The ACC is quietly home to one of the strongest TE groups among all conferences, and it’s not just because of North Carolina’s Bryson Nesbit. Which other players on the 2024 ACC TE Rankings do you need to know, and who will push Nesbit for the crown?
ACC 2024 TE Rankings
10) Nick Gallo, Virginia Tech Hokies
Nick Gallo returns after missing last season due to injury and should walk right back into his TE1 role after Dae’Quan Wright transferred to Ole Miss. While not the athletic marvel Wright is, Gallo is a consistent underneath safety blanket that will make Kyron Drones’ life easier.
9) Sam Roush, Stanford Cardinal
While Sam Roush didn’t score a touchdown last year, he had a five-game run of 30+ receiving yards, showcasing his reliability as a receiver. He wasn’t asked to stretch the field often, but he has some wiggle after the catch and has strong hands through contact. Roush will be one of Ashton Daniels’ favorite targets once again in 2024.
8) Kyle Morlock, Florida State Seminoles
Across 24 games at Shorter, Kyle Morlock hauled in 57 catches for 890 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning All-American honors twice. He served as the TE2 behind Jaheim Bell last season but is primed for a breakout campaign.
DJ Uiagalelei will appreciate Morlock’s 6’6″ frame over the middle and up the seam, and the TE has the natural hands and movement skills to thrive as a pass catcher.
7) Gavin Bartholomew, Pittsburgh Panthers
Across his three years with the Panthers, Gavin Bartholomew has amassed 67 catches for 935 yards and seven scores. His lack of targets (no more than 36 looks in a single season) limits his placement on the 2024 ACC TE Rankings, as does the quality of those targets.
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Yet, Bartholomew is one of the most athletic TEs in the nation and could eventually become a much more productive NFL weapon than a collegiate one.
6) Mark Redman, Louisville Cardinals
Miami transfer Jaleel Skinner has the size/speed combination to be a legitimate receiving weapon in time, but Mark Redman is a known commodity from San Diego State. While he won’t break tackles or pick up YAC at a high rate, Redman rarely drops passes and does most of his damage between the hashes.
5) Jack Endries, Cal Bears
As a redshirt freshman, Jack Endries put up a 35-407-2 receiving line, splitting his time between the slot and inline. At 6’4″ and 230 pounds, he’ll never be an impact blocker, but he makes up for it with his versatility as a receiver. Entering Year 2 with QB Fernando Mendoza, expect Endries to be productive once again — even in a new conference.
4) Jake Briningstool, Clemson Tigers
Is Jake Briningstool the most athletic, productive, or entertaining tight end? No. However, he is a fluid mover at 6’6″ and 230 pounds and understands how to make himself available for his QB. The pressure on QB Cade Klubnik to perform in 2024, but at least he’ll have his favorite target available.
Briningstool caught 50 balls for 498 yards and five scores last year and could set new career highs with an experienced and developed Klubnik under center.
3) Justin Joly, North Carolina State Wolfpack
Dave Doreon has constructed a dangerous offense through the transfer portal this year, stealing three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina, RB Jordan Waters from Duke, and UConn’s leading receiver in 2023, TE Justin Joly.
Joly had some drops last season, but he more than made up for it with a 56-578-2 line. With the elusiveness and open-field ability of a smaller receiver and the contest-catch prowess of a towering pass catcher, he is one of the most dynamic TEs in the nation.
2) RJ Maryland, SMU Mustangs
After taking 34 passes for 518 yards and seven TDs, RJ Maryland has put himself on the map. He is a tailor-made seam ripper, having the speed and burst at 6’4″, 233 pounds to beat coverage angles. Perhaps even more exciting is his footwork, body control, and physicality, which allow him to win against press and capitalize on targets downfield.
1) Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina Tar Heels
Before getting to the crown jewel, it’s important to note the other TEs on North Carolina’s roster.
Behind Nesbit over the last two years, John Copenhaver has hauled in 33 receptions for 501 yards and four TDs as one of the country’s best backups at the position. The Tar Heels also brought in Jake Johnson from Texas A&M (brother of QB Max Johnson), who will presumably be the TE1 in 2025 after Nesbit and Copenhaver depart.
KEEP READING: 2024 ACC QB Rankings
Now for what you have all been waiting for — Nesbit blurs the line between WR and TE, spending most of his time in the slot for UNC. He leads all returning TEs with 1,092 receiving yards over the last two years, working all three levels of the field.
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