What Happened in 2008?

The tight end spot was almost invisible since the departure of Greg Olsen.  Dedrick Epps and Chris Zellner were the two main tight ends.  Richard Gordon also played some but mainly on special teams.  Zellner, the better blocking tight end, had a handful of receptions for about 100 yards receiving and just 1 touchdown against Duke.  Epps had 22 receptions for 304 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Patrick Nix’s offense seemed to not utilize the tight ends very much and is a contributing factor to their lack of production.

What to Expect in 2009?

Epps is a future NFL player.  He has the footspeed to be a mismatch as a tight end, and the size to eventually be a great blocker.  Assuming his rehab stays on schedule, look for him to be the leading man at TE and be one of the top receiving threats on the team.  Former basketball player Jimmy Graham will also be on the team.  If he is a good rout runner, he could see the field quickly.  The team has three incoming freshmen tight ends, but they all seem like it will take time to get on the field.  Billy Sanders, Corey White, and Stephen Plein are listed as TE, however, Sanders might be the only one that remains a tight end at UM.

Superlatives

MVP: Dedrick Epps – No question here.  He is a future NFLer, he has great hands, and he is a Randy Shannon kind of player with his 100% every down mentality.  Look for him to be extremely productive in Mark Whipple’s offense.

You’ll know him by October: Jimmy Graham – He had great hands as a basketball player, and he could move well on the court in transition, now he can do it and not worry about offensive fouls.  He has the whole summer to get his rout running skills down and should be ready to play next year.

Make sure you have your degree when you leave: Richard Gordon – He has had many opportunities to make it happen, but in the end, he hasn’t been able to solidify himself as a rotation player.  He has bounced around different positions and hasn’t been able to stick (TE, DE, Kick Returner).  Another great worker that hasn’t been able to hold his own with the other talent on the team.

Up Next: Receivers

Related posts:

1. The U Report: Roster Analysis – Impact Players
2. The U Report: Roster Analysis – Running/Full Backs
3. The U Report: Roster Analysis – Receivers
4. The U Report: Roster Analysis – Key Arrivals
5. The U Report: Roster Analysis – Defensive Line