Utah TE Brant Kuithe’s 2019 Season Comparable To Rob Gronkowski
Apr 16, 2020, 10:10 AM
Utah Utes tight end Brant Kuithe (80) runs the ball in for a touchdown, putting the Utes up 7-0 over the Arizona Wildcats after the PAT, at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. (Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
(Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah tight end Brant Kuithe had a breakout sophomore season in 2019 which had some of his statistics comparable to Rob Gronkowski.
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Kuithe really shined at the end of the season and was used in many different ways in Utah’s offense from catching passes to jet sweeps and running the football.
Gronkowski attended the University of Arizona for three seasons before getting drafted to the New England Patriots in the 2010 NFL Draft in the second round.
Kuithe’s 2019 season stats are very comparable to Gronkowski’s freshman season in 2007.
According to Sports Source Analytics, Gronkowski and Kuithe had the top two yards per target averages. Gronkowski averaged 13.8 yards per target while Kuithe posted 13.7 yards per target.
Top 25 FBS TE’s over the last 15 years sorted by highest Yards Per Target (YPT). Get you some @RobGronkowski #Gronk pic.twitter.com/wnVE9um2mT
— SportSource Analytics (@SportSourceA) April 15, 2020
During Gronkowski’s freshman season, he recorded 28 catches on 38 targets for 525 yards and 6 touchdowns on 18.8 yards per catch.
Kuithe was targeted 44 times in 2019. He hauled in 34 receptions for 602 yards and 6 touchdowns on 17.7 yards per catch.
Gronkowski went on to receive first team All-Pac-12 honors before jumping to the NFL where he was a 5-time Pro Bowler, 4-time first team All-Pro and 3-time Super Bowl Champion.
The 2019 season was the first season that Gronkowski was in retirement. He has joined the WWE where he won the 24/7 title at Wrestlemania. Rumors have swirled about Gronkowski making a return to the NFL and joining Tom Brady in Tampa Bay.
For Kuithe, the 2020 season will certainly be one where he is expected to have a ton of touches in the offense and used in many different ways.
Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.
