Starting TE - Spencer Shannon or Jordan Washington?

[Bevo92]

I trust what @Bobby Burton @Gerry Hamilton @CJ Vogel and @Jeff Howe see and hear when it comes to our Texas Longhorns far more than what the national media puts out there.   Sharing the latest ESPN ‘Breakout Player’ predictions as something that will be interesting to file away and see as the season progresses.   https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/44315654/college-football-2025-breakout-players-top-25

It’s exciting to hear on OTF how strong Jordan Washington could potentially be at TE this season.   More athletic and faster than Gunnar Helm with potential to be a favorite target of Arch’s.   When hearing Spencer Shannon’s name mentioned, I recall hearing optimism as well but thought it was more as a blocking tight end (I may be mistaken or mis-remembering, 🤪).

While reading this Top 25 list on ESPN (hope this preseason order holds with Ohio State 1 and Texas 2 in advance of big game on Aug 30), they predicted the ‘breakout player’ for each Top 25 team.   Of all the Longhorn players ESPN chose from as most likely to ‘breakout’ in 2025 (Arch is too easy and Wingo probably doesn’t qualify given freshman performance, they could have gone with 10-12 different options from Jordan Washington, Jerrick Gibson, Jaime Ffrench, Parker Livingstone, James Simon, Trevor Goosby, Brandon Baker, Neto Umeozulu, Ty’Anthony Smith, Jelani McDonald, Warren Roberson, Kobe Black, Alex January plus the DL transfers like Hero Kanu).   Instead, ESPN selected 6ft 7in Spencer Shannon as our most likely ‘Breakout Player’ this season and a favorite target of Arch Manning’s.

Whether it’s Jordan Washington or Spencer Shannon that has a breakout year at TE this season, time will tell.  Maybe they both have a breakout year.   Either way, I’m beyond excited to see our young TEs play this coming season.   Sounds like both guys have put in the work and taken big strides over the past year.   It makes me really appreciate how Sark and Jeff Banks have completely turned the TE room around into a position of strength (and depth) on the 40 Acres.   With Winston and Townsend just getting started this season, the TE position is well stocked for years ahead (barring transfers).
 

Hook em! 🤘🏼🐂🧡

 

 

 

 

Edited March 21 by Bevo92

[Bevo92]

One additional question on the topic of TE usage anticipated in 2025.   If Washington and Shannon both show strong progress through spring plus expectation for full offensive facelift as CJ put it this week on State of the Program, with more deep passing routes, more Arch running, etc will we likely see more 2-TE sets with both Washington and Shannon on the field together?    

[syracusehorn]

It sounds like someone at ESPN doesn't know our roster well. 

[Bevo92]

4 hours ago, syracusehorn said:

It sounds like someone at ESPN doesn't know our roster well. 

Agree. 

[CJ Vogel]

Excited to see what Shannon can do this spring. What level of a threat can he provide in the passing game. So far in his career that has remained an area where there has been some left to be desired. Not to say he can't do it, but the athletic frame of Washington leads me to think he fits the vertical offense a bit better.