> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Analysis: Huskies’ Talented Tight Ends Must Stay Healthy - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/analysis-huskies-talented-tight-ends-must-stay-healthy/ - Published: 2025-05-16T05:34:38.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:37:24.000Z - Author: Aaron Coe - Tags: Huskies, Quentin Moore, Decker DeGraaf, Jedd Fisch, Jordan Paopao, Kade Eldridge, Ryan Otton ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/435958134_1588351648683362_8166323870425412169_n-format-original.jpg) SEATTLE, Wash. — There are times when players seemingly come out of nowhere to make a tackle. Washington Huskies tight end Quentin Moore’s 2024 season ended on something more auspicious than that. In the 2024 season opener, Weber State linebacker Garrett Beck came off the sideline mid-play and took Moore out at the knees. He never saw it coming. Season over. > The guy who makes the tackle in this clip runs in from the sideline and the tackle resulted in an injury for the player. Crazy. > [pic.twitter.com/d9DsMx0459](https://t.co/d9DsMx0459?ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com)— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) [September 4, 2024](https://twitter.com/WestCoastCFB/status/1831149878216716414?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com) Washington made it through the rocky 6-7 campaign with senior transfer Keleki Latu, who is a free agent signee with the Buffalo Bills, and true freshman Decker DeGraaf combining for 55 of 56 tight end receptions, with the other coming on Moore’s season-ending play. Tight ends coach Jordan Paopao, who spoke to reporters in April, indicated that developing a deeper rotation will be important for 2025\. “You'd love to have a rotation of about 4-5, in all honesty,” said Paopao, who is exclusively a tight ends coach this season after splitting duties as special teams coordinator in 2024\. “You look at NFL snaps, very seldom do you get an NFL guy that has more than about 50-60 reps a game. Obviously they play a couple more weeks. When you look at a workload over the course of time, if you're consistently running 50 yards down the field at 250 pounds … that starts to wear on your body no matter who you are.” The tight end room is still thin on experience, but will be a major factor in the Huskies’ offense this season — if, you know, something crazy doesn’t happen. ### Quentin Moore Moore, now a seventh-year senior, participated in some team drills during the spring, wearing a knee brace. He caught the ball well, though at 6-4, 260 pounds, Jedd Fisch will lean on Moore as a blocker for running backs Jonah Coleman and Adam Mohammed. Moore, an Inglemoor High School graduate from Kenmoore, Washington, caught his first Washington TD in 2023, and it just happened to be one of the most important in recent Husky football history — the winning TD against Oregon in the Pac-12 title game that sent UW to the College Football Playoff. Moore is a big, athletic tight end who shows soft hands. That hasn’t translated into a lot of catches. Playing behind others, Moore has eight catches for 85 yards in four seasons in 28 games at Washington. That was supposed to change in 2024, and it may well in 2025\. “I've seen him grow a lot just in terms of his mental ability, just being able to know the offense, all the nuances,” Paopao said. “I've been really, really pleased with that. He'd be the first one to tell you he has a lot more room to be able to continue to improve.” Moore may not lead the tight end room in catches, but with good health might see the most snaps. ### Decker DeGraaf Thrown into the fire last season, DeGraaf showed some downfield ability as a true freshman, averaging 15.5 yards on 15 catches for 233 yards and three touchdowns. He’s more of a modern-day tight end — one who shows solid pass-catching ability and a willingness to block. Up to 6-3, 245 pounds after being perhaps generously listed at 240 last year, DeGraaf is likely to emerge as one of the Huskies’ top 3-4 receiving targets in 2025\. “I think obviously the guy that really jumps out in terms of what he is able to do is Decker,” Paopao said. “Being able to do some in-line stuff, split out wide, be a third wide receiver, and also be a single wide receiver split out with his ability to get in and out of breaks.I think obviously the guy that really jumps out in terms of what he is able to do is Decker (DeGraaf). Being able to do some in-line stuff, split out wide, be a third wide receiver, and also be a single wide receiver split out with his ability to get in and out of breaks.” Despite an end zone target in the spring game DeGraaf likely wished he’d hauled in, the sophomore has shown elite hands and potential for top-end route running this spring. I wouldn’t be surprised to see numbers north of Latu’s 2024 line of 40 catches. ### Kade Eldridge The redshirt sophomore from Lynden Christian High School returned to his home state after two years at USC. Eldridge played in all 12 games last season, catching three passes for 19 yards. At 6-4, 250 pounds, Eldridge has both blocking and receiving ability, and can line up as a fullback if needed. He’ll play a role this season, and DeGraaf and Eldridge look to form a strong 1-2 punch in 2026\. “You look at the room from top down, you love what Kade is able to do in terms of being a Swiss Army Knife,” Paopoa said. ### Austin Simmons Simmons gives the Huskies another potential downfield threat from the tight end position. At 6-5, 238 pounds, Simmons has work to do as a blocker. But he showed speed and good hands during spring drills. He might not factor in much in 2025, but is a promising prospect as a mismatch for defenders. “The guy that's really jumped out is Austin Simmons, how fast he's been able to take this offense, how fast he's been able to grow,” Paopao said. “He's starting to get a lot more confident, so you see more physicality, you see more speed at the line of scrimmage. I've been really, really happy with his progress." ### Ryan Otton Brother of former UW and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton, the sophomore’s status remains a mystery. A four-star recruit out of Tumwater, Wash., Otton has sustained injuries that kept him out of the 2024 season and this spring. He was at practices this spring, but his status has not fully been updated by Washington. I would not count on seeing him on the field, but we’ll see if he’s out there in the fall. "Ryan is running his recovery process,” Paopao said. “We're going to try and get him back as quickly as possible." ### The Rest Charlie Crowell, a redshirt freshman, was limited during spring ball. Baron Naone, a four-star recruit out of West Linn (Ore.) will arrive for fall camp.