Caden Prieskorn Adds 'Do-It-All' Mentality To Rebels Tight End Room

Ole Miss could have one of the more dynamic tight end rooms in the country thanks to the addition of Caden Prieskorn.
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Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin loves the transfer portal like most Americans love college football. To no one's surprise, the "portal king" struck again this offseason by adding proven commodities over younger up-and-coming talent. 

One of those new to The Grove is Memphis tight end Caden Prieskorn, a two-year starter for the Tigers with size and speed that could change the passing attack for the Rebels' offense in 2022. When entering the transfer portal, Prieskorn wanted to ensure he would be an X-factor for his next program. 

Looking back at tight end play under fourth-year coach Lane Kiffin, the pairing seemed natural from the first conversation. 

“I just felt like it’d be a great fit, and I just wanted (to come here) to compete," Prieskorn told reporters Tuesday. "I feel like we have a great room all around. I feel like, to be honest, I think our room is one of the best in the country. We just have to be consistent every day and just show it.”

Adding proven talent on offense has been a point of emphasis for Kiffin over the previous two offseasons. Last year, Ole Miss fortified its receiving room with the additions of tight end Michal Trigg (USC), along with receivers Malik Heath (Mississippi State) and Jordan Watkins (Louisville). 

As a sophomore, Prieskorn most saw his reps as a secondary blocker to help out in the run game. Last season, he expanded into one of the more dynamic pass-catchers in space. Prieskorn posted career-highs in receptions (48), receiving yards (602) and touchdowns (seven) and averaged 12.5 yards per catch. 

“He was a massive get for us,” projected starting quarterback Jaxson Dart said last week of Prieskorn's addition. “I think he’s going to help tremendously in the run game and the pass game. I think it’s going to be super exciting when we’re going to be able to play a lot in 12 personnel sets with him and Trigg. Kind of use Trigg the way he’s more natural to, but (Preiskorn) was a tremendous pickup for us.”

Tight end play has always been an area of efficiency for Kiffin, primarily in terms of run blocking. While as the offensive coordinator at Alabama, O.J. Howard became a first-round pick not because of his route-running and hands, but rather his ability to block downfield. 

During his time at Florida Atlantic, Harrison Bryant became a John Mackey Award winner in 2019 thanks to his superior route-running and efficient blocking. During his final season in Boca Raton, Bryant totaled 65 receptions for over 1,000 yards and scored seven TDs.

“[Coach] Kiffin in the past (has) had great tight ends, and I feel like this one they needed a guy that could do both. Block and catch,” Prieskorn said. "I feel like me coming in and help push the room, just come in and compete.”

Trigg, who finished with 17 catches for 156 yards and three touchdowns, will need to improve as a run blocker for the top-rushing unit in the SEC. Then again, Kiffin may view Trigg as more of a flex option that can spread out wide in the passing game, while Prieskorn fills in as the in-line blocker with red zone potential. 

Prieskorn said he and Trigg have been more like Yin and Yang-type players so far in practice. That's not a bad thing if Ole Miss expects to run more personnel packages that play to each tight end's strengths.

“I feel like we complement each other so well. Like, I do some stuff he does well, he does some stuff that I don’t do so well,” Prieskorn said. “I feel like it’s been a great one-two punch.”

Trigg and Prieskorn have taken the field multiple times this spring in a 12-personnel look. Kiffin certainly will have formations explicitly designed for each player, but spring football is about getting new players acclimated with the offense. 

While Trigg could be the security blanket for Dart, Prieskorn could be "Mr. Everything" for the offense. Kiffin noted that the former AAC tight end lined up everywhere on offense and found success. 

Kiffin can already see NFL measurables in the Michigan native that should translate with ease in the SEC. Now, it's about getting him up to speed and fluent with the formations before Week 1's matchup against Mercer. 

“I think he’s a really kind of do-it-all, consistent tight end, when you watched him last year. Very big frame,” Kiffin said. “It seems like over time here, we’ve kind of had more specialty tight ends. He’s a bigger frame, probably, I guess, than anybody we’ve had. That makes a difference in blocking, at the point of attack. And so, we were excited to get him to add him to our group." 


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Cole Thompson
COLE THOMPSON

Cole Thompson is a reporter and columnist covering the NFL and college sports for SI's Fan Nation. A 2016 graduate from The University of Alabama, follow him on Twitter @MrColeThompson