Modern tight ends combine size and athleticism to become dangerous offensive weapons. Look no further than Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew’s 57-yard touchdown reception against Tennessee on Saturday for an example.
In the second quarter of the top-25 matchup between No. 17 Pitt and No. 24 Tennessee, Bartholomew found himself in a soft spot of the Volunteers’ defense. Panthers quarterback Kedon Slovis found him with an accurate pass, and Bartholomew did the rest.
Bartholomew took off down the sideline and leapt over the would-be tackle of Tennessee safety Trevon Flowers. Bartholomew was even able to stick the landing and kept rumbling all the way to the end zone for the touchdown.
After logging just one reception for nine yards in Pitt’s season-opening win against West Virginia, that catch-and-run put Bartholomew at four catches for 83 yards and a touchdown well before halftime at Acrisure Stadium.
Coming out of Blue Mountain High School (PA), Bartholomew was a three-star recruit and the No. 68 tight end in the 2021 signing class, according to the 247Sports rankings. As a true freshman last season, Bartholomew recorded 28 receptions for 326 yards and four touchdowns.
