The Miami Hurricanes are bringing back a very talented group of tight ends for the 2025 class.
The Canes welcome back a healthy Elijah Arroyo, who has tremendous upside and talent. Unfortunately, Arroyo was injured last season, which was supposed to be his breakout year, ending with just one reception for 11 yards. However, reports from camp have been encouragingly positive. Not only is he healthy, but he is also making plays and is expected to start for the Canes, becoming a high-impact player this upcoming season.
Alongside Arroyo, the Canes return talented sophomore Riley Williams. Williams had seven receptions in his freshman season, totaling 54 yards, one touchdown, and an average of 8.4 yards per reception. Expect Williams to continue progressing, as he is not only skilled offensively but is also rounding out his game with improved blocking. Of course, Williams is too good offensively to be used solely as an extra offensive lineman, but his development in blocking has caught the coaches’ attention. In their system, if you can block, you will play. Arroyo will need to take a significant step forward this year to keep the TE1 spot secure because Riley Williams is too talented to keep on the sidelines. I anticipate Williams will challenge Arroyo, fostering healthy competition at the position.
One player the coaches are particularly excited about is Elija Lofton. Lofton is coming in as a true freshman and has had a very impressive spring and fall camp. I would go so far as to say he is currently viewed as TE3. However, the coaches plan to use him as a Swiss Army knife type of player. Don’t be surprised to see Lofton line up in various positions, wherever the coaches want him. Lofton is multifaceted; he can play as a running back or tight end. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on special teams or even at wide receiver. Why? Because Lofton is a pure football player—he is that good. More than fitting him into a specific position, the coaches see Lofton as an ELITE football player with superstar potential as an offensive force for years to come.
Another sophomore who has shown improvement this spring and fall is Jackson Carver. Carver possesses prototypical size for the tight end position, standing nearly 6’7″ and weighing in at 240 lbs. Physically, he is a specimen, and the coaches rave about his work ethic and buy-in to the program. In fact, Carver has been moving the chains, making tough catches in practice. With Arroyo, Riley Williams, and the emergence of Lofton, Carver may not get as much playing time as he’d like. However, his upside is tremendous, and if he remains patient, continues to work hard, and maintains his work-centric mentality, there’s a possibility that Lofton and Carver could become an even more talented duo than Canes fans expect from Elijah Arroyo and Riley Williams.
Miami closes out this young and talented group with the most experienced player on the roster: Cam McCormick. McCormick knows Cristobal from his Oregon days, transferred to the University of Miami, and is now in his 9th year of eligibility. He understands the culture and expectations of Coach Cristobal and has been key in blocking schemes for the Canes while occasionally contributing offensively. I do not expect McCormick to play a huge role this year beyond leadership and culture-building, but his mentorship and professionalism will be crucial in helping the Canes’ young tight end group mature into a focused, all-around unit.
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