<\/p>\n
Miami Hurricanes tight end Elija Lofton (9) scores on a pass reception in the endzone in the first half of an NCAA football game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA, on Saturday, November 29, 2025.<\/p>\n
PHOTO BY AL DIAZ<\/p>\n
adiaz@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n
The Miami Hurricanes\u2019 offense is once again loaded heading into the 2026 season. New quarterback Darian Mensah will have no shortage of options at his disposal, from a running back room that is five quality players deep and a wide receiver corps that has as many as seven players who realistically could get significant playing time.<\/p>\n
That said, there is a player on the Hurricanes\u2019 roster who hasn\u2019t fully lived up to the hype that coach Mario Cristobal believes is finally poised for a breakout season.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t count out tight end Elija Lofton.<\/p>\n
Lofton, entering his junior season, has showcased his potential in spurts over his first two seasons. He has caught 32 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns while running for a fifth.<\/p>\n
Miami put him in select packages as a freshman to maximize his strengths as a playmaker and allow the 6-3, 242-pounder to take advantage of mismatches while serving as the backup to Elijah Arroyo, now in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks. Injuries hampered Lofton as a sophomore, who only started four of 15 games and missed the College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Indiana after being carted off the field early in the Hurricanes\u2019 semifinal win over Ole Miss at the Fiesta Bowl.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s always been a big part until he\u2019s been banged up,\u201d Cristobal said at the ACC\u2019s Football Kickoff on Wednesday. \u201cHe\u2019s talented. For us, it\u2019s pretty simple: It\u2019s players over plays. The offseason is so important because guys have an opportunity to better themselves and show what they can do to help us win. Guys that play are guys that have proven they can help the team win. We don\u2019t just play a guy because he\u2019s talented. We don\u2019t play a guy because we signed him, he\u2019s got a high ranking or because there\u2019s a fear of a transfer. That\u2019s irrelevant. Who has earned the opportunity to play? Because if they have earned it, it doesn\u2019t matter if he\u2019s not starting; we have to play. Lofton, for us, has always been an individual we thought really highly of. We think he\u2019s really healthy now. Remember, he suffered a pretty significant injury in the bowl game. He was doing everything before that, and now he looks like he\u2019s in optimal form. We\u2019re expecting a big year out of him.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Miami](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/MIA_2025-01-08AD1757UMvsOleMissFiestaBowl.JPG\" "\\"MIA_2025-01-08AD1757UMvsOleMissFiestaBowl.JPG\\"")
Miami Hurricanes tight end Elija Lofton (9) signals a first down against the Mississippi Rebels during the first half of a College Football Playoff semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Thursday, January 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n
Should he have that big year, it will be a boon for an offense that already has the pieces to be an explosive group. Mensah leads the charge at quarterback. Mark Fletcher Jr. leads the running back room and will be complemented by CharMar \u201cMarty\u201d Brown, Jordan Lyle, Girard Pringle and Javian Mallory. Malachi Toney and Cooper Barkate, both coming off seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards, are the top two options at receiver in a room that also includes Josh Moore, Daylyn Upshaw, Vandrevius Jacobs and Cam Vaughn plus a talented freshman class headlined by Somourian Wingo.<\/p>\n
But the tight end position is one where Miami is looking for someone \u2014 Lofton, namely \u2014 to step up. He has the skills and size to wreak havoc in the passing game. He has enough elusiveness to be utilized in the back field. And he has improved his blocking to be used as an in-line tight end.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can line him up all over the field,\u201d new Miami tight ends coach Mike Viti said this spring. \u201cIn the vertical passing game, he\u2019s a threat. Safeties, nickels are afraid that he\u2019s going to run by them. So there\u2019s that threat to stretch the field, which opens it up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beyond Lofton, Miami\u2019s tight ends room includes sophomore Luka Gilbert, who will likely play a larger role this season, as well as a pair of high potential freshmen in Israel Briggs and Gavin Mueller. Five other players with limited reps round out the position: redshirt senior Jack Nickel, the older brother of quarterback Luke Nickel; redshirt junior Jackson Carver, who missed all of last season with injury; redshirt sophomore Hunter Carver; redshirt junior Owen Ruskavich; and redshirt sophomore Cole McConathy, who has switched to the position after spending his first two years at Miami as a reserve defensive end.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the ceiling of the room,\u201d Viti said in the spring. \u201cI love the development side of it. To me, that\u2019s where I feel I\u2019m talented. But I look at the guys. They\u2019re just as hungry. … We\u2019re starting this journey together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beyond Lofton, here are four other players in position to have breakout seasons<\/p>\n
Defensive tackle Justin Scott: A former five-star prospect, Scott is set to become a full-time starter alongside Ahmad Moten Sr. on the interior of Miami\u2019s defensive line. Scott started nine of 15 games he played last season, filling in at the top of the depth chart when Moten and David Blay Jr. were sidelined with injury. He logged 26 tackles to go along with 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and one pass breakup.<\/p>\n
Linebacker Chase Smith: The sixth-year senior waited his turn with the Hurricanes and he took advantage of being a rotational player in 2025 with 31 tackles, two fumble recoveries and two pass breakups. He\u2019s set to be a starter in 2026 alongside Mo Toure.<\/p>\n
Offensive lineman Samson Okunlola: The Hurricanes are replacing four starters across the offensive line this season. Okunlola, entering his redshirt junior season and a former five-star recruit, is poised to open the season as Miami\u2019s full-time starter at left guard after splitting reps there last season with Matt McCoy, who is kicking out to right tackle.<\/p>\n
Running back Jordan Lyle: While Fletcher is the Hurricanes\u2019 No. 1 running back, Lyle arguably is the most talented player at the position with a combination of vision and speed that makes him a breakaway threat whenever he has the ball. Remember, he started Miami\u2019s season opener against Notre Dame only to get injured and struggle to steadily get back into the rotation after that. A full strength Lyle adds another layer to an already deep Miami offense.<\/p>\n