‘Sky’s the limit’ for Miami Hurricanes’ freshmen tight ends

CORAL GABLES The Miami Hurricanes lost their most productive tight ends after last season, but the staff already lined up two high-level freshmen to help fill their roles.

UM signed two four-star tight ends, Luka Gilbert and Brock Schott, and both players could see playing time this fall.

We expect both those guys to be significant contributors this year, coach Mario Cristobal said, and we do believe the skys the limit for both those guys.

Schott is the top-rated of the two new tight ends.

He was listed as the No.

13 tight end and No.

264 player in the class in 247Sports composite ranking.

An Indiana native, Schott was a two-way star in high school, doubling as a defensive end.

Schott was a prolific defender, racking up 52 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.

He had 462 receiving yards and five touchdowns as a tight end, and the offensive staff won out when the Hurricanes coaches were deciding how to recruit him.

There were some arguments early in the recruiting process, UM tight ends coach Cody Woodiel said.

But I think when Brock decided he was a tight end, that made it a little easier for us.

Woodiel said Schotts experience on defense helps him when he lines up on offense.

When youre on the defensive side of the football, your hand usage is typically a lot better developed versus a guy whos just strictly played offense, Woodiel said.

So thats one thing that you can tell hes very natural at that part of it.

For him, its just learning to get his cleats in the ground because thats the difference between offense and defense.

Schott is a stouter tight end, listed at 6-3 and about 215 pounds.

Cristobal turned to fiction to find a comparison for him.

Brock Schott looks like something out of the Predator movies, Cristobal said.

Gilbert has size that makes him an appealing target in the passing game.

Gilbert is 6-7 and about 230 pounds.

He was listed as the No.

22 tight end and No.

351 player in the class.

Gilbert, an Ohio native, had 16 catches for 243 yards with three touchdowns as a senior.

Hes big, powerful, strong, rising sophomore tight end Elija Lofton said.

Hes really good.

Cristobal said Gilbert missed some team conditioning in the winter due to a foot injury, but he returned before winter conditioning ended and has been healthy through spring camp.

Every single day, he gets better and better and better, Cristobal said.

Miami tight ends played 1,268 snaps last year, with the majority going to Elijah Arroyo, Cam McCormick and Riley Williams.

Arroyo and McCormick left for the NFL, and Williams transferred.

Lofton, due for a potential breakout season , is the leading returning tight end, and Miami added transfer tight ends Alex Bauman and Jack Nickel.

Lofton, who is only a year removed from his first spring at Miami, had some advice that Arroyo and McCormick told him that he passed down to Gilbert and Schott.

I told them youve got to learn its a different type of ballgame, Lofton said.

Youve got to be more disciplined, got to get in the film room, got to be more technique-wise.

In high school, you can just do whatever you want to do.

But the higher you get, the more technique and more physical the games going to be, and (it will be) faster.

The freshmen still have room to grow, but there will be opportunities for Gilbert and Schott to earn their chances.

Theyre great young players, Bauman said.

...

Brock, strong as an ox.

Luka, hes about 6-7, 6-8 I dont know how tall.

Theyve got a lot of developing to do, but theyre going to be great players down the road..

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