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| Brian Cole |
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Saginaw (MI) Heritage
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #81
Last year: Cole was a senior in high school. He was a 247 Composite 4-star, the #5 athlete, and #73 overall.
TTB Rating: 84
Cole was a tantalizing prospect coming out of high school. A top-100 athlete, he spurned some quality programs for Michigan. That included Michigan State, who were thought to be the leaders at one point. He did a little bit of everything for Heritage - running back, wildcat quarterback, receiver, safety, punter, returner, etc. He did not play great competition at Heritage, but he was extremely productive even when defenses understood he was by far the team's biggest threat. Cole also reportedly had some discipline issues and missed some time as punishment.
Cole enrolled early this past January and participated in spring ball. He did not stand out in the spring game, and he received only sporadic buzz in the spring, with practice observers saying he will be good someday. That day will not necessarily come in 2015. He needs to mature a little bit physically, and he is not polished as a wide receiver. Michigan's staff plans to use him in the slot, where he can run some short routes, use his running skills, and maybe pop down the seam once in a while. I don't think Cole is ready to be a starter just yet, so I think he will be coming off the bench to begin. He also has potential as a returner, but Jabrill Peppers - and Dennis Norfleet, if he gets reinstated - should be able to handle the return duties this season.
Prediction: Backup slot receiver
Had not realized that Cole came in early. Glad he did. UM needs speed on offense and this guy could potentially bring some. Maybe he could learn a few patterns and be the end-around guy this year.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first I heard about a possible reinstatement of Norfleet. Is this a 50 - 50 possibility or 75 - 25??
ReplyDeleteI don't think he would mean a win or two but I believe we would be a better team with him on-board.
I would probably say it's 60-40 that he returns at this point.
DeleteFreshman WR! Cole can't be the new Freddy Canteen because Freddy Canteen is the new Freddy Canteen.
ReplyDeleteGood spot for a talented prospect at a position with plenty of opportunity, but I think Darboh, Chesson, and Canteen will stay ahead of him in the pecking order, and there's a few other guys who could factor in as well (including Norfleet, hopefully). I think Cole will contribute at WR, being the 4th or 5th guy, and may even make a few impact plays in meaningful situations, but I don't know that he'll be appreciably better than some of the other options.
Cole seemed a bit overrated to me, since he had few offers of note outside the region (if you count Tenn in the region) and many thought he'd project to defense. A red-shirt isn't out of the question either...
I think WR is a wide open position for us right now, and no one is sure of PT. Anybody who shows that they can get open and catch the ball will play, even a true freshman, and experienced guys could get pushed aside to marginal status. Granted it's rare to have a really productive true freshman at this position, but given our lack of proven talent there, Cole could definitely see the field. Darboh will probably start, but after that, I wouldn't bet on anyone.
DeleteAgreed, but I'd bet on Canteen and Chesson to see the field a lot too. I didn't really see Darboh do anything to be far above those two guys. No one appears ready to be a #1 receiver, but those 3 are the ones that played last year and looked like they belong.
DeleteI'd include Norfleet too, but we don't know his status.
Darboh caught 36 passes and was a primary target last year. Canteen had 5 receptions for 22 yards. So Darboh is much more of a known entity. Agree with Anon that the depth chart is wide open at WR, especially with the new staff and Rudock coming in. Harbaugh was supposedly not super impressed with the group this spring, so it is a level playing field for these guys.
DeleteDarboh was clearly ahead of Canteen and Chesson last year in terms of production and in the eye of the coaches. He seems like the closest thing to a lock for starting as Michigan has at the skill positions. But he didn't LOOK any more talented or skilled than Chesson (to me anyway) and the #1 job is wide open. Typically the #2 guy gets elevated to #1 and the progression is logical, but sometimes more talented players leapfrog a complementary guy. The gap is small enough to overcome if Chesson develops faster.
DeleteI also think Canteen's recruiting profile and his presence in the WR rotation throughout the year as a freshman portends well for next season and beyond.
Finally, you have to consider the possibility of the frequent rumors of an incoming transfer -- though that player is also likely to be a complementary piece than a go-to #1 WR.
It's a shame that with Funchess gone and Chesson, Darboh, Canteen, etc. have yet to prove much, that we can't count on our top recruits at such a position of need. I feel like guys like Harris and Cole need to make impacts this year.
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty cool UA uniform in terms of uniformz.
ReplyDeleteI immediately thought the opposite: it has the most garbage trinket poofs and least connectivity of any uniform I have ever seen.
DeleteI accidentally deleted a post from Lanknows, but here's the content of it:
ReplyDeleteI think we're going to see more 2-TE sets than 3-WR sets. Darboh, Chesson, and Canteen could (should?) handle the bulk of snaps between them, Norfleet and/or a transfer may fill in the rest. Then you have a bunch of backups who should be OK (Dever, Jones, Ways). I don't know that we need much of anything from Harris or Cole, but it would certainly be nice if Michigan could uncover a playmaker. I'm just not sure either of them is that guy. We haven't seen them play but all the indirect evidence says: don't get your hopes up too high. Just because we'd all like a Manningham or Edwards on the roster doesn't mean they are there.
I think we'll be fine at WR tho. I like our top 3 guys to improve and become above average Big 10 starters.
Thanks for going to the trouble of reposting.
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