The Scouting Report
Q&A: Strake Jesuit TE Thomas Gordon
Joshua Koch
May 23, 2018, 8:08 pm
Gordon finished last season with 27 catches for 455 yards and seven touchdowns Vype
The next top tight end prospect to come out of Houston is emerging and his name is Thomas Gordon.
The Strake Jesuit tight end finished last season with 27 catches for 455 yards and seven touchdowns. Gordon is committed to Northwestern.
VYPE recently caught up with him to break down what made him the District 19-6A Newcomer of the Year in 2017 and a player to watch this season.
VYPE: How much have you worked on your route running as a tight end? You impressed many with it at The Opening Houston Camp.
Gordon: “I have done lots of footwork drills and run a ton of routes, becoming a more refined route runner.”
VYPE: What do you spend the most time working on to improve your game on the field?
Gordon: “Currently I spend most of my time lifting to get bigger and faster, to become a better athlete.”
VYPE: How would you rate your blocking ability on run plays and pass protection as a tight end?
Gordon: “We switched offenses to a pro style and I was not used to that. At first, I struggled with blocking, but I would say I’ve gotten better almost every game and have learned to love blocking.”
VYPE: You have the ability to go up and make a big catch. How have you learned to utilize your size to your advantage in that part of your game?
Gordon: “I have learned that nobody can guard a 6-foot-5 tight end if you know how to use your body. I position my body where if the quarterback throws it right, I cannot be guarded.”
VYPE: What made Northwestern the place for you?
Gordon: “Northwestern is the place for me because it has everything I want. They play in the best conference in the country right now and they are a Top 10 school academically in the nation.”
VYPE: Which tight end in the NFL do you model your game after or look up to the most as how they play the game and why?
Gordon: “I have always looked up to Robert Gronkowski because of the way he can catch touchdowns and destroy defenders when he is blocking.”
This article appears in the May Issue of VYPE Magazine. Pick up your copy at any one of our locations today!
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.