Name: Noah Stewart
Height: 6’7"
Weight: 283 lbs.
High school: Muskegon (MI) North Muskegon
Position: Tight end
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #61
Last year: I didn't rank Stewart. He played in one game.
TTB Rating: N/A
Denegal wins the annual Tom Strobel Random Lineman Turned Into a Tight End Award, previously awarded to the likes of Tom Strobel, Trente Jones, and Joel Honigford. Coming out of high school, Stewart was ranked as a 3-star offensive lineman by 247 Sports, but the offensive line is stacked. The official roster lists a position change from offensive line to tight end, but the #61 jersey lags a little behind the position switch.
Considering how much his predecessors actually played as extra (blocking) tight ends, perhaps I'm ranking Stewart way too low. At 6'7" and 283 lbs. he could potentially be a very tough tight end to deal with for 5-tech defensive ends - or even smaller players - so perhaps Michigan has some secrets plans to help Stewart outstrip this low-ish ranking. But until I see otherwise, I'll assume Stewart will be mostly on the bench.
Prediction: Backup tight end
If we're giving Denegal an award, let's go with the Andy Mignery occasional random QB turned into a TE award, and hope for a bigger result.
ReplyDeleteAs silly as this sounds, among the reasons I wanted to go to the Spring Game was to watch Denegal throw. I liked him on film more than about anybody else around here did, he made me think of Speight, pre throwing shoulder jacking. I thought he threw a nice accurate ball and that he was a cut above when it came to ball placement and throwing it where they ain't and can't get. But I do think we have multiple guys coming in who will pass him pretty quick.
Roanman
I don't put much stock in highlight "film" but I do remember Speight having what looked like very good touch in high school. There were doubts about his arm even then but it was adequate at the college level. Denegal seems more raw to me but we're talking about highlights so can't read a ton into that.
DeleteAnyway, I share the (relative) optimism on Denegal. At least in the sense of vague hopes as opposed to confident dismissal.
I assume it's Stewart not Denegal and that was just a typo.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard about this yet but I think it's a really good model for Michigan continue to use. If it gets you more Honigford types that's impactful.
One of my concerns about the 2023 team is the lack of a blocking TE (Barner and Loveland are receivers first). There's Bredeson but he's 230 pounds and more of an H-back than the old-school in line type. There's no more Honigford and Honigford played quite a bit.
At first glance this ranking is far too low given Michigan's historic use of blocking TEs like Honigford. But on the other hand -- Michigan is overflowing with OL depth. Whoever doesn't get a starting spot will be a very logical candidate to be a TE/6th OL. It just depends how much they want to tip their hand - Honigford caught one pass though of course he went out for many more. Jones I don't think was ever a TE just an OL but he (or another OL) isn't even going to bother running a route. Maybe at the goalline at some point but not semi-regularly like the plausible-receiver-looking-guy.
I'd still put Stewart into the 80s or something purely on the massive usage of TEs and the heavy roster turnover at that spot. Somebody is going to get a call-up from the bench and it could well be Stewart.