One of the most adaptable tight ends available in the 2024 NFL Draft is interviewed by WCG’s chief draft analyst.
Tennessee tight end McCallan Castles is hoping to have a big NFL career after having a successful collegiate career.
Castles, who played three seasons at UC Davis and was named an All-Big Sky player three times, attracted a lot of attention through the transfer portal prior to enrolling with the Volunteers for his last year of NCAA eligibility. Due to his degree of athleticism and flexibility, he was invited to the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl and is expected to play in the NFL in the future.
Castles talked with Windy City Gridiron about his experience in the Shrine Bowl, moving up from the FCS to the SEC, and other topics.
JI: You made a good transition to the SEC after achieving a lot at UC Davis. What was the most difficult obstacle you overcame when moving to Tennessee?
MC: It goes without saying that everyone in the SEC is much smaller than in the FCS. I had to make the most of everything Tennessee had to offer and gain some weight, but I managed to do it rather rapidly. There, they had excellent strength and nutrition coaches. Everything then moves a little bit more quickly. Everyone is larger and faster, and Tennessee’s attack relies on quickness and no-huddle plays. It certainly took the longest to get acclimated to, although doing a lot of spring ball repetitions [helped]. Playing with [fellow Volunteers tight end] Jacob Warren, who has been a member of the team for six years, was a great experience for me. He quickly became a coach to me.
JI: Which Vols experience do you remember the best?
MC: Well, we lost the game, obviously, but I was really excited to score at Alabama. I had no idea that this would be [Nick] Saban’s final season, but it was fairly insane to score a touchdown against the most successful college coach in history. You go from playing at UC Davis to a stadium that has 100,000–110,000 people, so every SEC game was like something out of a movie for me.
JI: You can win out of a number of alignments in your route tree. What factors contribute to that adaptability?
MC: Of course, you don’t want to stop as much as I did, but being a part of so many different offenses exposed me to a variety of formations and styles of play. That’s actually helped me, I believe. God has provided me with a fair degree of natural athleticism, and by combining that with the coaching that comes with the many places I’ve been at, I’ve been able to succeed in a variety of endeavors. I had never played fullback before, but this year at Tennessee, I lined up there and we went I-formation versus Iowa, and we won.
JI: What experiences from your time at UC Davis will you bring with you when you enter the NFL?
MC: The West Coast spread offense we used is quite comparable to pro-style football. It forces you to line up tight to the tackle or wide, and those are typically alignments that are comparable to what they were when I played in the Shrine Bowl. I’m used to lining up right off the tackle and running routes from there because we played in the offense of the Arizona Cardinals, but at Tennessee, we line up at the numbers. That helped me understand how to let go of it and how to use the defense to your advantage. It seems to be the main lesson learned from playing at Davis.
JI: How did your visit to the Shrine Bowl go?
MC: I’ll admit that it was both a long and amazing week. Meeting other tight ends who are attempting the same thing I am and have played in various scenarios was a lot of fun. Although learning about NFL coaching and other related topics was fantastic, gosh, that was a long week. You interview each team on a speed date. Even though there are long days and nights and you’re attempting to get ready for a football game in less than a week, it was still a fantastic experience. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Even though the East team clearly didn’t finish the job, it was still excellent.
JI: When you’re not playing football, how do you like to pass the time?
MC: After the games, my partner likes to drag me along for Sunday activities. We usually go hiking, paddleboarding, or other outdoor activities. Since I’m from Lake Tahoe, California, I was raised in such environment. Aside from that, I enjoy playing with Legos as a kind of relaxation, but starting a Lego set still requires some mental toughness. You have to be locked in for about three hours. My girlfriend is told not to speak to me at all (laughs).
JI: Which Lego kit was the last one you completed?
MC: The most recent one I completed was a Star Wars diagram, which is quite little. I’ve made an effort not to get the large ones because I know I’ll have to relocate soon, wherever I end up living.
JI: Assume I run the NFL’s general operations. Should I draft you for my team, what would I get in return?
MC: I’ve been called a jack-of-all-trades during my time in college, of course. All of everything, in a way. To be honest, I enjoy playing special teams. The younger guys at Tennessee got to play [more] this year because they like to press those things on them. However, all I want to do is contribute. My main concern is that, no matter what part I play, as long as we’re winning, I’ll find a way to contribute to their success. I’m going to be on the field working for them in some capacity if they’re willing to pay me that much money.
