LARAMIE – Wyoming has graduated some talented tight ends to the next level in recent years.
 
Treyton Welch, one of the leaders of the nine-win 2023 team, is entering his second season with the New Orleans Saints.
 
Two of last year's seniors, John Michael Gyllenborg (Kansas City Chiefs) and Evan Svoboda (Los Angeles Chargers), recently joined Welch in the NFL as undrafted free agents.
 
Longtime UW tight ends coach Shannon Moore has another physically gifted group entering the 2026 season.
 
The good news for the deep room is new offensive coordinator Christian Taylor, an assistant with the Buffalo Bills the past two seasons, plans to utilize tight ends frequently and in a variety of ways this season.
 
"After being around Coach Taylor, whether it was on the phone talking before he got here or when we were installing things, the biggest thing he talks about is whatever your role can be we're going to do it with you," Moore said. "We have guys that have the ability to line up in line, to line up in the backfield and play some running back, to line up at receiver and run routes, catch screens. Being in 13 personnel (three tight ends on the field) has been awesome for me."
 
Jake Wilson showed off his dynamic skills throughout spring practice after missing the 2025 season following a frightening medical ordeal. The 6-foot-5, 242-pound redshirt sophomore had cysts removed from his knee and then battled through a serious post-surgery infection that prevented him from doing any physical activity for about three months.
 
"It's really a blessing every day," Moore said of having Wilson back healthy following a practice last month. "I was just talking to him out there walking up and I said, 'How are you feeling?' He said, 'I'm just having so much fun.'
 
"For me to be able to see that for him and to know how much we missed him last year, every day is maybe a new hurdle for him to get through, another practice that he got through, another thing mentally he got to. He's in such a great place."
 
Kyle Frendt was also making big plays in the passing game alongside Wilson until suffering a knee injury. The 6-5, 236-pound sophomore will be ready for fall camp.
 
Landon Pace took advantage of his extra spring reps in Taylor's offense. The 6-3, 247-pound son of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Orlando Pace, arguably the best offensive tackle in NFL history, has blocking in his DNA.
 
"When it comes to the run game, he wants to hit you and run through you as fast as he can and as hard as he can," Moore said. "He is slowly carving a role out for himself. He's kind of deceptive in the pass game, too. He's got really good hands, but in the run game he wants to go hit you and put his hands on you.
 
"Here's the thing I love about Landon Pace the most, and I was talking to Coach (Jay Sawvel) and Coach Taylor about this, he is very hard on himself. He wants to be perfect and for it to be right."

The Cowboys also return seniors Isaac Schoenfeld (6-5, 257) and Tyler Hampton (6-4, 246). Even more force was added to the run game with the signing Northwestern State transfer Tyler Siddons (6-5, 256).
 
Gage Brook, who voluntarily made the position switch from quarterback to tight end, was one of the biggest surprises of the spring. The 6-4, 240-pound junior consistently made tough catches throughout the 14 practices and caught a touchdown in the spring game.
 
"He's got a chance to help us," Sawvel said. "He's got to grow a lot. But he went into early March thinking he was going to be a quarterback and then he came to me and said he wanted to have a shot at tight end and it's kind of working out. Now that's what he is full-time we'll get some extra work to it."
 
Gyllenborg was second on the team with 24 catches for 217 yards and a touchdown last season. Svoboda, who made the transition from QB to TE, added 11 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.
 
Wilson should eclipse those combined statistics himself with Frendt, Pace, Brook and other tight ends adding to the production in the passing game while paving the way for Samuel "Tote" Harris and the running backs in a balanced attack.
 
Two incoming freshmen, Colin Ford and Ishmael Muhammad, will join the competition this summer.
 
"Tight end is one of our favorite positions because they can do so many things," said Taylor, who watched Josh Allen lean heavily on tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox in the Bills offense. "They can line up at tight end, receiver, running back. They can block, they can run every route and a couple of the guys we have are super versatile with great size and a great skillset.
 
"To be able to utilize them in a lot of ways you've got to be a pretty smart football player and Coach Moore has been doing a great job with them, and they've been doing a great job picking up the system."
 
(Editor's note: This is the fifth in an eight-part series reviewing UW's position groups. Tuesday's review: Wide receivers)
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.
 
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