Michigan TE Matthew Hibner enters NCAA transfer portal
Michigan Wolverines football senior tight end Matthew Hibner has entered the NCAA transfer portal. He will look elsewhere for his final year of eligibility, after spending four seasons in Ann Arbor. Hibner is listed in the portal as a graduate of U-M.
Hibner appeared in 28 career games at Michigan, primarily competing on special teams. He totaled 2 catches for 15 yards, with both of his receptions coming during the non-conference portion of the schedule in 2022 (1 versus Colorado State and the other against Hawai’i).
The 6-foot-5, 254-pounder has long been buried on the depth chart. Most recently, he played behind sophomore Colston Loveland and senior AJ Barner, who has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and accepted an invite to the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
It appeared Hibner was surging this past spring, primed for a breakout, following his 2-reception, 64-yard spring game performance that included the scrimmage’s longest play, a 52-yard catch and run. However, it didn’t amount to much playing time over the course of the 2023 campaign.
Hibner played in seven games and logged 26 offensive snaps in 2023, helping the Wolverines finish 15-0 with a third-straight Big Ten championship and the national title. He made 2 tackles on special teams and did not have any receptions on offense. Hibner appeared in three games in February (UNLV, Bowling Green and Rutgers), before not seeing game action again until a Nov. 25 win over Ohio State. He closed out the season by seeing time in Michigan’s final four contests — victories over the Buckeyes, Iowa, Alabama and Washington.
Hibner notched a career-high 13 appearances as a junior in 2022. He had a fumble recovery on the opening kickoff in a win over Maryland (Michigan scored on its first offensive snap after it), caught a 10-yard pass against Colorado State and hauled in a 5-yard grab the next week against Hawai’i.
The Michigan tight end played in eight outings on special teams, including five at tight end, in 2021. He did not see game action as a freshman during the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.
A three-star recruit out of Burke (Va.) Lake Braddock, Hibner was a three-star recruit and the No. 475 overall player in the 2020 class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He slotted as the No. 21 tight end in the country and 14th-best player in Virginia.
The portal is currently closed for non-graduate Michigan players to enter. However, all college football players will have the opportunity to enter it in the spring, or in the next 30 days should their school have a head-coaching change.
