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| David Dawson (image via Scout) |
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 309 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #55
Last year: I ranked Dawson #53 and said he would be a backup offensive guard. He played in five games.
Dawson redshirted in 2013 when he was 280 lbs., but he bulked up to 295 last season and became a backup. He made his debut in the Appalachian State blowout, and played in four more games afterward. The Wolverines stayed relatively healthy last season, so he was not needed often.
This year not much changes ahead of him, so he probably won't be called upon unless bad things happen to the knees and ankles of the starters or a couple key backups. Dawson has practiced at various times at both guard and both tackle spots. At a good size of 309 lbs., he seems like the first guard likely to draw into the lineup, but redshirt junior Blake Bars is an option, as is redshirt sophomore center/guard Patrick Kugler. Dawson did not fare particularly well in the spring game and was abused a few times by defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, Jr., so I don't think Dawson is quite ready for prime time yet. The way things look right now, he may have to wait for redshirt juniors Kyle Kalis, Ben Braden, and Erik Magnuson to graduate before he gets a shot to start.
Prediction: Backup offensive guard
Among my fondest hopes for this season is the one about Maurice Hurst really being that good, thus making David Dawson, not bad.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see any of Hoke's highly touted OL recruits actually step up and grab a starting job by being clearly a starting caliber BT player and clearly better than anyone else at the position, and not just by default and having been on the roster the longest. Maybe this will be the year, but so far, there's no sign of it...
ReplyDeleteUh, Mason Cole?
DeleteCole may have been the best left tackle on the roster, but he was still only a starter by default. Sad but true. As noted below, at 280 lbs, he was not pushing too many people around.
DeleteOne hit...mostly strikes.
DeleteSome Hoke OL recruits didn't pan out, of course, but let's see if any improvements in coaching make a difference this year.
DeleteAgree with the sentiment. Job #1 for Hoke when he took over was to find some OL recruits who could be fast-tracked. I'd say other than Glasgow and Cole, he did not accomplish that. I sense that Harbaugh and Drevno have a pretty good read on the position group and are addressing the OL recruiting accordingly. Some of these upperclassmen OL will be "caretakers" until JH's recruits get their bearings.
DeleteCole sort of qualifies. He was fine, but you don't start a 280-pound true freshman left tackle unless you've royally screwed things up.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't you have made Dawson #55? (Sorry; couldn't resist)
ReplyDeleteHmm, I feel all of the last few people should be higher than this. If Dawson is really the 7th or 8th OLmen on the depth chart, he belongs higher IMO.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping the starters pan out and are healthy and Dawson gets some work in while we blow out some lesser opponents.