Arizona State's illustrious tight end history includes nine NFL Draft picks, headlined by the likes of NFL Pro Bowlers Todd Heap and Zach Miller, in 2001 and 2007, respectively. At one point, the amount of talent coming out of Tempe generated a "Tight End-University" buzz.
Then, a long drought of elite playmakers at the position that included an 18-year absence of any NFL Draft picks through 2025 stunted ASU's tight end ascendency.
This could be the season that reverses that trend.
Tight ends coach Jason Mohns, who became a foundational member of Kenny Dillingham's ASU staff, spent most of his first three years as a college assistant building up his room to try to match the players who quite literally adorn its walls with their images, led by Heap and Miller.
Entering the 2025 season, Mohns has second-team All-Big 12 senior Chamon Metayer and his top 2024 backup, senior Cameron Harpole, returning. With Kentucky junior transfer Khamari Anderson and freshman four-star addition AJ Ia joining them as impressive newcomers, the Sun Devils appear resurgent, with the potential to be "as deep and talented as it's been since 2006" with Miller.
"This is really the first time being in year two of a system," Mohns said. "Having returning guys that know the system and have experience allows us to elevate and grow the system while bringing the other guys up to speed. It's easier, but it's exciting too, because we can build and grow more than we could. Before, we had to slow things down to get everybody up to speed, but now, we can go full steam ahead."
Metayer was third on ASU's team with 32 catches last season, fourth in receiving yards with 306, and second in touchdowns with five. But what matters just as much, if not more, was the blocking provided by Metayer and Harpole to help pave the way for Cam Skattebo's record rushing season and in protecting then-redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt in his first season as a starter.
Metayer's reliability in setting the edge next to ASU's offensive line played a major role in his All-Big 12 second team nod, while still being able to make an impact as a receiver and in the play-action game.
"That's our identity," Mohns said. "It's physicality and what we do without the ball in our hands. That's how we dictate what kind of practice we had and what kind of game we had. The ball is going to find us, we'll make plays when we get the chance to, but we don't walk away from practice with our heads up or down based on how many touches we had."
Behind Metayer and Harpole, Anderson and AJ Ia have already exhibited their value in the rotation despite it being fewer than six months into their time in Tempe. Both have raw physical attributes in the receiving game that have enabled Mohns to play them at the 'F' position as a second tight end in the formation, during which the slot receiver leaves the field.
ASU thrived on play-action calls last year, as all four tight ends can block linebackers or defensive ends on run plays while also selling the rush before darting past defenses in the passing game, forcing opponents to prepare for a plethora of situations. Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo has mentioned multiple times in camp that he could regularly see the Sun Devils line up several tight ends due to their talent and versatility.
"It's a whole other game plan preparation for an opposing defense to think about," Mohns said. "It takes time away from the stuff they really want to do, and it's a change of pace. Our offense is built around running the ball physically and taking play-action shots. When you can put three tight ends on the field that can win one-on-one in the run game and can also stretch the field vertically, I think that creates a lot of mismatches."
Metayer and Harpole set a clear example for the newcomers, allowing them to see daily habits and strive to meet the high expectations of the group, while raising the overall competition.
"Those guys are doing the little things right, and the young guys see that," Mohns said. "It's why all of a sudden, you see AJ walking through on the turf field on his own time. When the standard of the room is so high, you can't fit in unless you elevate to that standard. If you're not willing to elevate, you just kind of get lost in the shuffle."
The Sun Devils have had talented tight ends in the past, but the depth this year appears superior to many prior seasons. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Mohns could potentially have a tight end drafted in three consecutive years for the first time since 1982-1984, as Ia's sky-high potential could make him a candidate to leave college after three seasons.
Instead of "Tight End U," Mohns and his players created a new mantra: "TE-mpe." As he looks to create his own history at ASU, Mohns has assembled a room with players capable of making the former Sun Devils who proverbially watch over them in position meetings proud of what they see.
"I want to build the best tight end room in the conference," Mohns said. "I want to put pressure on Coach Arroyo and Coach (Kenny) Dillingham to play multiple tight ends, because at the end of the day, a good play caller and good coach are going to put their best 11 players on the field. I'm trying to make sure a couple of those guys are coming out of our room, and we're going to continue to build.
Sun Devil Source reporter Jake Sloan contributed to this reporting