Tag: Hunter Neff

2023 Season Countdown: #106 Hunter Neff

Name: Hunter Neff
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 231 lbs.
High school: Chelsea (MI) Chelsea
Position: Tight end
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #80
Last year: I ranked Neff #117 and said he would be a backup tight end (LINK). He played in two games and caught 1 pass for 8 yards.
TTB Rating: N/A

Neff deserves some sort of award for stick-to-it-iveness. He joined the program as a walk-on in 2019, stuck through 2020, and stayed through 2021 without seeing the field. After three years of sitting and watching, he finally got on the field in a couple blowout games in 2022, even catching an 8-yard pass against Colorado State.

There probably won’t be a big leap in 2023, but Michigan did lose several tight ends in the off-season – four, to be exact. Neff doesn’t have the size to factor into the rotation much, but he could possibly move up slightly on the depth chart. A.J. Barner, Matt Hibner, and Colston Loveland seem to make up the top three, and then after that, things seem to be a little murky.

Prediction: Backup tight end

2022 Season Countdown: #117 Hunter Neff

Name: Hunter Neff
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 237 lbs.
High school: Chelsea (MI) Chelsea
Position: Tight end
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #80
Last year: I ranked Neff #116 and said he would be a backup tight end (LINK). He did not play in any games.
TTB Rating: N/A

Neff is an undersized tight end at 6’2″ and 237 lbs. So chances for him to get on the field are pretty slim. Michigan has also stacked up a pretty talented tight end room with a couple starter-quality seniors and several 4-star backups. Perhaps Neff can help replicate a fullback on the scout team or play on special teams, but as for playing time on offense, I wouldn’t expect to see #80 out there much at all.

Prediction: Backup tight end

2021 Season Countdown: #116 Hunter Neff

Name: Hunter Neff
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 234 lbs.
High school: Chelsea (MI) Chelsea
Position: Tight end
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #80
Last year: I did not rank Neff. He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

Neff is a 6’2″, 234 lb. tight end at Michigan. It’s not often that 6’2″ tight ends play at Michigan. (My mind goes back to Aaron Shea, who was listed at 6’5″ at Michigan and turned out to be 6’3″.)

If only Neff were 6’8″, the coaching staff would draw up Wildcat passes for him on the goal line.

Instead, Neff’s best chance for playing time is probably on special teams.

Prediction: Backup tight end