At Tight End U., Stanford unit in position to excel

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When Jim Dray was a senior in 2009, he shared the Stanford tight-ends room with Coby Fleener, Zach Ertz, Levine Toilolo, Konrad Reuland and Ryan Hewitt.

All six would play in the NFL, probably the first time that’s happened at any school.

“The only reason I was the starter was I was the oldest,” Dray said. “The other guys were all more talented than I was.”

In the era of spread offenses, many college teams don’t even have a tight end. Few schools treasure the position the way Stanford does in its pro-style offense. During the school’s recent bowl era, the Farm has become Tight End U.

“If you’re a tight end, why wouldn’t you want to come where they’ll use you, and use you the most efficiently?” redshirt freshman Scooter Harrington asked.

Stanford’s tight ends — redshirt junior Dalton Schultz, redshirt freshman Kaden Smith, freshman Colby Parkinson and Harrington — combined for 10 catches, 142 yards and three touchdowns in the opening victory over Rice. Parkinson used his 6-foot-7 height to haul down two TD passes, and Smith caught the other. All four tight ends had a catch in the first 11 minutes.

Last season, partly because of the wizardry of Christian McCaffrey, who rightfully commanded the ball, the tight-end corps had a relatively lackluster year in receiving (28 catches for 314 yards). Smith was still rehabbing a knee injury until about midseason, so he was redshirted. Schultz had the tight ends’ only touchdown catch.

This season, it’s a much different story. Head coach David Shaw was asked if this group could be as good as the prolific Ertz-Fleener-Toilolo group from 2011 (86 catches, 1,356 yards, 20 TDs) or the Ertz-led gang from the following year (93 catches, 1,243 yards, 10 TDs).

“I think they have the potential; they have the ability,” Shaw said. “They’re not there yet. To have the combination of guys who are physical blockers and good route runners and potential big-play pass catchers — the potential is there.”

Stanford Football tight ends Colby Parkinson (84), left, Dalton Schultz (9), Scooter Harrington (80), and Kaden Smith (82), pose for a portrait on the practice field at Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., on Thursday August 31, 2017. less Stanford Football tight ends Colby Parkinson (84), left, Dalton Schultz (9), Scooter Harrington (80), and Kaden Smith (82), pose for a portrait on the practice field at Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., ... more Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close At Tight End U., Stanford unit in position to excel 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

Schultz and Harrington play the “Y” spot, the traditional position next to the tackle. Smith and Parkinson share the “F” spot, more of a split receiver, a role that Fleener epitomized with 10 TD receptions from Andrew Luck in 2011.

As for Dray’s 2009 group, Toilolo is with the Falcons, where he backs up Austin Hooper, who caught 74 passes in two seasons at Stanford before turning pro. Fleener plays for the Saints, Ertz for the Eagles and Hewitt for the Bengals. Sadly, Reuland, who played for four NFL teams, died of a brain aneurysm in 2016 at age 29.

Dray is a free agent, having been with four teams over seven years. His wife, Kelly, a former Stanford equestrian, recently gave birth to their first child.

There were at least 10 plays in this year’s opener in which three tight ends were used at the same time. “It’s kind of fun,” Schultz said. “We like seeing each other in the huddle.” Shaw said, with a smile, that using all four simultaneously is “always a discussion.”

Nationally, Schultz was the No. 1 tight end coming out of high school in 2014, according to at least two recruiting services. Smith was No. 2 in 2016 (when Harrington was considered the 10th best), and Parkinson was No. 1 this year.

That leads to the question: Is it a coincidence that the top tight ends in the country can get into Stanford — where this year only 2,085 of a record 44,073 applicants were admitted? Or is there something about the position that puts a premium on brains?

Schultz isn’t sure, but his position coach and the others think there’s a correlation between intelligence and playing the position at the highest level.

“There absolutely is,” tight ends coach Morgan Turner said. “We’re one foot in the O-line room, one foot in the receiver room. You have to know what the O-line’s doing on all their calls. We have to work with the tackles, but we also have to be able to split out and play any of the receiver positions. If you can’t handle all that, it’s hard to play as a tight end. Because it’s information overload.”

Smith calls it “probably the hardest position on the field behind quarterback.”

“I’d say there’s more on your plate than other positions, where you’re focused on only one side of the offense,” Harrington said.

There’s a fringe benefit for Stanford tight ends. They get to be part of the offensive line’s long tradition of calling itself the Tunnel Workers Union. Said Schultz: “We’re honorary members, along with the fullbacks.”

Tom FitzGerald is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tfitzgerald@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @tomgfitzgerald

‘Tight End U.’ since 2009

How Stanford tight ends have performed as receivers during Stanford’s recent bowl era. Standouts listed in parentheses.