Andrew Rappleyea, Penn State TE: the 2026 season story
Andrew Rappleyea is a junior tight end for Penn State (Big Ten). He ranks 79th of 305 tight ends in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every tight end on the measures that matter at the position, adjusted for the opponents he faced.
Scouting report
Why it matters. Every measure is set against every ranked tight end, so a strength here is a strength against the whole position, not just his own team. Andrew Rappleyea's strongest measure is target share at 16%, 29th of 169 (the average is 10%). His weakest is yards per target at 5.9, 128th of 169 (the average is 7.6).
Season production
Why it matters. Volume is the first sign of how much a coaching staff trusts a player. His receiving yards per game, 27, ranks 55th among 169 ranked tight ends.
Against every tight end
Why it matters. Volume, efficiency and impact plays can tell different stories: a player can be busy without being effective, or rarely used but dangerous every time. Among ranked tight ends he sits, on average, in the 76th percentile for volume, 41st for efficiency and 74th for impact.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. Consistency matters to a team: one huge game and five quiet ones is a different season from six solid ones. Over 9 games, Andrew Rappleyea's best came in week 6 against USC and his quietest in week 4 against Wisconsin.
When it matters
Why it matters. Third downs, the red zone and games against good teams are where drives and seasons are decided.
Where he does his damage
Why it matters. The shape of a player's production, not just its size, is what opponents scout.
National and conference
Why it matters. The Player Index puts every tight end on one scale, adjusted for the defenses or offenses he faced, so a rank here is comparable across conferences. Andrew Rappleyea is 67th of 169 FBS tight ends and 10th of 20 in the Big Ten. Next up nationally is Nate Levicki of Western Michigan, 0.01 ahead on the index.
Career
Why it matters. A player's track record is the best guide to whether a season like this one is likely to last. His best season by the Player Index was 2025 at Penn State, 84th of 378 tight ends.
Tight ends like him
Why it matters. Players with similar profiles tend to be used the same way, which makes them a quick way to picture his game. His closest match this season is Leon Haughton Jr. of Old Dominion.
