Who's the best tight end in college football? While there might not be a consensus in the college football world, everyone seems to agree that the two best are a pair of Big Ten Conference seniors — Wisconsin's Troy Fumagalli and Penn State's Mike Gesicki.
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Both are all-around tight ends who have shown flashes of brilliance in the passing game. Both are expected to be high draft picks in 2018. Both have shown the ability to make eye-popping catches (Watch Gesicki's one-hander and Fumagalli's four-fingered grab).
But which tight end is the best? Let's take a look.
Head-to-Head Comparison (2016 stats)
Full stats comparison between Troy Fumagalli and Mike Gesicki
Based purely on 2016 numbers, Mike Gesicki edges Troy Fumagalli in all categories. He caught one more pass than Fumagalli last year but averaged nearly two yards per catch more than Fumagalli while grabbing five TD passes on the season to Fumagalli's two.
Over the course of each player's three seasons, the numbers compare favorably:
| Stat | Troy Fumagalli | Mike Gesicki |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 35 | 32 |
| Rec. | 89 | 72 |
| Yards | 1,080 | 918 |
| Avg. | 12.1 | 12.8 |
| TD | 3 | 6 |
Fumagalli has a 150-plus yard edge in total yardage (in three more games) and has caught 17 more passes. Gesicki had his breakout last year and averages more per catch than Fumagalli. He's also caught twice as many touchdowns.
Gesicki accounted for 18.6 percent of Penn State's 3,650 passing yards last season, while Fumagalli was responsible for 23.1 percent of Wisconsin's 2,507 receiving yards. Penn State clearly throws the ball a lot more than Wisconsin, and Fumagalli is a little more important to the Badgers' passing game than Gesicki is to the Nittany Lions' attack.
The duo are about as close as you can get — Gesicki is the first-team tight end on the AP Preseason All-American team while Fumagalli is the first-team tight end on the Sports Illustrated All-American squad.
So it's up to you to decide — who is the best tight end in football?
Who’s the best tight end in college football?
