Arizona State football tight end room goes from question mark to exclamation point
In the spring, the tight ends at Arizona State were treated to a 30-minute Zoom with Atlanta Falcons tight end Charlie Woerner. Woerner carved out a role for himself in the NFL despite not being a prolific pass catcher, and his message to the Sun Devils was that they can do the same.
It's a message position coach Jason Mohns has tried to drive home. He hoped hearing it from an NFL player would make it that much more impactful.
"He was generous with his time and spent 20-30 minutes with us," Mohns said. "We highlighted him because he's a guy that is going into year six, and he has like 18 career catches for 130 something yards, and he just signed a big deal, and it's because of what he does without the ball in his hands, his technique.
"He's not a monster — built similar to the tight ends in our room. He's found a way to make himself valuable because of his technique, his physicality, and how hard he plays. That's the standard for us."
When Mohns first arrived two years ago, the tight end room had a couple of talents in Jalin Conyers and Bryce Pierre, but both opted to transfer after that dreadful 2023 season. So, in 2024, it was the position group with the biggest question mark surrounding it.
Now it is a position of strength and depth, too. The position will be crucial in ASU's efforts to defend the Big 12 championship it surprisingly won last season.
"Coach Mohns has done a great job of getting guys in that room that really fit from a skillset perspective," coach Kenny Dillingham said. "How we use our tight ends, the versatility of our tight ends. Instead of having a lot of guys that maybe have a specialty, I think we have jacks of all trades. That's what you want at that position."
Redshirt senior Chamon Metayer returns after a breakout season in which he totaled 306 yards and five touchdowns on 32 receptions. His primary backup, Cameron Harpole, also a senior, returns. Among the newcomers added to the mix is 6-foot-5-inch, 245-pound Khamari Anderson, a transfer from Kentucky.
True freshman AJ Ia, an early enrollee who participated in spring drills, has also looked the part of an impact player.
A couple of others could be in the mix. Mohns praised the improvement of redshirt sophomore Coleson Arends, who went from walk-on to scholarship recipient. Then there is Jayden Fortier, the top-ranked player in Oregon when he came out a year ago. He has been sidelined with a torn ACL sustained in a playoff game at the end of his senior season.
Rounding out the unit is Prescott Valley native James Giggey, a converted defender.
"We don't spend as much time talking about touches and stats, stuff like that," Mohns said. "We talk about impacting the game, the run game, how we can be a threat in pass protection, really being a complete tight end, allowing the ball to come to us naturally, not press."
Metayer, a second-team All-Big 12 choice last season, came to ASU after previously playing at Cincinnati. Mohns sees draft potential if his pupil builds on what he did in 2024.
Mohns also singles out Metayer as the best blocker in the group.
"That's what he's hung his hat on," Mohns said. "He's such a physical striker. His ability to uncoil his hips and play with good pad level, his contact balance. People talk about contact balance when it comes to a running back, and they usually don't talk about it when it comes to a tight end, but there are times you have to fit something up and in the perfect position.
"Chamon does a good job of resetting, exploding through contact, developing power from the ground. He's so solidly built. I have to tip my cap to Chamon right now. He's a guy that is going to win one-on-one at the line of scrimmage."
Metayer put on muscle mass and is in the best shape of his college career.
"When you look physically bigger but you're carrying less weight, that means you put the right work in," Mohn said. "He's trimmed down five pounds, but it's really changing your body composition. You're losing fat, adding muscle mass. He's running well, done a good job in the weight room. Going into a senior season, that's what you hope to see."
Dillingham is pleased with what he sees.
"A good tight end in today's day and age can put his hand in the dirt, block a defensive end, and he can flex out and win a one-on-one in space vs. a linebacker," Dillingham said. "So that position to me, I love the direction it's headed because it's versatile and it's not guys who are really good at one thing. It's guys that are good at multiple things, which is how you can become versatile on offense."
With Metayer and Harpole the only upperclassmen in the unit, the future is bright. The 2026 recruiting class features two tight end commitments in Hayden Vercher out of Thousand Oaks High School in California and Landen Miree out of Princeton High School in Cincinnati. Both are three-star prospects who stand 6 feet, 4 inches.
Coaches are not allowed to talk about a specific recruit until he signs, but Mohns can say that he likes the talent and depth in his position group now.
"Yes, we're trying to put the pressure on Coach Dillingham, (offensive coordinator Marcus) Arroyo to put in some two and three-tight end sets," Mohns said. "I think our tight ends feel good that if we handle our business with the things that we can control, the touches will come our way. When they do, we'll be ready."