2020 Miami Hurricanes Position Review: Tight Ends

In a season where we saw Miami’s offense improve in almost every area, the tight end position was still a major strong point for the Canes in 2020.

Coming into the year, everybody knew that Miami had a star at the position in Brevin Jordan, and though he was sidelined for several games due to injury, he was still able to make plays for the Hurricanes when he was on the field.

In 2020, Jordan produced his best season at UM, with 38 receptions, for 576 yards and 7 touchdowns, in only 8 games. Whether or not Jordan will return for his senior year is still unknown, but if he does and can put together a season free from injuries, then Miami will have one of its biggest playmakers back in 2021.

However, even if Jordan does decide to leave early, the Canes are still fine at tight end, thanks to fellow rising senior Will Mallory.

Mallory and Jordan both were apart of the 2018 recruiting class for Miami, and they’ve been a great duo ever since they stepped foot on campus.

Just like Jordan, Mallory also had his best season at Miami, with 22 receptions, for 329 yards and 4 touchdowns. Mallory stepped up big when Jordan was out with injuries, and showed everyone that he can be just as dynamic when he’s on the field.

Mallory’s best game came against NC State in early November, where he hauled in 6 catches, for 78 yards and 1 touchdowns, in Miami’s thrilling 44-41 victory over the Wolfpack. Looking ahead to the 2021 season, I’m very excited to see how much Mallory grows, if Jordan leaves and he’s the full-time starter.

As far as the other tight ends go, Larry Hodges recorded just one reception in 2020, though I'm intrigued to see what he can do in the future. Dominic Mammarelli didn’t have much of a role on offense his first season, though with how much Miami uses tight ends in their offense, that’s bound to change.

As far as recruiting, Miami landed two tight ends that puts UM’s class at that position among the best in college football. The Canes signed Kahlil Brantley and Elijah Arroyo as part of their 2021 class, two players who will be household names going forward. Arroyo is someone who I think can play right away as a true freshman, ranked as the #4 tight end by 247 Sports in the nation for the 2021 cycle.

If there’s one thing we know about Miami football, tight ends usually always do well in Coral Gables, hence the nickname Tight End U. Rhett Lashlee did a great job getting the tight ends more involved this season, and with the help of position coach Stephen Field, I don't see their role being diminished in any way.