Charlie Taumoepeau looks like a tight end at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds. But the Portland State junior doesn't play like one.
Taumoepeau developed into a reliable pass catcher last year with 37 of his 45 receptions going for first downs while totaling 673 yards and three touchdowns. But it's his ability to make explosive plays that has separated him as one of the top tight ends in the FCS.
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Everyone knows what the modern day tight end is asked to do: be a run blocker while causing matchup problems in the passing game with a combination of size and speed.
But explosive plays and tight end don't usually go hand-in-hand. That's the case with Taumoepeau, though.
He leads the FCS with 26.53 yards per reception. Just to show how rare this is, players ranked 2-71 are all wide receivers with one being a running back.
A 240-pound tight end averaging 26.53 yards a catch just doesn't make sense. Yet Taumoepeau has 451 yards off of 17 catches to go along with five touchdowns.
All five of those scores came in the first three games with four coming against FBS opponents. Taumoepeau had three catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns against Nevada and five catches for 125 yards and two scores at Oregon.
Taumoepeau missed two games in October but returned last week with two catches for 31 yards against Sacramento State.
Taumoepeau was an All-Big Sky Second Team player last season. He has continued to haunt defenses this year with his ability to split out wide and make plays with the ball in his hand.
And again, we're talking about a 6-foot-3, 240-pound tight end here.
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