Name: Julius Holly
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 224 lbs.
High school: Alpharetta (GA) Alpharetta
Position: Defensive end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #37
Last year: Holly was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 9 tackles and 1 tackle for loss while playing in just two games due to injury.
TTB Rating: 76
Holly has flown somewhat under the radar as a recruit even though he's a 4-star (#36 edge, #403 overall) in the 247 Composite. He took official visits to Georgia, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M before committing to Michigan at the end of last July, so he was pursued by some heavy hitters. Various college coaches must have seen something in him.
Unfortunately, Holly's senior season was cut short by injury, so he was only able to play in two games. MGoBlue lists him at 6'4", 224 lbs. after he was listed at 6'3", 230 lbs. during his recruitment, so he comes in a little bit taller and leaner than expected. The height is welcome, but the light weight is something that registers as a red flag for any chance of contributing as a freshman. At the Big Ten level, guys who are 224 pounds would get tossed around, so Holly is a virtual lock to redshirt this season.
Prediction: Redshirt
Yep there can be room for lighter edges to make an impact as pass rushers, even as freshman, but Michigan is pretty loaded at EDGE, especially if Barham is taking some snaps there. The depth chart and the lack of live snaps as a senior make Holly a longshot to see anything more than token snaps on D. Would be nice if he showed up on special teams or drew scout team accolades as a freshman.
ReplyDeleteIf he's 224 pounds, he's not going to play. And it's not often that these types of guys play a ton on special teams. Jaylen Harrell played four games at 235 pounds as a freshman. Edokpayi (232), Baxter (240), etc., all those light edges never play. The guys who play as freshmen are the big guys like Nichols (261) and Brandt (277).
DeleteYep probably not. I'd bet on him riding the bench. He's a freshman so probably not going to play just cuz of that. Being pretty light for an edge on top of that, so extra unlikely.
DeleteBut it has happened. From preseason:
https://touch-the-banner.com/2011-countdown-80-frank-clark/
To postseason:
https://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2012/02/sugar-bowl-michigan-vs-virginia-tech.html
Clark wasn't the only smaller sized edge player to make an impact as a freshman either:
https://247sports.com/player/josh-uche-78986/high-school-137326/
https://247sports.com/player/mario-ojemudia-8184/high-school-11033/
https://247sports.com/player/brennen-beyer-1860/high-school-11208/
If you've got NFL-caliber burst you could have a role as an undersized pass rusher off the edge at Michigan. Even then you are probably likely to sit the bench as a freshman - like David Ojabo. But it can happen if circumstances call for it. Clark, Beyer, and Ojemudia certainly didn't face depth charts like Holly does and had injuries open up opportunities for them.
Anyway, wouldn't assume Holly will stay at 224 through the season. Likely to put on weight between now and fall. Could easily be in the Harrell/Guy range with the proverbial freshman 15. I doubt Frank Clark still weighed 205 or 210 (recruiting weight) or even 228 (listed freshman weight) by the time he was making big time plays in the Sugar Bowl against Va Tech.
Again not expecting anything from Holly as a freshman, but if he has elite physical traits and a few injuries hit, it wouldn't be a shock to see a temporarily undersized freshman make some contribution. Unlikely but not unprecedented.