Dexter (MI) Dexter running back Cole Cabana committed to Michigan on Saturday afternoon. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Michigan State, Pitt, Purdue, and West Virginia, among others.
Cabana is listed at 6'0" and 180 lbs. He claims a 10.69 in the 100 meters and recently ran a laser-timed 4.31-4.34 in the 40. He also has a 235 lb. bench and a 4.1 shuttle time. As a junior in 2021, he ran for 1,688 yards and scored 28 total touchdowns.
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Cabana grew up a Michigan State fan despite living close to Ann Arbor. He started getting offers after his sophomore year, but the big ones for him didn't come until his junior film started being passed around. He was offered by MSU in October and then Michigan in January. Despite seeming like a lean to the Spartans earlier, the visit to Michigan and a developing relationship with running backs coach Mike Hart pushed the Wolverines over the edge.
The most obvious strength for Cabana is his speed. He has very good acceleration and top-end speed. The only time anyone really seems to track him down from behind on film is when he's running through the muck of a rain-soaked and muddy field. When he's on turf (Michigan plays on turf!), he's explosive. Cabana has good short-area lateral quickness and can make people miss by putting pressure on them with his speed. He can also be effective in the screen and receiving game.
Cabana does not play with much power and does not drive his feet after contact. Especially if he gets his shoulder turned, he struggles to break tackles, and he does not necessarily have great cutting ability. Sometimes when he gets running toward the sideline, he struggles to plant his foot and find a crease upfield. I also do not see a great willingness to step up and help out in pass protection.
Overall, I think Cabana is a pretty classic case of a finesse type of running back, a guy who can run real fast but will struggle with the physical aspects of the game. There is a place for those types of players, but it's probably not as an every down back. I think he has some similarities to former Michigan running back Drake Johnson, a track star who never topped 60 carries in a season. Johnson had some injury issues, but he still occasionally popped off a nice run and even had a long screen catch for a touchdown against Maryland.
If it were up to me, I would try to use Cabana much like Michigan used Donovan Edwards in 2021: mostly as a change-of-pace type guy who can go in motion, get the ball in space, and maybe line up out wide. While I think Edwards will advance beyond that into more of an all-around back, I'm not sure that Cabana will. I would also get Cabana out into a pass pattern rather than trying to use him as a protector.
Michigan now has five commitments in the class of 2023, including fellow offensive skill players Semaj Morgan, a wide receiver, and Andrew Rappleyea, a tight end. Dexter does not typically produce much in the way of Division I talent, and the last couple Michigan players from there have been in the form of kicker Karl Kerska and defensive back Matt Mitchell.
TTB Rating: 73
He's got some shake and slip away if he can catch you with his hips squared up and dropped. He does struggle with momentum tho when it's time to stick it in the ground and go.
ReplyDeleteI think that that can maybe be drilled.
I'll never forget you calling Drake Johnson a "bender" and thinking ????? Only to go watch his film again and Lol he's a bender. Cabana isn't as bad, but he gets high trying to turn a corner and doesn't always get it turned.
Two questions, Harbaugh? And did you ever get around to "not Eddie Vanderdoes" and I just missed it.
If not, feel no pressure, I've watch every snap there is to watch, I think. And I think he's really good, but not Eddie Vanderdoes ... unfortunately.
Is "not Eddie Vanderdoes" = Mason Graham from the '21 class? If so, I'd also be curious to see what TTB thinks of him. I don't recall seeing a write-up.
DeleteCool story: my ex was one of EV's High School teachers
DeleteYes, he became not Eddie Vanderdoes to me when someone at one of the services compared the two favorably, I got all fired up and rushed off to watch his film, only to decide that, nope not Eddie. But I did like him.
DeleteThere is more film out now, at least I've found some more film, I like him more now.
People are talking about his motor which you can't really appreciate on a highlight reel, because ... highlights. But you can see that he really brings it with him, and that he does not want to be blocked even a little. Also the competition he's playing against is thought to be, by some, the highest level in the land.
I like to get Thunder's views on linemen because he sees stuff I almost never see without a prompt.
I'm really happy with our DTs in this class. I think that they might very likely prove out to be better than Smith and Hinton, and I absolutely do not mean that as damnation by faint praise. D line is underrated for being difficult for young guys to come in and play. Physical maturity in big people can take some time on both sides of the ball.
My two favorite positions to coach: defensive line and quarterback. Defensive line for the pure energy and excitement of getting after it on every play, and QB for the challenge of playing mind games with defensive players and coaches.
DeleteI'm putting together a piece on Harbaugh right now. I have not got around to Not Eddie Vanderdoes yet.
DeleteI think he's value will be in the slot. Slot guys aren't known for power running. Just running good routes, and being fast. I don't think he will ever be a P5 RB. I saw his interview after his commitment. He did mention he will be in the slot, along with other spots, on the team. He may be just a slot by the time he hits the field in real games.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of video getting passed around, here's one that doing just that.
Nate White:
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12907661/613d11cbb019460b74c630dd
I think slot is a good fit for some of his skills. At this point I'm not sure how I would picture that in Gattis's offense. I can see him lining up in some tight sets like A.J. Henning and getting end arounds or jet sweeps. Ideally, when I think of a slot guy, I think more of the slot types like Roy Roundtree for Rich Rodriguez, who caught bubbles and downfield RPOs.
DeleteIMO, if I were a dynamic slot type of guy, I think I would try to be used like Roundtree was for Rodriguez rather than how Henning is used for Harbaugh/Gattis. I think Henning is being under-used and perhaps might feel that way.
That's some mighty impressive video of Nate White. He makes some people look downright silly.
I guess when I think of slots, I think of what Alabama did with Mac Jones at QB. They would get mismatches with slots on LBs and get big chunk plays. They would even try to just get 1 on 1 coverage on the slot, with WRs doubled, or with safeties cheating toward WRs. You're probably right, that that won't happen at Michigan with the current coaches.
DeleteThis is a video of Kurt Warner showing what Alabama did with Mac Jones. Interesting vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFNLPM2o6E4
Allen Trieu of 247 posted the Nate White video.
DeleteKick returner. Get him a crease, and he can have a Daryll Stonum moment
ReplyDeleteOther than that, beef him up a bit, because in order to play Harball, you gotta break a tackle or ten