2011 Countdown: #33 Mike Jones

Mike Jones (#27) tries to tackle Mark Moundros

Name: Mike Jones
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 208 lbs.
High school: Edgewater High School in Orlando, FL
Position: Weakside linebacker
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #27
Last year: I ranked Jones #55 and said he would be a special teams regular.  He made 1 tackle before breaking his lower leg in the second game of the season.

Jones has been mostly a special teamer thus far in his career, playing linebacker in only one game.  He seemed to be Jonas Mouton's primary backup at weakside linebacker going into 2010, but the broken leg put a stop to that in Week 2.  He's been stuck at less than 210 lbs. for a couple years now, and while that's not a huge issue at weakside linebacker, you can't be much lighter and still be effective at tackling and taking on blockers.

Lots of people think Jones will be the starting WILL when Michigan takes the field in September.  I am not one of those people.  He was running with the first team in the spring game, but that was partly because Marell Evans bumped over to MIKE in the absence of Kenny Demens.  If Demens is healthy by the fall (which he should be after shoulder surgery), then that opens the door for Evans to fight for a starting spot on the weak side.  I don't foresee Jones beating out Evans.  Even though we haven't seen much of Jones, he was tentative in the spring game and didn't make reads very quickly.  He bit hard on play action fakes and generally tried to run around blocks rather than taking them on.  Whoever starts at WILL, I would attack that position as an opposing coach until those guys prove they can play.

Prediction: Special teams contributor and backup WILL