A Pimp Named Slickback
This LSU transfer was once a highly touted recruit, now a hidden gem at TCU?
No, it's "A Pimp Named Slickback." Like A Tribe Called Quest; you say the whole thing: "A Pimp Named Slickback"!
- Katt Williams, The Boondocks: Guess Hoe’s Coming to Dinner
Once upon a time TCU’s TE Ka'Morreun “Slickback” Pimpton was committed and planned to play for the Vanderbilt Commodores of the SEC. Unfortunately when you’re Vandy, your early evals often get intercepted later on in the cycle.
Such was the case with K-Pimp, who saw programs like Texas and LSU get involved late in his recruitment. He decided to decommit from the Commodores and signed with the LSU Tigers in the class of 2023 instead.
He didn’t play much in his first two seasons in Baton Rouge, with his career high being a two catch, 53 yard performance vs. OU in the final regular game of the season in 2024. LSU’s freshman Tre Green passing him on the depth chart and the acquisition of former OU TE Bauer Sharp probably provided some writing on the wall for a player already likely discouraged by a lack of playing time.
So it came as no surprise when he hit the portal. What’s interesting is that his landing spot of TCU is an intriguing one for CFF purposes. There is a good history under this staff of TE production, and a lot of targets vacating. Top WRs Savion Williams and Jack Bech depart for the NFL, and TE Drake Dabney is out of eligibility.
Coaching & System
TE1 PPG AVERAGE — HC: 9.16 — OC1: 7.36 — OC2: 10.051 (half ppr)
Depending on how you count TCU jumbo slot Jack Bech, you could make an argument that 2024 saw one of Sonny Dykes’ best TE assets in the CFF context. However, even discounting Bech, this is a strong system.
In 2023, TE Jared Wiley led the team in receptions with 57 and receiving TDs with eight. Dykes’ 2021 SMU team had Grant Calcaterra, who finished fourth in receiving with 38 receptions for 465 yards and four scores.
Kylen Granson was second in receiving in 2020 with 35 receptions, 536 yards and five scores (tied for team-lead). He was even more impressive in 2019 with 43 receptions, 721 yards and nine scores. Granson also took two carries for 11 yards that season.
Beyond Dykes, neither of the OCs are notable as it relates to today’s article. Briles’ time outside of TCU is forgettable at the TE position, and Ricker has been with Dykes at TCU since 2022, so his stats are the same over that time period.
Note that Jack Bech is counted as the TE1 in the tables above, and are skewing the averages upwards. The true ‘TE’ of TCU in 2024 was Drake Dabney, but Bech had TE eligibility on Fantrax.
The nice things about TCU are that 1) QB Josh Hoover returns and 2) when Hoover is starting this team throws the ball a lot. Hoover averaged 36 pass attempts per game, and attempted over 40 passes four times in 2024. I’d expect that usage to continue into 2025, especially with question marks at RB.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that K-Pimp will be the beneficiary, but it’s a good sign that there could be value to discover at TE, or even at WR beyond Eric McAlister.
Dykes and Ricker average a 51/49 split towards pass plays. Briles is more run-oriented from his time at Arkansas with an overall average split of 46/54. However, TCU in the last two seasons (when Briles joined) averages 55/45 pass plays to run plays.
This is a fast offence with Dykes’ teams hovering around 21-23 seconds per play each season with the exception of 2022, which was slower around 25 seconds per play. In every season from 2018 to present excluding that 2022 season, Dykes’ team averaged over 70 plays per game which is well above the average for an FBS offence.
Ka'Morreun Pimpton (6’6, 240)
2024 STATS: 6 (8) - 79 - 0 (1.3 PPG)
There won’t be much to write about in this section as Pimpton has barely played so far in his collegiate career. He was a highly touted recruit coming out of Texas in the class of 2023, rising in the rankings later in the cycle. He held offers from LSU, Texas, Auburn, Utah etc.
247 didn’t provide a formal qualitative evaluation but did summarize some notables from his high school career:
Member of 247Sports' 2023 Freaks List.
Also competes in throws events.
Texas 5A state qualifier as a junior in the shot put with a PR of 54-10. Regional qualifier in the discus, finishing third in 5A Region I with a 160-10.
2021: Texas District 3-5A D-I first-team selection at TE as a junior.
Overall, I would say this profile is a very common one in CFF, and is a profile of a ‘type’ that has a very low hit rate. We have a formerly high ranked high school recruit who hasn’t done anything in his career thus far transferring from a big program to a mid-tier program with a good history at his position.
What usually happens with these types of profiles in my experience is that these players end up not even starting once the season kicks off, or if they are in the rotation, are not productive enough to be CFF relevant.
When looking at Dykes’ career, his TE usage is better than most, but it’s not exactly like every single season there is a CFF stud at TE in his offence. The production fluctuates year to year.
In conclusion, I would classify K-Pimp as an intriguing player who verges on the boundary of relevance for CFF bestball drafts currently. Updates from spring camp could elevate his profile significantly in terms of ADP. I don’t think you want to be using any kind of significant draft capital to acquire this player given the risk.
That might not be the sexiest conclusion for CFFers looking for hidden gems but as a wiseman once said: if you want excitement take your ass to the movies. ◾
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Sample 2018-2024 excluding 2020.