2024 Elija Lofton 4* TE from Bishop Gorman (aka Mini Brevin)

[TRick72]

“If they don’t bite as puppies, they usually won’t bite”.

- Bill Parcells

“Be a Cheeseburger”

- Al Golden

 

[bobbydigius]

The plan was always to pair Lofton with a longer receiving option like Jackson or Odom. That plan hasn’t changed.

The great minds in recent NFL history- Bill Belichick, Sean Payton, Kyle Shanahan- all prioritize versatile, physical players in the Lofton mold. They don’t stack their roster with only jumbo WRs who can’t block. It’s a mix.

Lofton lines up wide and is a natural receiver. He takes hand offs from the backfield. He is a weight room beast who blocks. His verified athletic testing is Top 10% and better than Brevin Jordan. Most importantly, his motor and instincts jump off the tape.

Al Golden used to say, “toughness is a learned skill.” I don’t buy that. If you want a tough team, you need to prioritize recruiting tough players. That’s Lofton.

He is a take and a good player, and understand why we want him. I just do have concerns about him being maxed out.

 

[TRick72]

Seems like this class is gonna be yugee.

 

[WestGA'Cane]

Firstly, I trust the evals of the coaches and great insight @DMoney .
Do wonder how long his arms are though? Not matter how tough and willing he is, physical limitations can affect productivity at least in blocking at the D-1 level. The length of DE's can cause problems at the point-of-attack.

 

[OrangeBowlMagic]

Donno's hearing the UT visit is likely to be cancelled.

You can’t commit and then immediately take another visit. So if he does commit I fully expect they will allow that to go to public under the assumption that he doesn’t go to Austin next week or whenever it is this month.

 

[mossmadness]

He looks like a fullback to me. I’m think they want a FB//HB in the offense at some point and this guy is a good option. Mario is big on physical prototypes. When he wants a guy who doesn’t fit that prototype, I’m pretty confident there is a specific reason and plan.

I hope that isn’t the plan.

 

[Zanecane]

Another really good football player.

Good teams get guys like this into positions to succeed. He’ll be a mismatch on any team lining him up against an undersized DB or slow linebacker.

 

[TheATLCane]

Same folks questioning this pickup are same folks highlighting every Mallory whiff

 

[mossmadness]

The great minds in recent NFL history- Bill Belichick, Sean Payton, Kyle Shanahan- all prioritize versatile, physical players in the Lofton mold. They don’t stack their roster with only jumbo WRs who can’t block. It’s a mix.

What do the great college offensive minds do? We shouldn’t be interested in trying to make an NFL offense work in college.

It just feels like adding players that are going to be physically limited, “tough” near the line of scrimmage guys, is the opposite direction of where Miami should be going in the future.

 

[WeBallinBoyz]

Same folks questioning this pickup are same folks highlighting every Mallory whiff

Mallory was a horrific blocker. We asked him to do things he couldn’t because we had no numbers. He also has 3 inches on Lofton. If Lofton is going to be purely used as a receiver/H-back threat to help block in the backfield/run routes, he’s not my preferred TE prospect. That’s all.

 

[DMoney]

What do the great college offensive minds do?

Here is an article about Lincoln Riley and HBacks that should answer your question:

https://www.si.com/college/oklahoma/football/defenses-figure-out-too-late-that-oklahomas-h-backs-are-living-in-their-heads-rent-free

Steve Sarkisian is a pretty good college mind, too, and that’s Lofton’s next visit if he doesn’t commit.

Moreover, I question why people keep saying Lofton is “physically limited.” Is it just because he’s 6’1? He tests well, he’s strong as an ox, and he’s coordinated with the ball in the air. That’s like saying Odom (who I love) is physically limited because he lacks explosive strength.

Lofton isn’t Daniel Calhoun or Kyle Cobia. He is a great athlete, a four-star, and can do multiple things athletically.

 

[sedlst11]

The plan was always to pair Lofton with a longer receiving option like Jackson or Odom. That plan hasn’t changed.

The great minds in recent NFL history- Bill Belichick, Sean Payton, Kyle Shanahan- all prioritize versatile, physical players in the Lofton mold. They don’t stack their roster with only jumbo WRs who can’t block. It’s a mix.

Lofton lines up wide and is a natural receiver. He takes hand offs from the backfield. He is a weight room beast who blocks. His verified athletic testing is Top 10% and better than Brevin Jordan. Most importantly, his motor and instincts jump off the tape.

Al Golden used to say, “toughness is a learned skill.” I don’t buy that. If you want a tough team, you need to prioritize recruiting tough players. That’s Lofton.

Plus he comes from a winning program in Bishop Gorman

 

[Canes2082]

Here is an article about Lincoln Riley and HBacks that should answer your question:

https://www.si.com/college/oklahoma/football/defenses-figure-out-too-late-that-oklahomas-h-backs-are-living-in-their-heads-rent-free

And I question why people keep saying Lofton is “physically limited.” Is it just because he’s 6’1? He tests well, he’s strong as an ox, and he’s coordinated with the ball in the air. That’s like saying Odom (who I love) is physically limited because he lacks explosive strength.

Lofton isn’t Daniel Calhoun or Kyle Cobia. He is a great athlete, a four-star, and can do multiple things athletically.

People focusing too much on his height and of course the position hes playing right now TE...

Dawson will move him around and get the ball in his hands.

Taysom Hill is only 6'2'' 220 but he plays differently if you watch him

 

[Warrior808]

Here is an article about Lincoln Riley and HBacks that should answer your question:

https://www.si.com/college/oklahoma/football/defenses-figure-out-too-late-that-oklahomas-h-backs-are-living-in-their-heads-rent-free

Steve Sarkisian is a pretty good college mind, too, and that’s Lofton’s next visit if he doesn’t commit.

Moreover, I question why people keep saying Lofton is “physically limited.” Is it just because he’s 6’1? He tests well, he’s strong as an ox, and he’s coordinated with the ball in the air. That’s like saying Odom (who I love) is physically limited because he lacks explosive strength.

Lofton isn’t Daniel Calhoun or Kyle Cobia. He is a great athlete, a four-star, and can do multiple things athletically.

I like the take as an H back but comparing him to Odom…. Strength can be developed, height cannot

 

[DMoney]

I like the take as an H back but comparing him to Odom…. Strength can be developed, height cannot

Odom has skinny legs which will limit him there.

And that’s fine. I absolutely love Odom. I would rather land him than Lofton. But all of these guys have things they can’t do. I care about what they can do. Lofton can do a ton.

 

[bobbydigius]

Odom has skinny legs which will limit him there.

And that’s fine. I absolutely love Odom. I would rather land him than Lofton. But all of these guys have things they can’t do. I care about what they can do. Lofton can do a ton.

That is another variable that has admittedly misdirected some frustration about Lofton. I like Odom so much as a prospect and rather upset about the Bama smoke.

 

[mossmadness]

Here is an article about Lincoln Riley and HBacks that should answer your question:

https://www.si.com/college/oklahoma/football/defenses-figure-out-too-late-that-oklahomas-h-backs-are-living-in-their-heads-rent-free

The further Miami’s future moves away from doing what Tennessee does on offense, the further in the wrong direction we’re going offensively.

Also, it’s not true that Riley’s offenses are built around these FB-TE hybrids that he’s lining up near the line of scrimmage.

Look at that dude Lake (whose name I can’t remember) they had flexing around last year. He’s like 6’5, 6’6. He’s more Will Mallory. Riley would flex him out at the X spot.

Riley’s offense is not built around slogging it down with “tough” guys.

 

[aelmiami]

What do the great college offensive minds do? We shouldn’t be interested in trying to make an NFL offense work in college.

It just feels like adding players that are going to be physically limited, “tough” near the line of scrimmage guys, is the opposite direction of where Miami should be going in the future.

Since 2018 every OC except one was or became a NFL OC. Daboll, Brady, Sark and Monken. If pro means ground and pound then yea don’t go that way. But most pro styles are multiple in looks and formations. Which requires a lot of different styles and talents.

 

[mossmadness]

Since 2018 every OC except one was or became a NFL OC. Daboll, Brady, Sark and Monken. If pro means ground and pound then yea don’t go that way. But most pro styles are multiple in looks and formations. Which requires a lot of different styles and talents.

There’s not enough practice time to be multiple in looks and formations in college.

The most successful offensive “systems” in college over the last 10 years are the Air Raid and the Veer and Shoot.

They are so successful, across talents and across OCs, precisely because they aren’t “multiple.”

 

[DMoney]

The further Miami’s future moves away from doing what Tennessee does on offense, the further in the wrong direction we’re going offensively.

Also, it’s not true that Riley’s offenses are built around these FB-TE hybrids that he’s lining up near the line of scrimmage.

Look at that dude Lake (whose name I can’t remember) they had flexing around last year. He’s like 6’5, 6’6. He’s more Will Mallory. Riley would flex him out at the X spot.

Riley’s offense is not built around slogging it down with “tough” guys.

Why can’t Lofton flex wide? That’s where he does much of his damage on film. This isn't a walk-on fullback with a cowboy collar.

Here is a quote from the article on Lincoln Riley. Let me know if this profile sounds familiar:

At 6-2, 253 pounds, Hall looks like the prototype fullback. But in Riley’s offense, he’s so much more.

Through five games, Hall has 10 catches for 113 yards and has scored three touchdowns. His presence in short-yardage or goal-line situations is every bit as valuable as a speedy wideout or jitterbug running back.

On first down, Hall is a fullback in the backfield and delivers a punishing lead block on the middle linebacker in front of Pledger. On second down, Hall lines up in the slot on and thunders into a defensive end with a down block as Pledger cuts right behind him. Then, on third down and short, Hall lines up on the wing. Just when defenses think he’s coming to deliver more pain as an in-line blocker, Hall nimbly shifts and slips past his defender and into the end zone for a wide-open touchdown catch.