Name: C.J. Stokes
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 205 lbs.
High school: Columbia (SC) Hammond
Position: Running back
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #23
Last year: I ranked Stokes #83 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He ran 55 times for 273 yards (5.0 yards/carry) and 1 touchdown, while catching 1 pass for 15 yards.
TTB Rating: 71
Stokes had a bit of a head-scratching 2022. He was the #798 overall recruit in the 247 Composite, but he immediately jumped to the #3 running back slot, sliding past Tavierre Dunlap and a couple walk-ons. He got his biggest chance against Illinois when he ran 11 times for 36 yards in the absence of Donovan Edwards (who was injured) and Blake Corum (who got injured against the Illini), but a couple crunch time plays went to walk-on Isaiah Gash. Later in the season, linebacker Kalel Mullings converted to running back and became the backup to Edwards with Corum out. Stokes was nowhere to be found in the Big Ten championship game against Purdue or in the playoff game against TCU.
Personally, I liked what I saw from Stokes, who averaged 4.8 yards per carry as a freshman against Big Ten opponents. With an additional nine pounds added since last season (196 to 205), he should be a little stronger and tougher to bring down. But he has a battle on his hands for the #3 spot, with Mullings, freshman Benjamin Hall, and freshman Cole Cabana now on campus. Michigan went from having four scholarship backs in 2022 to suddenly having seven (depending on how one categorizes LB/RB Mullings), so competition for carries will be tougher in 2023.
Prediction: Backup running back
RB3 will be a slug fest
ReplyDeleteI wasn't hot or cold on Stokes, but could definitely see the Higdon-level talent comparisons. If he doesn't get passed up, maybe next year
I think putting on weight was key for Stokes. He still looked a little gangly last year. Maybe he still needs to put on another 5-10 pounds of muscle, but I was watching some clips of him last year, and he just wasn't put together to where he needs to be in the Big Ten. And we all know that Ben Herbert can put together some guys.
DeleteRb3 competition should get a lot of attention but isn't likely to matter much until 2024.
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of my take, too. If one guy clearly takes over the #3 role, that should probably signify who the front-runner is for 2024. And at this point, we should expect the starter in 2024 to be a pretty darn productive runner, considering what we've seen from Haskins, Corum, and Edwards.
DeleteBUT if the #3 guy is Kalel Mullings for goal line/short yardage situations, then my attention would shift to the #4 guy, because Mullings might not be around in 2024 and isn't really a feature back type of guy.
So if the #3 guy is Stokes, Hall, or Cabana, we should probably expect good things from that guy in 2024.
If Mullings is the third RB we are going to be VERY busy in the portal after 2023. Think we want a couple to emerge from that trio of cabana hall Stokes.
Deletenah, it shouldn't matter
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