.jpg/433px-Royce_Jenkins-Stone_(2012-09-15).jpg) |
| Royce Jenkins-Stone |
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 215 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Linebacker
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #52
Last year: I ranked Jenkins-Stone #66 and said he would redshirt if possible. I guess it wasn't possible because he played special teams all year.
Royce Jenkins-Stone heads into his sophomore year weighing and heighing the same weight and height he did going into his senior year of high school. I said last year that he would have to be able to make an impact on special teams in order to avoid a redshirt, and that sort of happened but he also sort of didn't make any tackles, either. He was just a guy running down the field on coverage units. After saying that he wanted to be the next Ray Lewis, Greg Mattison telling him he could be, and choosing #52 on the path to that goal, he left the spring as the #2 weakside linebacker behind James Ross.
Based on what I've seen so far - on special teams, in the spring game, from high school - I'm not sure where Jenkins-Stone fits. He's not speedy enough to be a good fit at WILL. He's not instinct or big enough to be a good fit at MIKE. And he's not long enough or hefty enough to be a good fit at SAM. With two classmates (Ross and Joe Bolden) already having earned significant playing time at the inside spots, it will be an uphill battle for him to get on the field. He also may be facing competition from redshirt sophomore Antonio Poole and incoming freshman Ben Gedeon. I think Jenkins-Stone will continue to help on special teams, but I'm not sure if he can contribute on defense just yet.
Prediction: Backup weakside linebacker, special teams contributor
Have updated weights and heights been released yet?
ReplyDeleteI think the weight/height figures on the official MGoBlue.com roster are still left over from last fall, even though jersey numbers were updated.
The weights were updated. For example, Brennen Beyer was 252 lbs. and now he's listed at 254.
DeleteRJS I think is ranked a few spots too high. I think if Ross went down, Mattison would go with a different look where Bolden or D Thomas would come in. I'm not sure if he comes in as a 1 for 1 replacement for Ross. With that in mind, I would put Morris and Kerriage ahead of Ross IMO.
ReplyDeleteDymonte Thomas is a safety/nickel corner. He wouldn't come in to replace James Ross. If Ross went down long term, I don't think Jenkins-Stone would replace him. But I do think he could rotate in or step in if Ross needs a breather.
DeleteI think d-ronii's point is that the WLB can be swapped out for a nickelback pretty often. If you lost your starter, the position could be demphasized.
DeleteThere are a lot of guys who would become rotational backups if a starter went down. Certainly a guy like Wormley, probably a guy like Charlton, and many of the guys below him on the list.
Without injuries, Kerridge is a starter and Houma will rotate in. Wormley's probably in the rotation too (and competing for a starting gig). Even Furman is more important to this team.
This is WAY too high for RJS, especially given your high level of criticism as a player. I like his long-term potential still, but with Bolden ahead of him, and maybe others, there's very little chance of him contributing meaningful snaps and he's a player Michigan won't need or miss if he's not there this season. I'd have put him about 15 spots lower as a generic special-teamer who won't be asked to do any more than that.
Is heighing a word? Although I'll give you the fact that I got your point and then of course there's the living language thing to consider.
ReplyDeleteI think Jenkinss-Stone's problem is and will likely continue to be James Ross who is special.
He needs to grow into a position that Ross doesn't happen to be occupying.
I saw a mashup of the CassTech De La Salle game where Wilcher pounded him in there between the tackles against a hard nosed football team with a pretty stout tradition of hitting people and was impressed with his toughness. He also made some plays at linebacker in a real physical game that he hardly came out of.
But, if 6'2" 215 is what he is, he's a depth kid, although I think a good one.
Yeah, it seems like maybe the long-term plan for RJS should be to bulk up and compete for the MLB spot--but that's not a clear path to the field either, because of Bolden and Ferns (plus Morgan who still has eligibility left for 2014). More talented LBs than spots on the field = nice problem to have, though.
DeleteBrandin Hawthorne was about that size, as I recall, and he did a reasonable job as a backup later in his career. RJS may yet develop, but right now it's hard to project him as a quality starter. A bit of shame, since he came in so highly touted, but in hindsight, it's difficult to see why he was one of the top LB prospects in the country.
Delete@ Roanman
DeleteHeighing is not a word, but it looks an awful lot like weighing...
Hawthorne was/is quicker and faster than Jenkins-Stone. Jenkins-Stone is a middle linebacker in a weakside linebacker's body, and Hawthorne was a weakside linebacker in a strong safety's body.
Jason Newsted approves of Royce's jaw line.
ReplyDeleteIt's too early to be sure about these things, but of the much-touted Ross/Richardson/Jenkins-Stone trio, it is quite possible that Ross will be a star and Richardson and Jenkins-Stone will have minor, forgettable careers. Both could have been counted on to play more if their careers were a few years ago, but now the competition on defense is such that... well, it is hard to imagine Richardson as more than a backup nickel corner, and Jenkins-Stone *might* start one year?
ReplyDeleteWas anyone really that high on Richardson, besides the ranking services?
DeleteHe's always been tiny, and I never really got the sense that people were that excited about him.
With the type of talent that Hoke and Co. have been bringing in, it's fair to say that if someone is not projecting into the two deep by the end of their second year in the program, then they probably never will (perhaps with the exception of QB and OL).
DeletePlenty of people were excited about Richardson. Although it might have been a "come visit and we will talk more about an offer," Alabama offered him. Obviously his size has been a concern and he might not be an all-American when all is said and done, but he flashed great play making ability whether as a corner or a receiver. In retrospect, he should have been redshirted but o well. Give him another year of adding requisite size and we will see if he can carve out a role or not.
DeleteRichardson also got offered by Ohio State, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and USC, so he was certainly not a reach by our coaching staff. He may not develop, but we were not the only ones who saw something in him.
DeleteMaybe it was just me, then. I think the combination of Cass Tech's dubious DB streak combined with Richardson's tiny size gave me pause. But as with all of my pessimistic thoughts, I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong.
Delete(Or maybe hindsight is 20/20 and I'm totally misremembering what I thought of him when he committed.)
I'll admit this kind of thing bugs me.
Delete"With all the talent coming in" the guys who have already arrived on the team get marginalized. Well, part of "all the talent" IS the guys that are here. Richardson was a stud recruit with one of the most impressive offer lists anyone Hoke has landed. "All that talent" doesn't pan out - some guys are busts and some are marginal contributors. That isn't going to change.
Is it too early? Yes - way too early. These guys have been on campus for less than a year. Ross looks like a star, but part of that was opportunity - the people ahead of him weren't all that impressive. Richardson played as a freshman, and yeah he's always going to be small, but there's a role for guys like him. He may not (or may) be an all-conference starter but he still have a very good chance to be a key contributor. RJS' path is a little tougher because he's blocked by people in his class, who've already proven they can play. That doesn't mean attrition won't hit or position switches won't happen. Don't write kids off after their freshman years, especially kids getting offers from Alabama and the like.
Prediction: RJS sees how the freshmen perform, and notices the 2014 recruiting class coming in. He is frustrated with the depth chart and leaves the program prior to the 2014 football season.
ReplyDelete-JC
If McCray and Gedeon both develop quickly and are past him on the depth chart by next spring, that's certainly a possibility.
DeleteIt would be a shame, but as noted, the competition for PT is only going to get tougher. If RJS is going to start making an impact, it may be either this year or never.
Personally, I have found Jenkins-Stone's "progression" to be the most interesting on the entire team. His best fit appears to be at MIKE, it seems as though the coaches want him at MIKE, he seems to want to be at MIKE, yet for whatever reason he's still sitting at 215.
ReplyDeleteIs this purely a weight room/effort thing, or is it just tough for some kids to gain the weight needed to be effective on the field? I have always assumed the former.
If by interesting you mean disappointing, then I agree with you.
DeleteIt might be time to start dropping a star for any recruit out of Cass Tech. Lots of fanfare....no punch!...consistently at that.
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
DeleteThat is why I am not devastated by losing Webb to OSU. If his career is anything like just about every other "stud" from Cass Tech he will be riding the pine for four years.
Of course, Webb will likely end up being the exception to the rule and become an All-American for OSU because the universe hates me.
For the Cass Tech haters - Thomas Gordon has been really good. Dior Mathis is doing well at Oregon. Cissoko, were he not a headcase, could have been a multi-year starter. There haven't been too many stars out of Cass lately but they're producing quality college players.
ReplyDeleteWebb was a huge loss for Michigan. I don't know why Michigan fans would knock the only 'pipeline' Michigan has.