Tag: Jalen Hoffman

2026 Season Countdown: #46-50

#46. Bryzon Kuzdzal – RB – Grand Rapids (MI) Forest Hills Eastern: Kuzdzal is a 5’11”, 210 lb. redshirt junior who was a walk-on in 2023 when the team won a national championship. He went from not playing in any games that year to playing on special teams in 2024 and then starting two games at running back in 2025 after Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall got injured. Kuzdzal had 76 carries for 326 yards and 4 touchdowns, including 20 carries for 100 yards and 3 touchdowns against Maryland. Perhaps an extra year in the weight room will help, but he’s generally a pretty quick runner who didn’t really show much ability to break tackles. After entering the transfer portal this off-season to find a bigger opportunity, he returned to Michigan after Justice Haynes jumped in the portal and landed at Georgia Tech. Kuzdzal will likely be the third running back this season, behind Marshall and freshman Savion Hiter.

#47. Deakon Tonielli – TE – Oswego (IL) Oswego: Tonielli is a 6’5″, 246 lb. redshirt junior who made two starts at tight end in 2025, grabbing 8 catches for 72 yards. He didn’t play in any games during his first two seasons on campus and then suddenly found himself starting at times, largely because starter Marlin Klein missed a big chunk of time due to a leg injury. The pecking order at tight end is questionable right now, but it appears that Hogan Hansen and Zack Marshall will be ahead of Tonielli on the depth chart. Michigan will also use an extra lineman in place of a tight end at times. I would not be surprised if this is his final season in Ann Arbor unless he can surge past one or both of those aforementioned players for some momentum going into 2027, but for now he should be a solid third tight end.

#48. Jordan Young – S – Monroe (NC) Monroe: Young is a 6’0″, 195 lb. sophomore who played in ten games last season, making 15 tackles and 3 pass breakups. He has earned solid reviews from practices, but competition is stiff in the defensive backfield. It was thought that he could contribute at the nickel position, but defensive coordinator Jay Hill mentioned three players vying for time at nickel (Smith Snowden, Zeke Berry, Jyaire Hill) who weren’t named Jordan Young. It also appears that Rod Moore and Chris Bracy will be the two starting safeties, so Young will be battling for a backup role somewhere. Some spots should open up in 2027 with eligibility running out for a few of the aforementioned players, so he might be a starter for the Wolverines in another year.

#49. Jalen Hoffman – TE – Burke (VA) Lake Braddock: The 6’3″, 245 lb. redshirt junior Hoffman waited a few seasons at Michigan to replace Max Bredeson at fullback, only to have the offense change just before his big opportunity arrived. Hoffman played a fair amount in 2025 as Bredeson’s backup and the highlight of his season was probably when he recovered an onside kick against Michigan State. I don’t know exactly what to expect from the offense in 2026, but it feels like the fullback/H-back position might be de-emphasized when compared to the Jim Harbaugh and Sherrone Moore eras. Michigan also has thumper Eli Owens as a somewhat similar fullback type to Hoffman, so it will be interesting to see how much these body types and skill sets will be used by new offensive coordinator Jason Beck.

#50. Jacob Oden – S – Harper Woods (MI) Harper Woods: Oden is a 6’1″, 205 lb. redshirt sophomore who played in ten games on defense in 2025, making 3 tackles and 1 interception. The interception came against Washington when eventual first round pick Denzel Boston had an uncharacteristic drop after beating the defense, and Oden happened to be nearby on the ground, with the ball falling into his lap. It wasn’t the most beautiful play, but it still goes in the stat book. Anyway, Oden will be a backup once again in 2026, battling with the likes of Jordan Young (see above) and Mason Curtis for playing time. Oden should also be a factor on special teams.

2025 Season Countdown: #41-45

45. P Hudson Hollenbeck (RS Jr.): The 6’2″, 206-pounder filled in well for Tommy Doman last season after Doman decided to transfer. He punted 6 times for 277 yards (46.2 yards/punt), put two of those punts inside the 20-yard line, and also served as the holder for Dominic Zvada at times. I wouldn’t have been too surprised if Michigan went into 2025 with Hollenbeck as the punter, but they brought in Missouri starter Luke Bauer. I have to believe Bauer is the frontrunner for the job, but Hollenbeck is a good all-around backup who can punt, hold, and kick off. Last year’s rank: #44a.

44. TE Jalen Hoffman (RS Jr.): Hoffman played in all thirteen games last year, including two on offense. He was backing up Max Bredeson, so there’s a reason he didn’t play much. But Hoffman burst onto the scene this spring, catching an 88-yard touchdown from Bryce Underwood on his way to 7 catches for 148 yards overall. Maybe Hoffman is one of those guys who flashes in the spring game and doesn’t do much beyond that, but he looks like a legitimate receiving option out of the backfield. Last year’s rank: #72.

43. DT Enow Etta (RS So.): Etta spent the 2023 season playing edge before bulking up to play inside last year. The experiment didn’t go that well in 2024: he started one game but was largely ineffective and made just 4 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1 pass breakup overall across ten games. Word coming from the coaches suggests Etta has taken the next step in his development. It would be nice to get some pass rush from the interior, where Rayshaun Benny does well to get after the quarterback but not many other guys do. Etta should be a key backup and stays right here at #43, the same spot he was last season. Last year’s rank: #43.

42. CB Shamari Earls (Fr.): Earls (4-star, #13 CB, #88 overall) is the rare young cornerback who looks not only physically ready to play, but perhaps more developed than many veteran college corners. Listed at 6’2″ and 203 lbs., he appeared in the spring game and physically looked like Will Johnson. Earls’s recruiting rankings might be a little depressed because he missed his senior season due to injury, but he should step in and play pretty early. While he probably won’t begin the season as a starter, he may progress to that point throughout the year. Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry should be the starting corners, but with Berry’s ability to play other positions, the coaching staff could do some position switching if Earls is ready.

41. WR Peyton O’Leary (RS Sr.): O’Leary has progressed throughout his career from walk-on to a six-game starter in 2024, when he was in his fourth year in the program. He caught 10 passes for 102 yards and notched his second career touchdown. At 6’3″ and 203 lbs., O’Leary provided/provides some of the size that was largely lacking at the receiver position, but Michigan address that issue with signing Indiana transfer Donaven McCulley this off-season. O’Leary’s upside is limited, but he should still be heavily in the rotation. Last year’s rank: #60.

2025 Spring Football Preview: Tight End

RETURNING PLAYERS: Max Bredeson (RS Sr.), Marlin Klein (RS Jr.), Jalen Hoffman (RS So.), Zack Marshall (RS So.), Deakon Tonielli (RS So.), Hogan Hansen (So.), Brady Prieskorn (RS Fr.)
NEWCOMERS: Eli Owens (Fr.)
DEPARTURES: Colston Loveland (NFL draft)

OUTLOOK: Michigan had one of the best tight ends in college football in 2024 in the form of Colston Loveland, who should be a first round draft pick in April. Loveland was by far Michigan’s leading receiver (56 catches, 582 yards, 5 touchdowns) despite playing in a subpar passing game, and his numbers were significantly hurt by the fact that the quarterbacks couldn’t get him the ball when he was open downfield.

Marlin Klein caught the fifth most passes on the team in 2024 and filled in for Loveland. Klein isn’t nearly the fluid athlete that Loveland was and doesn’t have as natural of receiving abilities, but he’s a 6’6″, 247 lb. player with good straight-line speed and decent blocking ability. He caught 13 passes for 108 yards and 0 touchdowns a season ago.

The other huge returning contributor is 6’2″, 240 lb. Max Bredeson, who plays a fullback/H-back role. Bredeson caught just 3 passes for 24 yards, but he’s a devastating blocker who sets the physical tone on offense. New offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey may have to adjust some of his schemes to incorporate a heavy dose of Bredeson. I think Lindsey is pretty flexible as a coach, but he seems less inclined to use multiple tight ends as frequently as Jim Harbaugh-type offenses did.

Rising sophomore Hogan Hansen came out of nowhere to catch 7 passes for 78 yards and 1 touchdown in 2024 while playing in ten games. It’s not clear exactly what type of role he’ll play since his body (6’5″, 236) and skills haven’t really developed yet, but what is clear is that the coaching staff likes him and he will probably see a heavier role in 2025.

Walk-on Hoffman is Bredeson’s backup, and both Marshall and Tonielli are going into their third years without playing much. Prieskorn was hurt toward the end of the season, and my guess is he will not participate fully in spring ball. The lone freshman in the class is Eli Owens, who was listed at 6’1″ and 243 lbs. coming out of high school before enrolling early. He has mentioned how much he wants to fill the role of Bredeson down the road, so he may end up battling Hoffman for playing time this spring after enrolling early.

Overall, Michigan has a solid group of tight ends, but no real stars in the receiving game. Bredeson may prove to be the best of the bunch because of his blocking ability, but there’s still some intriguing potential with Klein’s athleticism, Hansen’s early flashes, etc. One to watch may be Tonielli, who got some buzz last spring but never got an opportunity on Saturdays. It should be a good overall unit, but the crew overall is a bit of an unknown.

2024 Season Countdown: #72 Jalen Hoffman

Name: Jalen Hoffman
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 225 lbs.
High school: Lake Braddock (VA) Lake Braddock
Position: Tight end
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #42
Last year: I didn’t rank Hoffman. He played in one game.
TTB Rating: N/A

Hoffman was a little known preferred walk-on after decommitting form Bucknell in the class of 2023. Used as a wide receiver and H-back at Lake Braddock, he caught 20 passes for 400 yards and 5 touchdowns as a senior in 2022. He runs pretty well, but he’s a little bit stiff and doesn’t really have the size and length you want in an ideal FBS tight end.

That sounds like a fullback. Though Hoffman is listed as a tight end, the coaching staff has him backing up Max Bredeson – also listed as a tight end, but at 6’2″, 240 pounds. They are effectively fullbacks, but tight end sounds sexier. And they function a lot like the H-backs in modern spread offenses. You probably won’t see Bredeson or Hoffman lined up on the line of scrimmage or running a lot of downfield routes, but they will be lead blockers and run arrow routes out of the backfield to stretch the defense laterally. I don’t expect Hoffman to play a key role in 2024, but he could see some backup snaps and potentially be a guy to watch down the road once Bredeson departs.

Prediction: Backup tight end