Former Iowa Hawkeye tight end Luke Lachey is the most recent graduate from "Tight End U." Lachey's time with the Hawkeyes was marred by horrible quarterback play and injuries. Lachey had to wait his turn to take the reins at Iowa, but after Sam LaPorta moved to the NFL, Lachey got his chance.
In 2023, it was Lachey's time. Before the 2023-2024 season, he was named to the Mackey Award Watchlist. The Mackey Award is given to the nation's best tight end. Lachey started the season strong, catching seven passes for 73 yards in the season opener against Utah State.
Lachey followed that with another strong performance against rival Iowa State, tallying three catches for 58 yards in a Hawkeye victory.
During the third game of the season, Lachey suffered a bad leg injury and was out for the remainder of the season. Despite rumors he was heading to the 2024 NFL Draft, Lachey returned to Iowa for the 2024-2025 season.
During the 2024-2025 season, Lachey had career-high statistics (231 yards on 28 catches), but it was a far cry from what he is capable of. His stats would have been much larger if Iowa had a consistent quarterback under center.
After his college eligibility was exhausted, Lachey entered the 2025 NFL Draft.
Adding to the offense 💪 pic.twitter.com/th82OIrJeY
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) April 27, 2025
Lachey is headed to the Houston Texans after being selected with the No. 255 overall pick in the NFL Draft. He heads to H-Town with a ton of untapped potential.
Lachey has the size (six-foot-six, 251 pounds) and catching ability to make an impact at the NFL level. He is excellent at making off-frame catches and can go low to the ground or into traffic to make contested catches.
He also gives exceptional effort in blocking. He does not have the quickness to sustain extended blocks, but has the athleticism and drive to succeed in pass or run blocking.
Before his major leg injury in 2023, Lachey looked like an NFL-ready tight end and could be a steal for the Texans. He can also serve as a solid complement to tight end Dalton Knox, who is a better pass catcher than a blocker.
If Lachey can work on his strength and blocking, he will stick with the Texans.