Look Ahead: Will Michigan Be Better At Tight End in 2020?
Jim Harbaugh has always utilized several tight ends and it's been no different this year even with a new offensive system in place. Seniors Sean McKeon and Nick Eubanks have been the main two players at the position with redshirt sophomore Luke Schnoonmaker and freshman Erick All also getting on the field.
McKeon and Eubanks have accounted for 26 receptions, 301 yards and four touchdowns on the year, while Schoonmaker and All have just three catches for 64 yards and a score. Obviously the door is going to be wide open next year for some new people to step into prominent roles and Schoonmaker and All figure to be as poised as anyone to do it.
Fans don't seem overly concerned about losing two veteran players at the tight end position, but maybe it's warranted given the talent and upside possessed by both Schoonmaker and All. Out of more than 400 votes, a large majority (58 percent) think the position will be better in 2020.
Are they right? Losing two veteran guys usually means a step back but in this case, people are very optimistic.
Luckily, both Schoonmaker and All have played a decent amount of snaps. They haven't been overly productive, but they've shown that they understand what to do and can make a play if called upon.
The problem is depth. With redshirt freshman tight end Mustapha Muhammad in the transfer portal, Michigan only has four scholarship tight ends on the roster and two of them will be gone next year. The Wolverines currently have two tight ends committed in the 2020 class, but one has been shaky for a while and may not end up in Ann Arbor.
If U-M does enter the season with just three scholarship tight ends on the roster next year, look for speed in space to reemerge as the potential approach with several smaller, speedier wide receivers in the program.
