Name: Deakon Tonielli
Position: TE
High School: Oswego
Graduation Year: 2023
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 200 pounds
Recruiting Status: Uncommitted
Video Link:
My impressions of Deakon Tonielli:
I've had Deakon Tonielli on my recruiting radar screen for well over a year plus. Tonielli, who is a multi-sport athlete at Oswego is a big, strong and eyeball passing kid who has already landed several offers this winter and who has the potential to play at the Power 5 level in a year or so. Tonielli is every bit of 6-foot-5, 200 plus pounds and has the frame and body type to add much more serious weight and strength for the college level. I have enjoyed talking to and getting to know Tonielli over the last year plus and is a kid who is a good interview once you get to know him a bit. I've seen Deakon Tonielli play in live games twice over the past two years and I've also seen him at a few different events/showcases.
Evaluation of Deakon Tonielli:
Deakon Tonielli stands out on a high school football field in many ways, first starting with his overall size and tools. Tonielli already has great size and length, checks in at 6-foot-5 plus and is listed here at 200 pounds but he has the frame and build to add much more weight and muscle over the next few years. Tonielli plays both receiver and tight end for Oswego as head coach Brian Cooney will move Tonielli around quite a bit in the Panthers offense. Tonielli is a capable blocker as a more traditional tight end and his blocking has improved each time I've seen him live. Tonielli also has good hands and knows how to utilize his size/reach to his full advantage in jump ball scenarios. Tonielli has decent overall speed and is also strong once he makes the catch in adding more yards after the catch. Tonielli also shows good overall toughness in being more than willing to catch the football in traffic.
Room for improvement?
Deakon Tonielli again shows some limited reps and plays in his overall ball catching skills/tools on his tape, again part of that I feel is the limited amount of passes thrown his way in the Panthers offense. Tonielli is a big and strong kid who will need to improve his overall speed and quickness, along with continuing to add more good weight and muscle for the high college level. Tonielli will also need to improve and become a much more consistent route runner who also finishes each route on every play. Will Tonielli be able to find separation against bigger, stronger and faster LB/DB at the high college level?
Projected level:
Deakon Tonielli is already holding nearly a dozen scholarship offers including a handful of Power 5 offers this winter. Look for Tonielli to become a Power 5 level tight end at the highest level of D1 football.
Rivals.com Ranking:
EDGYTIM Recommended Initial Rankings:
Mid to High Three Star
Deakon Tonielli in my eyes has a ton to offer and room to grow and get much bigger, stronger and better with his overall game over the next handful of years. Tonielli no question still has work to do including getting a bit stronger and adding more good weight this off season. Tonielli will also need to continue to work on and improve his overall speed and quickness, along with improving to his overall already impressive ability to go get the football in traffic and over the middle in traffic. Tonielli in some ways has really not been able to showcase his receiver skills playing in a run heavy Oswego offense, and I can see some of the higher level Power 5 programs wanting to see Tonielli in person t camps this season before offering. The sheer size/physical tools and potential is there for Tonielli to end up taking his game to a tremendously high level, and in many ways that improvement and development is in his own hands over the next several months.
I also see Tonielli having the overall physical potential to develop into another position at the college level (offensive tackle?)? I'm writing this today on Super Bowl Sunday....and I remember an athlete in a very similar situation as Tonielli who is the starting OT for the Rams in former DG North/Wisconsin David Edwards. Again...Tonielli has a ton of raw physical upside and tools to play at the high level in college but as I've learned I wouldn't count this idea totally off the table just yet in my opinion.
Position: TE
High School: Oswego
Graduation Year: 2023
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 200 pounds
Recruiting Status: Uncommitted
Video Link:
My impressions of Deakon Tonielli:
I've had Deakon Tonielli on my recruiting radar screen for well over a year plus. Tonielli, who is a multi-sport athlete at Oswego is a big, strong and eyeball passing kid who has already landed several offers this winter and who has the potential to play at the Power 5 level in a year or so. Tonielli is every bit of 6-foot-5, 200 plus pounds and has the frame and body type to add much more serious weight and strength for the college level. I have enjoyed talking to and getting to know Tonielli over the last year plus and is a kid who is a good interview once you get to know him a bit. I've seen Deakon Tonielli play in live games twice over the past two years and I've also seen him at a few different events/showcases.
Evaluation of Deakon Tonielli:
Deakon Tonielli stands out on a high school football field in many ways, first starting with his overall size and tools. Tonielli already has great size and length, checks in at 6-foot-5 plus and is listed here at 200 pounds but he has the frame and build to add much more weight and muscle over the next few years. Tonielli plays both receiver and tight end for Oswego as head coach Brian Cooney will move Tonielli around quite a bit in the Panthers offense. Tonielli is a capable blocker as a more traditional tight end and his blocking has improved each time I've seen him live. Tonielli also has good hands and knows how to utilize his size/reach to his full advantage in jump ball scenarios. Tonielli has decent overall speed and is also strong once he makes the catch in adding more yards after the catch. Tonielli also shows good overall toughness in being more than willing to catch the football in traffic.
Room for improvement?
Deakon Tonielli again shows some limited reps and plays in his overall ball catching skills/tools on his tape, again part of that I feel is the limited amount of passes thrown his way in the Panthers offense. Tonielli is a big and strong kid who will need to improve his overall speed and quickness, along with continuing to add more good weight and muscle for the high college level. Tonielli will also need to improve and become a much more consistent route runner who also finishes each route on every play. Will Tonielli be able to find separation against bigger, stronger and faster LB/DB at the high college level?
Projected level:
Deakon Tonielli is already holding nearly a dozen scholarship offers including a handful of Power 5 offers this winter. Look for Tonielli to become a Power 5 level tight end at the highest level of D1 football.
Rivals.com Ranking:
EDGYTIM Recommended Initial Rankings:
Mid to High Three Star
Deakon Tonielli in my eyes has a ton to offer and room to grow and get much bigger, stronger and better with his overall game over the next handful of years. Tonielli no question still has work to do including getting a bit stronger and adding more good weight this off season. Tonielli will also need to continue to work on and improve his overall speed and quickness, along with improving to his overall already impressive ability to go get the football in traffic and over the middle in traffic. Tonielli in some ways has really not been able to showcase his receiver skills playing in a run heavy Oswego offense, and I can see some of the higher level Power 5 programs wanting to see Tonielli in person t camps this season before offering. The sheer size/physical tools and potential is there for Tonielli to end up taking his game to a tremendously high level, and in many ways that improvement and development is in his own hands over the next several months.
I also see Tonielli having the overall physical potential to develop into another position at the college level (offensive tackle?)? I'm writing this today on Super Bowl Sunday....and I remember an athlete in a very similar situation as Tonielli who is the starting OT for the Rams in former DG North/Wisconsin David Edwards. Again...Tonielli has a ton of raw physical upside and tools to play at the high level in college but as I've learned I wouldn't count this idea totally off the table just yet in my opinion.
