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| Taco Charlton |
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 273 lbs.
High school: Pickerington (OH) Central
Position: Defensive end
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #33
Last year: I ranked Charlton #38 and said he would be a backup strongside end. He made 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.
For a backup defensive end, it's hard to argue much with Charlton's production last season. He started one game against Rutgers, but he was mostly a backup to Brennen Beyer throughout the season. He got to the quarterback against Maryland, Rutgers, Minnesota, and Appalachian State, and he had three tackles against the Buckeyes. It was a decent year, but it was also somewhat forgettable. Charlton did not leap out as a player who was forcing his way into the starting discussion, and Beyer was not a standout whose play demanded a starting position, either. Charlton was largely inconsistent, making a good play here followed by getting out of position there.
This season Charlton might find himself playing a backup role again. Redshirt junior Chris Wormley had a good spring by all accounts, and Charlton missed a chunk of time to injury, including the spring game. Wormley has been mostly a defensive tackle during his career so far, but the coaching staff thinks his speed can hold up on the edge. If that's not the case, then Charlton is capable of stepping in to play the position. The worry with Charlton is his inconsistency. He's tall and has put on some good weight, but sometimes he stands up too high, sometimes he gets out of his gap, and sometimes he gets too deep. Those are the reasons that he was behind Beyer last season, and those might be what keep him behind Wormley this season. Michigan does not have many options beyond Charlton, which increases his value here. Henry Poggi made a move to offense in the spring, Tom Strobel has barely played during his career, and guys like Reuben Jones and Shelton Johnson are small and freshmen. Charlton will get plenty of playing time, but his consistency needs to improve if he wants to force his way into the starting lineup.
Prediction: Backup strongside end
If Charleton is 31, I feel good about the status of this team.
ReplyDeleteThis was the kid that disappointed me last year. I'm really not sure whether Mattison's defense called for a do-little, stay at home Strongside DE just holding at the point of attack or Mattison decided that that's what he had to go with in Brennan and built that in.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to figure out even an approximation of what Durkin's 3/4 is supposed to go like, despite having watched a fair amount of Florida video this spring. But if it were me, I'd be bringing Charlton hard off the weak edge and living with/planning for the occasional screwup because the disruption a kid with his size and speed can bring is worth it.
Agreed x1,000,000
DeleteSeems like expectations are a little out of whack to me. He's a big guy and good athlete but people are acting like he was a DeShawn Hand caliber recruit and he never was that.
DeleteBeyer and Clark were good players and there's no shame in that. Has Charlton ever actually shown a great ability to be disruptive? He looked solid as a pass rusher at times, but a lot of that was as a DT on 3rd downs. Putting him at WDE hasn't seemed fruitful. It sounds like Durkin D is more like the 4-3 under than last year's over, do Charlton should have more of a home.
I guess the parallel I'm seeing to Charlton's career arc is a strongside version of Frank Clark. Clark was reported to be a good athlete, showed flashes of excellence as a junior and then really stepped up as a senior (before off-field stuff struck) and got himself drafted in the 2nd round.
As a player - I didn't see Clark as a disappointment. If Charlton can match him, that'd be a raging success IMO.
People fall in love with athleticism. That is why the expectations are out of whack. They see a guy with size, speed, range and say "well with some coaching he will just be a freak."
DeleteThey forget the football part.
If its a mental thing with him then he should just be a situational player who is 1 dimensional but they work with him constantly on that 1 dimension so he no longer has to think this year.
The frustrating thing also for UM fans is the lack of DE development (Clark was an exception not rule). This is a typical guy (raw, great measurables) that goes to MSU, redshirts, come out his 3rd year and begins wrecking havoc. So this is Taco's 3rd year and he didnt get a redshirt so we'll see what he does.
Actually I looked at his profile and he was 133 in the country and #5 WDE. I thought he was ranked lower. That makes his inability to push Beyer last year that much more disappointing. Esp since your head coach is supposed to be a DL guru.
@Anon 6:51
DeleteThat's the thing people misunderstand: Hoke is a DT guru, not DL. Other than Clark's final year, U-M got little production from its ends, and it missed time after time on the recruiting front.
This is totally just a guess, but the endless head-scratching cases of guys not seizing opportunities, not pushing guys like Beyer, not changing much from freshman year, etc. suggests there was an across-the-board issue with motivation and the program's culture. The static weights of numerous players suggests that, too.
One of the most intriguing things about this season is seeing which guys emerge now that those days are done.
I have to agree with Roanman. I always thought that Charlton was more a weak side, pass rushing defensive end. I'd like to see him rush the passer, and yes, I was taken by his height. He has been inconsistent, but I'm hoping for good things from him over the next two seasons.
DeleteGood write-up. It is now or never for Taco. He has been through three springs and should be in full stride this fall. Agree with the consistency concerns, especially against the run. A couple of goofs against OSU last year come to mind where he blew contain in spectacular fashion. He also needs to develop further as a pass rusher beyond his luke-warm bull rush.
ReplyDeleteThere is hope. He is obviously physically gifted. But he is probably limited to SDE and he'll have to compete with Wormley and (based on the spring scrimmage) Hurst for snaps, and both of those guys are probably more explosive/powerful. Godin is another one who will compete in there too. He'll get his shot. But Wormley IMO is a future NFL player who will start commanding heavy snaps this season.
Wormley and Hurst are not more explosive than Taco. We'd basically be conceding to not have a pass rush again if either of those guys were to start at SDE.
DeleteNow or never or...you know, next year. He's a junior with time to improve.
DeleteYes, he has all of the time in the world. Being a junior with competitors who either have the same eligibility left or more does not make this a critical year for him. Even if he looks ho-hum again this year, we can expect a major improvement and breakout for his final year. JH is going to be extra patient with an upperclassmen who has not played up to potential for three straight years.
DeleteThere's a chance that Henry goes pro and one of the 5th year guys doesn't return due to attrition. It's doubtful we lose 3 guys but probably we lose at least 1. In 2016, that could bump Wormley back inside to DT and open the starting spot for Taco.
DeleteI'd argue the most likely situation here is that Taco gets better. He was OK last year, inconsistent, but a quality player when he was 'on'. If Taco improves this year a bit, and then improves a bigger bit next year (which is sort of what what most people do) then he'll end up being a very good player.
There's a long list of guys of who have been ho-hum contributors before breaking out into all-conference caliber players their senior years. Clark was a recent one.
So yeah, this isn't a make-or-break year for Charlton. He just needs to keep improving, get more consistent, etc.
Sarcasm is the lowest form of humor.
Like this ranking and write-up for Charlton. Rotation player, but a guy who didn't quite live up to his hype last year.
ReplyDeleteQuestion about position labeling. RVB (my quintessential SDE of recent history) seemed like more of an interior linemen in the old under scheme. But last year's conversion to over gave us two edge DE in Clark and Beyer. With a RLB/DE "buck" on one side and a LB or Hybrid-Space-Player/Nickel DB on the other -- does the SDE position still count as an 'edge' player, or is it more like being a 3-4 DE?
What happens if Wormley or Charlton gets hurt? Do they plug Poggi or Stroblel into the 2-man rotation -- or do they move someone over from DT? My guess would be that Hurst or Godin slide over.
The SDE position this year is going to be more like Van Bergen's role, which is why I think Wormley can handle it. We're probably going to see an Under front (like from 2011-2013) or some 3-4 most of the time. We had an Over front last year because both Beyer and Clark were basically weakside ends.
DeleteIf Wormley or Charlton gets hurt, my guess is that Godin or possibly even Willie Henry would move over. I don't think Hurst would make that kind of move, because he's always been an interior guy. Henry has played some SDE in practices.
That matches my thinking. Hadn't heard Henry working at SDE, but it seems like it could work since DT and SDE are so similar in the Under.
DeleteWow, for a recruit of his status and a guy with his size to be a junior and expected to be a backup is somewhat depressing for me. He's our only edge pass rusher. If he can't get to the QB this year we could be in trouble. IMO he needs to step up and have a big year for our defense to be anything other than bend but don't break again.
ReplyDeletewhat status? He was a solid 4 star with a profile totally typical for a Michigan caliber recruit.
DeleteI don't see him as an edge pass rusher, I see him as a developing SDE with good athleticism for his size. Upside is RVB but faster.
He was 133 and top 5 at his position group. Guys like that star for their teams. Hell there are some low 4s and high 3s who going into their 3rd camp are all conference. He has not lived up to expectations- esp last year.
DeleteAre most of the 2013 DE ranked around where Charlton rank stars now? Or are most of them backups coming off their RS freshman years?
DeleteI think Mario Ojemudia counts as an edge rusher. He's probably not the physical specimen that Clark and Charlton are/were, but that's still his role. Then you have Lawrence Marshall, who's less experienced but has some potential.
DeleteOjemudia is definitely an edge guy, Clark too - is Charlton? He seems closer to an interior (i.e., SDE) than an edge guy (i.e., WDE) to me.
DeleteHoke was playing favorites with Beyer. Taco will show out this year watch.
ReplyDeleteI know a lot of people weren't high on Beyer, but he was never a liability.
DeleteTaco was a 3* recruit and has lived up to that billing so far. When he signed I thought he must be a steal but we're seeing why he was a mid range recruit.
ReplyDeleteI hope I'm wrong and he becomes the next Brandon Graham.
I thought he was too but then I just looked today and he was a 4, and much higher thn 3.
Deletehttp://247sports.com/Player/Taco-Charlton-7639
Also I hate the "oh he is a 3 and we can see why" crap. Calhoun was a 3 star and is going to be a 3 year starter who is a borderline 1st/2nd pick and impacts almost every game and has for 2 years. Same athletic profile but he developed. HS rank is not end all be all esp for "raw" guys with athleticism to burn. Thats the whole point of college - developing them.
If he were to become Brandon graham he would need rich rod's training program... Graham went from a fluffy kid to an actual baller!! Btw, Utah is preseason ranked 5th in Pac south and has received 40 votes in preseason poll MI got 1.. Gonna be a heck of a game for jimmy and crew Thursday night
ReplyDeleteHe ain't becoming Brandon Graham no matter how hard he trains. Graham is on a completely different level in terms of power and explosiveness. Barwis got Graham in shape, but the raw talent was there. Taco is not going to be an all-conference starter, but he can get better and be a solid player.
DeleteRemember that Graham had 8.5 sacks as a sophomore under Lloyd Carr and strength coach Mike Gittleson. I think Barwis helped him a little bit, but Graham was already pretty dang good. His really fluffy year was as a true freshman in 2006.
Delete