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
Looks skinny. Better hope he can block
ReplyDeleteSeems like he's the backup FB/H-back?
ReplyDeleteIf Bredeson goes down with an injury, does Hoffman become the starter?
My guess is that Michigan would change up their personnel groups. You want your best 11 on the field, not just a backup at the 11th spot. Maybe you would play more 11 personnel or move a guy like Zack Marshall there or something.
DeleteYeah that makes sense to me. My only counter-argument is -- was Bredeson one of the 11 best on the field last year? Probably not - he was 16th in snaps - but he still started 3 games.
DeleteGiven the praise Hoffman has drawn from Cusela I would assume for now he's the second best option on the roster for playing the traditional FB role. I doubt he's in the top 5 at TE or H-back though.
Well, there's a certain allowance for personnel packages and how you're going to attack a defense. If it's your true "best 11," then you would play the same 11 guys every single snap, and we all know that's not possible. But Bredeson was sent to Big Ten Media Days this year, so maybe the coaching staff truly thinks he's a "dude." He certainly knocked the crap out of some people as a fullback/H-back.
DeleteJust parr of knowing the game ... position & role matters, otherwise we'd have a flag football team of Athletes out there
DeleteBredeson was already a starter last year and I agree he'll play a bigger role this year. Maybe he's in the best 11 this year and maybe he still isn't, either way I would expect a shift to slightly more 21 and less 12 since Bredeson is better at FB than TE and inline TE depth is speculative. Adapt to your personnel.
DeleteOnce that happens (IF! it happens) then the OCs approach on gameplan and playcalling gets refined. If Bredeson gets hurt suddenly I don't think you toss that all in the trash right away. So, I could see a world where, at least for a game or two, Hoffman is NEXT MAN UP to execute the gameplan. If it doesn't work then you lay off the FB stuff or get creative with Mullings or your depth TEs. But if it happens in a big game then Hoffman might get a big role (kind of like how Mullings, Quinten Johnson, and our backup TEs got thrown into big roles in the TCU game)
As another example, in 2022 against Illinois Michigan didn't stop running the ball when Edwards and Corum went down. They kept it going with their backups even though they were limited players.
We're splitting hairs here though because H-back is the hybrid spot that gives you optionality and I still expect that to be the offense's base. I'm just speculating that we may see Campbell and Casula elevate the FB role, which opens the door to Hoffman having a role bigger than #72 rank.
If Bredeson gets hurt, I don't think Hoffman is going to be a starter. But I was encouraged to see him listed at 235 on the fall roster rather than the 225 he was listed at in the spring.
DeleteYeah I don't really think he's very likely to start either but if Bredeson is hurt in practice a few days before Oregon or OSU, I could see Hoffman getting maybe a dozen critical snaps. And in a less critical game if that same situation was to occur it might be even more.
DeleteIn any case, in my eyes that puts him in the top 50 not in the 70s. Just my opinion though - I acknowledge it could be one of the younger TEs stepping in instead. It does seem like Hoffman is generating some positive mentions though, so that's influencing my logic.