Many consider Michigan football to be a blue-blood program.

Loyola senior offensive tackle Tommy Fraumann bleeds blue.

His grandparents, Bill and Anne, met at Michigan, where Bill played basketball alongside former NBA player and coach Rudy Tomjanovich. His parents, Bob and Katie, also met at Michigan. His father played linebacker for the Wolverines and was on the 1997 national title team, while his mother was a captain for the women’s basketball team.

Moreover, his aunt, Ellen, captained the Michigan women’s swimming and diving team. Going back nearly a century, two great-grandfathers, Harlin Fraumann and Robert Derleth, a captain of the Michigan men’s hockey team, played football for the Wolverines in the early and mid-1940s, respectively. His great-grandmother, Frances Derleth, also attended Michigan.

“I fell in love with Michigan when I was 2,” Fraumann said. “It’s been my dream school since I was old enough to go to football games. We’ve been going to games for the last 13 years and we’ve had season tickets the whole time. It’s my dream school.”

Now, it’s Tommy’s turn to continue his family’s legacy. Fraumann, who grew up in Ann Arbor only a few blocks from the Big House, has committed to play football for the Wolverines after three seasons at Loyola. A four-star prospect with enormous upside, literally, Fraumann is a 6-foot-8 offensive tackle who helped the Ramblers win the Class 8A state championship last season.

“I want to be a big contributor,” Fraumann said. “I want to improve in the run game and I think that will come after I put some meat on my bones. I’ve always been a three-point guy in my stance, but I’m definitely winning to try the two-point stance... Progressing mentally in football is going to be a big thing, too.”

Fraumann didn’t become a varsity starter at Loyola until his junior year. He also didn’t start playing tackle football until high school. But his considerable size and length have made him one of the top offensive line prospects in the state. Initially committed to Miami (Ohio), Fraumann chose Michigan after a visit last month.

“It’s been a dream my whole life to go to Michigan,” Fraumann said. “In my heart, I knew Michigan was the place to go... One of my biggest strengths right now is my pass pro. I’m hoping I can make a difference on the scout team when I get there. I’m hoping I can give the guys a good look and make everybody better.”

Fraumann and his family moved to Wilmette after his freshman year of high school. He earned his first real taste of CCL football as a junior, when he took the varsity field for a road game against St. Ignatius. From that point on, Fraumann was a stalwart left tackle for a Loyola team that beat Maine South, Lincoln-Way East and York consecutively to win the 8A state title last year.

“His upside is unbelievable,” Loyola coach Beau Desherow said. “He has such a high ceiling. He was tall and lean when he came in, but he was super coachable. He was someone we could rely on to hold down that left tackle position. I think where he’s improved the most is understanding how to use his length and athleticism in pass blocking.”

Growing up in Ann Arbor, Fraumann and his family lived only a few blocks from Michigan Stadium, also known as the Big House due to its massive seating capacity of over 100,000. An avid Michigan fan like most of his family, Fraumann’s earliest memories include riding on his dad’s shoulders to attend his first College GameDay.

“Every Saturday, whether it was a noon game or not, I could hear the drumline in the morning,” said Fraumann, who rushed the field alongside his cousin after Michigan’s 42-27 win over Ohio State in 2021. “I could hear planes and banners flying overhead. It’s a college atmosphere...Seeing that atmosphere of adults, college students, teenagers, young kids... We made so many memories.”

An athlete of all sorts at a young age, Fraumann grew up playing multiple sports including flag football, basketball, baseball and soccer. The oldest of three Fraumann boys, Tommy’s role models include San Francisco 49ers lineman Trent Williams, Buffalo Bills lineman Spencer Brown and former Michigan tight end Jake Butt.

But his biggest inspirations are his mother and father. A four-year member of the Wolverine football team, his father Bob graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School and now works as an anesthesiologist. His mother Katie, who worked at Michigan for well over a decade, serves as a senior vice president at DePaul.

“As a kid, I told them that my dream school was Michigan,” Tommy said. “My dad told me stories about how hard he needed to work. It was the same for my mom. She told me stories about how intense her coaches were on her and it’s going to be the same way for me. They’re the biggest role models in my life, 100 percent.”

Fraumann’s high school career began at Ann Arbor Pioneer, where he played on offense, defense and special teams before his family relocated. As a sophomore, his first year at Loyola, Fraumann was low on the depth chart. But his work on the practice field, which included reps against former Loyola standout Joe Kelly, a CCL Lineman of the Year award winner, helped sharpen his skills.

“Michigan is getting a great kid that likes to work and is super athletic for someone with his height and length,” Desherow said. “Within two or three years, he can be an elite-level left tackle... Being a two-year starter, especially at Loyola, is something we typically don’t see a lot... He was a leader with the offensive line and we knew exactly what we were going to get out of him.”

Fraumann, who became the second-string left tackle during his junior season, filled in for an injured teammate during Loyola’s 27-6 win over St. Ignatius. Fueled by a state championship win and the growing relationships with his teammates, Fraumann has fully dedicated himself to football. He’ll look to continue his development as he returns to Ann Arbor to start his college life.

“I chose Loyola because I immediately felt welcomed with open arms when I came here,” Fraumann said. “I knew there would be such a brotherhood... Playing in the state championship game was the first time I stepped on a college field to play football. At that moment, I knew this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”