Brigham Young Cougars tight end Matt Bushman (89) catches a touchdown against Massachusetts Minutemen in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017. Massachusetts Minutemen won 16-10. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

By Jeff Call

PROVO — Is the tight end position officially back at BYU?

Over the past 40 years, the Cougars have produced numerous All-Americans at tight end — Clay Brown (1980), Gordon Hudson (1982, 1983), David Mills (1984), Trevor Molini (1985), Chris Smith (1989, 1990), Byron Rex (1992), Chad Lewis (1996), Itula Mili (1996), Jonny Harline (2006) and Dennis Pitta (2008, 2009).

In 2017, Matt Bushman earned Freshman All-American honors while Moroni Laulu-Pututau shined at receiver before being switched to tight end. 

Aside from Bushman and Laulu-Pututau, the future looks bright at that position as the Cougars have signed talented tight end prospects in recent years.

“When Moroni and I started making plays the past few years, some of those recruits are like, ‘OK, BYU is coming back to trusting the tight end and airing it out to them and letting them make plays,’” Bushman said. 

Other tight ends in the program include Hank Tuipulotu, who suffered a season-ending knee injury during fall camp; Nate Heaps; and freshmen Carter Wheat and Isaac Rex. 

“We definitely have a strong room right now of younger guys and also guys on their missions that will be coming home that will be really solid,” Bushman said. “Carter Wheat has impressed a lot of people by making plays out here. Isaac Rex has a really big body and he’s athletic. The tight ends at BYU should be good for a really long time. We should be one of the strongest units on the offense for years to come.”

As a freshman last season, Dallin Holker caught 19 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown before leaving for a mission. Other tight ends that BYU has signed include Donovan Hanna, Bentley Hanshaw and Ethan Erickson. 

“It’s a pipeline,” said tight ends coach Steve Clark.