Jalen Hoffman Earned His Way Into Michigan’s Plans

Jalen Hoffman has gone from walk-on to one of the most intriguing breakout candidates for Michigan Football in 2025. In an era defined by transfers and instant gratification, Hoffman’s story feels old school—earning his way up through the scout team, special teams, and now fall camp, where his versatility and playmaking ability have forced coaches to carve out a role. With his stock climbing and his name surfacing more often in insider circles, Hoffman looks less like a sleeper and more like a key piece of the Wolverines’ offense this fall.

A Relic Path in Modern College Football

Jalen Hoffman’s rise at Michigan feels like something out of another era. In today’s transfer-heavy world, few players would choose his path. He turned down scholarship offers to walk on in Ann Arbor. He spent his first year grinding on the scout team. His second year, he carved out a role on special teams and earned only limited offensive snaps. Instead of looking elsewhere, Hoffman stayed and worked, and was rewarded with a scholarship.

That patience started paying off last spring. Hoffman put together a strong camp, then delivered one of the signature moments of the spring game with a long touchdown reception. Suddenly, Jalen Hoffman was on the map.

Fall Camp Stock on the Rise

The momentum hasn’t faded. Entering fall camp, Hoffman was expected to rotate at H-back behind veteran Max Bredeson. Instead, his receiving skills forced coaches to expand his role. He’s taken reps in the slot, lined up wide, and even worked with the first- and second-team offense while Hogan Hansen and Brady Prieskorn recover from injury.

Tight ends coach Steve Casula said Hoffman’s role has grown beyond the label of Bredeson’s backup. “Coach Moore was really the first one that said, hey, there’s more to his game,” Casula explained. “Then Coach Lindsey, with a fresh set of eyes during bowl prep, just kept noticing him in opportunity scrimmages. So we went into the spring with a plan to just let him go play tight end. And he just took to it. He really has. Jalen’s got great ball skills, really, really good spatial awareness, and athleticism as a route runner. He’s having a good camp. I trust him. Really trust him to play.”

Building a Role in the Rotation

Michigan doesn’t have a clear-cut TE2 this season — and that’s by design. Casula said he trusts “five or six guys to go play for us” depending on the situation. Each tight end brings a different strength, and Hoffman has earned his place in that mix.

At 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, Hoffman is strong enough to block in the run game and quick enough to move like a wide receiver. He can line up as an H-back, motion behind the line like a fullback, or catch passes in space. Casula said Hoffman “falls in” with the group as a reliable option in the red zone and adds versatility to the run game as well.

“He’s physical enough to block and athletic enough to separate,” Casula said. “That combination gives us flexibility in how we use him.”

A Perfect Fit for Chip Lindsey’s Offense

New offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey has a long history of leaning on versatile tight ends, and Hoffman fits that mold perfectly. Lindsey’s offenses at North Carolina and UCF regularly fed multiple players at the position, and Michigan expects similar usage.

Casula emphasized that the Wolverines’ deep tight end room won’t see reduced involvement under Lindsey. Instead, the system will evolve with new wrinkles and responsibilities. Hoffman’s ability to slide across formations makes him a natural chess piece in those packages.

Whether he’s technically TE2, TE3, or TE4 doesn’t matter much. What matters is that Jalen Hoffman, once a walk-on long shot, has turned himself into a trusted contributor — and one of Michigan’s most intriguing breakout candidates in 2025.