Michigan football TE Luke Schoonmaker officially enters 2023 NFL Draft
It was all but a formality, but Michigan graduate tight end Luke Schoonmaker made it official on Monday morning by declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported the news first, though Schoonmaker was expected to leave after 5 seasons in Ann Arbor. He had previously accepted an invite to the East-West Shrine Game.
Schoonmaker was set to be part of one of the best tight end duos in the country with Erick All, but a back injury limited All to one game, making “Schoony” the default go-to guy at the position. He finished the season with 35 catches for 418 yards and 3 touchdowns.
“Coach [Jim] Harbaugh and a lot of the offensive coaches have given me the confidence that I’m ready for the next level, and I’ve developed into a complete tight end,” Schoonmaker told Thamel. “I’m at that point where I can now begin the process for the next level. With that guidance and the guidance of others, it’s that time.”
Head coach Jim Harbaugh raved about his role on the Michigan offense earlier this season, predicting an NFL future long before Schoonmaker officially declared.
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“Just does everything really well,” Harbaugh said ahead of Michigan’s Week 6 game at Indiana. “I thought Luke, talked about it at the beginning, it was summer — Luke, I think, is one of the best tight ends in the country. Main competition would be Erick All. But he’s even better than I thought. He’s fast, he’s physical, dedicated blocker and also really good hands and ability to get separation, get open, increase separation, make tough catches. And team player all the way.”
He continued: “He’s an outstanding player, will be playing on Sundays, all that really good stuff. Maybe before it’s said and done, maybe one of the best tight ends to ever play here. That’s what I’m seeing right now.”
Michigan’s tight end room is expected to revolve around Colston Loveland entering his sophomore season. The Wolverines also brought in former Indiana tight end AJ Barner via the transfer portal to help bolster the depth. Matthew Hibner, Max Bredeson and others could work themselves into expanded roles. All departed the program after the 2022 season, transferring to Iowa with former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara.
