Analysis: What is UVa getting in three-star tight end Witmer?
It’s fair to say that not many college football assistant coaches are having the kind of run that Ricky Brumfield has had of late.
Since it was officially announced on July 15th that he was adding the tight ends to his coaching duties along with being UVa's special teams coordinator, Brumfield has seen the future of the position flip on its head.
After picking up Central Michigan grad transfer Tony Poljan almost immediately, Brumfield led the charge for the Wahoos in landing three-star Texas standout Jack Witmer last week. He committed to the Cavaliers after an incredible "unofficial" unofficial visit to Charlottesville sealed the deal.
There’s a comparison between the two beyond just their recent decisions since Brumfield took over the position. Poljan arrived in college at 6-foot-7, 225 pounds while Witmer is currently listed at 6-foot-7, 230.
We reached out to Sam Spiegelman, who covers south central recruiting for Rivals.com, to get out his thoughts on Virginia’s newest commit.
Witmer seems like the kind of kid who can do a little bit of everything at TE. What do you think of his game?
There’s a lot to like about him. He doesn’t have a large body of work as a pass catcher but in a small sample size you can see his distinct length and size advantage he offers, particularly by the goal line, and he’s pretty sure-handed. Cy-Fair is a very run-heavy offense and notorious for its power running games. Witmer is essentially an additional lineman tasked with sealing the edge, blocking out in space on outside runs and pass protection. He’s solid and, at some times, really shines.
Given the way the position has evolved in recent years at the next level, how often do you see two-way guys with his length who can both block and catch/run? How rare is that?
At this day and time, tight ends are usually classified as either a receiving tight end or a blocking tight end. A well-rounded tight end that’s an asset in the passing attack and also an above-average, difference-making blocker is a rarity. Witmer has a ways to go as a receiver but as a blocker he certainly can take a defender out of a given play and is deceptively well in pass-pro.
What kind of improvements would you like to see in his game?
First off, he’s 6-foot-7. If he fills out his frame, I could see him add another 30 pounds, which might help bolster his strength and ability to make pancakes and knockdowns more often. So would better technique, which is something you’d expect when he arrives at Virginia. Also, Witmer has eight catches over the past two seasons. I’d like to see what he could do with more targets and diversify his route tree.
How do you like this fit for UVa, especially with CMU grad transfer Tony Poljan, also a 6-7 TE, coming in?
Witmer is an old-school sort of tight end, so the fact that Virginia is adding not one but two 6-foot-7 tight ends that can seal the edge or go out and catch touchdowns says a lot about the identity of this offense. As I mentioned earlier, nowadays there are usually pass-catching tight ends or blocking tight ends; a really elite tight end that thrives at both isn’t all that common. Poljan is one of the nation’s better blocking tight ends and Witmer has that sort of potential as well. He also offers some upside in the passing game.
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