Michigan Player Comparison: Eubanks Looks To Finish Stronger Than Massaquoi
Michigan tight end Nick Eubanks may not have been the most high-profile Wolverine debating the dive into the NFL Draft following the 2019 season, but his decision to return for a fifth season in Ann Arbor was a significant one for the squad's 2020 offensive outlook.
Eubanks and departing senior Sean McKeon accounted for 88.2% of U-M's tight end production this past season, and the departure of the Florida native would have seen Michigan return just three catches and 64 yards from the tight end group heading into 2020.
The presence of Eubanks gives second-year offensive coordinator Josh Gattis a reliable target over the middle to add to a stable of returning producers at the skilled positions, with every experienced piece helping expedite the progress of a first-year starter under center.
Michigan beat out several SEC teams, including Alabama, Auburn and Florida, to add Eubanks to its 2016 class. Although he has been solid throughout his collegiate career, his production thus far has been closer to that of his three-star composite rating rather than his noteworthy offer list. Thus, when looking back through U-M’s extensive history at the tight end position, the stellar yet unspectacular career of former four-star recruit Tim Massaquoi (2001-05) is viable comparison, at least heading into Eubanks’ fifth season.
Eubanks’ main advantage is in straight-line speed, his 4.69 40-yard dash out of high school is faster than Massaquoi’s 4.80 40 at the 2006 NFL Combine—there have also been reports of a low 4.5 40 from Eubanks while at Michigan.
Despite averaging only 9.7 yards per catch in 2019, he does have enough athleticism to register as a big-play and yards after catch threat when used properly with nine catches of 20-yards or more in his career, though there is room for him to be a more consistent target downfield with better utilization of his athleticism.
Massaquoi was more effective in intermediate routes but also had enough agility to gain extra yardage with the ball in his hands.
At 6-foot-5, 256 pounds, Eubanks has a slight size advantage over Massaquoi, who entered his final season measuring 6-4, 252 pounds. Massaqoui didn’t struggle in battles at the line of scrimmage, but his size and strength were considered limiting factors that prevented him from becoming great at driving defenders while run-blocking.
While he did make some strides as a redshirt junior, run-blocking has proven to be one of the weaker areas of Eubanks' game. Overall, Massaquoi was a more willing blocker at the point of contact than Eubanks has shown up to this point, but Eubanks did show significant improvement in 2019.
Both received a fifth-year of eligibility from the NCAA, with Massaquoi’s coming the more traditional route after he saw action in only one game as freshman, while Eubanks’ was of the medical redshirt variety after missing much of his sophomore campaign with an elbow injury.
From an experience standpoint, Massaquoi’s 38 appearances heading into his final collegiate slate is seven more than Eubanks’ 31, but the current Wolverine holds a slim advantage in actual production at this juncture in his career. Over his first four seasons in Ann Arbor, Massaquoi caught 35 passes for 403 yards and two touchdowns (11.5 yards per reception).
Eubanks has also caught 35 passes as a Wolverine, but has done more damage, amassing 461 receiving yards (13.2 yards per reception) and five touchdowns.
Eubanks led all Michigan tight ends last season with 25 catches for 243 yards (9.7 yards per reception) and four scores.
Although the career paths of both are similar heading into their final act donning the Maize and Blue, this is the point where Eubanks and the Wolverine faithful should hope any future comparisons end. Like Eubanks, expectations were elevated for Massaquoi heading into his fifth year, but a nagging hand injury restricted him to just 11 catches for 86 yards (9.6 yards per reception) in nine games.
Likely Michigan’s top tight end heading into the Wolverines season-opening tilt with Washington, Eubanks has the opportunity to transform a solid career into one of much more impact. Only seven Michigan tight ends in school history have caught 40 or more balls in a season, could Eubanks become the eighth?
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