Poll results: Which Michigan player(s) will get drafted in the 2015 NFL Draft?

Frank Clark

Several days ago, I asked which Michigan players would get drafted. Here are the results of the poll:

Devin Funchess: 95%
Funchess went in the 2nd round (#41 overall) to the Carolina Panthers.

Jake Ryan: 93%
Ryan went in the 4th round (#129 overall) to the Green Bay Packers.

Frank Clark: 67%
Clark went in the 2nd round (#63 overall) to the Seattle Seahawks.

Devin Gardner: 11%
Gardner signed an undrafted free agent deal as a wide receiver with the New England Patriots.

Raymon Taylor: 1%
Taylor went undrafted and has not signed with an NFL team.

Other: 1%
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Notes on a few other guys:

- Defensive end Brennen Beyer signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Baltimore Ravens.

- Outside linebacker Josh Furman, who played safety at Michigan before transferring to Oklahoma State for his fifth year, was drafted in the 7th round (#252 overall) by the Denver Broncos.

- Cornerback Delonte Hollowell signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Detroit Lions.

- Running back Thomas Rawls, who played his senior season at Central Michigan, signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Seattle Seahawks.

2015 NFL Draft Results: Big Ten

Brandon Scherff was the first Big Ten player taken. He went #5 to the Washington Redskins.

For those of you interested in how the Big Ten is doing in the NFL Draft, here's a rundown of all the Big Ten prospects taken. Ohio State led the conference with five draft selections, while Michigan State and Minnesota had four each.

ILLINOIS

INDIANA
3rd: Tevin Coleman - RB - Indiana

IOWA
1st: Brandon Scherff - OG - Redskins
3rd: Carl Davis - DT - Ravens
4th: Andrew Donnal - OT - Rams*

MARYLAND
5th: Stefon Diggs - WR - Vikings*
6th: Darius Kilgo - DT - Broncos

MICHIGAN
2nd: Devin Funchess - WR - Panthers*
2nd: Frank Clark - DE - Seahawks*
4th: Jake Ryan - LB - Packers*
7th: Josh Furman - LB - Broncos*#

MICHIGAN STATE
1st: Trae Waynes - CB - Vikings
4th: Jeremy Langford - RB - Bears
5th: Tony Lippett - WR - Dolphins
5th: Keith Mumphery - WR - Texans

MINNESOTA
2nd: Maxx Williams - TE - Ravens
4th: Damien Wilson - LB - Cowboys
5th: David Cobb - RB - Titans
5th: Cedric Thompson - FS - Dolphins

NEBRASKA
2nd: Ameer Abdullah - RB - Lions*
2nd: Randy Gregory - OLB - Cowboys
5th: Kenny Bell - WR - Buccaneers

NORTHWESTERN
4th: Ibraheim Campbell - SS - Browns
7th: Trevor Siemian - QB - Broncos

OHIO STATE
2nd: Devin Smith - WR - Jets*
3rd: Jeff Heuerman - TE - Broncos*
4th: Doran Grant - CB - Steelers*
6th: Michael Bennett - DT - Jaguars*
6th: Evan Spencer - WR - Redskins

PENN STATE
2nd: Donovan Smith - OT - Buccaneers
5th: Adrian Amos - FS - Bears
5th: Jesse James - TE - Steelers

PURDUE
5th: Ryan Russell - DE - Cowboys

RUTGERS
3rd: Tyler Kroft - TE - Bengals
5th: Michael Burton - FB - Lions

WISCONSIN
1st: Melvin Gordon - RB - Chargers*
2nd: Rob Havenstein - OT - Rams

#Played his fifth year at Oklahoma State
*Offered by Michigan

2015 NFL Draft Preview: Michigan

Devin Funchess will likely be the first Michigan player selected in this year's NFL Draft

As the NFL Draft approaches on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, we are bound to see a couple Michigan players' names called. From 2009-2014, Michigan has been going back and forth between having two and three players drafted (LINK). If that trend continues, just two of these players will be selected. Linked to each player's name is their senior profile, in which I detail some of their workout numbers and a projection.

Devin Funchess, WR: Funchess is the one guy who might sniff the first round, but it would take a leap of faith by a daring team. A wide receiver with a tight end body, he has never been a plus blocker despite being much taller and heavier than the corners and safeties he has faced. When Michigan actually played him at tight end during his freshman and sophomore seasons, he was downright terrible as a blocker. However, he is large and fairly fast and has a 38.5" vertical. I would not advise a team to take him as a tight end because he doesn't have the blocking chops, but he's a guy who can be a mismatch problem for a team that likes to be creative and use multiple tight ends.
My wild guess: 2nd round (#44 overall) to the New Orleans Saints.
Other good fits: Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, New England Patriots

Hit the jump for a rundown of Michigan's other draft-eligible players.

Frank Clark dismissed from football program

Frank Clark

After an arrest for domestic violence over the weekend, senior defensive end Frank Clark was booted out of the football program. Clark was an unheralded recruit out of Cleveland (OH) Glenville who garnered some interest from Michigan when head coach Brady Hoke was hired in January 2011. He was Second Team All-Big Ten in 2013, and he was perhaps Michigan's top NFL prospect for the upcoming draft. He finishes his college career with 120 tackles, 35 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 4 fumble recoveries, and 6 pass breakups.

Junior Mario Ojemudia will likely replace Clark in the starting lineup for the remainder of the season.

Frank Clark has been arrested

As appears to have been first reported by MGoBlog (LINK), Michigan defensive end Frank Clark was arrested late Saturday night/Sunday morning in connection with a domestic violence incident. As far as I know, details of the incident have not been made public.

You may remember that head coach Brady Hoke has handled incidents like this with something more than the typical reaction at Florida State, so I will assume that Clark will be suspended for the upcoming game against Maryland, if not longer. Reference points:

• Clark himself was suspended for the 2012 season opener against Alabama for stealing a laptop
• Fitzgerald Toussaint was suspended for that same game for an alcohol-related offense
• Darryl Stonum was suspended for an entire season (for which he would have redshirted) after dealing with multiple alcohol-related offenses
• Graham Glasgow was suspended for this season's opener against Appalachian State for an alcohol-related incident
• Will Hagerup was suspended for the entire 2013 season (for which he redshirted) after some funny business
• Jake Butt was suspended a couple weeks for a "failure to meet team expectations"
• Josh Furman and Tamani Carter were suspended from participating in spring practice activities during an investigation in 2012

So yeah. I think it's a safe assumption that Clark will not be playing next Saturday, at the least.

Clark is perhaps Michigan's best defensive player and has 42 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and 2 pass breakups. He would be coming off his best performance of the season against Northwestern, when he had 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and those 2 pass knockdowns.

The backup for Clark is listed as Mario Ojemudia, a junior who had 2 sacks of his own against Northwestern. He has played a good amount of snaps throughout his career and has 24 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks this season. Ojemudia will probably be a starter next season, so the starting job should be in at least decent hands. The problem might arise when Michigan has to rotate other players, which may include redshirt freshman Henry Poggi (1 tackle) or junior linebacker/defensive end Royce Jenkins-Stone (8 tackles). Sophomore Taco Charlton (18 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks) might also be in the running to start, but he has been Brennen Beyer's backup on the other side and is less experienced and consistent than Ojemudia. 

Michigan vs. Northwestern Awards

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Dennis Norfleet. Norfleet injured his shoulder against Indiana, and he did not appear in this game. It was no surprise when Michigan couldn't find a big-play threat even once during the Northwestern game. Offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier tried an end around to Devin Funchess - which was an utter failure - and the Wolverines have no speed on the outside. Add that to the gimpy Devin Gardner and a gimpy De'Veon Smith, and things look bleak for big plays. Norfleet hasn't been able to make huge plays, but he does have the ability to make 10-20 yard gains on the occasional run or reception. Hopefully he can get healthy by the next game in two weeks.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Devin Funchess as the go-to receiver. The more reliable target this year has been Amara Darboh. Darboh is pretty slow and runs poor routes at times, but he makes both the easy and the tough catches. Funchess hasn't consistently made either. Michigan needs to spread the ball around, but when they need  a play to be made, I think Darboh has to be the guy.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . James Ross III. Ross has been playing better than the third corner. Against some packages, I guess it's necessary to put a fifth defensive back in the game, but you have to put your best eleven guys out there on defense. That actually probably would involve removing the free safety, but we've been over that before. Anytime Delonte Hollowell is out there on defense, I'd rather have Ross in the game.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Delonte Hollowell. As I mentioned in the game recap, it seems like opposing coordinators and quarterbacks are aware of his presence. If they watch game tape from earlier in the season, he's the guy they should realize they can pick on. He hasn't played a great deal on defense, but he has allowed at least three touchdowns this season on out routes near the left sideline (against Notre Dame, Utah, and now Northwestern). The kid is a decent special teams contributor, but he's a liability in coverage.

Play of the game . . . Matt Godin's interception on Frank Clark's tip. Late in the second quarter, Michigan ran a zone blitz that dropped defensive end Brennen Beyer into a short zone. On a three-man rush, defensive end Frank Clark bulled Northwestern offensive tackle Jason Konopka backward, getting a hand up to knock down a Trevor Siemian pass attempt. The ball was knocked up in the air, and defensive tackle Godin reeled it in as he was falling backward to the ground. There are several options - the thwarted two-point conversion, Jake Ryan's interception, several of the 6 Michigan sacks, etc. - but I'll give it to Godin (and Clark) because it involved multiple players.

MVP of the game . . . tie between Jake Ryan and Frank Clark. Both had stellar games, particularly in the first half. Ryan finished with 11 tackles, .5 tackles for loss, 1 interception (returned for 2 yards), and 1 other pass breakup. Clark had 8 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 3 batted balls, one of which was intercepted; he also sniffed out a reverse and made a very nice tackle in the backfield. This game was won by the defense, and those two really stood out.

Michigan 10, Northwestern 9

This was the scene for most of the first half (image via Zimbio)

Ugly. That was a terrible performance by everyone except Michigan's front seven and Northwestern's secondary. Each team turned over the ball 3 times, nobody could move the ball consistently, quarterbacks were falling down without being touched, and there were no big plays except when Northwestern safety Ibraheim Campbell returned an interception 79 yards. The Wildcats are banged up, and their offensive line isn't very good. Michigan's top skill players - Devin Gardner, Devin Funchess, Dennis Norfleet, and Derrick Green - are all limping or out entirely.

Michigan's defensive tackles have matched the secondary in interceptions. Matt Godin's interception gives the tackles two (Willie Henry had a pick against Utah), while cornerback Jourdan Lewis has 2 - and is the only player in the secondary to record an interception. The Wolverines now have 5 picks on the season after linebacker Jake Ryan got one in this game, too, but it has been a largely unproductive season for Michigan's defensive backs.

Quarterback play is wretched. Devin Gardner made some terrible decisions in the passing game, much like he did last year at Northwestern. He finished the game 11/24 for 109 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Michigan was winning the field position battle in the first half, playing in Northwestern territory almost the entire time. That added up to 0 points. On the play that turned into Campbell's interception, Bo Dever was wide open deep on the right sideline, but Gardner tried to hit Freddy Canteen in the middle of the field. Gardner looks indecisive, doesn't throw on time, and won't tuck the ball and run with any authority. When he does make a quick decision, it's usually the wrong one.

Offensive line improvement. Michigan fans may not like to hear it, but this offensive line is getting better. The Wolverines did a good job of keeping pressure off of Gardner, and they were opening up decent-sized holes in the running game. Northwestern did not get a ton of penetration, and while they don't have any huge playmakers on the defensive line, this still represents a step forward for Michigan. Fans who want head coach Brady Hoke and offensive line coach Darrell Funk gone after this season are not gathering convincing evidence on the field from the offensive line. Of course, Michigan's skill players aren't doing much with the holes provided, either.

Running back situation. Last week I called for Drake Johnson to get more playing time, and he did (10 carries for 30 yards). However, he and De'Veon Smith both looked bad early. I thought Smith, in particular, looked indecisive and slow to the hole in the first half. He spent way too much time dancing in the backfield, trying to wait for something better. One of the coaches on the sideline - presumably Fred Jackson - must have talked to Smith, because when he finally decided to hit the line with authority, the running game took off. Smith finished with 18 carries for 121 yards and 1 touchdown. Johnson, meanwhile, is the faster of the two backs, but he struggles to break tackles. I believe we saw the last of him when he fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Joey-on-the-Spot Kerridge.

The wide receivers are slow. This is not new news, but it is painfully obvious. Funchess has more speed than he's showing, but I just don't see him running hard. I think his ankle is still bothering him. Maybe that's what's sapping his concentration, since he seems to drop half the passes thrown his way. Jehu Chesson has decent speed, but he has been banged up and has perhaps the worst hands out of the entire receiving corps. Norfleet is out. Gardner - who is playing poorly anyway - has limited options, none of whom can get separation unless the defense blows a coverage. Unfortunately, there's not much help in sight. I have hopes for Maurice Ways, who I think is going to surprise some people when he hits the field. Drake Harris, who is redshirting along with Ways, used to be fast before he had a two-years-long hamstring injury. I am not counting on him to return to form. Da'Mario Jones can't seem to find his way onto the field.

The defensive line made Northwestern look silly. When backup defensive end Mario Ojemudia bull rushes through your offensive line for 2 sacks, you know things are bad. Michigan totaled 6 sacks, including 1.5 from Frank Clark, 1 from Brennen Beyer, and 1 from Willie Henry. Michigan's defensive line made Northwestern's linemen, quarterback, and play calling look silly at times. Color guy Ed Cunningham kept questioning Northwestern's decision to call dropback passes, and I actually agreed with an analyst for once. The Wildcats finally seemed to have some success when they called shorter pass routes and kept backs in the backfield to protect the quarterback. It just took them a long time to realize it. Northwestern just couldn't handle trying to block Michigan's defensive line one-on-one while waiting for routes to develop. Clark, in particular, had a great game, especially in the first half.

Jake Ryan is a monster. He had 11 tackles, .5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup. He and Clark could both feasibly earn Defensive Player of the Week honors in the Big Ten, which Ryan also won last week against Indiana. I thought all the linebackers played well, including Joe Bolden (7 tackles) and James Ross III (5 tackles).

Everyone except Jourdan Lewis is a step slow. Michigan's secondary just isn't making plays this year. Everyone seems a step slow, even against a Northwestern offense that is slow and lacking playmakers. The one exception appears to be Lewis, but even he a) should have been called for pass interference at least once and b) should have intercepted a pass thrown to Kyle Prater. The commentators praised Lewis for batting down the ball, but he should have planted his back foot and gone up to get the pass at its highest point. Meanwhile, whenever backup cornerback Delonte Hollowell is in the game, I think opposing offensive coordinators target him; he is, of course, the guy who allowed Northwestern's lone touchdown. That has been his M.O. this year. I believe Notre Dame, Utah, and Northwestern have all scored touchdowns against Hollowell on flat routes near the offense's left sideline.

Pat Fitzgerald's decision at the end of the game. With Michigan hanging onto a 10-9 leading with a pending extra point attempt, Fitzgerald decided to go for the two-point conversion. I agree with the decision, but not the execution. Northwestern had momentum at that point, but for the entire game, Michigan dominated defensively. It seemed to take everything Northwestern had to muster that late-game rally. After losing for two straight years in overtime, it's understandable that Fitzgerald wanted to go for the win. The maxim is that you should go for the tie at home, and go for the win on the road, but Michigan had been the more consistent team in this one. Northwestern had been hitting short passes late in the game, and I believe they should have continued with what was working. They should have gone with max protection and tried to hit someone short. Instead, they rolled quarterback Trevor Siemian to the right, and when Frank Clark ended up in his face, Siemian's foot slipped and he fell to the ground. Game over.

What does this all mean? It means Michigan's offense is still terrible, and Michigan's defense is pretty good. The Wolverines managed just 256 yards, went 1-for-12 on third downs, 0-for-1 on fourth, and had just 13 first downs the whole game. The defense allowed -9 total rushing yards, and while Northwestern threw for 273, it was largely on dink-and-dunk passes late in the game.

Michigan vs. Rutgers Awards

Jarrod Wilson (#22) broke up this dangerous pass
(image via College Football)

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Da'Mario Jones. Jones is reportedly one of the faster players on the team, and Michigan is lacking a deep threat. Devin Funchess is being bracketed, Amara Darboh doesn't have great speed, and Dennis Norfleet doesn't know how to catch a ball that's thrown at him. It doesn't necessarily have to be Jones - it could be Freddy Canteen or Maurice Ways - but Michigan needs to find someone else to stretch the field besides a hobbled Funchess.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . A.J. Williams. He is slow and does not have good hands. Devin Gardner threw a quick out to him on Saturday night, and the results were sad. The tight ends running those routes should be Jake Butt or Khalid Hill. We know Butt is good, but Hill is a guy who seems to be improving steadily.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Jarrod Wilson at free safety. I guess I don't see the rationale behind playing the more inexperienced Jeremy Clark back there in loads of open space, while the more experienced Wilson is covering the flats or stopping the run. Those roles should be flipped. Clark has size and speed, but he lacks field awareness. Meanwhile, Wilson's jarring hit on Leonte Carroo was the first of its kind for Michigan this season, and - surprise! - it came when Wilson was playing deep.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . tentative Joe Bolden and Frank Clark. On separate occasions, these guys seemed afraid to hit Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova. Bolden lacked his improving aggressive nature on a scramble up the middle, and Clark seemed to pull up on a pass rush that allowed Nova to side-step him and throw a touchdown to a diving John Tsimis. Were they tentative because of the week-long discussion about quarterback safety after the Shane Morris hit? Was it a coincidence? I don't know. Maybe Gary is just a super Nova. (Sad people make sad jokes.)

Play of the game . . . unlike last week, there are a couple choices. The highlight reel choice was obviously the one-handed snag by tight end Jake Butt. The more meaningful play was Devin Gardner's 19-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. On a bootleg, he juked the outside contain guy and outran the Rutgers defense to the pylon, all along gliding like only he and a few other quarterbacks can do. He really is fun to watch when he gets in open space. Not many 6'4", 216 lb. guys can move like he does.

MVP of the game . . . Gardner. He didn't have a great game, but nobody really stood out for Michigan. Gardner finished the game 13/22 for 178 yards, and 1 interception; he also ran the ball 10 times for 40 yards and 2 touchdowns. For the most part, he managed the game well, especially once he got comfortable in the second half. I also thought Joe Bolden played pretty well - he made 10 tackles, including 9 solo stops, several of which stopped Scarlet Knights in their tracks.

Preview: Michigan at Rutgers

Rush Offense vs. Rutgers Rush Defense
Michigan is #50 nationally with 185 yards/game on the ground, and they're #35 with 5.15 yards/carry. However, the rushing output against power conference teams (Notre Dame, Utah, and Minnesota) have been relatively paltry, where Michigan has had 99 attempts for 301 yards, barely above 3.0 yards/carry. The leading rusher is Derrick Green (397 yards, 5.7 yards/carry, 3 touchdowns), but De'Veon Smith sparked a scoring drive last week and broke several tackled on the drive, including the 10-yard touchdown run. The offensive line is still in flux, because right guard Graham Glasgow has been battling injury and played left guard last week due to Erik Magnuson's leg injury; Glasgow's replacement on the right side was Kyle Kalis. The interior is supposed to be the "strength" of the offensive line, while tackles Mason Cole and Ben Braden have struggled mightily. Rutgers is #49 against the run, giving up just 135 yards/game. They also give up 3.98 yards/carry, good enough for #64 nationally. Redshirt sophomore middle linebacker Steve Longa (6'1", 225 lbs.) leads the team with 37 tackles, and second is fifth year senior cornerback Gareef Glashen (5'10", 180 lbs.). Unfortunately for Michigan, Rutgers makes a lot of plays in the backfield (tied for #9 overall with 37 TFLs). Redshirt senior defensive end David Milewski (6'4", 235 lbs.), junior defensive tackle Darius Hamilton (6'4", 260 lbs.), and redshirt freshman end Kemoko Turay (6'6", 220 lbs.) have combined for 17 tackles for loss. They are not big, but they are quick, which might be worse for Michigan.
Advantage: Rutgers

Hit the jump for the rest of the preview.

Michigan vs. Minnesota Awards

Devin Gardner (image via ToledoBlade.com)

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Devin Gardner. Not for one second has Shane Morris given the slightest inkling that he's a better quarterback than Gardner. Unless he's hurt - as he was for the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl last season - Gardner should be the starter at Michigan until he runs out of eligibility. Sometimes people can't accept that a mediocre player can be the best one available. Commenters keep throwing out bizarre questions like "Are we going to win with Gardner at quarterback?" but that's not even remotely the point. No quarterback can guarantee you victories, particularly behind a mediocre offensive line with a questionable running game. Gardner gives Michigan the best chance to win, and that's all you can really ask for right now.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Shane Morris. The kid has a 0-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and he's absolutely careless with the football. Gardner fumbles the ball when he's fighting for extra yardage. Morris fumbles the ball when he's just standing in the pocket and has nothing better to do. Looking ahead to 2015, Michigan should be exploring transfers and planning an open competition between Morris, Wilton Speight, and even Alex Malzone. The situation is dire.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Jabrill Peppers. Rumors were circulating that Peppers was hurt. Rumors were circulating that he didn't play because of a disciplinary issue. Maybe it was a combination of both. I don't know. What I do know is that Peppers has seen the field very little in his first five weeks as a college football player, and that's extremely frustrating. There's nothing the coaches can do about injuries, I guess, but he's a playmaker on a team largely devoid of playmakers. If the defensive backfield is too jam-packed with veterans and talent, then play Peppers at slot receiver or running back or wideout or wildcat quarterback. The kid needs to be on the field if he's healthy.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Dymonte Thomas. Thomas was the one who appeared to blow the coverage on Maxx Williams on Saturday, which led to a touchdown. Against Utah the week before, he blew the coverage that led to a touchdown for Dres Anderson. Opponents keep finding a way to attack him, and he's not up to the challenge. Maybe Peppers should move ahead of Thomas in the safety rotation.

Play of the game . . . Frank Clark and Taco Charlton's sack of Mitch Leidner. Give me a break. There are so few good plays to choose from. Clark leaped over a cut block from a running back before charging ahead to sack Leidner for a loss of five yards. Charlton latched on to help take Leidner down. It's sad when this is the highlight.

MVP of the game . . . Devin Gardner. Again, the pickings are slim. Gardner entered the game with under eight minutes remaining, immediately leading a touchdown drive. He went 3/6 for 39 yards, and he ran the ball 5 times for 23 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown run. Yes, he took a sack, and he almost threw an interception (or took a safety) from his own endzone. However, the team got a spark from his appearance. Any further heroics or shenanigans were thwarted by Brady Hoke's inexplicable decision to punt with four minutes remaining while down by two scores.

2014 Season Predictions

Devin Gardner

Here's a link (LINK) to a review of my 2013 season predictions if you like to look into the past.

As for the future, here we go:

Leading Rusher
I'm backtracking a little bit here. It seemed like De'Veon Smith was getting a little more hype at the beginning of the summer, but now Brady Hoke is saying that Derrick Green would be getting the first carry against Appalachian State. I have always thought that Green had more upside because of his superior speed, so hopefully the line can block well enough to get him to the second or third level.
Prediction: Green, 700 yards

Leading Receiver
The best receiver on the team is clearly Devin Funchess, and I think this is a pretty obvious pick, barring injury. The only real question appears to be whether he'll break the 1,000-yard barrier. Offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier likes to run the ball, and he seems to like to spread out the ball among his receivers.
Prediction: Funchess, 950 yards

Leading Tackler
Michigan rotates linebackers a lot, so I don't think the tackle totals for any one player will be astronomical. It looks like Desmond Morgan will rotate in with both Joe Bolden and Jake Ryan, and the combination of James Ross and Royce Jenkins-Stone looks pretty neck-and-neck right now, too. Throw in a dose of Ben Gedeon, and nobody racks up the tackles. Last year's leading tackler was cornerback Raymon Taylor, but Michigan's tighter coverage will hopefully prevent as many completions in front of the corners.
Prediction: Ryan, 75 tackles

Hit the jump for the rest of the predictions.

2014 Season Countdown: #5 Frank Clark

Frank Clark

Name: Frank Clark
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 277 lbs.
High school: Cleveland (OH) Glenville
Position: Defensive end
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #57
Last year: I ranked Clark #7 and said he would be the starting weakside end with 50 tackles and 8 sacks. He made 43 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries (1 returned for a touchdown), and 1 pass breakup.

Clark got a ton of hype going into 2013. He promptly disappointed a lot of fans in the first three games. But from week four onward, he stepped up his game. If you pretend he was injured against Central Michigan, Notre Dame, and Akron, he made 39 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks in nine games! That's pretty impressive. His season highlight was probably the fumble returned for a touchdown against Penn State, but it might also have been his 9 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss against Michigan State. There were several solid outings - enough to be named Second Team All-Big Ten - but it's hard to cleanse the bitter taste from your mouth after that ineffectual start.

But hey, it's a new year. We're all a year older and a year smarter and a year closer to paying off our mortgages. Oh, happy day! Clark has put on just a couple pounds since last year, and despite being 20 lbs. heavier than Brennen Beyer, he's staying on the weak side. Michigan faces a couple patsies within the first few weeks, so in a year when he should be trying to show off for the impending NFL Draft, he had better get off to a faster start. Furthermore, the opposing offensive tackles he'll face this year should be a little less talented, so I expect a significant - but not outlandish - jump in production. Even though he might not be Michigan's most talented defensive player, he's ranked this high because the backups at weakside are few and unproven. With Beyer and sophomore Taco Charlton over on the strong side, the only experienced backup is junior Mario Ojemudia. After him it's freshman Lawrence Marshall, who would ideally redshirt but will probably play a few snaps here and there like Ojemudia did in 2012. It's important that Clark stay healthy because Beyer is not a good pass rusher, and the interior defensive linemen only have that thing called "potential." I'll stick with with my slightly updated prediction for last year.

Prediction: 50 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 8 sacks

2014 Bronko Nagurski Award watch list

Frank Clark

The 2014 Bronko Nagurski Award watch list has been released, and there are a few Michigan players on the list, plus some other notable players from the Big Ten, other opponents, and Michigan's recruiting. Charles Woodson (1997) is the only Michigan player to have won the award, which is given to the nation's best defensive player.

Michael Bennett - DT - Ohio State*
Joey Bosa - DE - Ohio State*
Shilique Calhoun - DE - Michigan State
Frank Clark - DE - Michigan
Blake Countess - CB - Michigan
Su'a Cravens - S - USC*
Carl Davis - DT - Iowa
Kurtis Drummond - S - Michigan State*
Devonte Fields - DE - TCU*
Kendall Fuller - CB - Virginia Tech*
Randy Gregory - DE - Nebraska
Vernon Hargreaves III - CB - Florida*
Ryan Mueller - DE - Kansas State
KeiVarae Russell - CB - Notre Dame
Jake Ryan - LB - Michigan
Jaylon Smith - LB - Notre Dame*
Trae Waynes - CB - Michigan State

*Offered by Michigan

2014 Bednarik Award watch list

Jake Ryan

The 2014 Bednarik Award watch list has been released. The award is given to the most outstanding defensive player in the country. There are several Big Ten and other opponents on the list, and you may want to scan through the list just to see some familiar names from the recruiting trail.

Michael Bennett - DT - Ohio State
Joey Bosa - DE - Ohio State
Shilique Calhoun - DE - Michigan State
Frank Clark - DE - Michigan
Carl Davis - DT - Iowa
Kurtis Drummond - S - Michigan State
Randy Gregory - DE - Nebraska
Jordan Lucas - CB - Penn State
Keivarae Russell - CB - Notre Dame
Jake Ryan - LB - Michigan
Jaylon Smith - LB - Notre Dame
Trae Waynes - CB - Michigan State

Phil Steele's 2014 All-Big Ten team released

Devin Funchess

Phil Steele released his 2014 All-Big Ten team, and there are several Michigan players on the list.

FIRST TEAM
WR Devin Funchess
LB Jake Ryan
CB Blake Countess

SECOND TEAM
DE Frank Clark
LB Desmond Morgan

THIRD TEAM
P Will Hagerup

FOURTH TEAM
QB Devin Gardner
LB James Ross III

Many of these are interesting picks for various reasons. First of all, Devin Funchess is going into his first year as a full-time wideout, and he will also be without a proven commodity taking attention away from him in the form of Jeremy Gallon. Ryan is switching positions from strongside outside linebacker to middle linebacker in a new base defense. Countess has been rumored to be relegated to a backup role behind sophomore Jourdan Lewis, though Countess will start at slot corner. Morgan is another guy who changes positions, albeit slightly (middle linebacker to weakside linebacker). Gardner might be the most physically talented quarterback in the conference, but he's behind Braxton Miller (understandable due to winning and good talent), Connor Cook (who came out of nowhere last year), and Christian Hackenberg (who will be without his stud receiver, Allen Robinson). I think there's a decent chance that Gardner is a First Team or Second Team all-conference quarterback by year's end. Meanwhile, Ross is in a battle for his position with up-and-comer Royce Jenkins-Stone.

Michigan certainly has a lot of question marks going into 2014, but that's what happens when you go 8-5 and 7-6 in consecutive years.

Video: Beyer, Clark talk spring game

Hit the jump for Frank Clark's interview.

Review of 2013 Season Predictions

Jeremy Gallon set several records this season.

Here's a link to my 2013 Season Predictions, which were posted at the end of August. This might be more fun for me than for you, but it's interesting to me to see how things played out this year.

LEADING RUSHER
Prediction: Fitzgerald Toussaint, 900 yards
Actual: Fitzgerald Toussaint, 658 yards
Thoughts: The offensive line was worse than anyone expected it to be, and Toussaint struggled to average 3.5 yards/carry. The next highest total was Devin Gardner's 483 yards.

LEADING RECEIVER
Prediction: Jeremy Gallon, 1100 yards
Actual: Jeremy Gallon, 1373 yards
Thoughts: Gallon had an outstanding season and goes down in the record books with the top yardage output by any receiver in Michigan history, surpassing Braylon Edwards's 1,330 yards in 2004. I expected him to have a very good season due to the Gardner-Gallon chemistry, but this was more explosive than anyone probably envisioned.

LEADING TACKLER
Prediction: James Ross III, 90 tackles
Actual: Raymon Taylor, 86 tackles
Thoughts: It's bad news when a cornerback leads the team in tackles, especially when that tackle total is so high. Opposing quarterbacks completed a lot of passes in front Taylor. Ross missed the second half of the Iowa game and the entire Ohio State game, so I'm pretty confident that he would have led the team in tackles if he had remained healthy.

LEADING SACKER
Prediction: Frank Clark, 8 sacks
Actual: Frank Clark and Cameron Gordon, 5 sacks (tie)
Thoughts: Clark started off slowly before turning on the jets a little bit in the middle of the season, but his season was somewhat of a disappointment considering all the offseason hype. Gordon started off quickly but lost some playing time once Jake Ryan returned midseason.

ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
Prediction: Taylor Lewan and Jeremy Gallon
Actual: Taylor Lewan was chosen by the Coaches and the Media. Devin Funchess and Blake Countess were chosen by the Media only.
Thoughts: Lewan was an obvious choice, and Gallon was robbed after conference finishes of #2 in receptions, #2 in yards, and #3 in touchdowns. Funchess earned his accolades as a tight end despite playing mostly at wide receiver, and Countess might be the Comeback Player of the Year in the conference after tearing his ACL in 2012. Nobody else on the team really had an argument to earn First Team honors.

LEADING SCORER (NON-QB, NON-KICKER)
Prediction: Fitzgerald Toussaint, 12 touchdowns
Actual: Fitzgerald Toussaint, 13 touchdowns
Thoughts: Toussaint ended up scoring 78 points on 13 rushing touchdowns, while I thought he would score 10 rushing and 2 receiving touchdowns, leaving him with 72 points. Gallon was next with 54 total points.

BREAKOUT OFFENSIVE PLAYER
Prediction: Jehu Chesson
Actual: Jake Butt
Thoughts: Chesson had an okay year with several devastating blocks, some nice plays on special teams coverage, and 15 catches for 221 yards and 1 touchdown. But I think Butt deserves this award as he improved as a blocker and became a reliable receiving target with 20 catches for 235 yards and 2 touchdowns.

BREAKOUT DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Prediction: James Ross
Actual: I don't even know who to pick here. Perhaps the answer here is Blake Countess, but I don't believe I even thought of him as being in the running since he was a starter as a true freshman in 2011. You could probably make an argument for Ross, Cam Gordon, or Frank Clark, who are the three guys I mentioned considering back in August.
Thoughts: Ross nearly led the team in tackles and might have surpassed 100 if he had been healthy. Gordon and Clark tied for the team lead in sacks. I don't really see any other legitimate options here, although we saw glimpses of what Chris Wormley, Willie Henry, Ben Gedeon, and Jarrod Wilson can do.

MOST DISAPPOINTING OFFENSIVE PLAYER
Prediction: Jack Miller
Actual: Jack Miller?
Thoughts: Again, I'm not sure whom to pick here. Miller started the first several games at center before being benched, never to see the field again. There was lots of disappointment to go around due to the underachieving offense (Devin Gardner, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Taylor Lewan, Kyle Kalis, even Devin Funchess). I guess Miller wins because he was really the only starter to get permanently benched, but I'm open to arguments.

MOST DISAPPOINTING DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Prediction: Jarrod Wilson
Actual: Courtney Avery
Thoughts: This is another tough choice, but Wilson made some nice plays early in the season. Avery proved to be kind of a lost cause at cornerback and safety, where he didn't really make one significant play all season except half of a sack against Michigan State. Otherwise, he was invisible except when guys were running past him. He went from a good nickel corner in 2011 to an okay one in 2012 to a liability at two different positions in 2013.

FINAL RECORD
Central Michigan: Win
Notre Dame: Win
Akron: Win
UConn: Win
Minnesota: Win
Penn State: Win Loss
Indiana: Win
Michigan State: Win Loss
Nebraska: Loss
Northwestern: Win
Iowa: Win Loss
Ohio State: Loss
-----------------------------
Prediction: 10-2
Actual: 7-5 (7-6 after bowl game) 

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Preview: Defensive Line

Defensive end Ryan Mueller had 18.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks during the regular season.

MICHIGAN
Starters: Junior weakside end Frank Clark (6'2", 273 lbs.) is the headliner of the group. As a Second Team all-conference selection, he started the season a little slowly but ended with 12 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. The other defensive end will likely be junior Brennen Beyer (6'3", 250 lbs.), who has bounced from SAM linebacker to weakside end to SAM linebacker and now to strongside end. Despite starting every game this season, he has just 25 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks, so his playmaking skills are somewhat lacking. Fifth year senior Quinton Washington (6'4", 301 lbs.) is the nose tackle, and he holds the point of attack fairly well but has made just 19 tackles while being hampered by a nagging back injury. Senior Jibreel Black (6'2", 278 lbs.) is the 3-tech tackle and can give interior linemen trouble with his quickness, but generally, he lacks the bulk to hold up in the power run game, which could very well be an issue against Kansas State.
Backups: Redshirt sophomore Keith Heitzman (6'3", 280 lbs.) began the season as the strongside end but is more of a stopgap player with 8 tackles and .5 tackles for loss. Redshirt freshman Chris Wormley (6'4", 289 lbs.) has played end and 3-tech tackle, and while not a dominant player, he has flashed potential with 17 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. Redshirt freshman Ryan Glasgow (6'4", 300 lbs.) has played a fair amount at defensive tackle but has just 2 total tackles to show for it, and redshirt junior Richard Ash (6'3", 314 lbs.) has 3 tackles on the season. The backup weakside ends are sophomore Mario Ojemudia (6'3", 250 lbs.) with 20 tackles and 1.5 sacks and freshman Taco Charlton (6'6", 270 lbs.) with 2 tackles and .5 tackles for loss.

KANSAS STATE
Starters: Redshirt junior left end Ryan Mueller (6'2", 245 lbs.) is the star of KSU's defensive front, racking up 61 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 3 quarterback hurries, and 4 forced fumbles this year. That performance earned him first team all-conference honors and mention on some All-America teams. On the other end is senior Alauna Finau (6'1", 258 lbs.), who has 20 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and .5 sacks on the year. Sophomore left defensive tackle Travis Britz (6'4", 293 lbs.) has 33 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. Senior right defensive tackle Chaquil Reed (6'3", 309 lbs.) has 33 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks, and he runs pretty well for a big guy.
Key backups: Redshirt sophomore defensive end Marquel Bryant (6'3", 241 lbs.) has 13 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks, and junior defensive tackle Valentino Coleman (6'3", 285 lbs.) has 4 tackles as Britz's backup. The only other defensive lineman to play in even half of the Wildcats' games is redshirt junior defensive end Laton Dowling (6'3", 254 lbs.), who has just 3 tackles on the year, but that includes 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack.

THE TAKEAWAY
Michigan is #27 in the country in rush defense with 139 yards allowed/game, and Kansas State is #40 giving up 145 yards/game. Against the pass, Michigan is #68 with 23 sacks, and Kansas State is #48 with 27 quarterback takedowns. Statistically, there's not a ton that separates these two teams. In watching Oklahoma's 41-31 win over the Wildcats in game 11, I was not impressed with the defensive line. Granted, Oklahoma was the #11 team in the country, but Finau and Coleman looked particularly vulnerable in the running game. They don't flip their defensive line much, so Mueller has been able to rack up a lot of his numbers against teams' right tackles, who are generally inferior to the left tackles. Against Michigan, Mueller will face likely one of his best opponents this year in Michael Schofield. Britz and Reed might be able to get a little bit of penetration, but Michigan's improved offensive line play in the last couple weeks of the season should be sufficient to have a decent day. The Wildcats have the better individual statistics and perhaps the best overall player in Mueller, but with the way Clark, Ojemudia, Beyer, Wormley, Henry, Washington, and Black work together to funnel things to the inside linebackers, I think the advantage right here goes to . . .

ADVANTAGE: Michigan

2013 All-Big Ten Awards announced

Taylor Lewan

The Big Ten released its all-conference players and award winners on Monday. The Michigan representatives are as follows:

Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year: Devin Funchess
Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year: Taylor Lewan

COACHES
First Team: OT Taylor Lewan
Second Team: WR Jeremy Gallon, TE Devin Funchess, DE Frank Clark, CB Blake Countess
Honorable Mention: OT Michael Schofield, DT Jibreel Black
Sportsmanship: CB Courtney Avery

MEDIA
First Team: OT Taylor Lewan, TE Devin Funchess, CB Blake Countess
Second Team: WR Jeremy Gallon
Honorable Mention: QB Devin Gardner, DE Frank Clark, DT Jibreel Black, CB Raymon Taylor, K Brendan Gibbons

First Annual All-Big Ten Teams

Because I like to pretend that I'm important - even though I'm not - here's my unofficial ballot for the All-Big Ten teams. We'll find out in a week or so whether these selections are approximately accurate or not.

FIRST TEAM
QB: Braxton Miller, Ohio State

RB: Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin

RB: Carlos Hyde, Ohio State

WR: Jeremy Gallon, Michigan

WR: Allen Robinson, Penn State

TE: Devin Funchess, Michigan

OT: Taylor Lewan, Michigan
OG: Ryan Groy, Wisconsin
C: Corey Linsley, Ohio State
OG: John Urschel, Penn State
OT: Jack Mewhort, Ohio State

DE: Randy Gregory, Nebraska
DT: Michael Bennett, Ohio State
DT: DaQuan Jones, Penn State
DE: Noah Spence, Ohio State
LB: Jonathan Brown, Illinois
LB: Anthony Hitchens, Iowa
LB: Ryan Shazier, Ohio State
CB: Ricardo Allen, Purdue
CB: Blake Countess, Michigan
S: Kurtis Drummond, Michigan State
S: B.J. Lowery, Iowa

K: Jeff Budzien, Northwestern
P: Cody Webster, Purdue
RET: Kevonte Martin-Manley, Iowa
AP: Akeem Hunt, Purdue

SECOND TEAM
QB: Devin Gardner, Michigan
RB: Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
RB: James White, Wisconsin
WR: Steve Hull, Illinois
WR: Cody Latimer, Indiana
TE: Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin
OT: Rob Havenstein, Wisconsin
OG: Andrew Norwell, Ohio State
C: Brandon Vitabile, Northwestern
OG: Blake Treadwell, Michigan State
OT: Brandon Scherff, Iowa

DE: Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State
DT: Ra'Shede Hageman, Minnesota
DT: Louis Trinca-Pasat, Iowa
DE: Theiren Cockran, Minnesota
LB: Denicos Allen, Michigan State
LB: Chris Borland, Wisconsin
LB: James Morris, Iowa
CB: Tim Bennett, Indiana
CB: Bradley Roby, Ohio State

S: Ibraheim Campbell, Northwestern

S: Greg Heban, Indiana

K: Pat Smith, Nebraska
P: Peter Mortell, Minnesota
RET: Kenny Bell, Nebraska
AP: Josh Ferguson, Illinois

THIRD TEAM
QB: Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois
RB: David Cobb, Minnesota

RB: Jeremy Langford, Michigan State

WR: Jared Abbrederis, Wisconsin

WR: Shane Wynn, Indiana

TE: Jeff Heuerman, Ohio State

OT: Jeremiah Sirles, Nebraska

OG: Kyle Costigan, Wisconsin

C: Jack Allen, Michigan State

OG: Spencer Long, Nebraska

OT: Donovan Smith, Penn State

DE: Frank Clark, Michigan

DT: Bruce Gaston, Purdue

DT: Avery Moss, Nebraska

DE: Tyler Scott, Northwestern

LB: Chi Chi Ariguzo, Northwestern

LB: Max Bullough, Michigan State

LB: Damien Proby, Northwestern

CB: Ciante Evans, Nebraska

CB: Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska

S: Earnest Thomas, Illinois

S: Nick VanHoose, Northwestern

K: Michael Geiger, Michigan State
P: Sam Foltz, Nebraska
RET: V'Angelo Bentley, Illinois
AP: Dontre Wilson, Ohio State