Michigan football's depth at tight end shouldn't be overlooked

Michigan returns arguably the best tight end in all of college football in preseason All-American Colston Loveland. The junior enters this season with a chance to set program records in career receiving yards and receptions in just his third year in Ann Arbor, and is expected to be one of the focal points of the Wolverines offense.

Behind Loveland, redshirt sophomore Marlin Klein is expected to see his role increase significantly after turning heads in spring practice. At 6-foot-6 and 247 pounds, Klein is a big target in the pass game and has the physical traits to be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. Michigan tight end coach Steve Casula, who was an analyst on staff prior to his promotion this offseason, likes what sees seen from Klein in fall camp as well.

"I remember the first time I watched him, I was just, A, taken aback by the mountains, and the background where he went to school, and then, B, I had never seen somebody at that age, at that size run the way he did," Casula recalled about watching Klein's high school tape. "Yeah, he displayed early in his high school career real deal, high-end physical traits. I remember there was a clip on either his junior or senior highlight film where he's running down someone that had made an interception, and you're like, 'Whoa.' He didn't have the ball. He ran someone down, and chased him, and caught him on a pursuit play, and it was a 'Wow' moment watching the guy run. Yeah, he, you could tell, high-end physical traits for sure."

Michigan returns redshirt junior Max Bredeson, who was recently voted as a team captain and represented the Wolverines at Big Ten Media Days back in July. Bredeson will play the same H-back, tight end role he played last season, and should continue to have a major impact on the Wolverines run game. Behind Loveland and Klein, there's a battle going on for Michigan's third true tight end in their rotation.

"Fall camp's always a great opportunity here for guys to really develop, grow, make a name for themselves," Casula said. "You know, we have an old saying here. This is a meritocracy. You shall be known upon your talents and efforts, and so there's an ample opportunity for that. I think two guys that have really had outstanding fall camps and have grown and developed, and it's not just fall camp, but it's the off-season cycle as well. Zack Marshall and Jalen Hoffman have really done well, and they've turned heads, and when called upon, they've made the most of their opportunities, and they've really had good camps."

Marshall, a former three-star prospect in Michigan's 2023 recruiting class, appeared in two games for the Wolverines a season ago. Hoffman, meanwhile, was a preferred walk-on in the class and played in one game in 2023. Both players redshirted and have four seasons of eligibility remaining heading into 2024.

Loveland will get the lion's share of Michigan's snaps at tight end this season, and he's due for a big junior season in Ann Arbor. However, the Wolverines have stacked talent at the position behind their preseason All-American, and look to be set up for success at the position in the years to come.

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