Ian Premer

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-5, 220 lbs. Taller than 53% and heavier than 23% of 2026 Tight End prospects in the SEC Scouts database (116 with a listed size).

Play Style

In high school Premer was a detached receiving tight end and move player who was also a centerpiece of the offense. Great Bend lined him up in the slot, out wide and in the backfield, and gave him carries (14 rushing TDs as a senior). On film he wins with length and body control on seam routes and fades and in contested situations, high-pointing the ball like a rebounder. After the catch he runs with long strides and is physical for his size. His defensive tape (6 INTs in 2025) shows good instincts with the ball in the air. As a blocker he is willing and effective at the high school level, but he gets by more on length than technique.

Strengths

• Big-play receiving production for a tight end. As a senior he caught 40 passes for 734 yards (18.4 yards per catch) and 14 TDs, and as a junior he caught 30 for 541 (18.0) with 8 TDs. That is downfield volume, not just checkdowns, so he wins vertically.
• Ball skills and a big catch radius. Scouts call his hands and contested-catch ability elite, which is what you would expect from a Division I-level basketball player with 6-6 length. That makes him a red-zone and back-shoulder weapon from day one.
• Versatility and a feel for the game. As a senior he also ran for 620 yards and 14 TDs and had 68 tackles and 6 interceptions on defense. Playing both ways shows he understands coverage from a defender's side and is comfortable with the ball in his hands after the catch.
• A competitive streak coaches have praised ('tough as nails') plus experience in three sports, which usually means he is still early in his development as a football player.

Areas to Improve

• In-line blocking strength and technique. At Great Bend he mostly won on physical tools against small-school opponents in Kansas. He needs to learn hand placement, pad level and how to sustain blocks on down-blocks and edge sets against 260-280-pound defensive ends, and he needs more lower-body strength to anchor.
• Level of competition and detail. Almost everything he has done came against Kansas high school competition. His route tree, releases against press coverage from linebackers and safeties, and full-time position work as a tight end (after years as a multi-sport, both-ways player) will need refining at Notre Dame.

College Projection

Notre Dame has him in a developing tight end room. He was working with the third team and on special teams on the first day of fall camp, but he quickly drew praise from both the offensive coordinator and the tight ends coach. A realistic path: in 2026 he plays on special teams and in situational packages (red-zone and 12-personnel looks where his receiving skills matter), with a redshirt possible under the four-game rule. By 2027 he should be the starting flexible TE/Y once he reaches about 250 pounds, and he could be a feature receiving tight end by 2028. Local coverage has compared him to Kyle Rudolph, which fits a player of his size and ball skills.

NFL Outlook

High ceiling. 247Sports' evaluation projects him as a potential first-round pick, and his size, catch radius and multi-sport athleticism match what NFL teams pay for in a move tight end. Whether he goes in Day 1-2 of the draft will depend on his blocking development and on adding weight without losing speed. If he becomes a credible in-line blocker, he projects as an early-round player who can line up anywhere. If he stays mostly a receiver, he still projects as a mid-round flex/Y tight end with red-zone value. He would most likely be draft-eligible after the 2028 season.

Best Fit

A pro-style or multiple offense that uses 12 and 13 personnel and moves tight ends around the formation (in-line, wing, slot and split). Notre Dame's tight-end-friendly system and history of producing NFL tight ends is close to an ideal fit. The best setup gives him a detailed tight end coach and a strength program to build his blocking, while designing seam, red-zone and play-action concepts that use his length and ball skills now.