Is the Michigan tight end room the deepest in the country?

Michigan has a wealth of talent at the skill positions heading into the 2022 season, and that includes the tight ends. Senior Erick All is the headliner, but fifth-year senior Luke Schoonmaker isn’t far behind … and there are several ready to take their place next year.

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For now, though, it’s All and Schoonmaker at one and two, and Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh believes they might be the best duo in the country.

“They’re both phenomenal,” Harbaugh told former Michigan All-American and current radio analyst Jon Jansen on this week’s In the Trenches podcast. “I’ve said this and I really believe it — they could be two of the best in the entire country.”

All finished with 38 catches for 437 yards last year, while Schoonmaker added 17 receptions for 165 passes and three touchdowns. They both became a bigger part of the game plan last year as the season progressed, and they figure to be even more involved this year.

“I think there’s been a standard set for both me and Erick with I guess you could say the spotlight,” Schoonmaker said. “That’s been presented to us … now we know how to practice, how to play, and how to hold each other accountable with our playing.”

Michigan tight end room is deeper than ever

But they aren’t alone. You’d have to go back several years — maybe even a few decades, if not more — to find as deep a group. In addition to All and Schoonmaker, Michigan features a handful of outstanding tight ends. From the highly recruited, like sophomore Louis Hansen, to walk-ons like Max Bredeson, there are several great options.

“Joel Honigford — really, really good. Carter Selzer — really, really good,” Harbaugh said of the Michigan veterans. “Hunter Neff is back, who I really like, and I like him a lot as a special teams player; I like him a lot as a tight end. He missed all of last season.

“Matt Hibner, going into his junior year, I feel like he could contribute and do some very good things. The young guys are also good. There are three really good ones practicing right now. Lou Hansen, Cole Loveland I think is going to be really good, and Marlin Klein.”

And then there’s Bredeson, who caught everything in sight in Michigan spring practices and opened some eyes.

“He dropped a pass yesterday in practice, and that was my first thought — ‘Max!’ He’s coming every day now,” Harbaugh said. “There are a lot of guys that were spring stars, but when they get into training camp, you’ve got to put an exclamation point on it every single day. But yeah, everybody loves Max. Max is going to play, no doubt about that.”

Schoonmaker is off to a great start in camp

All and Schoonmaker, though, are the headliners, and they continue to impress. Schoonmaker is 30 pounds heavier after coming in at 220, and he credits strength coach Ben Herbert for that.

“He does a great job with everybody,” Schoonmaker said. “I came in around I think 220-ish. I’m like 250 now, and I feel great with where I’m at. I feel fast and physical at the same time.

“We do those before and after pictures, and everybody just looks like a monster after you go through what he puts us through.”

He also learned from former Michigan tight ends Sean McKeon, Zach Gentry, and Nick Eubanks, patiently waiting his turn. He and All both picked up plenty of pointers from them, and they also complement each other extremely well.

They’ll look to take it to another level this season while Michigan vies for a second straight Big Ten title.

“While I was working to get myself up there [on the depth chart] and playing, I was able to really see what they were doing and work on my stuff,” the Michigan grad student said. “Eventually get to [their level] or be even better than that one day. I think that’s what me and Eric both do.

“Yeah, there are some things that maybe I do better or he does better. But then we can come together and coach each other on it and give each other ideas all that stuff.”

It was a winning formula last year, and it should be again in 2022. When they finally do move on, the Michigan tight end room behind them appears to be in great hands with guys who learned from them and are hungry for their own taste of success.

It’s a stacked room for first-year Michigan tight ends coach Grant Newsome, with the potential for several great years to come.