Throughout Spring Football, GoJacks.com will take an in-depth look at various position groups. The second installment of 1st and Goal focuses on the Jackrabbit tight ends.The tight end position became a large part of the passing game for the South Dakota State University football team a season ago as Jackrabbit tight ends combined for 50 receptions, 782 receiving yards and three touchdowns during the 2015 season.
Leading the returning group of tight ends is junior
Dallas Goedert. A first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection, Goedert ranked second on the team with 26 receptions for 484 yards -- an average of 18.6 yards per catch -- and scored three touchdowns. He caught at least one pass in 10 of 12 games, including a 77-yard touchdown against Southern Utah.
Senior
Mitch Vejvoda and redshirt freshmen
Sam Steckman and
Kallan Hart are expected to pick up some of the slack in place of the graduated
Cam Jones, who was an honorable mention all-MVFC honoree last season. Vejvoda has primarily served as a blocking tight end in the Jackrabbit running game, but does have five career receptions to his credit.