Former Alabama, Houston, and UT-Martin defensive end/outside linebacker Eyabi Anoma has enrolled at Michigan.
Anoma was listed at 6'6" and 270 lbs. as a Jack linebacker on UT-Martin's roster. He made 36 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 3 quarterback hurries in 2021.
2018 RECRUITING RANKINGS
ESPN: 5-star, 94 grade, #1 DE, #3 overall
On3: N/A
Rivals: 5-star, 6.1 grade, #1 WDE, #7 overall
247 Sports: 5-star, 100 grade, #1 WDE, #4 overall
Hit the jump for more.
Michigan recruited Anoma when he came out of high school in 2018, but they backed off at one point, and he signed with Alabama. After one season at Alabama - where he made 9 tackles and 2 TFLs as a freshman - he was removed from the team and transferred to Houston, where he sat out due to transfer rules. He ended up at UT-Martin and spent one season there. Technically, this would be his fifth year of eligibility in 2022, but the COVID situation in 2020 means he could return in 2023 for a final year.
Anoma was a beast of a human when he came out of high school. He was listed in the range of 6'5" and 235 lbs. as a recruit, but he already looked like a Power 5 college football player. His combination of strength, speed, and relentlessness was impossible for high schoolers to handle. The problem has been his off-the-field issues. His high school head coach, Biff Poggi, is now on staff at Michigan and could help rein him in a little bit.
The truly curious thing about Anoma coming to Michigan is that usually Michigan doesn't get a ton of transfers or players with character issues. Since Anoma is a graduate transfer, he will be immediately eligible and does not have to jump through the same hoops as an undergrad transfer. But will he fit into the team's culture?
As for getting on the field, Michigan could possibly use some help at the edge positions. After David Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson moved on to the NFL, Michigan lost 25 sacks from its total last year. It has been unclear exactly who will step up in those positions in 2022, though some combination of Mike Morris, Taylor Upshaw, and Jaylen Harrell seemed likely. I doubt Anoma will be an immediate starter since he missed out on spring ball and even the beginning of fall camp, but he could be a valuable backup. Or if things don't go well, he could end up off the team. In general, anything Michigan gets out of Anoma will be a plus since nobody expected him to be on the team up until last night.
Here are Anoma's senior highlights from the 2017 season:
He made the All SEC Freshman Team. He was an honors student at Alabama . Since his grandma past away he now says he wants to live the life his grandma wanted him to live. There is a very good chace he will be a starter by the end of the season. I think he has 2 years of eligibilty left .
ReplyDeleteI forgot to say, PFF has him at the #10 EDGE in college .I remember when they had Michael Dana ranked high in their grading system .He was unknown. It turned out they were right.
DeleteHere's he quote from PFF:
Delete"Now four years removed from high school, Anoma finally started to see regular playing time at UT-Martin, earning a 72.3 overall grade on 308 snaps. Anoma simply needs to play football at this point. Remember, he’s been playing football for only six years now. He needs the reps. With an unbelievable get-off for a man his size, he doesn’t need much coaching to make an impact."
Danna was a 92 grade by PFF - at a higher level of play at the same point (4 years out of high school).
I think he's worth a shot but the chances of him starting here in 2022 are very very low. Keep in mind that Danna, a best case scenario, started only 1 game and had 3 sacks total at Michigan.
I don't think he will start or that Michigan will need him to. If he can be a situational pass rusher, I think that would help. He's a better pass rusher than at least a couple guys that Michigan is has in the top five or six edges on the roster.
DeleteThis is as about as low risk, high reward as it gets. The program can provide him guidance and familiarity, and at the same time has no need to tolerate untoward behavior should it arise. If he’s a fraction of his gifted, high-motor HS self, he’s a rotational piece. If he returns to #1DE in the nation form and maintains sharp focus he could become an all B1G player. Probably next year for that, and a lot of “ifs”, but still.
ReplyDeleteA a person in recovery from addiction and sober 10 years, I believe strongly in second (and often third, depending on the harm potential and circumstances) chances. A motivated, grounded Anoma could provide the redemption story everyone loves to see.
—Joby
Agree on the "ifs" and next year
DeleteI hope attitude isn't an issue, because Harbaugh has his locker room back! Other than that, yeah, low risk high reward sounds right
Congrats Joby. Would be awesome if Anoma finds the right path at Michigan. I hope so and agree the redemption story would be beautiful.
DeleteMy quibble with Anoma as a player is that we can't really hope for a "return to form" when he's never been a high end college player. Recruiting rankings are often just flat out wrong and that seems likely to be the case here. Joe Milton was in the same class and at least he can point to some 300 yard games as a "return to form" target - Anoma has not done anything close.
The biggest void on the roster is a pass rusher off the edge. Anoma could fill it. From a fan perspective you have to be happy about this surprising addition.
ReplyDeleteThe upside (based on the recruiting profile) is enticing. The connection to Poggi is reassuring. If it works out for the young man to turn his life around with a grad degree from Michigan and/or a return to NFL radars - that's a great outcome for everyone and exactly the kind of thing you want to see happening in college programs (setting aside that this is chance 4 or 5, because of his talent.)
BUT...
Anoma isn't a 235 pound speed demon off the edge. He's a 270 pound DE, which means he's more likely to be Welshof than Uche, and this roster already has Welshof. He doesn't exactly fit what Michigan needs, though it is the right position in general. (And the need only grows in 2023 because of some poor recruiting.)
More important than size, he wasn't a standout player at UT-Martin so it's not clear why he would be at Michigan. The recruiting profile doesn't really matter anymore - he's played 2 seasons in the last 4 years. Didn't look like a 5-star at either stop. 5 star talents in his recruiting class include Trevor Lawrence, Peni Sewell (ranked a 4 star), Jaylen Waddle (4). and Aiden Hutchinson (4). These guys are off in the NFL. Others in the class are busts - like long since forgotten 4-stars in the Michigan class include Myles Sims and Mustapha Muhammed. Sims is starting at Georgia Tech (more impressive than Anoma). Muhammed is "retired" after legal problems (what a nice euphemism) which is the road Anoma has veered towards unfortunately with whatever his off-field issues have been. No one thinks these are elite talents anymore - why should we think Anoma is?
Poggi looms large here but I think the expectations should be closer to Willie Allen and Jordan Whitley than Mike Danna or Olu O. Danna was an elite player in the MAC. Anoma, with all his speculated talent, was sort of just a guy at UT Martin.
If he gets on the field at all in 2022 it would be a positive for him. My hope is that he shows enough to be encouraged and can make a meaningful impact in 2023. I would be kind of shocked if he takes meaningful snaps from Harrell, McGregor or even Moore and McLaurin.
As for the cost - my understanding is that he is getting a scholarship. This is a zero sum game - so that means someone else is NOT getting a scholarship. Someone in the next couple weeks is getting pushed out of the program or told to accept a medical scholarship. If that's already happened (beyond public knowledge), then alternatively, a hard-working walk-on is not going to get the dream reward they've busted their butts to earn. That is a real cost to the program.
So yeah, this is a potentially nice addition for the program but it feels like a bit of a hail mary. I hope it works out for everyone but my expectations are low. Even if it works I think 2023 is the more likely timeline for on-field help. I'll be super happy to be proven wrong if he's flexing over CJ Stroud in November though!
That 6'6" 270 thing turns out to be incorrect. He got listed on the roster at 6'5" middle 240s. Still a big kid. He should not be slowed down by weight.
Deletehttps://mgoblue.com/sports/football/roster/eyabi-anoma/23861
DeleteYeah 244 on the roster. Bama had him at 245. UT Martin had him at 270 so perhaps he gained and lost weight in the last 3 years or maybe UT Martin inflated it.
Intriguing and encouraging.
I probably did not give him enough credit for this resume item: "Ranked first in the OVC in sacks (6.0) and second in tackles for loss (8.0) during league play"
youre right that every scholarship matters and its zero sum - however walkons should only earn scholarships at the last minute right before 1st game when theyre wide open for whatever reason. or if theyre glasgows who end up legit impact players.
Deleteits great to see walkons earn scholarships, everyone loves it but the goal always must be stockpiling the most talent. if this dude has potential to fills holes on D, sign him up. better to roll the dice on potential impact player than harbaugh offering scholarship to 5th string TE who plays 5 snaps/game.
they intentionally heavily scout and pursue walkons to add to the desired culture and hopefully find gems every once in a while. many are local kids or national guys who desperately want to be at um. its cool if theyre rewarded with scholarships but thats not the cost staff stress over - they stress over not having enough options to produce game altering DL, smashing OL, speed, etc. if they like his character its an obvious decision given the roster. still worth the spot though even if doesnt work out
The first thought that came to mind was “Wow. This is a great move!”. Picking up a former 5* is a can’t lose situation. The more I thought about it, the more I get worried about the upcoming season. It is unlike Michigan to pick up a player with baggage. I agree with Lank that this will come at a cost of scholarship to another kid and perhaps even risk team chemistry. The coaches must have felt this is a “gamble” they have to try. I mean this kid was kicked off from 2 teams, who prioritizes wins over characters. If the kid is worth the trouble, Bama & Houston would have found ways to keep the kid. This move most probably show that the coaches do not have confidence in our current edge rushers. If we can’t rush the passers, we might see a loss as early as Maryland.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the baggage, though I am of a different opinion. I will admit that I’m biased about this because I work in addiction medicine, where people often have some checkered pasts, and I’ve had some serious baggage myself. But there are ways to assess the status and potential of someone who has created problems or harm, and ensure that they will be unlikely to create further disruption.
Delete1. Accountability: Does the person have someone holding their feet to the fire? Are they able to remain honest, admit faults immediately, create a plan for correcting them? Have they demonstrated any capacity for staying accountable? We do know that Anoma was able to graduate from UT-Martin after his previous struggles two years prior. But that’s all we know.
2. Self-awareness: Is the person able and willing to understand the harm they created? Without this understanding, they’re more likely to recreate conditions that led to harm, even if they do so unintentionally.
3. Vulnerabilities: What’s the person’s psychological makeup (trauma, resentments, abandonment, etc.). What kind of unconscious motivations do they have? Are they willing to examine those with a professional?
4. External environment: does the person continue to stay connected to the people, places and things that led to harm, or do they stay connected to more productive environments?
Resistance and Integrity: How capable is this person of staying in truth? Do they deny the harm they created, or try to minimize its impact? Do they blame others? Do they rationalize unhealthy behaviors? Do they demonstrate capacity to fully embrace their reality? Can they stay open to feedback, or do they try to defend against it?
As fans, we’ll never know the answer to many of these, because even public harm usually rehabilitates in private. We’ll only know if he sees the field and use that as a bit of a metric for how much trust and goodwill he has built. Anoma has been a good player when he plays, and his HS reputation and his connections with St. Francis have probably helped a lot. But the chances are that Michigan kicked the tires on Anoma for a long time, and got some detailed answers to those aforementioned questions.
—Joby
I have no issue with second chances nor do I have much worry about chemistry changing with one guy. I'm just saying someone else is not getting a scholarship or roster spot because of this.
DeleteThe walk on program has been hugely beneficial to Michigan and pay of that is nurturing it with scholarships for guys like Glasgow's and vastardis.
That's where I see the risk and cost coming. I support it. Just noting that it's not as obvious of a choice as some make out. It's NOT just about accumulating as much talent as possible. Culture matters. Talent character continuity development resilience rewarding hard work.
Anomu can fit into all that but we'll see.
Agree with jobys trust in the staff. We think Poggi knows the score and isn't doing this out of desperation.
Delete