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| Jarrod Wilson |
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Akron (OH) Buchtel
Position: Free safety
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #22
Last year: Wilson was in high school. He made 71 tackles, 3 interceptions (1 for a touchdown), and 1 blocked punt.
Final TTB Rating: 88
Wilson was a highly touted high school player coached by former Michigan running back Ricky Powers. He had a great junior season (10 interceptions) before teams started avoiding him as a senior. In recent years, Michigan's safeties seem to be low rated (Ray Vinopal, Thomas Gordon) or position changers (Steve Brown, Cam Gordon), so it will be interesting to see how a true free safety pans out. Wilson enrolled at Michigan in January and played a good deal with the second unit during spring ball.
Heading into the 2012 season, Wilson has a very good chance to play a backup role behind incumbent starter Thomas Gordon. However, he will also be competing with redshirt sophomore Josh Furman and redshirt freshman Tamani Carter, both of whom missed all or part of the spring due to some legal issues. The coaches like Wilson's ball skills, but tackling is a bit of an issue at this point. I mentioned in Wilson's recruiting post that he wasn't the best tackler, and there was more evidence when Thomas Rawls ran through Wilson for a score in the spring game. He's a work in progress at free safety, and there have also been hints that Michigan will give him a shot at cornerback. Ultimately, I think he will continue his career at the safety position.
Prediction: Backup free safety
Hooray for bringing in a safety with demonstrated skills at the position! I thought his coverage and ball skills were terrific based on his HS film. Ryan Mundy was another safety who did not tackle well but he eventually overcame that. I'm sure Mattison and company can help him there, if anyone can.
ReplyDeleteReally hoping Wilson stays at safety. Would be incredible to have a playmaker back there for what seems like the first time in a while. You seem to be extremely high on Wilson Thunder. I know you gave him an 88 rating, but do you really think he has All-American potential? Obviously I haven't seen him play yet, but the recruting sites seemed to be all in line stating that he was technically sound, a bit undersized, and had above average athleticism. Thats seems like the profile of good, but not elite player.
ReplyDeleteHere's the explanation of an 88:
Delete80-89 = Very good starter in Big Ten; good chance of All-Big Ten; some NFL draft potential (Ex: Jonas Mouton)
The Steve Brown thing was frustrating. With Cam Gordon at least you knew the defensive staff was desperate and just trying stuff. For both guys, it seemed obvious where they belong.
ReplyDeleteVinopal and T.Gordon both turned out pretty good (Vinopal, for a true freshman anyway, performed reasonably well). While T.Gordon was a safety in HS and is one now, he seemed to bounce around a bit in the secondary as well.
Everyone's hopes are high for Wilson and he has the talent to breakthrough, maybe even as a starter. More likely though, he's the backup like you said. The interesting thing will be if T.Gordon misses time for some reason - who will they call in at FS?
I think Marvin Robinson would probably be the next guy in at FS, even though he's more of a SS. Carter and Furman are wild cards. You might also see a guy like J.T. Floyd move back to FS, while Talbott or Avery or Taylor could step in at CB.
DeleteGordon did bounce around in the secondary, but that was for a horrible defensive coaching staff. Argh...
Yeah, my first thought was Robinson too, but I wonder about Kovacs and Robinson as a Safety duo being too slow. Guess you could say the same about Gordon back there...
DeleteI know you're not a huge fan of Floyd's CB skills, but it's tough to imagine him going back to Safety unless the position gets decimated. Maybe in obvious passing situations. You could be right though, if the coaches don't trust any of the younger guys.
Yeah, Gordon isn't very fast, either... It just depends on Robinson's field awareness. Englemon was pretty good at FS, but he wasn't very fast.
DeleteMy thoughts on Floyd moving to FS don't really have anything to do with his CB skills. I'm just trying to figure out who would have the intelligence to move back there. I think you want more experienced guys back at free safety rather than leaving Floyd at CB and plugging in a green kid like Raymon Taylor or Tamani Carter at FS.
We've also got a LOT of depth at CB, so I don't think we'd experience too much of a downgrade in talent by moving JT Floyd to safety if the situation arises. The staff really likes Raymon Taylor and Courtney Avery (albeit at the nickel, but still...), who could all be legit starters in my book.
DeleteI like our CB depth and I agree there are good young players, but I see Floyd as being a cut above. If the coaches like Taylor they LOVE Floyd.
DeleteAt CB that is. At safety I think they want a better tackler.
There are some (potentially) good backups at S as well. Its not as good as CB, but I don't think it's too far off either. While the dropoff from Gordon to Robinson may perhaps be bigger than the dropoff from Floyd to Taylor/Avery/Hollowell, you also have to factor in the cost of Gordon to Floyd in that scenario. There's a cost to having Floyd shift spots again, and to a position he's less suited for.
In short - I think the secondary is a little closer to having a 'true' 2-deep than in years past. Maybe they don't have to disrupt other positions when a starter goes out at one spot.
Why do people continue to doubt Kovacs and his ability? Dude does nothing but make big plays every game
ReplyDeleteWho's doubting Kovacs's ability?
DeleteWell, I don't know if I'd agree that he does nothing but make big plays every game. People who like him especially tend to notice when he makes a good play (which is not that much of a rarity, I'll grant you), but tend not to notice when a receiver turns the corner and gets outside on a short hitch when Kovacs doesn't get there quite soon enough.
DeleteKovacs is a good player, but let's face it...this team has gone so long without a top-notch, next level safety that I'm not sure most Michigan fans know what one looks like any more. Our standards for safety play are a bit lower than they should be, but hopefully that will change very soon.
Nobody is doubting Kovacs.just saying who would be plugged into where. I think i can speak for alot of ppl on this site/Thunder Kovacs is one of my favorite players on the team
ReplyDelete