Name: Jeffrey Persi
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 305 lbs.
High school: Mission Viejo (CA) Junipero Serra
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #79
Last year: I ranked Persi #82 and said he would be a backup offensive tackle (LINK). He played in two games.
TTB Rating: 82
When Matt Dudek was Michigan's recruiting coordinator up through 2020, Persi was the poster boy for staff evaluation. Maybe the recruiting sites didn't love Persi - he was a low 4-star at #322 overall - but the staff did. But if it's not plainly obvious that a guy is going to be good right this minute, that guy is probably not going to make an impact as a true freshman. But Persi also didn't make much of an impact in 2021, playing in just a couple blowouts.
This post predicts quite a leap in 2022, as Persi goes from #82 to #43. Michigan likes to use a sixth lineman as a tight end, like they did in 2021 with Trente Jones. It's not a coincidence that Jones is penciled as the starting right tackle now that Andrew Stueber is gone. So if Jones is Stueber in 2022, who is Jones in 2022? It probably comes down to Persi or Karsen Barnhart. Barnhart seems to be the #1 backup at a few positions - he started four games at left tackle in 2020 and two games at left guard in 2021 - and the staff will either make him the sixth lineman as the "tight end" or keep him ready at tackle/guard. Either way, I expect Persi to start to see an increased role as the seventh or eighth lineman, whether he enters in certain packages or is just in the two-deep as a backup.
Prediction: Backup offensive tackle
HUGE dude, on the warmer
ReplyDeleteNeed comfy leads, to get guys like this plenty of snaps
I imagine with Steuber gone Persi will get more in game opportunities but I'm a little surprised to see him ahead of Atteberry given how much more Atteberry played last year.
ReplyDeleteWe'll see if the leap occurs. I hope so. Hayes and perhaps Jones maybe off to the the NFL after this year, so Michigan may have an opening.
The most important development occurs in practice - so I hope Persi got some reps in against Ojabo and Hutch last year. Iron sharpening iron and all that. Our OL made our DL better and vice versa - hopefully it continues.
In general, you don't see center/guard types being the extra tight end guy. Usually it's a tackle type.
DeleteProbably true but isn't Barnhart the heavy favorite for that job as well as the top backup OT? I know you're predicting a leap for Persi but you still have Barnhart ranked higher, so I assume you agree that he's the 6th lineman and 3rd tackle (i.e., "Jones in 21"). I know you say it could be either him or Persi but it seems like a safe bet given how much playing time Barnhart has drawn.
DeleteI think Barnhart's moonlighting at OG may be playing an outsized influence here. He started a few games at guard as Keegan's fill-in, but that switch was brought on when both Keegan and Zinter were both hurt at the same time. Barnhart struggled at guard and subsequently moved back home to tackle by the end of the year (playing LT against Maryland and Iowa). It seemed like a temporary situation to me and I'd be surprised if he returned.
If we're asking questions like "if Jones is Stueber in 2022, who is Jones in 2022?" I think we also ask who is Filiaga in 2022? Maybe you are saying it's Barnhart (even though he's probably already taking the Jones role) or maybe you are saying it's Crippen (even though he's also the backup OC).
Anyway it's certainly possible that the 4th OT (Persi) is more important than the 3rd OG, especially with a strong backup OC. But last year Filiaga started 4 games and played 12 while Barnhart started 2 and played 10. I'm not sure who played more snaps overall between Filiaga (3rd OG), Jones (Extra OT/Backup OT), and Barnhart (Backup OT/replacement OG) but regardless - the top 8 linemen all played meaningful roles and started games.
Reasonable minds can disagree here on preseason projections. And certainly not every year plays out like 2021. But 8 OL made the top 35 last year and if anything they could have been ranked higher. If Persi is 7th or 8th this is pretty far low for that role. If he's 9th or 10th - which is my guess, this is probably about right. IMO the OGs are getting undervalued if their top backup is at 47.
But maybe there's a leap for Persi that changes things!
Cause for celebration: we have bodies at OL ... we finally have quality depth!
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