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| See? Joe Reynolds did play last year. |
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Rochester (MI) Adams
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #85
Last year: I did not rank Reynolds. He had 3 catches for 22 yards.
Reynolds has been on the team for a few years, but he never made a significant impact until last year. Late in the season he earned more and more playing time. He's not particularly big or fast, but he showed some decent quickness on some short passes.
Michigan has just one proven starter returning in the form of fifth year senior Jeremy Gallon; the other guys are role-player veterans (Jeremy Jackson, Drew Dileo) or little used youngsters (Amara Darboh, Jehu Chesson, the three freshmen). Reynolds won't start, but he's a veteran with more athleticism than Jackson and more size than Dileo. He should figure into the rotation and catch a couple more balls than last season.
Prediction: Backup wide receiver
P.S. He was also named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, one of 53 Michigan Wolverines athletes given that honor.
Isn't he the one that MGoBlog complains is the big running play tell?
ReplyDeleteHe might not have the reception stats, but I associate him with being a good blocking WR (whether that association is warranted or not, I don't actually know).
Yes, he is. But there's no Roundtree this year and the wideouts are very young, so he might see more time on passing downs this year.
DeleteI think Reynolds could use few more pounds of muscle, but he is a decent, willing blocker from what I have seen. And that is a good trait considering Borges will be making a major effort to establish the traditional running game this year. So I agree that Reynolds should get significant snaps again this year as the younger guys learn the position.
DeleteI dislike the fact that a walk-on WR is this high on the list. I really dislike the fact that he might deserve being higher. Might even start if Darboh doesn't have his act together yet.
ReplyDelete"...if Darboh doesn't have his act together yet."
DeleteYou really seem to expect a lot out of young players.
Not really an 'expectation' as an observation. Some guys can play right away and some take time. In terms of judging a freshman - it depends on position, opportunity, and physical maturity. Darboh looks physically ready, had an opportunity to play last year, and WR is a position that historically has some freshman contributors. So, he just needs to improve whatever is holding him back from playing a more prominent role (blocking? playbook? route running technique?).
DeleteJoe Reynolds isn't "clunky white dude" as we're wont to imagine when we hear the term "walk-on." On the passes he caught last year, he ran really nice routes, showed some quickness, and put his head down for some more yards. He also cut the bejesus out of a few defenders to spring long runs, one of which being Toussaint's big one in the Sparty game.
DeleteI don't think it's necessarily a knock on Darboh that Reynolds got more playing time. Reynolds has been in the program for several years.
Another point...Darboh is the only sophomore or redshirt sophomore scholarship wide receiver on the team. We've only had this staff for two years, so we don't really know what their usual MO on redshirting receivers is.
DeleteHe also made the NCAA 14 commercial. Good for him but possibly a reflection of the sad state of Michigan's receiving depth.
ReplyDelete