Michigan football’s Luke Schoonmaker declares for 2023 NFL draft

Another key player from Michigan football's 2022-23 Big Ten Championship team has declared for the NFL draft.

Luke Schoonmaker, a 6-foot-6, 255-pound tight end, will forego his final year of collegiate eligibility, a program spokesman confirmed to the Free Press. The fifth-year senior was expected to be primarily a pass-blocking tight end entering the season, but after captain Erick All aggravated his back injury, Schoonmaker was thrust into action.

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He performed admirably in his increased role, finishing second on the team in receptions (35) and third in receiving yards (418) to go with three touchdowns all of which were career bests despite missing three games with a shoulder injury.

The decision was widely expected after Schoonmaker, a third-team All Big Ten selection by coaches, accepted an invite last month to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Feb. 2 in Las Vegas.

“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 ESPN, who first reported the news. “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.”

Schoonmaker also was a force in the running game with his blocking, one of the reasons why when Michigan won the Joe Moore Award for the best offensive line in America for the second season in a row, the players and team decided to put the names of the tight ends on it as well as the offensive linemen.

While this year's class is expected to be one of the deepest at tight end in the history of the NFL draft (Oregon State's Luke Musgrave, Iowa's Sam LaPorta Notre Dame's Michael Mayer, Georgia's Darnell Washington and Utah's Dalton Kincaid), he is expected to be a middle-round selection.

The Wolverines now find themselves a bit thin at the position with All having transferred to Iowa and Schoonmaker departing for the NFL. That said, there is talent in place as well as some incoming pieces that should help fill the void.

Tight end Colston Loveland just wrapped up his freshman season. The Idaho native finished with 16 catches for 235 yards and two scores which came on the road at Ohio State and against Purdue in the Big Ten Championship game. He had at least 25 yards in each of his final five games after catching just five passes for 39 yards through the first nine games of the year.

Neither graduate student Joel Honigford or Carter Selzer are expected to return at the position.

Michigan also returns Max Bredeson (a former walk-on), Matthew Hibner and added Indiana transfer AJ Barner via the transfer portal.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan TE Luke Schoonmaker declares for 2023 NFL draft