Name: Connor Jones
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 320 lbs.
High school: Monument (CO) Palmer Ridge
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #76
Last year: I ranked Jones #86 and said he would be a backup offensive guard (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: 65
Jones has played in three total games over two seasons at Michigan, including one contest in 2023. It has been a slow start to his career, but that's to be expected when Michigan has had such a dominant, veteran offensive line for the past few seasons. The Wolverines sent six linemen to NFL camps after last year, and there are still several upperclassmen who have just been waiting in the wings for a few years to play in 2024.
I have never been the biggest fan of Jones as a player, but he has an opportunity this season to stake his claim for playing time in 2025. Michigan recruited Josh Priebe from Northwestern to start over Jones (among others), and a few other players have also been vying for playing time on the interior. Giovanni El-Hadi will start opposite Priebe, so it probably comes down to Jones, Dominick Giudice, and Raheem Anderson II for those backup roles, unless a true freshman comes in and jumps a few spots on the depth chart. Jones is probably behind all of them based on past depth charts, but he has added 22 pounds since last year's countdown, so maybe the added bulk will help his case. At this size Jones might also be able to help on extra point/field goal protection units.
Prediction: Backup offensive guard
I still have hope and the theoretical (if not practical) 2-deep has room for a backup OG. Wouldn't be the first OL who is quiet until being an upperclassmen.
ReplyDeleteIf he does get passed by freshman this fall, well that's time to worry...