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Who is on the Argus Leader South Dakota high school TE Mount Rushmore? Argus Leader readers spent the last week putting together their Mount Rushmore of South Dakota high school football wide receivers, and the results are in.
There was a clear top two, and the fourth spot was five votes clear of fifth place.
Britton-Hecla's Dallas Goedert, Timber Lake's Tucker Kraft, Sioux Falls Washington's Zach Heins and Sioux Falls Jefferson's Eddie Whiting make up the Argus Leader High School Tight End Mount Rushmore.
Pierre's Jett Zabel, O'Gorman's Tip Reiman, Pierre's Cooper Terwilliger, Wessington Springs' Colby Flowers and Sioux Falls Washington's Noah Robertson also received at least three votes, but were all well outside the top four.
Here's a deeper dive on the four selections for the top prep tight ends in South Dakota history.
Dallas Goedert (Britton-Hecla Class of 2013) Goedert hails from Class 9AA's Britton-Hecla, and played in a program that didn't do much winning when he was around.
The Braves were 9-16 over three seasons Goedert was on the team, and he never cracked any South Dakota single-season or career receiving lists.
That led to him walking on at South Dakota State, where Goedert blossomed into a star.
He was named an FCS First Team All-American in 2016 and 2017, also finishing as a Walter Payton Award finalist each season.
Goedert was a First Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
He ended his career 198 catches (fourth in program history) for 2,988 yards (fifth in program history) and 21 touchdowns (eighth in program history).
His 92 catches in 2016 is a program-high, while his 1,293 yards is the sixth-most in a single season for a Jackrabbit and his 11 touchdowns is tied for seventh on the program's single-season list.
Goedert was drafted 49th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2018 NFL Draft, and has played all eight seasons since for the Eagles.
He has 409 career catches for 4,676 yards and 35 touchdowns, having made over $57 million.
Goedert is playing in Philadelphia in 2026 on a one-year, $7 million contract.
Tucker Kraft (Timber Lake Class of 2019) Kraft had limited impact on the passing game in his time at Timber Lake, instead toting the ball as a big running back.
He finished his high school career with 3,130 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns, with 1,405 yards and 24 touchdowns coming in his senior season.
Kraft's tight end career began at South Dakota State, where he was a nearly-unanimous FCS First Team All-American in 2021 and a Third Team All-American in 2022.
He was an FCS AP Second Team All-American in 2021, and an All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection in 2021 and 2022.
Kraft ended his college career with 99 receptions, 1,218 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
The Timber Lake product was picked 78th overall by the Green Back Packers in the 2023 NFL Draft.
He's contributed 113 catches, 1,551 yards and 15 touchdowns in 42 games as a Packer, and is entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2026.
Zach Heins (Sioux Falls Washington Class of 2018) Heins was a stalwart for the Sioux Falls Washington teams that won back-to-back-to-back Class 11AAA state championships in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
He finished his high school career with 46 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns.
Heins caught 28 passes for 624 yards and six scores in his senior year alone.
The Washington standout then went to South Dakota State and carved out a decent role.
He was a Second Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection in 2022 and 2023, the Jackrabbits' two national title-winning teams.
Heins caught over 20 passes each year from 2021 to 2023, ending his South Dakota State career with 95 catches for 1,252 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Heins signed with the Los Angeles Chargers after going undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, but never appeared in a game.
Eddie Whiting (Sioux Falls Jefferson Class of 2026) Whiting is the most recent high school graduate on the list, and did so after a senior season at Sioux Falls Jefferson that included 27 receptions, 310 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
The 6-foot-6, 235-pound tight end was a member of the Cavaliers' Class 11AAA state title-winning team in 2022 as a freshman.
His career totals at Jefferson were 61 catches for 755 yards and 12 touchdowns, good for 12.4 yards per reception.
He also added three sacks on the defensive side of the ball.
Whiting's college career is just starting this fall at Michigan State.
He was the No.
2 player in South Dakota in the Class of 2026 according to 247Sports, and No.
3 according to ESPN.
Whiting was also ESPN's No.
23 tight end nationally in his class and 247Sports' No.
58 tight end in the country.