Mike Wolf, BTN volleyball announcer, September 27, 2011

If Penn State is referred to as ?Linebacker U,? Wisconsin might want to consider calling itself ?Tight End U.? No, Wisconsin?s dominance at the position doesn?t date back as far as Penn State?s linebacking prowess, but the Badgers, of late, seem to produce very talented tight ends. Take the 2000s, for example. From Owen Daniels to Garrett Graham to Travis Beckum, among others, Wisconsin has boasted some of the Big Ten?s finest at the position. That said, it?s no surprise a trio of Badgers made the cut when it came to BTN's top 10 tight ends of the 2000s. Watch a clip from Tuesday's Big Ten's Best show now and see the entire list in this post.

DALLAS CLARK, IOWA
-Consensus All-American in 2002
-Won John Mackey Award in 2002 as nation?s best tight end
-81 catches, 1,281 yards, 8 TD in just two seasons as tight end, including 43 catches, 742 yards, 4 TD in 2002
-In 2002, helped Iowa tally its first unbeaten Big Ten season since 1922 and its first conference championship since -1990, in addition to its first-ever 11-win season and BCS bowl appearance (lost to USC in 2003 Orange Bowl)
-All-Big Ten first-team in 2002
-95-yard catch vs. Purdue in 2002 was tied for longest pass play in Iowa history
-Drafted 24th overall by the Colts in 2003

DUSTIN KELLER, PURDUE
-Finished his career with 142 catches, 1,882 yards, 16 TD, including 68 receptions, 881 yards and seven touchdowns in 2007
-Won Purdue Team MVP in 2007
-Left Purdue 11th all-time in program history in receiving yards (1,882) and ninth all-time for TD catches (16)
-Semifinalist for Mackey Award, All-Big Ten second team in 2007
-30th overall pick by the Jets in the 2008 NFL Draft

TRAVIS BECKUM, WISCONSIN
-Led all tight ends in receiving yards (982) in 2007, a number good enough to set the Wisconsin record for single-season receiving yards by a tight end
-Finished his career with 159 catches for 2,149 yards - Wisconsin records for tight ends – and 11 touchdowns
-Seventy-five receptions in 2007 tied Lee Evans (2001) for most by a Wisconsin player
-Led Wisconsin in receiving yards in both 2006 and 2007
-Helped Wisconsin record its first 12-win season in 2006
-Finalist for the Mackey Award in 2007
-2007 All-American
-First-team All-Big Ten in 2007
-Third-round pick by the New York Giants in 2009 Draft

OWEN DANIELS, WISCONSIN
-Caught 62 passes for 852 yards and 8 TD in his career
-2004: 25 catches, 391 yards, 2 TD
-2005: 22 catches, 268 yards, 4 TD
-Three TD catches vs. Temple on Sept. 10, 2005 tied for 3rd most in a game in Wisconsin history
-Started career as third-string quarterback in 2002, switched to tight end in 2003
-Fourth-round pick by the Houston Texans in 2006 Draft

TIM STRATTON, PURDUE
-Caught 204 passes for 2,088 yards and 15 TD in career
-2000 Mackey Award winner, handed out to nation?s best tight end (won the inaugural award)
-2001 Mackey Award semifinalist
-Helped Purdue win 2000 Big Ten title, reach Rose Bowl
-Left Purdue as all-time leader in catches (204)
-Left Purdue 6th all-time in receiving yards (2,088)

CHRIS BAKER, MICHIGAN STATE
-Career: 133 catches, 1,729 yds, 13 TD
-40 catches, 572 yards, 4 TD as senior in 2001
-Left MSU ranked fourth in catches (133), 11th in receiving yards (1,705) and ninth in TD grabs (13)
-Second-team All-Big Ten, second-team All-American in 2001
-Started 47 straight games at MSU
-Third-round selection by New York Jets in 2002 Draft

TONY MOEAKI, IOWA
-Career: 76 catches, 953 yards, 11 TD
-30 catches, 387 yards, 4 TD in 2009
-Mackey Award semifinalist in 2009
-First-team All-Big Ten by coaches in 2009
-Helped Iowa tie program records with 11 wins in 2009 (first 9-0 start in program history)
-Four catches, 85 yards in 2010 Orange Bowl, Iowa?s first BCS bowl victory
-Third-round pick by Kansas City Chiefs in 2010

MATT SPAETH, MINNESOTA
-Career: 109 catches, 1,293 yards, 12 TD
-Left Minnesota as all-time leader in catches (109), and receiving yards (1,293) by tight end
-Set Minnesota single-season records for tight ends in catches (47) and receiving yards (564) in 2006
-2006 Mackey Award winner, as nation?s best tight end
-Named All-Big Ten first-team in 2005 and 2006
-Had 21 consecutive games with a catch, spanning the 2005-06 seasons
-Minnesota team MVP in 2006
-Third-round pick by Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007 Draft

GARRETT GRAHAM, WISCONSIN
-Career: 121 catches, 1,492 yards, 16 TD
-Left Wisconsin 11th in program history in receiving yards (1,492), sixth in catches (121) and fifth in TD catches (16)
-Three TD catches vs MSU on Sept. 26, 2009 tied for third most in game in Wisconsin history
-First-team All-Big Ten by media in 2009
-Fourth-round pick by Houston Texas in 2010 Draft

BEN HARTSOCK, OHIO STATE
-Career: 58 catches, 519 yards, 5 TD in career
-17 catches, 137 yards, 2 TD in 2002, helping OSU win Big Ten and BCS national title
-33 catches, 290 yds, 2 TD in 2003, helping OSU win Fiesta Bowl
-Left OSU 7th all-time in program history for catches by tight end (58)
-Third-round pick by Indianapolis Colts in 2004 Draft