We feel at KPGFootball you have been witnessing the resurgence of the TE position to one of popularity in the sport of football. According to an article on azcentral.com, 17 NFL TEs will make at least 5 Million per year in average salary in 2019. Nothing shows a position’s perceived importance any more than a NFL General Manager and NFL Owner willing to throw the big money at it.
Why shouldn’t TEs be popular? They are the OL’s sixth member who are very important in both outside power and running sweeps in the run-game. TEs can lead block, get second or even third level with enough athleticism to block at those levels without whiffing, and are a mismatch in the middle zone to generally smaller, shorter, LBs who they can either climb or shield away from the football with their large and often thick frames.
It appears TE-fever has hit Team Kentucky too. After all, Team Kentucky FS-6th grade picked a TE this year in Memphis Blankenship, Team Kentucky FS-7th grade selected two in Isaiah Hare and Jack Lonaker, and Team Kentucky FS-8th grade selected both Cole Wickliffe and today’s feature, Grant Berkley from Louisville.
We realize the kid is still an 8th grader, at least for a few more days, but by all indications the selection of Berkley, particularly to play TE, was extremely fortuitous. Berkley has an excellent frame for an 8th (rising 9th-grade) TE at 6-1 and 180-pounds. Judging from his limb length and body proportion, there isn’t any reason to doubt he will round into a 6-3 or taller, 240-pound or more, athlete before it is said and done. Those proportions are perfect for playing TE at high schools like where he is slated to attend, Ballard, and even on into college where he should develop into a FBS, Power-5 prospect.
Berkley is plenty aggressive in the run-game from the TE-slot as he plays MLB on the defensive side of the ball, a position which requires aggression to be deployed there. Berkley is plenty fast too as he was timed at 5.1-seconds in the 40-yard sprint at the combine where he earned his way on the team. When Team Kentucky FS-8th opens camp at Morehead in early June, Berkley will be playing for Head Coach LaKunta Maximus Farmer.
Coach Farmer, in addition to being undefeated in Future Stars’ play (3-0 as HC), is the DC at Ballard High School and someone who knows a thing or two about LB play. It isn’t inconceivable Berkley, selected to play TE, could see some action in the Kentucky-Tennessee Future Stars Classic at MLB too when the June 15th game kicks-off.
Whether he is at TE or gets some reps on defense, what isn’t in dispute is this is a Class of 2023 guy who could very well provide some minutes up on the varsity roster, under the Friday night lights, in the Fall of 2019. We realize at KPGFootball that’s a tall order for a incoming freshman player headed to play Class 6A football in Louisville, Kentucky this Fall. That being said, however, it’s not like these Team Kentucky Future Stars are normal rising 9th graders anyway.
This is Coach HB Lyon, reporting for KPGFootball, and we’re JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!
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