80 days until kickoff, and there was a Heap of accolades for Sun Devil legend Todd Heap

The 80's have produced some elite players throughout Sun Devil football history. Yesterday, we looked at Shaun McDonald, who rewrote the record books for wide receivers at Arizona State. We've looked at the careers of Zach Miller and Chris Coyle, both decade-defining players at the tight end position. But today with 80 days until the season opener against NAU, we look at the player who started Tight End U in Tempe: Todd Heap.

Recruited for both football and basketball by the Devils out of Mesa Mountain View High School, Todd brought an entire trophy case of expectations to begin his Sun Devil career. Multiple Arizona all-star honors, 5A Player of the Year, all-East Valley Two-Way Player of the Year, the groundwork was laid out for an illustrious career. Playing a limited role as a true freshman in 1998, Todd posted a respectable season with 12 catches for 209 yards, including 4 touchdown catches.

As a sophomore in 1999, Heap exploded for a then-tight end record 55 catches and 832 receiving yards, still a single-season record for ASU tight ends. An astonishing 43 of his 55 catches resulted in a first down or touchdown, and he became just the 10th Sun Devil to ever record 50 or more catches in a season.

Perhaps his most memorable play of the season came in the Territorial Cup, when he pulled in a 28 yard touchdown on a fake field goal attempt that put the Devils up 28-14; a game which the Devils would win by a score of 42-27.

Heap's junior season in 2000 was nearly as impressive. 48 receptions (then third in ASU history) for 644 yards and 3 touchdown catches earned him his second straight All-Pac-10 selection, as well as multiple All-American honors from the Associated Press, NFL Draft Report, Gannett News Service, just to name a few. Alongside Dannie O'Neal, he was selected as ASU's co-MVP for the season, and was named one of three finalists for the inaugural John Mackey Award for the nation's top tight end.

Todd finished his Sun Devil career as the program record holder for receptions by a tight end (115, since broken), receiving yards by a tight end (1,685, remains record holder), and ranked second among tight ends in program history with 10 career touchdown catches. He was the first tight end in school history to earn All-Pac-10 honors in 1999, a feat he duplicated in 2000.

After declaring for the 2001 NFL Draft, Heap was selected by the defending champion Baltimore Ravens in the first round with the 31st overall pick. In 12 NFL seasons with the Ravens and the Arizona Cardinals, Todd put up a career line of 499 catches for 5,869 yards and a very symbolic 42 touchdown receptions. He earned two Pro Bowl selections (2002 and 2003), and was named second-team All-Pro in 2003.

In 2004, Heap was named to the Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame in recognition of his incredible career. Heap continues to call the Valley his home, recently serving as the wide receivers coach at Mesa Red Mountain High School, where his sons Kyle and Preston made their high school careers. Todd remains active in the community through his "Hugs from Holly" campaign, created in 2017 in honor of the tragic death of his young daughter.

Many great tight ends have called Tempe home for their college careers, but Todd Heap was the one who broke the mold and re-defined the position for the Sun Devils in the late-90's. The conversation of great Arizona State tight ends would be incomplete without honoring the man who set the standard to play up to.