The Miami Hurricanes continue to reshape their tight end room, and the 2026 recruiting class brings in two intriguing additions: Gavin Mueller and Israel Briggs, a pair of out-of-state, four-star prospects with athletic upside and positional versatility. They’ll join a group that already includes Elija Lofton, Jackson Carver, Luka Gilbert, and Jack Nickel-a mix of returning talent and developmental depth. Meanwhile, Alex Bauman has moved on, and Brock Schott is now at Indiana.
Let’s break down what Miami’s getting in Mueller and Briggs, how they fit into the current tight end landscape, and what to expect from them as they transition to the college level.
The State of the TE Room
Before diving into the newcomers, it’s important to understand the current picture. Miami’s tight end group returns just 25 total receptions-23 of those from Elija Lofton, who also logged three touchdowns and averaged 9.5 yards per catch in 2025.
That’s solid production, but there’s still a sense that Lofton left some meat on the bone last season. He’s clearly the leader in the room, but the opportunity for others to carve out roles is wide open.
Luka Gilbert, a former four-star from Ohio, caught just two passes in a redshirt year but showed big-play potential with an 18.5 yards-per-catch average. Carver and Nickel, both former three-stars, are still developing, and there’s no clear-cut No. 2 behind Lofton. That’s where Mueller and Briggs come in.
Gavin Mueller: The Athletic Project with a High Ceiling
Gavin Mueller is a 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end out of Illinois who didn’t start playing football until his junior year of high school. That late start might raise eyebrows, but the athletic traits are hard to miss. He’s a former basketball player who played everything from wide receiver to defensive end to wildcat quarterback at the high school level.
Ranked as the No. 7 TE in the country and No. 124 overall, Mueller brings a rare blend of size, athleticism, and versatility.
On tape, you’ll see him line up all over the field-inline, out wide, even under center. He’s a hands-catcher, not a body-catcher, which is a great foundation for a tight end.
He tracks the ball well, gets his eyes and chest around, and consistently catches away from his frame.
What’s missing? Blocking reps.
There’s just not much film showing him dominating at the point of attack, and that’s a big question mark as he transitions to the college game. At 250 pounds, he has the frame to hold up inline, but the technique and physicality will need to come along.
That’s not unusual for a late-bloomer who’s still learning the nuances of the position.
Another area for growth: route-running fluidity. His movement in space is a bit stiff at times-his sprint mechanics could use refinement, particularly in how he drives his knees and maintains stride efficiency. But those are coachable traits, and once he’s in a college strength and conditioning program, you can expect those mechanics to clean up.
The upside? Think Tyler Warren-type versatility.
Mueller has the tools to be a WildCane option, red-zone mismatch, and every-down tight end-if he can develop the blocking and polish his technique. He had plans to early enroll, which gives him a valuable head start this spring.
If he locks in, there’s a real chance he sees the field in 2026.
Israel Briggs: The Undersized Weapon with Big-Time Juice
Israel Briggs is a different kind of prospect. At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, he’s built more like a jumbo receiver than a traditional tight end.
But don’t let the frame fool you-this guy plays with edge. Briggs is a three-sport athlete out of California, with track speed (100m sprinter) and a background on the defensive side of the ball as well.
That multi-sport, multi-position pedigree tends to translate well at the next level.
Briggs was ranked as the No. 15 TE in the country, narrowly missing the top 300.
He’s a natural hands-catcher like Mueller, and his basketball background shows up in his ability to body defenders, toe-tap in the end zone, and navigate tight spaces. There’s a nice clip of him working the baseline for a touchdown-classic hoop instincts at play.
He’s also shown flashes of physicality as a blocker. Despite being lighter than most Power 4 tight ends, he’s not afraid to mix it up, with a few pancake blocks and aggressive finishes on tape. That’s encouraging, especially for a player who’ll need a redshirt year to bulk up and adapt to the physical demands of the position.
Briggs is already familiar with some of the route concepts Miami runs-Mesh, Y-Cross-and that could help him acclimate quickly in the film room. But the biggest question is whether he’s willing to be patient. He’s transferred schools multiple times and was involved in an on-field incident, so the key for him will be settling in, trusting the process, and committing to long-term development.
What This Means for Miami
Miami’s tight end identity has always leaned on versatility and athleticism, and both Mueller and Briggs fit that mold in different ways. Mueller has the frame and raw tools to contribute early, especially with an early enrollment under his belt. But he’ll need to embrace the dirty work-blocking, technique, and positional discipline-to earn snaps.
Briggs brings a different flavor. He’s lighter, faster, and more fluid in space, but he’s a year away physically. If he buys into the strength program and embraces a redshirt year, he could emerge as a dynamic weapon in Year 2.
The tight end room is still Lofton’s to lead, but the injection of talent from this 2026 class gives Miami more options-and more upside-than they’ve had in a while. If these two can develop on schedule, the Hurricanes could be looking at a much deeper, more dangerous tight end group by the time 2027 rolls around.