ELON — Proven production at the top of its tight end room and a pair of young players looking to take another step forward are the hallmarks of the Elon football tight end room in 2026.
 
Redshirt junior Dylan Magazu headlines the group after establishing himself as one of the top players at his position in the CAA over the past two seasons.
 
Magazu started all 12 games in 2025 and caught 11 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. He opened the season with three receptions for 61 yards at Duke and added touchdown catches against ETSU and Campbell.
 
His impact has also been recognized around the conference. Magazu was named second-team All-CAA and second-team Phil Steele All-CAA following the 2025 season after earning honorable mention All-CAA and third-team Phil Steele All-CAA recognition in 2024. Magazu enters 2026 as a preseason All-CAA selection at fullback/H-back, his second consecutive year earning that honor.
 
"He's back and he's ready to go," first-year tight ends coach Baer Hunter said. "He's leading the guys in the right direction. He's taken Jack O'Connell under his wing and Brendan Hester under his wing, and those guys are beginning to roll as well."
 
The Phoenix will have a new voice leading the position group this season in Hunter, who joined Elon in March after serving as an offensive line assistant at Memphis in 2025. Hunter brings playing experience from Appalachian State (2016-21), where he was a three-time All-Sun Belt selection and made 52 career starts.
 
Behind Magazu, continued development from O'Connell and Hester could give Elon additional options at the position.
 
O'Connell enters his redshirt sophomore season at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds. He has continued to develop into a physical option who can provide size both as a blocker and in the passing game. Hester, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound redshirt freshman, also provides another big target. He was a three-time all-region tight end at Denmark High School in Alpharetta, Georgia, and averaged 10.8 yards per reception during his prep career.
 
"Both of them are developing really well," Magazu said. "I saw a lot of great things out of both of them this spring and in the fall. They just continue to get better and I'm excited to see what we can do as a room this fall."
 
With Magazu providing an established presence and O'Connell and Hester continuing to develop, Elon has a combination of experience and young talent in Hunter's first season leading the room.
 
"We're expecting them to step into bigger roles on offense," Magazu said. "Coach Hunter has done a great job helping them along and I am trying to use my game experience to help push the room forward."
 
For the Phoenix, the tight ends have an opportunity to remain a versatile piece of the offense, contributing as blockers while giving the passing game multiple physical targets in the middle of the field.
 
Tight End Personnel
Dylan Magazu | R-Jr. | Newtown, Conn.
MJ D'Angelo | R-Fr. | Old Greenwich, Conn.
Jack O'Connell | R-So. | Wake Forest, N.C.
Max Troiano | R-Fr. | Arlington, Va.
Benji Ravitz | Fr. | Dresher, Pa.
Brendan Hester | R-Fr. | Cumming, Ga.
 
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