The Scouting Report
Q&A: Strake Jesuit TE Thomas Gordon
Joshua Koch
May 23, 2018, 8:08 pm
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!
Kyle Tucker launched a three-run homer and matched a season high with four hits against the team that traded him in December, and the Chicago Cubs routed Houston 12-3 on Saturday night to stop the Astros' five-game winning streak.
Tucker also scored four times to pace a Cubs lineup that pounded out 15 hits, including three by Dansby Swanson. Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner also went deep.
Chicago hit three homers in an inning for the second time this season during a seven-run fourth. Busch and Hoerner had back-to-back solo shots to put the Cubs on top 3-2, and Tucker’s drive made it 7-2.
The offensive outburst came in support of Colin Rea (5-3), who allowed two runs and five hits over five innings. The only blemish on his line was rookie Cam Smith’s two-run homer in the third, which briefly gave the Astros a 2-1 lead.
Smith, part of the package Houston received for Tucker, finished with two hits and has homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
Lance McCullers Jr. (1-3) came off the injured list and allowed eight runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Isaac Paredes, also part of the Astros' trade return for Tucker, hit his 17th home run.
Tucker’s three-run homer in the fourth that put the Cubs ahead 7-2.
McCullers has a 10.89 ERA in five home starts this season, but hasn’t allowed an earned run in three road starts.
Houston LHP Framber Valdez (8-4, 2.88 ERA) opposes RHP Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.77 ERA) when the series concludes Sunday.