governing body for the demic year. with the 2023-24 signing pe-
National Letter of Intent An athlete who does not riods for 2024-25 enrollees.
Program on Tuesday an- fulfill his or her NLI agree- The CCA also will expand
nounced new policies al- ment traditionally must sit the program to provide an
lowing athletes to back out out one season of competi- athlete transferring from
of NLI agreements without tion at the next school they one four-year school to
penalty under certain cir- attend. another an opportunity to
cumstances. Following a committee re- sign an NLI as long as he or
The signing of letters of in- view of NLI policy, the Col- she has entered the NCAA
tent has been part of the legiate Commissioners As- transfer portal.
recruiting process in NCAA sociation will not penalize Big Sky Conference Com-
divisions I and II since 1964. an athlete who requests missioner Tom Wistrcill,
It is intended to be a bind- a release due to a head chair of the NLI Policy and
ing agreement between coaching change. Neither Review Committee, said
an athlete and school. The will an athlete be penalized the changes are meant
athlete promises to attend for leaving their original to modernize the NLI pro- Former Oklahoma quarterback Charles Thompson, left, looks on
as his son, Newcastle quarterback Casey Thompson, prepares
the school for one aca- school after one quarter or gram so it more accurate- to sign a letter of intent to play football for the University of Texas
demic year in exchange one semester as long as a ly reflects the recruiting in Newcastle, Okla., Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017.
for a full or partial athletic release is requested. The landscape.q Associated Press