 |
| Jourdan Lewis (left) with Dymonte Thomas, Derrick Green, Jake Butt, and Chris Fox |
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 170 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Cornerback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Lewis was a senior in high school. I gave him a TTB Rating of 84.
Lewis committed in February 2012 and turned into a pretty high profile recruit, despite a lack of reported offers. He participated in Nike's The Opening last summer and was selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Lewis earned a lot of praise for his ability to break on the ball and stick with receivers, but like most Cass Tech cornerbacks of recent vintage, he's about as physically imposing as Towelie.
It might be a good idea for Lewis to redshirt, but Michigan has taken two other slight cornerbacks from Cass Tech in the past two years, and both have played. In fact, if you come from Cass Tech, you're practically guaranteed to play as a true freshman (see: Will Campbell, Delonte Hollowell, Royce Jenkins-Stone, Teric Jones, Terry Richardson). It might be special teams or garbage time or as an injury replacement late in the year, but my guess is that he ends up on the field. If I were playing a video game, though, I would totally redshirt him.
Prediction: Special teamer
First a Towelie reference and then the playful way you describe your desire to see him redshirt... you're clearly in a good mood this morning.
ReplyDeleteFirst off the "Towlie" reference is very funny. Why do you believe they keep snagging Cass Tech diminutive DB's who I think never see the field if I am correct. Wasn't that last one Boubacar Cissoko and that was with RR and ended with his problems? Seems the model now are taller guys and could they (CT DB's) just be waisted roster spots?
ReplyDeleteAfter cissoko, it's been hollowell and Richardson with hollowell being a lower rated recruit and Richardson being a true freshman last season. Considering cissoko's failure could easily have been more related to off-field issues and hollowell wasn't highly rated as a recruit, Richardson will be the first highly rated recruit we-hopefully-will get to see lobby for playing time. Then we shall see if his size prevents him from making an impact. And Lewis is about 5'10; compare that to countess who is 5'11 and that isn't that small for college.
DeleteI'm glad to see I'm not the only person intrigued by this. If Rodriguez were still coaching, all kinds of flat screens would be covered with Natural Light spittle and screams of TOO SMALL (!!!) or MIDGETS (!!!) would be heard everywhere. A subset of the MGoBlog audience believes that RichRod never recruited anyone over 140 pounds.
DeleteI think it's too early to say these guys don't see the field. Smallish guys like Talbott and Hollowell were/are in the mix for playing time.
DeleteVideo game or not - barring injury he should red-shirt since there is good depth ahead of him. There are already two smaller CBs available from Cass, plus Countess, Taylor, and Avery. There's just no need. I've argued many times that red-shirts are bit overrated - but when you don't need a guy AT ALL he should usually do it.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the red-shirt decision is entirely up to the coaches. Clearly, some kids want to play right away and the Cass kids ambitions have probably played a role in our recent history.
Even though they go to the same school these are individuals with different personalities. Webb decided to go to Ohio State and Lewis may be fine with a red-shirt. I don't remember the same sort of bravado/expectations coming from Lewis as I heard from Campbell, RJS and Richardson for example. Jones simply wasn't worth red-shirting and Hollowell gave the team a little depth that was needed last season. This year, things are different, so I wouldn't assume the pattern of Cass kids will need to be followed here.
I think it's unfair that people lump Lewis in with other Cass Tech corners when evaluating his potential. I think he's better than all of his predecessors and will turn out to be a very good corner after a few years in the weight room.
ReplyDelete*or slot receiver. Behind Dileo, we have two unproven options in Da'Mario Jones and maybe Norfleet, though he may be more of a 3rd down back? Hopefully we land 'Tay Scott and realistically we don't use 3 WRs all that often, but with the depth chart at corner building up to be pretty crowded in the years ahead, I would not be shocked to see Lewis to move to offense.
Delete@Rikard - any of our WRs could line up at the slot. I mean, what does Jeremy Jackson offer that some of our freshman and recruits do not? Not that he's the ideal, but the slot 'position' can be manned by a thin TE, pass-catching RB, tall fast WR, tiny slow WR, a possesion catching guy, a big play YAC guy - you name it. I agree Tay Scott would be nice but the coaching staff doesn't need that kind of player necessarily.
DeleteI thought Lewis measured in around 5'10". Judging from the picture, he looks closer to 5'11" or 6' standing next to Dymonte (6'1") and Green (6'0). Everytime there is a new Cass Tech corner, excluding Hollowell (who I have no faith in) and Hill (I think he's a saftey), I always think they're going to be the best Cass Tech corner. Cissoko, then Mathis, then Richardson, then Lewis, now Webb. As soon as Cass Tech corners start proving it on the field I'll start believing they can transition to the college game. Still - I have high hopes for Richardson and Lewis. I'm hoping if they don't put on weight right away they can follow a Thomas Gordon like path and start making meaningful contributions later in their careers.
ReplyDeleteIf the coaches really are taking 4 WRs in this class, I don't know if Lewis will move to the offensive side of the ball.
Prediction: Special teamer and maybe some clean up time at slot corner vs. Akron or Connecticut if we're really giving it to them.
-JC
As far as a redshirt, I think you just have to see how well they develop. If he's better than Hollowell or Richardson, then absolutely you play him. If a true freshman can make a difference on even one play when the game matters, you don't save him just to save him. If the only time he'd get to play is garbage time, then you don't play him just to play him, either, but we don't need to hoard talent, we need to let it develop as quickly as possible.
ReplyDelete