The Miami Hurricanes were once Tight End U but that moniker fell off in 2025 and will need a surprise star in order to improve their standing for ‘26. The Miami Hurricanes currently have four TE’s in the NFL: David Njoku, Will Mallory, Brevin Jordan and Elijah Arroyo.
Over the past two seasons Njoku has caught nine touchdowns over 22 starts. Since 2017 Njoku has caught 34 TD’s on 10.6 yards per catch. Jordan has played in 36 games with 12 starts and has caught five TD balls. Mallory has played in 24
games with two starts and has yet to catch a touchdown. Elijah Arroyo, a Super Bowl Champion as a rookie with the Seattle Seahawks, caught one TD in 2025.
On the roster, Miami has 10 tight ends. The most likely starter of the bunch is Elija Lofton. Lofton, a six-foot-two, 242 pounder out of Las Vegas, is a former four-star prep recruit. Lofton has played in 28 games in two seasons with five TD catches on 11.5 yards per grab.
Per PFF, Lofton played 451 total snaps in 2025. His PFF grades were a 62.4 receiving grade, a 58.1 run blocking grade, and a 67.7 pass blocking grade. Lofton’s best game of the season was against UF where he earned a 80.2 grade per PFF. His lowest grade was against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl with a 42.6. His blocking grades leave a lot to be desired.
Outside of Lofton only Luka Gilbert caught a pass from the TE position in ‘25. Gilbert hauled in two passes for 18.5 yards per catch as a freshman last season over 10 games. However, the six-foot-seven, 255 pounder out of Ohio has torn his ACL and will be out for the 2026 season.
The other TE’s on the roster are Jackson Carver, former UAB and Michigan State TE Jack Nickel, the massive Owen Ruskavich, DE turned TE Cole McConathay, and a pair of true freshmen in Gavin Mueller and Israel Briggs. Mueller is more of a true TE at 255 pounds while Briggs is more of a flex type.
How does Miami use their tight ends? The TE’s run slide routes, wheels, and are part of the mesh concept while being a key role in run blocking for Duo (click here for more on duo).
2026 Prediction: Lofton will get the majority of the early burn. If he doesn’t pick up his game from ‘26 he could find himself being replaced by an offensive lineman when a blocker is needed.
Watch the Storm Cellar on Elija Lofton’s 2025 season here:
