An early injury in 2025 shook up the Spiders’ plans at tight end. Will the return of Sean Clarke steady this position and lead to increased production in 2026?

Roster

#82 | Sam DeFrancesca | Freshman

#83 | Ryan Campbell | Junior

#84 | Alex Smith | Senior

#86 | Aidan Steinfeldt | Junior

#87 | Sean Clarke | Graduate

#88 | Carson Derey | Sophomore

Additions

Sam DeFrancesca – The local product from Trinity was a massive recruiting win for Richmond. Holding offers from Charlotte, ECU, and Pittsburgh, the 3-star prospect opted to stay home and play for the Spiders. DeFrancesca is listed at 6’5″ and takes advantage of that size as a great receiver. He’s able to line up at tight end and in the slot, making him a difficult matchup for defenses.

Sean Clarke

Clarke enters his graduate season after rising through the ranks since he first arrived on campus. Originally a preferred walk-on, Clarke stood out early on, earning more playing time and constantly receiving praise from the staff. After the Michigan State game in 2023, Coach Huesman said, “He’s also a guy that’s grown tremendously since his freshman year and he can make plays.” Entering last season, the hype had grown further, with Clarke earning preseason All-Patriot honors despite just five catches for 38 yards the year before. Coach Huesman was once again his biggest advocate, stating, “He can run. He can catch. He’s got great hands. Smart. Doesn’t make mental mistakes – And he’s physical. He’ll block you.”

2025 was supposed to be the year that talent showed up in the box score; however we all know that was cut short in the win at Wofford. Naturally, the severity of the injury left concern about Sean’s ability and willingness to play come the fall, a concern that was quickly alleviated. John O’Connor [RTD] offered a great update on Sean this past summer, outlining his commitment to the team and enthusiasm to return to the game. (linked below)

[RTD] Richmond tight end Sean Clarke injury recovery update

I think we all want 2026 to be the year it all finally falls into place for Sean. Seeing him voted a captain by his teammates makes it clear that the locker room believes in him. The Spiders need increased production from our tight ends, and Clarke has all the tools to be a real threat to Patriot League defenses.

2025 production

After Clarke went down, we had basically no experience to turn to. The combination of Aiden Mack, Aidan Steinfeldt, Ryan Campbell, and Carson Derey had less than 50 career snaps entering the season and it put us in a tough spot. Per PFF, Richmond ultimately graded last in the Patriot League in combined run/pass blocking from tight ends. Compare that to 2024, when the Spiders would’ve been 3rd (had we been in the Patriot League) thanks to veteran Matt Robbert. The lack of game experience hurt us and it carried over into how we used TEs as receivers.

Compared to the three schools we care about the most in the Patriot, the Spiders fell behind when it came to getting tight ends involved in the passing game.

Few teams use their tight ends like W&M does, but to end up behind Villanova and Lehigh (who aren’t known for their TE usage) was startling. I’m hopeful that Clarke’s return, plus more experience from the guys behind him, allows things to look different in 2026.

What can 2026 look like?

Better blocking – Pretty simple, we can’t be last in the league again. Clarke has the size (6’4″ – 247 lbs.) to really improve this area, as does Aidan Steinfeldt (6’4″ – 257 lbs.). I also want to throw in Carson Derey (6’3″ – 246 lbs.), who didn’t play a ton last year but always does something good when I see him in practice. I’d like to see us take a big step forward in this area.

Better value of targets – The 1st quarter of the Wofford game looked amazing until the injury. Clarke had two targets, both in the 10-19 yard bucket in the middle of the field, and both resulted in 1st-down receptions. We used the TE to attack the middle of the field, yet far too often we’ve seen tight ends used for quick passes in the flat. I’m not saying you can’t get yardage out there, but the heat map of where our TE targets have gone the past two years shows we’ve relegated this group to dump-offs for minimal gains.

Keep in mind, tight ends won’t have the same downfield distribution as receivers, but there’s too high a concentration within a few yards of the line of scrimmage. So many of those short-right throws are off RPO looks, as we haven’t been able to get these guys more into the heart of the defense. With what should be a strong running game, we’ve got to take advantage of linebackers coming downhill and find space behind them with this group.

Next Post

2026 Position Group Preview: Offensive Line – Tuesday, August 18th