Michigan Recruits are Speedy

Lies!

A few days ago, Dr. Saturday wrote another column about how 40 times are exaggerated. In the recruiting world, 40 yard dash times are thrown around by players, coaches, and fans in a careless game of one-upmanship. You know that guy at the party who says he drank 30 beers when you say you had 12? That guy is all over the place in high school and college football.

With the recent NFL Combine results being posted on the internet, I thought I'd compare those times to the times of recent Michigan recruits at a few positions.

QUARTERBACK
Denard Robinson - 4.48
Jarrett Brown (WVU) - 4.54
Tate Forcier - 4.55
Dan LeFevour (CMU) - 4.66
Zac Robinson (OK St.) - 4.71
Tim Tebow (UF) - 4.72
Colt McCoy (UT) - 4.79

RUNNING BACK
Sam McGuffie - 4.32
Jahvid Best (Cal) - 4.35
C.J. Spiller (Clemson) - 4.37
Michael Shaw - 4.40
Ben Tate (Auburn) - 4.43
Austin White - 4.44
Ryan Matthews (Fresno) - 4.45
Joe McKnight (USC) - 4.47
Teric Jones - 4.47
Montario Hardesty (Tennessee) - 4.49
James Starks (Buffalo) - 4.50
Fitzgerald Toussaint - 4.50
Mike Cox - 4.50
Stephen Hopkins - 4.52
Lonyae Miller (Fresno) - 4.53
Shawnbrey McNeal (SMU) - 4.56
Dexter McCluster (Ole Miss) - 4.58

WIDE RECEIVER
Jacoby Ford (Clemson) 4.28
Roy Roundtree - 4.40
Darryl Stonum - 4.40
D.J. Williamson - 4.40
Taylor Price (Ohio) - 4.41
Emmanuel Sanders (SMU) - 4.41
Golden Tate (ND) - 4.42
Brandon Banks (KSU) - 4.43
Kyle Williams (ASU) - 4.43
Je'ron Stokes - 4.44
Marcus Easley (UCONN) - 4.46

LINEBACKER
Josh Furman - 4.37
Jamar Chaney (Miss. St.) - 4.54
Dekoda Watson (FSU) - 4.56
Davion Rogers - 4.60
Jake Ryan - 4.60
Kavell Conner (Clemson) - 4.63
Cody Grimm (VT) - 4.64
Harry Coleman (LSU) - 4.65

So if one were to believe Rivals, Scout, and other recruiting articles, you would find that in the last three years, Michigan has recruited running backs who would have posted 7 of the top 14 times in the 2010 NFL Combine; wide receivers who would have posted 3 of the top 4 times; and linebackers who would have posted 3 of the top 5 forty times.

Furthermore, one would believe that Sam McGuffie would be the second-fastest player in the draft (behind Clemson wide receiver Jacoby Ford) and that linebacker Josh Furman would have tied Clemson running back C.J. Spiller for the third-fastest time.

What conclusions can we reach from this information? The first answer is . . . well, nothing that we didn't already know. High school forty times are exaggerated greatly. But the degree to which they are exaggerated borders on the ridiculous.

The second conclusion is that if Clemson can't win with such elite speed on its roster, then heads need to roll.

And the third conclusion is that, whether his time is fake or not, Denard Robinson is still really, really fast.

2011 Offer Board Update

The 2011 Offer Board has been updated.



Lawrence Thomas (ILB) committed to Michigan State.

Added Brandon Fulse (TE) and Tony Posada (OG).

Added Miles Shuler (WR).

Added Kyshoen Jarrett (CB).

2010 Recruiting Grades: Defensive Tackle

One of the biggest needs in the class of 2010 was for defensive linemen, especially on the interior. Each of the defensive tackles on the 2009 roster played significant minutes, including true freshman William Campbell. Even Ryan Van Bergen, who was recruited as a strongside defensive end, bulked up and was an effective starter at 3-tech DT.

Michigan's first defensive tackle commitment came in the form of Terry Talbott, from Huber Heights, OH. (Terry has a cornerback brother named Terrence, who also committed to Michigan.) The Talbotts committed back in mid-August 2009 and Terrence stuck with Michigan through a late push by North Carolina for his services. He's listed at 6'4" and 255 lbs., and he'll likely play 3-tech defensive tackle. I originally thought he would be a strongside defensive end, and some think he'll be a nose tackle. However, I think his quickness off the ball - and his lack of bulk - make him a better fit at 3-tech, where he can take advantage of one-on-one blocks from slower guards.

The second defensive tackle came from Richard Ash (pictured above), a 6'4", 263 lb. player from the developing pipeline in Pahokee, FL. Ash is the fourth player in three years from Pahokee (Martavious Odoms in 2008; Brandin Hawthorne and Vincent Smith in 2009). The word on the internet is that Ash has, uh, grown to be about 305 lbs. This is not necessarily ideal, as he seemed to be headed for the 3-tech DT position and doesn't need to be quite so big. I don't think he'll stay at 300+ pounds, but if he stays anywhere close, I'd say he's more likely to be a 1-tech nose tackle than a 3-tech. Ash's weight is something to watch for when summertime rolls around.

Predictions: Talbott will earn some playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2011. There's enough depth at defensive tackle that he can take some time to fill out. He has a very good first step, which bodes well for causing disruption in the offensive backfield. If he can maintain that quickness while adding 30 pounds or so, he could be an All Big Ten-caliber player. I have concerns about Ash, however. I have heard questions about his motor, and I have also heard that he played lethargically when his weight got into the 260s. According to Florida Varsity's Michael Langston, Ash had better production when he was in the 240s. I always question the upside of a player whose work ethic doesn't equal or exceed his talent, and that may be the case with Ash. I fear that Ash might not be much of a contributor at Michigan.

Grade: B-. Talbott seems like a good kid and he has plenty of athleticism. I think he'll be a solid starter in a few years. Ash could fill a need at nose tackle, but I think his ceiling is lower than his 4-star status would indicate.

EDIT: My original post switched Terry and Terrence's names. This will be an ongoing snafu for Michigan fans, but Terry is the DT and Terrence is the CB. Thanks to the Anonymous commenter below who caught the error.

2010 Recruiting Grades: Tight End

Michigan offered three tight ends in 2010, but didn't get any.

Predictions: The class of 2010 tight ends will be better than Carson Butler.

Grade: Inc. They didn't really need a tight end, anyway.

Bonus: Hey, Zach Galifianakis is on SNL this weekend.

2010 Recruiting Grades: Slot Receiver

Two slot receivers joined the class of 2010, both of whom committed early in the process.

New England Patriot receiver Drew Dileo

The first is Drew Dileo, a 5'10", 175 lb. player from Greenwell Springs, LA. Despite not having overwhelmingly impressive offers, Dileo can fill a role at Michigan - punt returner. Since Steve Breaston left after the 2006 season, Michigan has suffered from poor to mediocre punt returning. The role was assumed by guys like Donovan Warren (who took a lot of chances), Greg Mathews (sure-handed but slow), Martavious Odoms (whose butterfingers only show on punt/kick returns), and Junior Hemingway (again, slow). Dileo can play slot receiver, but his earliest chance to contribute will probably be on special teams.

It's a good thing this photographer had a high-speed shutter.

The second commitment at slot receiver comes from D.J. Williamson, from Warren, OH. Williamson is listed at 6'1" and 172 lbs., meaning he's thin and willowy. He has state championship track speed, but unfortunately, that speed hasn't necessarily shown itself on the football field. Since his commitment, he struggled through a senior season in which he was injured and his quarterback play was subpar. He could play out wide or in the slot, but said on National Signing Day that he'll start off inside.

Predictions: Dileo reminds me of New England Patriots receiver . . . Troy Brown. He'll probably redshirt in 2010, as guys like Odoms and Jeremy Gallon could handle the punt returning duties. But at some point in his career, we'll likely see Dileo deployed as a sure-handed, occasionally exciting returner. Williamson as a slot receiver intrigues me. When he appeared to be an outside receiver in the making, I thought he would get outmuscled and I'm not impressed with his route running. He has reportedly suffered from the dropsies at times, but if he can get that problem worked out, Williamson could be a speedy Roy Roundtree in the slot working against slower linebackers and safeties. As it is, I don't see him contributing for a couple years.

Grade: B. Neither player is an immediate-impact sort, but they don't need to be with guys like Martavious Odoms, Jeremy Gallon, Terrence Robinson, and Roy Roundtree ahead of them (in addition to Teric Jones and Kelvin Grady, who could play slot). Dileo fills a hole, and Williamson has the speed to make a few big plays before all is said and done. Ultimately, this is a position/class where Rodriguez could afford to "miss" with a player or two and not suffer greatly in the future.

2010 Recruiting Grades: Wide Receiver

Jerald Robinson. #4. The red, white, and silver #4. Uhhh...the guy catching the ball. Yeah, him.

The Wolverines picked up three wide receivers in the class of 2010 (slot receivers will be a separate category). At one point in the process, Michigan had six commitments from guys who were recruited to play either wide receiver or slot, so Rich Rodriguez obviously thought the team was lacking at the position. This despite the fact that Michigan only lost Greg Mathews and Laterryal Savoy in 2009, and they shouldn't lose anyone in 2010.

The first commitment came from Ricardo Miller, a 6'2", 208 lb. wideout from Dr. Phillips in Orlando, FL. So intent to play at Michigan, he and his family moved to Ann Arbor to attend Pioneer High School. Miller was considered by many Michigan fans to be at least a 4-star prospect, with the chance to be a 5-star. Unfortunately, many of them hadn't seen him play at that point. Miller is a big receiver with a magnetic personality; he was even credited by Rodriguez as an ace recruiter. What he lacks is elite speed. He might even lack above average speed.

A couple days later, running backs coach Fred Jackson's son, Jeremy Jackson, announced his commitment to Michigan. Jackson stands 6'3" and 194 and attended Huron High School in Ann Arbor. In a slightly alarming trend, Jackson also lacks great speed, perhaps even more so than Miller. In fact, both Miller and Jackson are so big and so . . . not fast that there has been much discussion that they could move to tight end.

Jerald Robinson, from Canton South in Ohio, waited until February 2010 to commit. He's a 6'2", 175 lb. receiver, although when I first evaluated him, I really thought he would be a candidate to play safety in college. He's not exactly a blazer, although he's faster than Miller and Jackson. Like Jackson, though, he's decent at going into traffic.

Projections: At this point, I think all three of these players will stick at wide receiver - no tight end for Jackson or Miller, and no safety for Robinson. That being said, I do not think any of the three will be assuming the crown of Michigan's Next Great Receiver. At least one will almost surely play in the fall, and I wouldn't be surprised to see two of them on the field; Rodriguez isn't shy about burning redshirts, for the most part. Robinson is the most likely to be an impact player in the passing game. He possesses the best speed and big play ability. The other two will have to prove their worth early on by blocking in the running game.

Grade: C. I'm not a big fan of this class of receivers. All three players have good qualities, but they also lack elite physical talent. In an offense that revolves around getting its players in space, Rodriguez took several early commitments from guys who might struggle to get open. And if they do get open, they might not be able to do much with the ball. Laterryal Savoy earned a starting job in 2008 by being the best blocking receiver on the team, but it's somewhat disturbing to think that perhaps the best thing that comes out of this class is . . . a couple Laterryal Savoys.

Brandon Graham: Infallible Superhero

Recently, outgoing Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham was asked about Rich Rodriguez. He said:

After the season, we said that, ‘you can’t be up for so long, eventually you have to pay taxes,’ ” Graham said on Saturday. “That’s how we look at it until we get it back up. That’s what we’re going to do. I hope them boys get right next year. Because coach (Rich Rodriguez has) only got one more year — if they don’t do (anything). Because of the allegations, and then, if you have a bad year, then you’ve got to get someone new.

Last week I wrote a post about Morgan Trent making similar comments about Rodriguez's tenure at Michigan. Trent said:

I'm not surprised because I know what happened, and I know what kind of rules were broken. I couldn't see how they were going to get out of that. Whatever steps need to be taken (to restore Michigan's winning tradition), I'm all for it. What is happening right now obviously is not working. I don't know how long they're going to let this last until changes are made. This year is going to be the tell-all what's going to happen. We can't have three losing years in a row. Not at Michigan. To lose seven of last eight games (in 2009) is an embarrassment.

Representative of the Michigan online community, MGoBlog responded to Brandon Graham's statements with, "[These comments] don't say anything about Rodriguez, really. They say something about the guy offering the quote. Brandon Graham, as per usual, is win."

Compare this to MGoBlog's statement that, "The obvious contrast is with Morgan Trent, who sold out the program in a statement. He's just talking out of his ass because he dislikes RR, and I hereby excommunicate him."

My intention here is not to accost Brian, MGoBlog's originator. But since he's a knowledgeable Michigan fan, and someone other Michigan fans look to for leadership, his sentiments are echoed by many fans. These two statements are remarkably similar; the only significant difference lies within Trent's opening statement that "I know what happened, and I know what kind of rules were broken." And since the allegations told us all "what happened" and "what kind of rules were broken," I don't see how Trent's re-statement of public knowledge could possibly be damning.

My intention here is also not to attack Brandon Graham. What he said is probably accurate - this very well could be a do-or-die year for Rodriguez at Michigan. But the disparate reactions to each player's statement lie not in what was said, but who said it. As a likely first round draft pick this year, Graham has been afforded more leeway. He is our hero, so he can say anything he wants. Trent, on the other hand, had an up-and-down career and didn't get picked up until the sixth round of the 2009 draft; therefore, Michigan fans felt compelled to denigrate him in various uncouth ways.

This is nothing new. Talented and respected people get more slack. This is why Hollywood actors never serve time for domestic abuse or drug possession. It's why it was such a huge deal that New York mayor Michael Bloomberg *gasp* wanted criminal mastermind Plaxico Burress prosecuted to the full extent of the law for possessing a weapon illegally. In many instances, someone like Burress would get slapped on his left wrist while signing an autograph for the judge with his right hand.

But let's call a spade a spade - either Graham and Trent were wrong to say what they did, or neither statement was a big deal. I don't have a problem with either statement.