Top 10 Tight Ends Who Played 7v7 Football of All Time and Dominated the Passing Game
When people talk about 7-on-7 football, tight ends don’t always get top billing — but that’s changing fast. The Top 10 Tight Ends Who Played 7v7 Football of All Time proved that this position isn’t just for blocking and goal-line fades. These guys lined up in the slot, split wide, and torched defenses like oversized wideouts with linebacker strength.
7v7 gave tight ends a platform to showcase elite route-running, hands, and mismatch potential — and these ten names turned heads long before their Saturday or Sunday debuts. Whether they were high school legends, 5-star recruits, or future first-rounders, they used the 7v7 circuit to announce they were built different.
Let’s count down the best of the best.
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Want to see which wideouts were lighting it up alongside these QBs?
Check out our list of the Top 10 Wide Receivers Who Played 7v7 Football of All Time and see who made the cut.
10. Oscar Delp
Tight End, 6’5”, 225 lbs
High School 7v7 Team: Hustle Inc. (Georgia), 2020–2021
College: Georgia
NFL: N/A (Active college player)
Oscar Delp brought a polished skill set to the 7v7 circuit, standing out as a tight end who ran routes like a wide receiver. With smooth hips, sharp footwork, and reliable hands, he became a matchup problem early in his high school career.
Playing for Georgia’s Hustle Inc., Delp lined up all over — in the slot, flexed wide, even at H-back. He wasn’t the biggest or flashiest tight end on the field, but few matched his technical precision and football IQ. His ability to find soft spots in coverage and win underneath made him a QB’s best friend.
He committed to Georgia as one of the top-ranked tight ends in the 2022 class and continues to develop into a key weapon for the Bulldogs.
Accolades:
– 2022 All-American Bowl Selection
– 4-Star Recruit (Top 3 TE Nationally)
– Freshman All-SEC Watch List (2022)
9. Ja’tavion Sanders
Tight End, 6’4”, 243 lbs
High School 7v7 Team: Texas Flex (Texas), 2019–2020
College: Texas
NFL: Carolina Panthers
Jatavion Sanders didn’t just dominate 7v7 — he owned it on both sides of the ball. A rare five-star prospect as a tight end and defensive end, he was a two-way terror for Texas Flex. But it was on offense where his elite athleticism and catch radius stood out.
At 6’4″, Sanders moved like a wide receiver, gliding down the seam or cutting up defenders on short routes. He bullied smaller safeties, outran linebackers, and made one-handed grabs look routine.
Texas knew what they were getting — and he delivered. By his sophomore season, Sanders was the top tight end in the Big 12, piling up receptions and becoming a go-to option for the Longhorns.
Accolades:
– 5-Star Recruit, No. 1 ATH in 2021 Class
– 2022 & 2023 First-Team All-Big 12
– Mackey Award Semifinalist
– 4th Round Pick, 2024 NFL Draft (Carolina Panthers)
8. Jahleel Billingsley
Tight End, 6’4”, 230 lbs
High School 7v7 Team: Midwest Boom (Illinois), 2017–2018
College: Alabama, Texas
Pro: Free Agent
Jahleel Billingsley was one of the first big-name tight ends to come out of the Midwest 7v7 scene. Running with Midwest Boom, he turned heads as a lanky, athletic mismatch who could line up wide, in the slot, or in-line.
He brought receiver footwork and fluidity to the tight end position — a rare sight for a player his size. In 7v7 tournaments, he moved like a big WR but blocked like a grinder when it mattered. Coaches saw his potential early, and Alabama swooped in.
Billingsley flashed big-play ability with the Crimson Tide but struggled to carve out a consistent role. He later transferred to Texas under Steve Sarkisian but never fully broke out. Still, his raw athleticism and 7v7 pedigree remain part of what made him such a coveted recruit.
Accolades:
– 4-Star Recruit
– Signed with Calgary Stampeders (CFL) in 2024
7. Michael Mayer
Tight End, 6’4”, 265 lbs
High School 7v7 Team: Kentucky Future Stars, 2017–2019
College: Notre Dame
NFL: Las Vegas Raiders
Nicknamed “Baby Gronk” during his high school days, Michael Mayer was the prototype tight end coming out of the 7v7 circuit. He brought toughness, route precision, and elite hands to every tournament, dominating matchups like a man among boys.
In 7v7, he was relentless at the catch point, outmuscling safeties and linebackers for balls in tight windows. Mayer wasn’t just catching fades — he was running whip routes, digs, and deep crossers like a seasoned pro.
He left Notre Dame as the all-time leader in receptions for a tight end and entered the NFL as one of the most complete prospects at his position.
Accolades:
– 5-Star Recruit
– 2× All-American
– 2022 Mackey Award Finalist
– Notre Dame TE Receptions Leader
– 2nd Round Pick, 2023 NFL Draft
6. Arik Gilbert
Tight End, 6’5”, 255 lbs
High School 7v7 Team: Cam Newton 7v7 (Georgia), 2016–2019
College: LSU, Georgia, Nebraska, Savannah State
Before his college rollercoaster, Arik Gilbert was one of the most dominant forces the 7v7 scene had ever seen. Lining up for Cam Newton’s squad, he ran like a wide receiver and hit like a defensive end. At 6’5” and 250+, Gilbert was too fast for linebackers and too strong for safeties — an absolute cheat code in the red zone.
He made history as the first tight end to ever win the Gatorade National Player of the Year award. Despite a turbulent college path that included stops at LSU, Georgia, and Nebraska, his early 7v7 tape remains the stuff of legend.
Accolades:
– Gatorade National Player of the Year (2019)
– 5-Star Recruit, No. 1 TE in Class of 2020
– 2020 Freshman All-SEC (LSU)
5. Darnell Washington
Tight End, 6’7”, 270 lbs
High School 7v7 Team: Proway 7v7 (Nevada), 2016–2019
College: Georgia
NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers
Darnell Washington looked like an NFL player before he even got his driver’s license. Towering over defenders in 7v7 play, he was a walking mismatch — too tall to cover, too physical to press. His days with Proway 7v7 showed flashes of what would become his trademark style: bulldozing defenders after the catch and outmuscling DBs in jump-ball situations.
At Georgia, Washington was part of a loaded tight end room but still made his presence felt as a blocker and red zone target. His size and athleticism turned heads at the NFL Combine, and he brought that same presence to Pittsburgh.
Accolades:
– 5-Star Recruit, No. 2 TE in Class of 2020
– 2× National Champion (Georgia, 2021 & 2022)
– 2023 NFL Draft, 3rd Round Pick (Steelers)
4. Dalton Kincaid
Tight End, 6’4”, 246 lbs
High School 7v7 Team: Las Vegas Premium, 2015–2016
College: San Diego, Utah
NFL: Buffalo Bills
Dalton Kincaid came to 7v7 late after transitioning from basketball, but his hands were elite from Day 1. With Las Vegas Premium, he was a deep threat in the red zone and ran smooth routes like a wing player slicing to the rim.
Coaches on the 7v7 circuit knew he was raw but praised his work ethic and IQ. He walked on at San Diego, dominated FCS competition, then transferred to Utah — where he became one of college football’s most dangerous mismatch weapons.
Kincaid rose up draft boards with his elite pass-catching, clean routes, and yards-after-catch ability, becoming the first tight end drafted in 2023.
Accolades:
– FCS All-American (San Diego)
– All-Pac-12 (Utah)
– 1st Round Pick, 2023 NFL Draft
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3. David Njoku
Tight End, 6’4”, 246 lbs
High School 7v7 Team: NJ Blaze, 2012–2013
College: Miami (FL)
NFL: Cleveland Browns
David Njoku was pure electricity on the 7v7 field. Lining up for NJ Blaze, he showed off his track star speed, leaping ability, and explosive first step, torching defenders from the slot and the boundary. His background as a high school high jumper translated into jaw-dropping red-zone grabs.
He wasn’t the most polished player back then, but the athletic tools were insane — and everyone on the circuit knew he was bound for the next level. By the time he got to Miami, he was turning heads with highlight-reel plays and mismatch nightmares.
In the NFL, Njoku developed into a dynamic pass-catcher and red-zone weapon, becoming a reliable threat for the Cleveland Browns.
Accolades:
– National High Jump Champion (HS)
– All-ACC Honorable Mention (2016)
– 1st Round Pick, 2017 NFL Draft
2. Brock Bowers
Tight End, 6’4”, 240 lbs
High School 7v7 Team: Hustlin’ Dawgs Elite (California), 2019–2020
College: Georgia
NFL: Las Vegas Raiders
Before he was terrorizing SEC defenses, Brock Bowers was a secret weapon on the West Coast 7v7 circuit. Not many tight ends could outrun corners, burn safeties, and body linebackers — but Bowers did all three.
He wasn’t just big — he was a blur. In 7v7, where spacing is everything, Bowers became unguardable. Coaches had to bracket him with corners and safeties, and even then, he’d split the double and house it.
At Georgia, he became a household name almost instantly. As a true freshman, he led the team in receiving — on a national title squad. And he didn’t stop. Year after year, Bowers was the most complete tight end in college football — dominant as a receiver, blocker, and red zone mismatch.
Accolades:
– 2× John Mackey Award Winner (2022, 2023)
– 3× First-Team All-SEC
– 2× National Champion (2021, 2022)
– 2023 SEC Offensive Player of the Year
– 1st Round Pick, 2024 NFL Draft
1. Kyle Pitts
Tight End, 6’6”, 245 lbs
High School 7v7 Team: Florida Fire (Florida), 2016–2017
College: Florida
NFL: Atlanta Falcons
Long before Kyle Pitts became a matchup nightmare on Sundays, he was turning heads on the 7v7 circuit with Florida Fire — a program known for producing elite pass-catchers. At 6-foot-6 with a basketball frame and receiver’s speed, Pitts was nearly impossible to cover, even against the best DBs in the country.
His development continued at Florida, where he became one of the most dynamic tight ends in SEC history. His blend of length, leaping ability, and precise route-running made him a red-zone threat and a reliable target in every situation.
By the time the 2021 NFL Draft arrived, Pitts wasn’t just the top tight end — he was the highest-drafted TE in NFL history, taken fourth overall by the Falcons. His production as a rookie lived up to the hype, eclipsing 1,000 yards — a feat rarely seen at the position.
Accolades:
– 2020 John Mackey Award Winner
– Unanimous First-Team All-American (2020)
– No. 4 Overall Pick, 2021 NFL Draft
– First Rookie TE with 1,000+ Receiving Yards since 1961
If you liked Top 10 Tight Ends Who Played 7v7 Football of All Time, don’t miss the signal-callers who made it all happen.
Check out the Top 10 Quarterbacks Who Played 7v7 Football of All Time and see who was dropping dimes all over the circuit.
