The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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T I G H T E N D S THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 67 with Hansen. I think he is going to be a really good pass catcher." Hansen caught 7 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown a year ago as a true fresh- man, including a few chain movers. He's got the makeup of a former Michigan great Jansen played with on the 1997 champion- ship team. "He's like [All-American] Jerame Tu- man, just because of his body type," Jansen said. "He doesn't have the same height and wingspan as a Colston Loveland, but nei- ther did Jerame. Jerame was fast, and he was just so good at finding ways to get open and understanding defenses. "I saw Hogan last year as a freshman just really understand the game, and some of it's a feel. Some guys just have that innate sense of where all 11 guys are, or at least where seven guys are in the secondary." Though he still has to get bigger and stronger, Hansen has the goods to be a solid blocker, too, Jansen added. "I think he'll be fine. Any tight end that comes in — and nobody recruits those guys as blocking tight ends — is going to catch passes and then develop in the run game," he continued. "That's just mod- ern football." It's the same for senior Marlin Klein, who has wowed with his athleticism since first arriving on campus. The 6-6, 247-pound German hadn't been playing football long when he arrived at Michigan, but he earned the team's Most Improved Player of the Year on Offense last year after catching 13 passes for 108 yards. The question now — can he emerge as a No. 1 tight end? "I think he can," Jansen said. "I saw him do some things in spring that make you believe the football IQ is getting where it needs to be. "In his defense, he hasn't seen a lot of football and hasn't lived a lot of football. But he has all the physical attributes you want for a tight end that could be a really good weapon in the pass game." His blocking improvement is going to come down not to strength, but under- standing the movement of the defensive front, reading where the linebackers are, and anticipating movement, Jansen ex- plained, saying "It's the same for all of them." As for potential depth, the other scholar- ship tight ends — juniors Zack Marshall and Deakon Tonielli, sophomore Brady Pries- korn, and early enrollee Eli Owens — don't have a catch among them, but some will play. "I think Marshall will be a guy that's used," Jansen said. "Prieskorn has still got to come along [after getting injured]. He lost an entire year, but hopefully he was clued in and paying attention and learning all the things he could even if he wasn't practicing." Bredeson remains the stalwart of this group, even if he isn't likely to catch a lot of passes. A "nightmare" as a lead blocker per Jansen, the grad student could get more opportunities in the passing game with better quarterback play. He's caught 10 passes for 123 yards in his career and displayed capable hands. "He can catch the ball," Jansen said. "The offense was so limited, and he's not going to be your first or second read, but they didn't have anybody that could go 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 reads and eventually get to him where he's open and can catch and run with it. We've seen it at times. … I think he can be a much bigger weapon than he's ever been used." Finally, Hoffman, a former walk-on, thrived with his opportunity in the spring game as the unofficial MVP and probably earned at least an extended look heading into fall. "I don't expect him to put up huge num- bers, but they learned he can catch the ball and run with it." Jansen said. "I still think he's going to be used more like Bredeson. Max is going to be the guy that's out there to lead block. If Hoffman can take over the role, he adds a little more ability to catch the ball. Now all of a sudden, he can do a few more things." Time will tell, but it seems clear there's plenty of talent in the room, and new of- fensive coordinator Chip Lindsey has a history of including the tight end in the passing game. That should create excite- ment in a tight end room that has plenty of potential. ❑ STARTER ★★★ ★★★ ½ Senior Marlin Klein continues to improve and become more a football player than an athlete, but he still has plenty to prove to be a No. 1 pass-catching tight end. Grad student Max Bredeson is a bully and elite blocker, and sophomore Hogan Hansen will likely see some starter reps, too, as a potentially out- standing pass catcher. It's not Colston Love- land, but it's good. DEPTH ★★★ ★★★ There are capable bodies here, but not much production. That means the jury's out on the potential. Junior and former walk-on Jalen Hoffman turned heads in the spring game with his 148-yard performance, but spring scrimmage heroes haven't always replicated their play on fall Saturdays. That will be his goal starting in August. Junior Zack Marshall and highly recruited sophomore Brady Pries- korn both have ability — can they step up? OVERALL ★★★ ★★★ ½ Who is No. 1, and how much will he pro- duce? That's the biggest question heading into the season for a program that has put its share of tight ends into the NFL over the last several years. Bredeson is a tone-setter with his physical play, but Michigan needs pass catchers for the new quarterback, whether it's freshman Bryce Underwood or veteran transfer Mikey Keene. Until someone proves himself, this group will remain a question mark … but there's potential. PRESEASON ANALYSIS U-M's Tight End Production Pct. Of Season Receptions Yards Rec. Yards TDs 2024 79 792 47.2% 6 2023 70 925 28.9% 5 2022 62 790 25.7% 5 2021 57 618 19.3% 5 2020* 22 199 13.2% 1 2019 41 542 16.6% 7 2018 54 793 28.3% 4 2017 54 697 31.3% 5 2016 59 667 24.2% 6 2015 72 926 30.0% 3 * COVID season (six games) QUICK FACTS Position Coach: Steve Casula (2nd season at U-M as tight ends coach, 1st as co-offensive coordinator) Returning Starters: Max Bredeson (10 career starts), Marlin Klein (6) Departing Starter: Colston Loveland (24) Projected New Starter: N/A Top Reserves: Hogan Hansen, Jalen Hoffman, Zack Marshall Newcomer: Eli Owens Moved In: N/A Moved Out: N/A Rookie Impact: N/A Most Improved Player: Hansen Best Pro Prospect: Bredeson