Michigan could be without one of its top freshmen, five-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola, this season.

Babalola, who had been turning heads during preseason camp in the competition for the starting left tackle spot, has suffered a knee injury that could be season-ending, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported Monday.

Michigan is in its final week of camp before the team begins game-week preparations for the season opener on Aug. 30 against New Mexico, and this is when the coaches begin to finalize the depth chart.

Redshirt sophomore Evan Link, who made 10 starts at right tackle last year during the regular season and then started at left tackle in the ReliaQuest Bowl, is expected to start the season opener. Redshirt freshman Blake Frazier has been practicing at both tackle spots and is in the mix at left tackle.

Babalola had been praised all camp for his football IQ with how quickly he had adapted to the college game and learned the playbook.

“Babs is amazing,” veteran offensive lineman Gio El-Hadi, the starting left guard, told reporters recently. “He’s a really good freshman. So smart. I was not that smart when I was a freshman. It took me a lot longer to learn the playbook, and he already knows it. Just with the natural abilities he has, he’s going to be a superstar.”

ANN ARBOR — When asked who the player is to watch this season on their side of the ball, most players often take a few moments to consider the question before formulating an answer.

Max Bredeson, a Michigan captain last season and a fullback/tight end, did not hesitate with his response when the question was posed to him late last month before Big Ten media days and the start of preseason camp.

“I mean, it shouldn’t be a surprise you, but I’ll put all my chips in for Marlin Klein,” Bredeson said of the tight end who is the heir apparent to first-round NFL Draft pick Colston Loveland. “That’s my guy. I’m excited for him to go do it.

“At Michigan, we’ve always had the tight end, and Marlin and Colston came in the same class. Marlin’s ready to go. He’s heard so many times how much talent he has. This is a guy who’s done hearing that, and he’s all about wanting to go do it.”

Klein has heard plenty about his talent and potential, and perhaps that’s because the German native started the game so late. He was a fine soccer and basketball player, but when he decided to move from Germany to Georgia to play at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee, that potential was all everyone was banking on.

Now, the 6-foot-6, 250-pound junior has developed that potential and is expected to pick up where Loveland left off. Klein recently made Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” at No. 35, an improvement from No. 90 the year before. Feldman noted Klein’s speed and agility.

“Oh, that’s cool, but winning every game this season is more important to me,” Klein told reporters on Friday of his appearance on Feldman’s list. “But yes, it’s cool. A national championship will be even cooler.”

Loveland, who led the team in receiving last year, was asked the previous two seasons to be more of a pass-catcher. He could block, but that’s not how he was needed in the offense.

Chip Lindsey, in his first season as Michigan’s offensive coordinator, believes he has a complete tight end in Klein and likes the fact that he has been an important part of the offense in terms of mixing it up and being physical.

“He’s one of the best blockers in the country, in my opinion,” Lindsey said this week. “But what’s surprising is he’s got really good speed. He can get vertical quick. Big, rangy target. You like that as a quarterback, where obviously it’s a lot easier if a guy is covered and throw it to the spot and let him go get it.

“But the guy is kind of a dirty work, lunch-pail kind of guy, or a blue-collar guy. Love his attitude and approach. He likes the physicality of the position. And I think that’s probably why him and Max play off each other so well. They’re both wired the same way. A really talented kid. I’m excited to coach him, and hopefully he’ll have a big role in our offense.”

Klein knew that if he was ever going to find his way onto the field, he’d have to develop as a blocker.

“Coming in here from high school, like I never blocked (a) soul in high school,” Klein said with a laugh.

He credits former Michigan tight ends for teaching him the all-around nature of the position, guys like Luke Schoonmaker, Joel Honigford, AJ Barner and Loveland.

“You want to chase the best, compete with the best each and every single day, and I was able to learn from (them),” Klein said. “But it really took a lot of hard work, a lot of steps for me.”

Bredeson is known for his tenacious blocking. Klein said much Bredeson’s selflessness in terms of playing the game has rubbed off on him the last few seasons.

“I don’t think I had that same approach when I came in, in 2022. Being able to learn from him and (his) almost kind of psycho mentality about the game of football, it’s just been so much fun for me,” Klein said. “When I first got here, I was like, this might be a little crazy. But hanging around him and just really seeing how much he actually loves the game of football, that’s why he is the way he is, and that’s why he is the best at what he does in the country.”

Klein said he has always felt like he belonged in the college game; it simply took him a little bit longer to reach the level of his teammates who had played for years. He knew it would be a challenge, but it’s one he sought.

Last spring, with the help of tight ends coach Steve Casula, who’s now also a co-offensive coordinator, Klein said he began to realize he’s much more than just potential.

“We went to the jungle,” Klein said.

The jungle, as Klein described it, involved only the two of them and it was run-game specific.

“It was really the most critical time of my life,” Klein said. “And it was never good enough, but that was really just because he tried to push me to my best. He helped me to (reach) the standard, which is the Michigan standard, and the Michigan standard is a championship standard. So that equals the best.”

The jungle was not a fun place to be in real time. But looking back, it was game-changing for Klein.

“The way (Casula) describes the jungle is really like we’re locked in,” Klein said. “He was the most critical person on me, but it wasn’t a personal thing. I knew he wanted the best for me. Each and every single day, the meetings weren’t the most fun for me, (but) I have to get better now. He pushed me every single day. It was the biggest blessing that ever happened to me, and that took my game to the next level.”