Chamon Metayer and Payten Singletary next up at tight end for UC football

WEST HARRISON, Indiana – The University of Cincinnati's tight ends from 2022 are both current NFL players in Josh Whyle (fifth-round pick of the Tennessee Titans) and Leonard Taylor (free agent signee of the Jacksonville Jaguars). Neither played in the season-ending Wasabi Fenway Bowl in December.

Those duties were left to Chamon Metayer and Payten Singletary who lacked the reps Whyle and Taylor had all season. They come into 2023 with a total of four catches between them but with a lot of promise and potential.

Metayer turned heads in 2022's spring game when he hauled down a pair of touchdown passes and looked like he might sneak into the Whyle-Taylor rotation. Singletary did have a reception in the Fenway Bowl and has caught a touchdown in his career, but has had to show patience in waiting for his time to come.

In both cases, the time is now.

Recent history has seen UC deliver tight ends Brent Celek, Travis Kelce, Josiah Deguara along with Whyle and Taylor to the pros. If you count Connor Barwin, who began as a tight end under Mark Dantonio, then was switched to defensive line by Brian Kelly, there are six recent NFL players from that hallowed room.

Recently at Camp Higher Ground, The Enquirer spoke with Metayer and Singletary as well as UC tight ends coach Josh Stepp.

Chamon Metayer

Redshirt sophomore Metayer is a physical specimen with his sheer size and athletic ability. Now at 6-5, 248 pounds, he's actually slimmed down from his days at North Miami (Florida) High School where he tipped the scales at 265.

Other than his stellar spring game of 2022, his only catch came early in the year against Kennesaw State. He missed six games due to injury but did return to start the Fenway Bowl.

"I waited my turn," Metayer said. "I didn't run from the grind. Now it's time to lead these guys to the best ability I can."

Metayer admits it was frustrating to wait behind Whyle and Taylor but used the time to learn.

"I took what I learned and put it in my game and I'm better than what I used to be," Metayer said.

If he follows the advice of current Titan Whyle, who caught 88 passes for 15 touchdowns as a Bearcat, he knows the opportunity will be there.

"Josh told me just do everything at 100% at all times," Metayer said. "Fatigued, tired or hurt, just give it all I can."

How Metayer came from Miami to Cincinnati

You can credit the son of former Cincinnati Reds general manager Jim Bowden. Chad Bowden, now at Notre Dame, sold Metayer on Cincinnati. Metayer credits former coach Luke Fickell for the opportunities but seems to like the Scott Satterfield offense.

"They're doubting us, but the way this offense goes, there's a lot of people that will be woken up come this fall."

Payten Singletary

The redshirt junior from Thomasville, Georgia is the only tight end on the roster with a touchdown catch on his resumé. The 6-4, 235-pounder caught an 18-yarder from Evan Prater in 2022's 42-7 thrashing of Murray State.

Where Metayer came to UC at 265 and lost weight, Singletary came in at 208 pounds and has been bulked up by the strength staff of Brady Collins and now Niko Palazeti.

Part of the reason he's a Bearcat is due to the history of UC tight ends. He was recruited by former offensive coordinator Gino Guidugli and took a liking to the city of Cincinnati coming from a small town.

"I definitely love it," Singletary said of Satterfield's offense. "A lot of 12 personnel. They really line us up wherever, in the box, out wide, on the line. (It's a) high-tempo, fast-paced offense. Coach Satterfield makes it fun with his playcalling for sure."

Singletary doesn't profess he'll make people forget about Whyle or Taylor, but he'll give it the proverbial college try.

Josh Stepp

Josh Stepp is coaching UC's tight ends this season. He saw both Metayer and Singletary in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl. Stepp's view came from the Louisville side as he called plays against the Bearcats. He was rather successful as the Cardinals outrushed UC 287-44.

A former offensive coordinator at Georgia State and a head high school coach in South Carolina for years, Stepp knows the history of tight ends at UC.

"They love the challenge," Stepp said. "They're playing with something to prove, I'm coaching with something to prove and they've worked that way every day."

Now a few miles up Interstate 71, Stepp has gotten a better look at the two tight ends he was opposing just this past December.

"Chamon is extremely athletic and can do a lot of different things for us," Stepp said. "He's done a really good job this camp of trying to work on things that he's not really good at. He's gotten better. Payten's the same way. Payten can do a lot of different things for us. Both of those guys offer a lot of flexibility."

Stepp says UC fans should get used to seeing Metayer and Singletary as the offense often uses a pair of tight ends.

"The way we run the football opens things up in the pass game and our guys buy into that," Stepp said. "Those guys in our room know they've got to get it done in the box."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bearcats football roster: 2023 tight ends