If Jared Wiley has a season like he did in 2023, other tight ends should take notice.
Wiley was one of the few bright spots on offense last season, recording career-highs with 47 receptions, 520 yards, and eight touchdowns and was named to the All-Big 12 first team. With Wylie heading to the NFL, the Horned Frogs knew they needed to acquire an experienced player through the transfer portal, and they didn't have to go far.
If Wylie was the No. 1 or No. 2 tight end in the Big 12 last season, Bears transfer Baylor transfer Drake Dabney was right behind him with 33 receptions for 552 yards and five touchdowns. Dabney is currently at TCU and hopes to find success in Waco with Kendall Briles' tight end friendly offense.
A big reason why Dabney decided to head to Fort Worth is how the coaching staff followed him in the portal.
“I've played at TCU for three or four years now, so I knew what they were like,” Dabney said during the second week of spring training. “When I went into the portal, they were one of the first, if not the first, schools to contact me. This is Texas, I have family, and it felt like a great fit. Ta.”
The Cypress native had an impressive performance last year against TCU with four receptions and 77 yards, but Wiley had just seven receptions in the Horned Frogs' 42-17 victory over Baylor last November. It wasn't enough, though, as Dabney saw him receive for 178 yards and two touchdowns.
That was the moment Dabney started imagining himself in the offense and wondering what he could do in that type of offense.
“I saw what Wylie was able to do with KB's offense and how they used their tight ends, and that was something I wanted to be a part of,” Dabney said. “It just felt like a good fit. I wanted to find an offense that could really utilize the tight ends and do multiple things. It wasn't a great season, but watching the offense was explosive, It was a really fun offense.”
Dabney is 6-foot-5 and 248 pounds, two inches shorter and 10 pounds lighter than Wiley, but far from a small tight end. So far during the spring, Briles has moved from using Dabney as a traditional inline tight end to having him split wide in the slot to match up with linebackers or smaller nickels. I'm not afraid of that.
Big plays have yet to materialize, as starting quarterback Josh Hoover was out in the spring with a back injury, and Dabney has had to do more work underneath, but manager Sonny Dykes has is pleased with Dabney's overall growth.
“He's been exactly what we expected him to be so far. He's a big target and has played a lot of football,” Dykes said. “He's still learning and a little immature at times, but I love his work ethic. He works really hard and is very mature.”
Dabney's work ethic was key in him earning a bigger role season after season in Waco. His first season, he caught six passes, then 10 the next. He made modest strides in 2022 with 16 receptions and 173 yards before having a breakout season in 2023 with the Bears, setting a Baylor record for receiving yards by a tight end. 'Leading receiver.
Dabney doesn't just want to have a great first year of college. He wants to continue to show he's an impact player and has plenty of motivation to replace Wiley's productivity and leadership in the tight end room.
“I’m just trying to be better than I was before,” Dabney said. “No matter what the record books say, I'm not trying to put limits on myself. I go out there and try to put up as many numbers as I can, but at the end of the day, I'm not trying to put any limits on myself. I'm just trying to help the team win. I want to go out there and be the best version of myself that I can be.”
Dabney is still hungry to continue developing as a player, and that mentality suggests he could have another productive season.
“He's a quick learner. He'll have a chance to be a really good football player by the time September comes around,” Dykes said. “He's a big receiver who isn't afraid to mix it up and make physical plays. I've been impressed with his ball skills and now he's learning all the little nuances that will help him develop into a great tight end.” I’m learning.”
TCU resumes spring practice Thursday at 8:30 a.m.
