Houston Cougars Tight End Tanner Koziol Named to Top Preseason List

Ball State's Star Tight End Continues His Journey with the Houston Cougars

With his breakout junior year, Koziol became the first tight end in Ball State hist ory to surpass 80 catches and 800 yards in a single season.

The Ball State star also had six games with nine or more receptions, making him one of the most dangerous pass catchers in college football.

“No returning tight end in college football was more valuable than Tanner Koziol this past year, according to our wins above average metric,” Football Analyst for the Max Chadwick said.

He also had 26 contested catches, which ranked the most in NCAA Division I last season, and the next closest tight end had 17.

Koziol also proved to be dangerous in the red zone, hauling in eight receiving touchdowns in the 2024 season and 18 in his career.

“I am so impressed with his ability to go up and get the football at 6-foot-7,” Football Analyst for the PFF College Football Show Dalton Wasserman said. “He is going to be a major red zone threat, and his ability to haul in passes that are off his frame a little bit or off target is such a valuable thing for a tight end to have.”

Koziol transferred twice this offseason. First to Wisconsin, then later making his final decision to join the Houston Cougars and catch passes from transfer quarterback Conner Weigman.

Houston’s transfer tight end made noise in spring and now fall camp, and is expected to be one of the better tight ends in college football. 

"We had a good relationship with him," head coach Willie Fritz said. "He wanted to come to the University of Houston. We were very fortunate to get him. I think he's going to be an outstanding player for us in the Big 12."

The senior is in his last week of fall camp before he suits up against SFA and has improved during his time at Houston.

“Just being with the coaches here and Coach Stone, the assistant tight ends coach, has done an amazing job with the details of everything, like the small details on the plays that make them work,” Koziol said. “Especially my footwork in the run game. I want to keep getting better at that, and I think I’ve gotten a lot better in my routes and become a smarter route runner. I have improved all over.”

Koziol has gained national recognition with his stellar 2024 season and continues to add to his accomplishments with accolades such as being named to the 2026 Senior Bowl Top 300 list.

There is a reason the star tight end is mentioned, and he is ready to show the Big 12 Conference what he can do.

“With the right coaches, I can develop," Koziol said. “It’s really exciting what the tight end can do in this offense."