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| Taylor Lewan |
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 315 lbs.
High school: Cave Creek (AZ) Chaparral
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #77
Last year: I ranked Lewan #3 and said he would be All-Big Ten First Team. He started all thirteen games and was named a First Team All-American and First Team All-Big Ten.
Lewan has been growing as a football player for the last few years, and last year he finally started to earn the national recognition that he deserved. A devastating drive blocker and adept pass blocker, he allowed just one sack (coming against Ohio State, unfortunately). He dominated regularly in Big Ten play, and against perhaps the best player in the nation, South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney, Lewan held his own. He was named a First Team All-American, First Team All-Big Ten, and the Big Ten's Rimington-Pace Award winner, which is given to the conference's best offensive lineman. He could have left for the NFL after last season to be a first round pick, but he surprised a lot of people by announcing his return.
Lewan will once again be the starter at left tackle, and he's been named a Pre-Season First Team All-American by various outlets. With a brand new interior line that includes a redshirt sophomore walk-on, a redshirt sophomore, and a redshirt freshman, Michigan will lean heavily on Lewan to win football games. As the program returns to more power blocking, I expect to see a lot of him blocking down with the backside guard (Kyle Kalis) pulling to the left side. The Wolverines will not be a dominant running team this season because of that youth inside, but Lewan should be dominant at his position. If he goes down with an injury, we would likely see right tackle Michael Schofield flip to the left and redshirt freshman Ben Braden or Erik Magnuson step in on the right. I don't think Schofield is a true left tackle, and redshirt freshmen usually scare me on the line, so hopefully Lewan eats his vitamins and stays healthy.
Prediction: Starting left tackle; First Team All-American, First Team All-Big Ten
I agree with your rankings of putting Gardner ahead of Lewan, the latter is a better player but we have half decent options of coping with his loss, while if the former goes down... the season is more than likely over.
ReplyDeleteFrom MGOBLOG.... Lewan had a negative bowl game grade. I seriously doubt that will happen this year, at any time, any game. I still believe Lewan is better in pass protection then run blocking. We'll see how he progresses this year.
ReplyDeleteOffensive Line
Player + - Total Notes
Lewan 4.5 9 -4.5 Clowney is like the endboss of Donkey Kong.
Hey, guess what: Jadaveon Clowney is good. The donkey becomes the donk-ee. Or something. Lewan had a rough day on the ground. Some of this was Clowney, but he just looked off at other times as well, like on a false veer third down conversion on which Denard could have broken a big gain if Lewan had just gotten an easy downfield block on a linebacker. He didn't, and Michigan had to settle for a half-dozen. Other times Clowney just hulked up.
Gardner and Lewan are sort of a lA and 1B. There will be a massive downgrade if either of them get injured.
ReplyDeleteNailed it.
ReplyDeleteI don't really get the argument that Lewan is even close. If Lewan goes out we're hobbled, if Gardner goes out we're dead.
No matter how good Lewan is, he's one guy in a 5-man unit. He can dominate every play but if the guy next to him fails, the play blows up. Even if Lewan is replaced by someone like Braden, it's not going to be total disaster. QB is simply a more important position and the backup there isn't nearly as good as the Schofield/Braden flop dance.
Lewan will go higher in the NFL draft, and he is better player at his position, but that's not what this countdown is attempting to evaluate.
I respect your work, but I strongly disagree with Lewan before Gardner.
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for not posting my comment.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what time you posted, but stop bitching. I don't have time to approve comments 24 hours a day. I work all day and then spend 4-5 hours coaching, watching film, and game planning. Then I wake up at 5:30 in the morning to write blog posts before doing it all over again. Big deal that your comment didn't get posted within 30 seconds.
DeleteYou have such a tough life.
DeleteNobody's complaining about life. People just need to stop bitching that their comment isn't approved immediately. I can't exactly approve comments when I'm out on a football field.
DeleteI wouldn't blame Thunder for changing "Anonymous" entries to "Anonymous Coward" just for posts like these.
DeleteI have long hated the anonymous posting ability. Some people are just cowards and say things they otherwise wouldn't say to someone's face.
DeleteBummed that Lewan got even more tatted up last offseason. Doesn't seem to fit his personality.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what that's supposed to mean.
DeleteHow does it not fit his personality? Did you miss the whole finger tattoo while he was in high school?
DeleteIs it true that you have to work on Saturdays?
ReplyDeleteNo. I could quit my job.
DeleteGood! You shouldn't have to work while Michigan is playing football.
Delete