Position preview: Tight ends

In the beginning of April, Temple took the field for the first official showcase of its 2023 roster. Watching the players execute their systems, it was clear that two position groups stood out as the strongest points: linebackers and tight ends.

A strong Temple offense in 2023 will ideally feature its tight ends. The depth within the group is vast, and each player offers a different skill set to fit the offense. Second-year head coach Stan Drayton has mentioned that the tight end group is a strong-suit for the Owls.

Returning Players: David Martin-Robinson, Jordan Smith, Reese Clark, James Della Pesca

Key Departures: Magnus Geers (New Mexico), Evan Boozer, Coleman Jeffcoat

Newcomers: Peter Clarke, Landon Morris (Utah/Syracuse)

Last season, Temple's tight end room was battling lingering injuries.

David Martin-Robinson’s injury woes began the season before in September 2021 against Rutgers. The 6-foot–4, 225-pound tight end suffered a shoulder injury that cost him the majority of 2021 and then later battled being healthy throughout much of 2022. In nine games last year, Martin-Robinson finished with 33 receptions for 366 yards and two touchdowns. Like most of Temple's 2022 offense, Martin-Robinson got better as the year went on and he recorded 266 of his 366 receiving yards in the final four games of the season.

“I think that’s always the goal: keep your starters healthy,” tight ends coach Adam Scheier said. “But, he does have a history, and he’s got a lot of miles on those tires. He’s playing at a high level. He brings a lot to our offense, both from a physical presence in the run game, and he’s obviously a pass-catching threat as well.”

Health was an issue for Jordan Smith as well. The converted wideout added 25 receptions for 346 yards and four touchdowns last season but he missed most of the offseason with an injury that was suffered in spring practice. According to Drayton, Smith wanted to practice through the injury but the team decided he needed to take the process slowly.

Martin-Robinson and Smith were the fourth- and fifth-leading receivers on last year's squad, respectively. They were the only two tight ends that registered significant numbers for the Owls. Della Pesca played 243 snaps but the majority of those came as an extra blocker on run plays.

This season, the tight end room is regarded as one of the deepest and most experienced on the team. If Smith and Martin-Robinson are healthy, they are strong options for quarterback E.J. Warner, as seen at the end of last season. The two tight ends combined for 409 yards and four touchdowns in the last three games.

Smith, especially, has made significant strides in his development. He could play an even larger role in the offense next year, whether at the traditional tight end slot or even spread out wide, according to the coaching staff.

“Jordan Smith was a guy, I thought, who made tremendous gains,” Drayton said in April, “Not only on the field, but off the field. A guy who completely changed his habits, completely changed his routine and completely got aligned with his personal goals and our team goals. It’s unfortunate to see him go down with a little bit of a setback (injury), and again, he’s going to be fine.”

Freshman Peter Clarke and redshirt-freshman Reese Clark have also garnered praise to the point that they joined Martin-Robinson, Smith and Della Pesca as the only position group with five different players on the opening depth chart. Clarke, from the NFL Academy in London, is similar to Martin-Robinson in that both offer blocking up front and can be a weapon as a receiver. Clarke stood out in camps when traveling to the U.S. during his recruitment, and Martin-Robinson saw what a valuable addition Clarke can be first hand.

“He's a hard worker, high-energy guy, always talking, lets his presence be known all the time,” Martin-Robinson said. “And he just wants to learn everything that he can, and he has a really high drive to get onto the field. He's shown a lot with his hands. So far this camp, he's been able to make a lot of plays with his hands. And he's definitely learning and getting better as a blocker every single day.”

Martin-Robinson was also complementary of Clark, who came to Temple from St. Joe’s Prep. Like Smith, Clark primarily played wide receiver in high school but is now a physical tight end at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds. Clark redshirted last season but impressed in the spring and summer. According to Scheier, who is also Temple's special teams coordinator, Clark could also play a role on special teams.

“I'm really excited about Reese, as well,” Martin-Robinson said, “He's come such a long way with just the details of the playbook and learning the position so that he can give himself an opportunity to be on the field. As anyone knows that watches him, he has some really great athletic ability. He's going to make plays for us as long as he knows what he needs to do.”

The depth doesn’t stop there. Though he is ineligible to play this season, transfer Landon Morris, who joined Temple from Utah, has impressed the team and pushed his teammates to get better. When Morris can suit up next season, his 6-foot-5 frame could be tough to guard.

If healthy, the tight ends could be a dangerous part of the offense this season. Scheier is excited to see his group out on the field and performing at a high level.

“We are a more athletic team this year,” Scheier said. “We are a more experienced team this year. We’ve got more talent. So, if we increase our level of focus, our mental toughness, if we can increase our ability to strain, nothing’s given, but we have a chance to make a tremendous jump this year.”