SOi's 2026 Top Returning Players: Tight Ends
The tight end position was easily one of the toughest groups to put together in our 2026 Top Returning Players series. Unlike wide receiver, the impact of a tight end can't always be measured by receptions and receiving yards. Some are major pieces of the running game as blockers. Others rarely leave the field because of what they bring defensively. And across the Suburban One League, several of the top tight ends from 2025 graduated. So this list isn't simply a ranking of receiving statistics.Production matters, but so does All-League recognition, versatility, role and what each player brings to his team every Friday night.
Who to Watch at Tight End in 2026
Chase Tadeo — Plymouth Whitemarsh — '27
Height & Weight: 6'0" 195 lbs.
5 receptions, 81 yards, 1 TD
Tadeo gets the top spot after earning First Team All-SOL American Conference honors at tight end as a junior. His receiving numbers — five catches for 81 yards and a touchdown — don't tell the entire story of his value to Plymouth Whitemarsh.
The two-way standout also contributed 19 tackles and 3.5 sacks on defense. Tight end is a position where blocking, physicality and versatility matter, and the coaches around the league clearly valued what Tadeo brought to the position.
He enters 2026 as the only returning First Team All-League tight end in the SOL.
Kevin Williams Jr. — Upper Dublin — 2027
Height & Weight: 6'3" 240 lbs.
9 receptions, 140 yards, 3 TDs
If we're talking strictly about returning receiving production at the position, Williams has the strongest résumé on this list.
The 6-foot-3-plus, 240-pound two-way athlete caught nine passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns in eight games last season, averaging 15.6 yards per reception. He also recorded 47 tackles and four sacks on defense.
Williams earned Second Team All-SOL Continental Conference honors on the defensive line, and Upper Dublin has used his size and athleticism on both sides of the football.
His exact offensive role could be something to watch in 2026, but with his combination of size, production and ability to make plays in the passing game, Williams belongs near the top of this group.
Liam Laphen — Central Bucks West — 2027
Height & Weight: 6'2" 225 lbs.
2 receptions, 36 yards 1 TD
Second Team All-SOL TE | First Team All-SOL DE
Laphen is another example of why evaluating tight ends goes beyond the receiving column.
The Central Bucks West standout caught two passes for 36 yards and a touchdown last season, but his impact at the position was much bigger than those numbers suggest. Laphen earned Second Team All-SOL National Conference honors at tight end, while also being selected First Team All-SOL at defensive end.
At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Laphen brings the size and physicality to contribute as a blocker while still providing another option in the passing game.
His production on both sides of the football, along with the recognition he received from coaches around the league, makes him one of the more valuable returning two-way players in the Suburban One League heading into 2026.
Blake Landherr — Pennridge — 2028
Height & Weight: 6'2" 208 lbs.
7 receptions, 97 yards, 3 TDs
Landherr may have one of the most interesting résumés of anyone on this list.
As a sophomore, the Pennridge TE/LB caught seven passes for 97 yards and three touchdowns while playing for a Rams team that made a deep postseason run.
Then there's what he did defensively.
Landherr finished with 135 tackles, two sacks, an interception and three fumble recoveries and earned First Team All-SOL National Conference honors at linebacker.
He's only entering his junior season. With another year of development and an opportunity for a larger offensive role, Landherr is one of the young names on this list who could make a significant jump in 2026.
Chase Hart — Souderton — 2028
Height & Weight: 6'2" 240 lbs.
90 receiving yards, 3 TDs
Another member of the Class of 2028 who already made an impact on both sides of the ball.
Hart finished his sophomore season with 90 receiving yards and three touchdowns while also recording 50 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception defensively.
His work didn't go unnoticed.
Hart earned Honorable Mention All-SOL Continental Conference honors at both tight end and linebacker, making him one of only three returning players who received All-League recognition specifically at tight end last season.
Three receiving touchdowns on limited opportunities also stand out. If Souderton expands his role in the passing game, Hart could climb this list quickly.
Dominic Ferrugio — Quakertown — 2028
Height & Weight: 6'1" 220 lbs.
5 receptions, 117 yards, 1 receiving TD
Ferrugio didn't need many opportunities to make things happen.
The Quakertown TE/DE caught five passes for 117 yards last season — an average of 23.4 yards per reception — with one receiving touchdown.
He was just as disruptive on the other side of the football, recording 22 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions. That performance earned Ferrugio Honorable Mention All-SOL honors at defensive end as a sophomore.
Ferrugio is another 2028 prospect with plenty of room to grow. His combination of size, big-play ability and defensive production makes him one of the more intriguing two-way players on this list.
Owen Metzger — Central Bucks East — 2027
Height & Weight: 6'0" 230 lbs.
6 receptions, 47 yards
Metzger saw limited opportunities in the CB East passing game last season but still finished with six catches for 47 yards while working behind senior All-SOL tight end Sam Piszel.
With Piszel gone, the Patriots have snaps and targets to replace at the position.
Metzger enters his senior season with varsity experience already under his belt, and his ability as a blocker could be just as important as what he contributes as a receiver.
This is a projection pick, but the opportunity is there for Metzger to take a considerably larger role in 2026.
Owen Grotz — Central Bucks East — 2028
Height & Weight: 6'0" 210 lbs.
3 receptions, 47 yards, 1 TD
CB East puts a second tight end on the list with Grotz.
As a sophomore, he turned only three receptions into 47 yards and a touchdown, averaging 15.7 yards per catch. He also contributed 40 tackles and three tackles for loss from his linebacker spot.
Like Metzger, Grotz should have an opportunity to take on more responsibility following Piszel's graduation.
At just a junior in 2026, he also has something several players on this list don't — two more varsity seasons ahead of him.
Final Thoughts
This year's tight end group looks much different than the quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers we've already covered.
There isn't a returning 500-yard receiver at the position. Instead, the group is loaded with two-way football players whose value stretches well beyond the box score.
Tadeo and Laphen have already earned All-League recognition specifically at the position. Williams brings the best returning receiving production. Landherr, Hart and Ferrugio are young two-way players who have already shown the ability to impact games on both sides of the football.
And with several of the SOL's top 2025 tight ends graduating, there will be opportunities for new names to emerge.