Caden Prieskorn represents the kind of football story that is often more complicated than a highlight reel suggests. A 6-foot-5 tight end from Lake Orion, Michigan, Prieskorn built his reputation through persistence, production, and an ability to make himself valuable in different offensive systems. His college career at Memphis and Ole Miss produced 112 receptions, 1,531 receiving yards, and 14 touchdowns across 52 games.
Yet his professional path has been less straightforward. After entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2025, Prieskorn moved through several organizations, including Detroit, Denver, Tampa Bay and Cleveland, before joining the Carolina Panthers in July 2026. Carolina subsequently waived him on August 29, 2026. His story, therefore, is not simply about where he has been, but about what perseverance can mean for a player still searching for his opportunity.
The Michigan Roots Behind His Football Identity
Long before professional football became part of the conversation, Prieskorn developed his game in Michigan. He attended Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High School, where he played quarterback and helped his team win a state championship as a junior in 2016. That background is significant because it hints at the versatility that later became part of his identity as a tight end.
Later, Prieskorn also played at Fork Union Military Academy, where he continued to work as both a quarterback and tight end. Rather than following a perfectly predictable path, he gradually developed into the kind of player who could understand the game from multiple perspectives. That experience helped prepare him for the demands of a modern tight end, a position increasingly expected to contribute as both a receiver and blocker.
The Memphis Years Turned Potential Into Production
Prieskorn’s college journey began at Memphis, where he initially arrived as a walk-on in 2019. His first two seasons produced modest receiving numbers, but the 2022 season changed the trajectory of his career. He recorded 48 receptions for 602 yards and seven touchdowns, leading Memphis in receiving yards and tying for the team lead in touchdown catches.
Consequently, national attention followed. He was named a first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection by Phil Steele and Pro Football Focus and became a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, which recognizes the nation’s top tight end. His 2022 season demonstrated that he could become much more than a supplementary target; he could be a central part of an offense.
| Career stage | Team | Key achievement |
|---|---|---|
| High school | Orchard Lake St. Mary’s | Played quarterback and won a state title |
| 2019–2022 | Memphis | 55 receptions, 681 yards, 7 TDs |
| 2022 | Memphis | First-team All-AAC; Mackey Award semifinalist |
| 2023–2024 | Ole Miss | 57 receptions, 850 yards, 7 TDs |
| 2023 | Ole Miss | Peach Bowl Offensive MVP |
| 2025 | NFL | Entered league as an undrafted free agent |
Why Ole Miss Became a Defining Chapter
The transfer to Ole Miss in 2023 placed Prieskorn in the highly competitive SEC, where the margin between promising and proven can be extremely narrow. Unfortunately, a knee injury kept him out of the first three games of that season. Once he returned, however, he quickly demonstrated why Ole Miss had pursued him.
He finished his first Rebels season with 30 receptions for 449 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games. More importantly, his biggest performance arrived when the stage was largest. In the 2023 Peach Bowl against Penn State, Prieskorn caught 10 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns, earning Offensive MVP honors.
That performance became one of the defining moments of his college career. It showed a player capable of handling pressure, finding openings and becoming a dependable target when the spotlight was brightest.
Caden Prieskorn and the Modern Tight End
The appeal of Prieskorn was never simply his size. At 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, he possesses the physical dimensions expected from an NFL tight end, but his college production suggested a more nuanced skill set. His ability to operate in receiving formations made him especially useful in offenses that value flexibility.
In 2024, Ole Miss continued to view him as an important component of its tight-end group. Pro Football Focus ranked him seventh among returning tight ends nationally, while Ole Miss noted that he and Dae’Quan Wright formed one of the strongest returning tight-end duos in the SEC.
That season produced another solid statistical campaign. Prieskorn played all 13 games, starting 10, and finished with 27 receptions for 401 yards and three touchdowns. He ended his Ole Miss career with 57 receptions for 850 yards and seven touchdowns, ranking third among Ole Miss tight ends in career receiving yards.
From College Star to Undrafted NFL Prospect
The transition from college football to the NFL can be unforgiving, particularly for players who are not selected in the draft. Prieskorn entered the professional ranks in 2025 as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Lions. Instead of immediately securing a permanent role, he began navigating the less glamorous but highly competitive world of roster moves and training-camp competition.
He later spent time with the Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns. Cleveland eventually signed him to a reserve/future contract in January 2026, but the Browns waived him in May.
This portion of his career illustrates an important reality of professional football: collegiate success does not guarantee immediate NFL stability. Hundreds of talented players compete for a limited number of roster positions, and even productive college players can spend years trying to establish themselves.
A New Opportunity With Carolina
In July 2026, the Carolina Panthers gave Prieskorn another opportunity, signing him during the team’s preparation for the season. At the time, the move offered him another chance to compete for a place in an NFL tight-end room.
His preseason performances showed flashes of the receiving ability that had defined his college career. The Panthers’ preseason statistics recorded three receptions for 36 yards across four games, including a 21-yard reception.
However, the opportunity ultimately did not translate into a regular-season roster position. Carolina waived Prieskorn on August 29, 2026. Reports noted that he had yet to appear in an NFL regular-season game, leaving his professional playing career at another crossroads.
The Human Side of an NFL Roster Battle
Statistics can explain what happened on a football field, but they cannot fully explain what it feels like to repeatedly compete for a place in professional football.
For Prieskorn, the journey has included almost every version of the modern football player’s experience: beginning as a walk-on, earning recognition, transferring to a major SEC program, producing on a national stage, going undrafted, and then moving through several NFL organizations.
Moreover, the constant movement creates a different kind of challenge. A player must repeatedly learn new terminology, meet new coaches, adjust to different teammates and prove himself in a short period of time. Every new opportunity begins with uncertainty.
That makes his story particularly relevant beyond football. It reflects a broader culture of professional sport in which persistence often matters as much as early recognition.
What His College Career Still Says About His Potential
Although the NFL chapter has been difficult, Prieskorn’s college résumé remains substantial. Across Memphis and Ole Miss, he accumulated 1,531 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. His Ole Miss career alone produced 850 yards and seven touchdowns in 23 games.
His 2023 Peach Bowl performance also remains a particularly persuasive example of his ceiling. Ten catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns against Penn State was not merely a productive afternoon; it was the type of performance that demonstrated his ability to become an offensive focal point against major competition.
Therefore, judging his football career solely through his early NFL roster history would miss much of the larger picture. His college achievements established that he has already reached a level many players never approach.
Why the Next Chapter Matters
For a player like Prieskorn, the next opportunity could be less about proving that he was once a productive college tight end and more about showing that those skills can translate into a professional role.
His physical profile, receiving production and experience across multiple offensive environments provide a foundation. Nevertheless, the NFL demands consistency in every area, including blocking, special teams, route precision and the ability to contribute within a tightly defined role.
That is why the next stage of his career may be especially revealing. A successful NFL career is not always built through one dramatic breakthrough. Sometimes it develops through practice squads, short-term contracts, preseason opportunities and persistence until the right situation finally appears.
Caden Prieskorn’s Story Is Still Being Written
Caden Prieskorn’s football journey has already included enough turning points for several chapters: Michigan beginnings, Memphis development, SEC recognition, a memorable Peach Bowl performance and an unconventional entry into professional football.
Still, his story is unfinished.
Being waived by an NFL team does not erase the production that came before it, nor does it necessarily close the door on future opportunities. At 26, Prieskorn remains a player with significant college experience and a résumé built around receiving production and adaptability.
