I know, I know...I am paddling into familiar waters and we have talked about this for a long time now, but I just spent an hour on the Internet (so this is serious). 
I just looked at the stats from NFL.com...I looked at the NFL division leaders. I know, it's not relevant or scientific, but every single one of them had a TE in their top 5 receivers (I think the exception was the Saints at #6). All of them had their RB in there, too, and most of those were in their top 3.
The other thing I looked at was the CFB ranked teams. This year OU's second best receiver is a TE. Miami's second best receiver is a TE. Clemson? 5th best guy is a TE. Wisconsin? He's the #2 receiver. It just goes on and on. All those teams have dominant running games, too. It stands to reason that a guy who can block AND catch gives the offense a different dynamic. It seems to be a thing.
For the record, OU's third receiving target last year was a TE. The year before he was 5th, but was second on the team in TDs (they nearly had two guys run for 1000 yards). The year before that he was the second best receiver and their lead back had 1700 yards. OU seems to have had some success over the years. I couldn't go back too far because my stomach started to turn.
More anecdotal evidence exists when I look at Texas's struggles. Sure, one can look at Foreman running the last year or two, but that is an aberration as we couldn't really throw the ball and the stats prove that out, too. When Texas was winning, Jermichael Finley and David Thomas where in the top 3. Thomas and Finley were two of VY's favorite targets in 2004 when he was just getting started (remember when we used to exploit the middle of the field?). In 2005 Thomas scored 5 times and had over 600 yards receiving.
To me, a good TE is required to be successful and a really good one is a difference maker on offense. It seems like everyone else values those guys, too. Why can't we find one? I wonder if they live in the same place as the kickers do?
I just looked at the stats from NFL.com...I looked at the NFL division leaders. I know, it's not relevant or scientific, but every single one of them had a TE in their top 5 receivers (I think the exception was the Saints at #6). All of them had their RB in there, too, and most of those were in their top 3.
The other thing I looked at was the CFB ranked teams. This year OU's second best receiver is a TE. Miami's second best receiver is a TE. Clemson? 5th best guy is a TE. Wisconsin? He's the #2 receiver. It just goes on and on. All those teams have dominant running games, too. It stands to reason that a guy who can block AND catch gives the offense a different dynamic. It seems to be a thing.
For the record, OU's third receiving target last year was a TE. The year before he was 5th, but was second on the team in TDs (they nearly had two guys run for 1000 yards). The year before that he was the second best receiver and their lead back had 1700 yards. OU seems to have had some success over the years. I couldn't go back too far because my stomach started to turn.
More anecdotal evidence exists when I look at Texas's struggles. Sure, one can look at Foreman running the last year or two, but that is an aberration as we couldn't really throw the ball and the stats prove that out, too. When Texas was winning, Jermichael Finley and David Thomas where in the top 3. Thomas and Finley were two of VY's favorite targets in 2004 when he was just getting started (remember when we used to exploit the middle of the field?). In 2005 Thomas scored 5 times and had over 600 yards receiving.
To me, a good TE is required to be successful and a really good one is a difference maker on offense. It seems like everyone else values those guys, too. Why can't we find one? I wonder if they live in the same place as the kickers do?
