Who could step up in a room lacking major experience?
Last week, Inside NU took a look at Northwestern football’s wide receiver room in 2025. Now, with 31 days remaining until the Tulane season opener, we’ll evaluate the tight ends.
Overview
“Our tight end room, unproven, but it’s deep. It’s diverse in terms of the skillsets that exist. It’s a room that will be utilized heavily throughout the season.”
— Wildcat head coach David Braun
Returners: Hunter Welcing (R-Sr.), Camp Magee (R-So.), Chris Petrucci (R-Jr.), Lawson Albright (R-Sr.), Blake Van Buren (R-Jr.), Patrick Schaller (R-Fy.)
Losses: Thomas Gordon (graduated), Marshall Lang (graduated), Duke Olges (graduated)
Newcomers: Alex Lines (Gr.), Robby Preckel (first-year), Noah LaPorte (first-year), Tyler Kielmeyer (first-year)
Tight end might be the hardest position to evaluate for Northwestern football in 2025.
To start off, the ‘Cats lost their top two tight ends in Gordon and Lang. That pair made up the vast majority of tight end production for the ‘Cats in 2024, combining for 38 receptions and making highly-underrated contributions as blockers. With Gordon, Lang and Olges all having graduated, NU returns just one reception from a tight end in 2025, that being from Welcing, the redshirt senior.
So who else is there to trust?
In terms of returners, it’s difficult to know at this point. As a redshirt first-year, Schaller may have some unknown potential, as he was a decently-rated three-star prospect who showed some effectiveness catching the football in high school, putting up 40 catches in his senior season. Outside of Welcing, Albright has the most experience, with 11 appearances in 2024 and 2023 and a couple of catches two years ago.
As for the others, Magee has not appeared in a game, Petrucci has one career appearance and Van Buren has six. It’s somewhat confusing that the former two have not seen more run, as they were both top-20 tight ends nationally in their respective recruiting classes. It’s possible Braun gives them both more looks this year with the absences of Gordon and Lang, but there’s still plenty they need to prove to see time on the field in 2025.
Lines is the only newcomer with experience at the college level, but his journey has had many twists and turns over the years. The graduate student started off at UNLV in 2020, playing solely on special teams before transferring to Arizona and making 11 starts with ten catches in his redshirt first-year season. He then started in four games for Arizona in 2022, regressing as a pass-catcher with just one reception.
Lines then went to Garden City Community College in 2023, regaining some of his old form with 309 receiving yards on 31 catches. He then came back to the FBS level but failed to appear in a game for New Mexico State. Lines now comes to Northwestern — his fifth school — hoping to reignite his career for one final ride.
All three true first-years may end up redshirting in 2025, but there is some potential for Braun to evaluate over the summer. Preckel racked up 1,403 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in his senior season, while LaPorte received offers from Kansas and Michigan State, and Kielmeyer got them from Wisconsin, Illinois and the Spartans.
Key Player
Alex Lines
With Gordon and Lang gone, Lines is the only tight end on the roster with meaningful FBS experience for Northwestern to lean on. Going from sitting out his junior season to starting for the ‘Cats would be a huge leap, but as of now, the expectation should be that Lines gets the first crack at the starting role due to his past production.
Big Question
How will the Wildcats replace the blocking prowess of Gordon and Lang?
In short, they probably won’t — at least not fully. Gordon and Lang both got looks from NFL teams due to their respective abilities as blockers, and no tight end on the NU roster currently has production that comes close to matching either of theirs. 2025 will be a major test for second-year tight ends coach Paul Creighton, who also serves as the special teams coordinator for the ‘Cats.
Depth Chart
Projected 2025 TE Depth Chart
Starter: Alex Lines
Second String (starter in two-tight-end sets): Hunter Welcing
Third String (starter in three-tight-end sets): Lawson Albright
Fourth String: Chris Petrucci
Fifth String: Camp Magee
Reserve/Special Teams: Robby Preckel, Noah LaPorte, Tyler Kielmeyer, Blake Van Buren, Patrick Schaller