A prolific pass-catching tight end who led all FBS tight ends in receptions in 2025 at Houston, Tanner Koziol became the first Houston tight end drafted since 2010 when Jacksonville took him in the fifth round.
Tanner Koziol built his college resume at Ball State before a brief stop at Wisconsin and a productive final season at Houston, where his size and catch radius made him one of the most reliable receiving tight ends in the country. The Jaguars drafted him 164th overall in 2026, adding him to a tight end room that also includes fellow rookie Nate Boerkircher.
Path to the league
Koziol starred at Mount Vernon High School in Fortville, Indiana, as a three-star recruit before starring at Ball State from 2022 to 2024, where he earned freshman All-American honors and grew into an All-MAC performer. He transferred to Wisconsin for the 2025 offseason but left after just 15 practices, ultimately landing at Houston for his final season.
Career highlights
Across three seasons at Ball State, Koziol caught 163 passes for 1,507 yards and 18 touchdowns, earning third-team All-MAC in 2023 and second-team All-MAC in 2024. At 6-foot-6 and 247 pounds, his catch radius and ball skills made him a matchup problem regardless of the level of competition.
2025 season recap
In his lone season at Houston in 2025, Koziol caught 74 passes for 727 yards and six touchdowns, leading all FBS tight ends in receptions and earning first-team All-Big 12 honors, an ESPN Top 100 ranking and a spot on the John Mackey Award semifinalist list. Jacksonville selected him in the fifth round, 164th overall, in the 2026 NFL Draft, making him the first Houston tight end drafted since 2010.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Tanner Koziol
- ESPN: Tanner Koziol career stats
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Tight End
- Group
- offense
- College
- Houston
- Hometown
- Bloomingdale, IL, USA
- Age
- 22
- Status
- active
