Name: Tyler McLaurin
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 237 lbs.
High school: Bolingbrook (IL) Bolingbrook
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #27
Last year: I ranked McLaurin #74 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: 75
McLaurin is a big linebacker at 6'3" and 237 pounds. He might have been a prototypical inside linebacker in the 1990s or even the early 2000s, but most linebackers these days are smaller and quicker than they used to be. It seemed to be pretty obvious that he would redshirt - most freshman linebackers do unless they're likely to start the following year - and he did. Michigan had plenty of depth at outside linebacker, and they had three solid guys on the inside.
As for the 2022 season, we can be fairly confident that the two starters will be Junior Colson and Nikhai Hill-Green. After that things are up in the air. Kalel Mullings might be playing running back, Joey Velazquez plays baseball all winter/spring, Jaydon Hood got some snaps last year, and there are two solidly built freshmen in Jimmy Rolder and Deuce Spurlock. And that's not to mention Michael Barrett, who is likely to fit in somewhere, but we just don't know where. Someone has to call "Next!" I don't think it will be McLaurin because I think his upside is capped, but he should start to get some special teams action this year.
Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer
"most linebackers these days are smaller and quicker" Indeed. The current batch of contributing LBs are
ReplyDelete6'1 215
6'1 220
6'0 225
6'2 225
6'1 235 (maybe moving to RB)
On this alone I've wondered if McLaurin might not end up following a Winovichian path to the edge. No signs of that yet.
Noah Sewell is 6'3 250, so it's not like it's impossible to be this big and effective, it's just not the prototype anymore.
Happy to see he is moved to edge on the new roster. That's a good sign for him and hopefully he has the speed and quickness to be a pass rush threat there.
ReplyDeleteWe need it because I can't imagine Derrick Moore (280) or Mike Morris (290) are going to be confused for Aiden Hutchinson or even Rashan Gary.