TE Hayden Hansen Set to Do the Dirty Work for Gators Offense

Tight end Hayden Hansen could be the perfect complement to fellow tight end Arlis Boardingham in the Florida Gators offense this season.

Florida Gators tight end Hayden Hansen / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Balance is a highly-desired trait that offenses crave. The Florida Gators appear to possess balance at least in their tight end room.

Hayden Hansen provides a complete inverse to Arlis Boardingham. Hansen, the heavy-handed bruiser at tight end, gives Florida a dimension that offenses need to succeed. In no uncertain terms, Hansen beats people up, legally, within the context of football play. 

If you want an aesthetically pleasing film, watch someone else. Nothing about the approach, the demeanor or execution, looks pretty. 

Less is More

In 2023, Hansen started nine games, seeing action in 12 total. While 12 catches, 150 yards and 2 touchdowns may not appear impactful, look deeper. One of every six Hansen catches resulted in points. 

That level of efficiency helps quarterbacks keep the ball moving in different directions. Hansen didn't see many targets. However, when the ball found him, he produced. 

Within the construct of an offense filled with talent, defenses could easily ignore/dismiss Hansen in the passing game. As a result, he couldl make them pay.

Dissimilar

While Boardingham started as a wideout, blessed with twitch and route acumen, Hansen found the tight end position in high school. A converted quarterback, Hansen took to the position due to his continuous growing himself out of what people would deem quarterback height. 

Boardingham can trace every route on the tree, running them with balance, explosion and timing. Meanwhile, Hansen still needs to emerge from his breaks and look to get up to speed quicker. 

Hansen profiles as a Y-tight end. Basically, these in-line blockers attempt to punish defenders in the run game and find creases and seams to exploit in the passing game. On the other hand, Boarding brings a F-type to the huddle. Florida can move him around the line of scrimmage and find the best matchup. 

However, both will play a role in what Billy Napier wants to accomplish.

Awareness

The greatest freedom in football resides with those players who know what they are or aren’t. For Hansen, he identifies with this theory. The offense may target him once or twice a game. 

Those will not look like seam-busters that threaten to take a defender down the field. Instead, he will run the underneath patterns, exploiting the small gaps in a defense, especially against zone coverage. 

Although neither fun nor beautiful to watch, Hansen will not only do the dirty work but provide enough athleticism to gain positive yardage. 

To win, you need more than stars. Role players will end up winning a game. Hansen fits a vital role in Florida’s offense.