2023 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the tight ends
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Sunday, August 20, 2023 | 1:32 AM
Shaler tight end Brandon London
North Hills’ Logan Johnson works out during practice on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023, in Ross.
Peters Twp.’s Reston Lehman celebrates after defeating South Fayette, 42-28, on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022, at Peters.
North Allegheny’s Daniel Sellers celebrates his touchdown against Central Catholic during WPIAL 6A Championship game Saturday, Nov. 18, 2022 at Norwin High School.
North Catholic’s Brady O’Hara looks around at the line of scrimmage during a 2022 practice.
Aliquippa’s Jayace Williams works out on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, in Aliquippa.
TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here’s a look at the top tight ends for the 2023 season.
1. Brandon London
Senior, 6-3, 240
Shaler’s two biggest wins last season were over playoff qualifiers Franklin Regional and Woodland Hills, and London played a key role in each. He caught two touchdowns against the Panthers and had a team-high five catches against the Wolverines a week later, showing his playmaking ability in an offense that likes to pass. He finished his junior season with 32 receptions for 442 yards and four touchdowns, earning first-team all-conference honors in Class 5A. His longest TD catch was a 78-yarder. He received Division I college offers from St. Francis (Pa.) and Sacred Heart in recent months.
Watch Brandon London highlights
2. Brady O’Hara
Junior, 6-6, 245
O’Hara earned first-team all-conference honors at defensive end last season, and his role on offense was mostly that of a blocking tight end. He caught one touchdown as a sophomore, but O’Hara, his coaches and college recruiters see big days ahead for him. He already has scholarship offers from Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Marshall, UConn and Wisconsin. Rivals.com ranks him as the 18th-best tight end prospect in the country in the 2025 class. He has worked diligently since last season to sharpen his receiving skills and become a two-way threat on Friday nights.
3. Daniel Sellers
Senior, 6-3, 220
The Richmond recruit scored touchdowns on two of his nine catches a year ago, threw blocks like an offensive lineman and helped the Tigers win the WPIAL Class 6A title. His TD catches covered 16 and 35 yards. As a defensive end, he was involved in 52 tackles, including 16 in the backfield. All-conference voters named him to the second team for defense. He scored the first points in the 2022 WPIAL finals on a 15-yard fumble return. He committed to the Spiders over offers from Columbia, Dartmouth, Duquesne, Holy Cross, Maine, Penn and Yale.
Watch Daniel Sellers highlights
4. Reston Lehman
Sophomore, 6-4, 225
Lehman caught nine passes as a freshman and made the most of his chances. He finished with 219 yards — an average of 24 yards per catch — and scored three touchdowns. His first high school catch was a 59-yard gain. Ultimately, defense might be his best side, since he earned second team all-conference at linebacker. He scored a fourth TD on a fumble return, but his big-play ability at tight end can’t be overlooked. He already has offers from Central Michigan and Miami (Ohio). A multi-sport athlete, he placed sixth in the javelin at the WPIAL track championships.
Watch Reston Lehman highlights
5. Jayace Williams
Senior, 6-2, 225
Aliquippa doesn’t throw to the tight end often, even though it’s the alma mater of Mike Ditka. Still, Williams has contributed to two WPIAL titles and a state championship. He caught seven passes for 116 yards and a touchdown as a junior and scored twice as a sophomore. He had some memorable TDs too. He caught a 35-yarder in the 2022 WPIAL finals at Acrisure Stadium, and caught an overtime winner in the WPIAL semifinals in 2021. Defensively, he had a team-high 11 sacks last year. He earned second-team all-conference at tight end, and has college offers from St. Francis (Pa.) and Morgan State. This past winter, he started for a Quips basketball team that won a WPIAL title and reached the state finals.
Watch Jayace Williams highlights
One to watch
Logan Johnson
Senior, 6-1, 225
Johnson caught three touchdown passes a year ago, but also accomplished something few tight ends ever will. He threw for a touchdown, delivering a well-placed toss on a 65-yard trick play in the playoffs. He also made an impact in a regular season win over Penn Hills when he caught two red zone TDs of 4 and 3 yards. Those points were vital as North Hills won, 27-26. He earned all-conference honorable mention in Class 5A.
Watch Logan Johnson highlights
• • • • •
Position breakdowns
QB | RB | WR | OL | TE | DL | LB | CB | S | K
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Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
Tags: Aliquippa, North Allegheny, North Catholic, North Hills, Peters Township, Shaler
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