Previewing the Miami Hurricanes Tight Ends Entering 2022
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It wouldn’t seem like it, but being the starting tight end at the University of Miami carries weight. Will Mallory is set to carry that weight for the second-straight year and sees the potential of the room that the Hurricanes currently have.
“Since I’ve been here, this is probably the most talented, depth-wise, that we’ve had,” Mallory said during the spring. “That’s from top to bottom. This is a great opportunity for me to get to work with these guys and hopefully, show them the ropes a little bit, but they push me every single day, which is the most important thing.”
Stephen Field is the lone offensive returning coach from the Manny Diaz era, for good reason. Field has not only recruited the position at a high level, but he’s coached and developed numerous talents there and already has one former Canes tight end in the league, Brevin Jordan.
Mallory is one of the top returning tight ends in the country, but the depth behind him puts Miami in the discussion regarding the best all-around tight end groups in the country.
The Canes lost Larry Hodges to the transfer portal following an arrest. He ended up at Middle Tennesee State University.
Projected Depth Chart
- Will Mallory
- Elijah Arroyo
- Kahlil Brantley
- Jaleel Skinner
- Dominic Mammareli
The Skinny
Mallory’s best trait as a TE is the vertical threat he poses to defenses. He is every bit of the 6-foot-5, 245-pound player he’s listed as, while his long strides have outrun linebackers and defensive backs alike.
However, consistency hasn’t always been there for the fifth-year senior. Mallory hasn’t been the best run-blocker for Miami, granted it isn’t his strong suit, but he could absolutely be better in that department. He's a strong receiving threat, though, posting over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns across 73 catches in his four-year Miami career.
The best run-blocker on the team at tight end is Mammareli. Mammareli has not seen much action, but it’s known that he is a strong blocking tight end. The additions of Arroyo and Skinner make it difficult for Mammareli to get into the rotation as a receiver, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Mammareli sub in to assist in blocking from time to time.
Arroyo is similar to Mallory in the way that they’re both vertical threats. Arroyo saw minimal action in 2021 but certainly turned heads with his big-play ability. Arroyo caught five total passes last year, three of which went for more than 19 yards, which bolstered his average yards per catch.
Truthfully, there haven’t been enough reps to determine if Arroyo is a talented blocker at the collegiate level, but he’ll be the No. 2 guy behind Mallory which means he’ll have plenty of film to come.
Losing Hodges doesn’t hurt the depth chart much as the staff brought in Brantley, who is similar in size. Hodges was used as an H-back in Rhett Lashlee’s scheme, and Brantley could evolve into the primary H-back for Miami.
Brantley was one of the best receivers in South Florida coming out of Miami Northwestern High School. His 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame makes him the “smallest” tight end on the roster, but the lack of size benefits him as Brantley has some wiggle in his game once he gets in open space. Should Miami utilize Brantley as an H-back, he could find success because of his multi-tool ability.
A SI99 All-American and the No. 53 recruit in the nation, Skinner has a freakish frame that can move as well, recently sharing on Twitter that he’s up to 225 pounds. Skinner was primarily used as a wide receiver at IMG Academy, which is somewhere he could also line up at Miami. Seeing Miami’s need for size at the position and Skinner’s unique ability, he could be a utility contributor in the offense like Brantley, but perhaps more on the outside than the inside.
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