2024 Spring Football Preview: Tight End

Tag: Max Bredeson


12Mar 2024
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2024 Spring Football Preview: Tight End

Colston Loveland

2023 Starters: Colston Loveland, A.J. Barner
Losses: Barner (NFL), Matt Hibner (transfer)
Returning players: Max Bredeson (RS Jr.), Loveland (Jr.), Marlin Klein (RS So.), Zack Marshall (RS Fr.), Deakon Tonielli (RS Fr.)
Newcomer: Brady Prieskorn (Fr.)
Projected starters: Klein, Loveland

The tight end position is the one that has perhaps separated Michigan from so many other teams over the past several years. Not only has Michigan had some quality players in the role, but the number, usage, and motion of the tight ends have become staples of Michigan’s offensive approach.

Probably the best tight end to come along during Jim Harbaugh’s tenure was Colston Loveland (45 catches, 649 yards, 4 touchdowns), a rising junior who has the athleticism of some of the elite tight ends playing in the NFL. He’s good enough that this is probably his last season in Ann Arbor before getting drafted in 2025.

One-time Indiana transfer A.J. Barner (22 catches, 249 yards, 1 touchdown) was an excellent blocker and underrated pass catcher, but he’s headed to the NFL in next month’s draft. It appears the next guy in line to play a bunch of snaps in Barner’s place is Marlin Klein, a 6’6″, 250-pounder who had just 1 catch for 8 yards last fall. He needed to put on some weight early in his career, but he seems to finally be reaching a good playing weight to handle some of the blocking duties.

It’s also important to mention quasi-starting tight end Max Bredeson, who plays more of a fullback position but nonetheless started four games last season. He caught 2 passes for 19 yards altogether, but he’s a bruising blocker. At 6’2″ and 240 lbs., he’s unlikely to move into a true tight end role and will probably carry on as a fullback.

Redshirt freshman Zack Marshall (6’4″, 232) played in two games last year while redshirting, and classmate Deakon Tonielli (6’5″, 251) has some decent size already but did not get any experience. The most likely returning player to step into Klein’s role as the #3 tight end seems to be Marshall, who should be a little bigger this spring (and fall).

One of the most intriguing names, though, is freshman early enrollee Brady Prieskorn (6’6″, 220), who was a 4-star and the #129 overall player in the class of 2024. He’s an all-around tight end somewhat in the mold of Loveland in that he’s a good athlete who’s not afraid of contact. His physical development is going to be key in determining how ready he is to step on the field this fall. But if he’s even borderline ready from a physical standpoint, we could see him begin to emerge this spring as someone who could jump over Marshall and Tonielli to become that #3 tight end.

19Jun 2022
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2022 Season Countdown: #86 Max Bredeson

Max Bredeson (image via Twitter)

Name: Max Bredeson
Height:
6’2″
Weight:
222 lbs.
High school:
Hartland (WI) Arrowhead
Position:
Tight end
Class:
Redshirt freshman
Jersey number:
#82
Last year:
I ranked Bredeson #127 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Bredeson is the younger brother of former Michigan offensive guard Ben Bredeson, who was a 4th round draft pick of the Ravens and is now with the Giants. Max came to Michigan as a preferred walk-on, and to get on the field as a true freshman walk-on – even though it was in a blowout against Northern Illinois – is a pretty cool feat.

Max caught a couple passes in the spring game, and he looks like a decent athlete. The tough part for him is that Michigan has a bunch of quality tight ends, including three seniors (Erick All, Joel Honigford, Luke Schoonmaker) who are going to get a ton of reps. Perhaps the roster will shake out over the next couple years where Bredeson might get more of an opportunity, for right now, he will probably have to just accept the leftover snaps in blowouts.

Prediction: Backup tight end

2May 2021
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2021 Season Countdown: #127 Max Bredeson

Max Bredeson (image via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Name: Max Bredeson
Height:
6’2″
Weight:
225 lbs.
High school:
Hartland (WI) Arrowhead
Position:
Quarterback
Class:
Freshman
Jersey number:
N/A
Last year:
Bredeson was a senior in high school. He had 822 passing yards, 711 rushing yards, and 14 total touchdowns.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Bredeson is the younger brother of former Michigan offensive guard Ben Bredeson (now with the Baltimore Ravens) and Michigan baseball player Jack Bredeson. Despite being from Wisconsin, it’s a maize and blue family. So it was not a surprise that when Max was offered a preferred walk-on spot, he accepted.

Max Bredeson the player is a solid high school athlete, but he does not have outstanding arm strength or mobility. The chances of him turning into a major player at the FBS level are slim, but he could be a valuable scout team quarterback or backup down the road.

Prediction: Redshirt