Matt LaCosse, Jeff Cumberland, Michael Hoomanawanui. All recent Illinois tight ends, all in the NFL, all criminally underused by their respective offensive coordinators. LaCosse never topped 20 receptions in a season. Neither did Cumberland. Hoomanananui did bring in 25 receptions in 2008, but caught a combined four touchdowns over three starting seasons.

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Enter Louis Dorsey, a 6-foot-6, fluid 240-pound athlete from Florida, and a decade of tight end talent and frustrations are actively being exercised. Dorsey, in his freshman campaign with a season’s worth of lollipop-armed quarterbacks lobbing him ducks, managed to haul in 22 receptions for 395 yards (more than any of the three previously named had as a season-high) and three touchdowns.