Savai’i Eselu can find the potential in tight ends pretty easily.
He played the position at Cal before becoming the tight ends coach at San Diego State, one of the top programs in the Mountain West. With the Aztecs, he coached Daniel Bellinger, now a tight end for the New York Giants.
He’s currently working with Mark Redman, a HERO Sports G5 Preseason All-American. And Eselu believes Redman is a near replica of Bellinger.
“We have to be nearly as athletic as the receivers and nearly as physical as the offensive line,” Eselu said in a recent interview with HERO Sports. “Being the happy medium physically, being the top tier mentally, that definitely is a tall order.
“But for Mark, he checks all the boxes at the very least, and then he goes above and beyond. He wants to know far more than what is required of him at the position. With that being said, I have no doubt he has a tremendous future in this sport.”
Redman proved just how great he can be right away in 2023. The 6-foot-6, 255-pound senior caught five passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns in San Diego State’s season-opening victory over Ohio.
But just as much as Eselu wants Redman to work on his prowess as a receiver, he pushes Redman to develop as a blocker as well. Redman is in the top 21 for Pro Football Focus’ blocking grades among Group of Five tight ends.
Because Redman has listened and has heavily emphasized that dimension of his game, he’s become the well-balanced tight end Eselu knew he could be.
“He’s making tremendous strides in that regard. He’s actually starting to dump some guys now where it’s like, OK, this is getting really fun now,” Eselu said. “With his abilities, and let’s be honest, he’s an 18-wheeler trying to be a Ferrari in the pass game. So don’t lose that 18-wheeler mentality. He’s really started dumping guys and pancaking them and knocking them down.”
Mark Redman’s Football Career Beginning
Redman is from Newport Beach, California. But he initially grew up in Michigan thinking he was going to be a hockey star someday.
Once he tried tackle football, however, he was hooked. He estimates he was about 6-foot as an eighth grader, at which point coaches told him to try playing running back.
But he didn’t think he was fast or agile enough. He also was told he should play tackle. But he felt tight end was best suited for him, a position that requires a balance of athleticism and strength.
“I immediately fell in love with it and never turned back,” Redman recently told HERO Sports. “Finally being able to go hit someone and being able to let go and be free and do whatever you want. And once I got to high school and I realized that I had a little bit of a talent for it, I took advantage of it and I think it paid off.”
Redman began his collegiate career at Washington. But being from southern California, the Aztecs eventually just made sense for him.
Redman also already had connections with SDSU’s coaching staff. He had played in the Polynesian Bowl, which features some of the most elite high school players, and had worked with Eselu there.
“I could tell already,” Eselu recalled, “holy cow, this guy is the full real deal.”
Their relationship has flourished since Redman moved back to California.
Eselu, who’s from Honolulu, said he knew how to fly a plane before he could drive a car. Redman earned a single-engine private pilot’s license, and Eselu said the SDSU star wants to pursue a career through flying after football.
Before fall camp, they flew a plane together as Redman piloted. He was “in control all the way through,” Eselu said, and they made it back just in time for a team dinner.
Now whenever Eselu sees Redman, he can only think of him as “The Pilot.”
“Mark is an awesome young man in any realm in life,” Eselu said. “I know for sure he’s going to succeed just because of the will power, the focus and the tenacious nature he has. He knows how to read the room. He’s an outspoken kind of guy, but he can be reserved. He has pretty much every attribute you want in a young man, especially with the physical stature and his presence. Sky’s the limit with everything that’s to come, including in football.”
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Mark Redman Boosting SDSU Football Program
That relentlessness has helped Redman become the player he is. He’s skilled in almost every way, yet he wants to improve in all aspects as well. So Eselu calls on him to think about even the smallest of details.
Early in Redman’s time at SDSU, Eselu pointed out how he could improve at the point of attack when he’s blocking. So he did.
Eselu said it was paramount Redman learned the assignments of all other offensive positions so he understands how he fits in with the overall scheme. So he did.
Eselu went as far as to ask Redman to think about his ankle flexion when he’s running routes so he can turn corners faster. So he did.
“It’s things like that some people overlook and take for granted, but he really focuses in and hones in on the small details,” Redman said. “He’s able to get those small things better which lead to big rewards.”
Eselu said there was “no doubt” Redman is one of the best tight ends in the Group of Five right now.
“When you see him in his element, especially in preparing and training, he’s different. Also as a person, he’s very cerebral,” Eselu said. “He wants to know anything and everything under the sun regarding football, regarding the offensive line’s job, regarding the receivers’ job, regarding the quarterback progression, regarding the water boy’s job. He is tenacious in that manner of preparation.”
Through his work ethic, Redman feels he’s gained a better chemistry with the rest of the team. That’s been proven through his connection with quarterback Jalen Mayden.
“I kind of build it up through the offseason,” Mayden said during a press conference. “Just a couple of times we’ve stayed after practice and I’m seeing how high he can actually jump or how far his reach radius is if I throw it back shoulder. … So I would say I really have built up quite a comfortability with him and just knowing the things he does well.”
Redman made the All-Mountain West first team last year and is en route to myriad more accolades. But in no way does he see his toil as being over.
While some tight ends may specialize in blocking or catching passes, Redman prides himself on doing both. But that means he needs to be great at both.
And Eselu said Redman will be capable of doing things many tight ends cannot do if he continues to apply himself as he has. Eselu added a well-balanced repertoire is “exactly what you need” in a pro-style offense.
And Redman’s career trajectory seems headed for the NFL.
“Ultimately,” Eselu said, “he’s going to end up being this phenomenal tight end, that’s for sure.”
