Name: Jimmy Rolder
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school: Orland Park (IL) Marist
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Rolder was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 115 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles.
TTB Rating: 81
Rolder was a bit of a late bloomer. Originally planning to play baseball in college, his recruitment didn't really take off until he realized that hitting running backs is a whole lot easier to do than hitting baseballs. His first Power 5 offer didn't come until October of his senior season. He climbed in the rankings and eventually ended up as a 4-star, the #21 linebacker, and #222 overall in the 247 Composite, and Michigan bested Florida, Iowa, LSU, Ohio State, and Wisconsin for his services.
Rolder did not enroll at Michigan early and is just getting to campus this summer, so the chances of him playing much this fall are slim. Much like Deuce Spurlock (whom I profiled yesterday), if Rolder gets on the field, that means things have probably gone wrong with injuries and performance ahead of him. He also probably needs a year or two in the weight room. He could get some late game snaps to prepare him for 2023, when Michigan may need someone to take up snaps potentially vacated by Mike Barrett.
Prediction: Redshirt
So he hits hard. Can he cover slots? Because if he isn't fast, Houston, we have a problem.
ReplyDeleteIf he's playing middle linebacker, he shouldn't really have to cover slot receivers.
DeleteI'm trying to remember the inside LB at Michigan few years ago that got burned a couple time against Ohio St because he ended up on a crossing receiver, and didn't have the speed to cover them.
DeleteAlabama is good at getting fast WRs onto LBs. There will be times he will be left with a fast WR.
I looked it up. Mike McCray.
Delete1. That was Don Brown's defense, and he played a ton of man coverage. Mike Macdonald/Jesse Minter don't play as much man. They have a lot of zone checks for those situations if teams are trying to get linebackers manned up on receivers.
Delete2. Yes, if a linebacker - virtually any linebacker - is manned up on a fast receiver, it's a mismatch. That's not the case for Rolder more than it is any other linebacker. The same comment could be made on Deuce Spurlock's post, Jaydon Hood's post, Nikhai Hill-Green's post, etc.
I hope you're right, because he's a great hitter. I like how he plays LB.
Delete