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| Jared Wangler (image via MVictors.com) |
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 230 lbs.
High school: Warren (MI) De La Salle
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #19
Last year: I ranked Wangler #82 and said he would redshirt. He redshirted.
Wangler came in last year as a pretty undersized linebacker at just 218 lbs. With Michigan returning a lot of experienced linebackers, I did not think he would be needed, and he wasn't. He redshirted and bulked up to 230 lbs. by the spring.
This year I still do not expect to see Wangler play a significant role. Michigan has four senior linebackers, an experienced junior (Ben Gedeon), and a couple guys who have seen the field in some capacity (Mike McCray II, Allen Gant). On the positive side for Wangler, one classmate transferred (Michael Ferns), another one has been injured for most of the last year (Noah Furbush), and another has moved to offense (Chase Winovich); additionally, Michigan didn't recruit any linebackers in the 2015 class. So Wangler's long-term prospects are looking up compared to where they were last year, but this year's depth chart looks bleak for him.
Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer
I get to sit and talk with this kid every once in a while, so I'm always gonna pull for him. But, with regards to that 218 lbs. thing, I believed it because he's just a real good kid, wants it real bad and works his ass off every day to get there, not because my eyeballs thought it was so. He's real waspy through his waste and hips and doesn't have quite that square look you might prefer in a Linebacker. So when I read 230 lbs. despite not having seen him at workouts yet this summer, I'm believing that number on exactly the same basis.
ReplyDeleteWhat he is, is quicker than you think and a guy that is really hard to get away from when he's covering. I like to think he's going to have a career here as a coverage and space LB.
I stood next to him a couple years ago and couldn't believe this was going to be a major college football players. Guys do develop over time, but he didn't seem to have the frame to add a ton of weight. We'll see though.
DeleteI struggle to see him establishing a significant role over the next few years on defense, but I think he can help on special teams starting this year.
ReplyDelete