 |
| Nathan Brink |
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 263 lbs.
High school: Holland (MI) Christian
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #67
Last year: I did not rank Brink. He played in 11 games and made 1 tackle for loss.
Brink was a bit of a surprise last year, at least to me. On a somewhat thin defensive line, the walk-on strongside end was touted during the spring and summer as a potential contributor by defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, who said that Brink was good enough to be in the two-deep at any of Mattison's college stops (including Michigan, Notre Dame, and Florida). I guess Mattison wasn't lying, so maybe I should put more stock in what he says about personnel . . . but Brink played in eleven games and made just one tackle, so . . . yeah, I'm still not sure.
Whenever I saw Brink in the game last season, he seemed to struggle to get off the ball. He was getting pushed around and couldn't seem to get off blocks. Of course, he was only a 260-ish pound redshirt sophomore, so maybe some added weight and strength will make the difference. I have questions about whether he can be a productive player, but Mattison says he can, so here he sits at #40 on the list. Craig Roh will probably start at the 5-tech position with no clear pecking order behind him, so the opportunity is there for Brink to step in, along with redshirt freshman Keith Heitzman and a few incoming freshmen.
Prediction: Backup defensive end
Quick question that may be slightly off-topic. Any knowledge on whether or not Brink is on scholarship this year?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure. That probably won't be decided until toward the end of fall practice, because it likely depends on his spot on the depth chart.
DeleteI too did not see much from Brink and wonder why Mattison talked about him so much last spring. It's possible that the guy is a better practice player than gamer. This spring, Mattison has been talking up Beyer. Though I think he has more potential than Brink, I did not see the raw material from Beyer that says "future star" - at least at WDE. I think we find out this year whether you can trust Mattison's explicit personnel comments to the press or if he uses them solely for motivational or strategic purposes.
ReplyDeleteHe was a sophomore walk-on, undersized, who got hurt. The coaches liked his hustle and potential. Nuts to call him a 'better practice player than gamer' at this point. Beyer and Brink aren't competing with each other.
DeleteI think its on between Brink and some of the freshman for a role in the DL rotation. Until we start getting practice reports about one or more of them looking like studs, I'll assume Brink will be one of the first guys off the bench.
For one reason or another, I think he'll end up starting at least one game this year.