Rivals Five-Star: Storylines surrounding tight ends

The Rivals Five-Star is back next week in Jacksonville and some of the nation’s top tight ends in the 2025 and 2026 classes will be working out.

Here are four storylines we’re watching heading into the premier summer event.

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In three of the last four NFL Drafts there has been one tight end taken in the first round so we should strongly consider having a five-star among that group. Linkon Cure could prove he’s the best in the country at the Rivals Five-Star.

Right now, Georgia commit Elyiss Williams leads the way in those position rankings and the Kingsland (Ga.) Camden County standout is special. He’s 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds and plays like a big wide receiver so Williams will definitely be considered as well.

But Cure fits the mold of what every pro team is looking for at the position.

The Goodland, Kan., four-star standout has great size as well at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds. He moves incredibly well, can split out and be a mismatch problem or stay in and block. He’s been super impressive at numerous events this offseason.

If he beats up on linebackers and defensive backs in Jacksonville then there will definitely be five-star consideration for Cure, who has Oregon, Texas A&M, Kansas State and others involved.

Cure is the top-rated tight end in Kansas and second-best in the 2025 class, but DaSaahn Brame, from Derby, Kan., could really make his own statement at the Rivals Five-Star and shoot up the charts as well.

The 6-foot-6, 225-pound four-star tight end has the bona fides with 46 catches for 942 yards and 13 touchdowns last season at the same high school that produced Kansas State’s Avery Johnson and transfer Dylan Edwards, who came to Manhattan from Colorado.

The Cure-Brame situation could also be really interesting in recruiting. Oregon has been considered the far-away leader for the Derby standout and now Cure is talking very highly of the Ducks. Would both go to Eugene? If one commits there first does Kansas State take the other? That situation could be really intriguing in the coming months.

Five-star Ohio State quarterback commit Tavien St. Clair will be in Jacksonville and at least in the one-on-one situations, he could team up with Buckeyes tight end pledge Nate Roberts to give everyone a preview of what’s coming to Columbus. It could be really intriguing.

At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, the Washington, Okla., standout, who had previously been committed to Notre Dame in what seems like another lifetime is now, locked in with Ohio State. He chose the Buckeyes over the hometown Sooners.

He can definitely move well, he blocks well and this offseason he has shown to have great hands.

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The only 2026 tight end coming to the Rivals Five-Star is Corbyn Fordham and he doesn’t have to come far since the Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles standout plays right down the road.

He’s also a really interesting prospect as well because the 6-foot-4, 210-pound tight end is equally as comfortable splitting out and running routes to stretch the field as he is blocking and looking to knock somebody backward.

Ohio State, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, Georgia, NC State, Texas A&M, Florida State, North Carolina and South Carolina are his top 10. That's a very strong group for Fordham, who is looking forward to testing himself against some of the best tight ends in the class ahead of him.