Rutgers Football 2026 Early Position Breakdown: Tight End

Q: Who are the main tight ends for Rutgers football in 2026?

The main tight ends for Rutgers in 2026 include Logan Blake, Mike Higgins, and transfer Kameron Anthony.

Q: What are the statistics for Rutgers tight ends Logan Blake and Mike Higgins?

Logan Blake has caught three passes in three seasons, while Mike Higgins has caught five passes over the same period.

Q: How might the tight end position competition unfold for Rutgers in 2026?

The competition for the tight end position may be decided in the first two games against UMass and Boston College, allowing the coaching staff to evaluate performance.

Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights tight end Mike Higgins (88) against the Kansas State Wildcats during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Our 2026 early position breakdowns for Rutgers football aim to talk about the positions, besides quarterback, that have the most question marks surrounding them heading into the 2026 season. The first one was about the linebackers and what their rotation is going to look like. The second focused on who will be the No.2 running back behind Antwan Raymond. However, it is hard to think of a position on the team that has more question marks surrounding it than tight end. As of right now, the tight end position lacks any player who truly stands above the rest. Logan Blake and Mike Higgins, the elder statesmen of the group, have performed decently well as blocking tight ends, but their receiving game leaves a lot to be desired, as Blake has only caught three passes over his three seasons at Rutgers, while Higgins has only caught five over that same amount of time. Ben Rothhaar, a sophomore, appeared in six games for Rutgers last season but did not record a single stat. According to Rutgers tight ends coach Scott Vallone, they like where he is in practice right now and how hard he has worked, so it wouldn’t be a total surprise if he sees a decent amount of playing time this season, given how up in the air the position is. Rutgers did pick up a tight end in the transfer portal, Kameron Anthony from . Anthony comes to Rutgers after two seasons at Ball State, one of which he did not play in. During his sophomore season, he recorded 7 catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns. Towards the end of the season, Anthony suffered an Achilles injury, which he has been dealing with this entire off-season so far, and he isn’t expected to be ready to go until a few weeks before the season starts. Anthony fits more as another piece that they can develop for the future, but it is hard to see him being the full-time answer next season. Behind all four of these players are freshmen DJ Howerton and Brady Owens. The coaching staff was really high on these two coming out of high school, so they will likely see some amount of playing time this season, but it is hard to see the team looking to rely on them this early in their college careers. This competition looks like it could be one of the last competitions decided on the team, as the staff could very well use the first two games against UMass and as a way to read who in the room is performing better than the rest. With so much unknown going into training camp, it makes sense that they would want to see some on-field performance against weaker opponents before making their decision.