Last season, the depth at the tight end position took an early hit with the injury retirement of Brandon Williams and the subsequent Achilles injury to Curtis White. That left the Ducks with just two healthy tight ends.

In our continuing look at the 2013 recruiting needs for the Oregon Ducks, today Duck Sports Authority turns its attention to the often unsung heroes of the Oregon offense; the tight ends. Fans expect tight ends to be able to move well down the field, have great hands and yet still have the size and mentality to be exceptional blockers.

Oregon has put a string of tight ends into the NFL dating back to Jeff Thomason. The 2011 season saw the emergence of a young talent in the shadows of a veteran. 2012 will bring about a change with a sophomore being the "veteran of the group.

As you read, the departures are those players scheduled to graduate after the 2012 season while the returnees for 2013 are players who will have eligibility left for the 2013 season.

 2013 Returnees: Colt Lyerla, Curtis White, Christian French

Colt Lyerla was a top target for Duck fans for a while. And when he got a chance to get onto the field, there were glimpses of why fans and coaches alike were excited about this athlete from Hillsboro. An All-American in high school, Lyerla has...

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