USC football's offense gets a lot of credit for how deep its receiver room is and how many talented playmakers the Trojans have in that position group. The tight end room is underrated in its depth and quality. Jayden Maiava and Lincoln Riley have good options at their disposal. This is a versatile group that needs to be given more opportunities in the coming weeks.
Here are my midseason report card grades for the USC Trojans' tight end room after the first seven weeks of college football:
Mark Bowman - A
Mark Bowman is a freshman, but he plays with a great sense of maturity. He is elite as a blocker, and he is a dynamic threat in the passing game. Prior to his injury, he and Jayden Maiava were building some nice chemistry. His athleticism gave opposing defenses
trouble. USC could definitely use him back for the upcoming games.
Carson Tabaracci - B
Tabaracci is the second most productive tight end in the Trojans' offense. As a senior, he is the veteran in this room, and it shows. He has 7 catches for 64 yards this season. He is consistent and a potentially reliable starting quarterback for Jayden Maiava should he look his way. I want to see him get more involved in the offense, and in some of the big games coming up, he could end up being a surprise key contributor.
Tucker Ashcraft - B-
Ashcraft is mostly involved in the run game. He is a sure blocker, but he also has great experience and can be a factor in the pass game if needed. If Mark Bowman has to continue to miss time, look to Ashcraft, who is now healthy, to see his production go up.
Taniela Tupou - C+
Tupou is a talented young player who, if given the opportunity, could be extremely effective. The Trojans have a lot of mouths to feed and guys above him. Tupou has 2 catches for 25 yards this season. This year is about developing further and just being ready when his name is called. Not too much to judge him off of yet; still a ton of reasons to be excited for his future.
Walter Matthews - B
He has not been involved that much in the game plan. However, when he is thrown in as an extra blocker, the Trojans have success. He knows exactly how to utilize his size. Even when you throw him into a situation where he needs to be effective in the passing game, he has the versatility to do that. In games, the Trojans need to be physical to win, like against the Ohio State Buckeyes and the UCLA Bruins. I want to see Matthews out there a ton.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Midseason report card grades for USC football tight end room
