Name: Jayden Denegal
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 235 lbs.
High school: Apple Valley (CA) Apple Valley
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #4
Last year: I ranked Denegal #104 and said he would be a backup quarterback (LINK). He completed 4/5 passes for 1 touchdown and ran 4 times for 10 yards.
TTB Rating: 61
Denegal entered Michigan's program in the class of 2022, one year behind J.J. McCarthy and alongside Alex Orji. In the head-to-head battle with Orji, it might seem to be neck-and-neck. Last year Denegal was the only one of the two to attempt a pass (completing 4 out of 5 passes, in fact), but Orji was the complementary run threat down the stretch (15 carries for 86 yards and 1 touchdown in 2023). Denegal's lone touchdown was a mop-up throw to Peyton O'Leary as the final score in a 45-7 victory.
While quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell said Denegal has improved a bunch since arriving on campus, he appears to be running at least fourth in the race for the quarterback job. Orji is in the lead pack, along with Jack Tuttle and Davis Warren. With an eye toward the future, maybe the coaching staff even views Jadyn Davis as the "next man up" after those first three. Denegal clearly has the size advantage at 6'5" and 235 pounds (compared to Davis's 6'1", 202) and poses a bigger running threat than Davis, but his ability to process defenses and deliver accurate passes will determine his future. This season will probably be another mop-up year for Denegal, but it's also a season that might not provide many mop-up opportunities.
Prediction: Backup quarterback
I just made room on my Dynasty roster by getting his to transfer
ReplyDeleteMy guess -- just a guess -- is that Davis Warren probably won't factor. I have nothing personal against the young man, but we've heard spring practice rumblings about him for a few years, and then come mop-up time in some game he tends to under-perform. He seems to be one of those that come game time, things move too fast, or differently from practice. I hope I'm wrong; I hope he breaks out and does great. I just wouldn't bet on it.
ReplyDeleteAgree. As intriguing a prospect as he is (accuracy in spring), dude looked shook in mop up duty v scrubs ... lights were just too bright
DeleteMy guess is Tuttle as the safe option, but orji as "the hope" ... lots to clean up in the latter, but if he can make leaps in improvement, we're looking at a playoff run
Just a weird fantasy to me. Guy is already 22 years old. The notion that there is intriguing untapped potential in Warren seems goofy.
DeleteAre there any examples of a 4th string QB at 21 years old turning into a above average college QB? Maybe at BYU LOL?
Kurt Warner was a third string QB at Northern Iowa his junior year. Only became a starter his senior year.
DeleteWarner is a good example that sometimes exceptional (unusual) things can happen. Though Warren was 4th string not 3rd, that's beside the point. Even if he was 3rd string, it would be a very unlikely story that he turned around after that and suddenly became a good starting QB at Michigan. Not impossible, just very long odds.
DeleteOn one hand, Michigan has an open QB competition, so you can make a case for anyone in the mix to be relevant. But to my eyes Denegal isn't even in the top 4 options to play meaningful snaps. He's a junior who reportedly is well behind the other options, none of which are outstanding. So I wouldn't rank him in the top 100.
ReplyDeletePerhaps he'll be a late bloomer. He was always a guy who was going to need development time. But If he doesn't make a move on the depth chart over the next 6 months the writing will be on the wall for him entering into his senior year in 2025.
Bottom of the countdown review up to this point, as we transition from clear non-factors and start entering into the fringes of the potential playing rotation (e.g., Iwunnah), freshman who have a chance of chipping in (e.g., Edmond), and notable special teamers (e.g., Donohue) in the 60s and 70s.
ReplyDeleteTwo guys stand out as potentially being most underrated, IMO. I'd rank Jadyn Davis and Noah Howes higher than anyone listed so far in the countdown.
Davis - to me he is the 3rd most likely player to be a starter at QB on the roster. Even if he's not 3rd on the depth chart right now. Freshman grow faster than upperclassmen in most cases and Davis is the only young QB on the roster. If things go sideways this season (due to results or injuries) there will be a natural inclination to look to the future and see what the kid can do. Denegal and Warren don't have the upside Davis does. As a freshman Davis has a wider range of outcomes, some of which are more optimistic. I'm not going to hold anything he does as an early enrollee in spring against him, that's for sure.
Howes, as stated before, seems like a near lock to be a rotational TE and see meaningful snaps. He's one of the few veterans at the TE position and should be a reliable contributor behind Loveland and Klein. Some of the young guys will play more by the end of the year, I imagine, but Howes will have a role, especially early, IMO. We've seen walk-ons play downs in critical games too many times at TE in recent years to not expect the same from Howes.
I'd also put Hogan Hansen ahead of any freshman OL who are all red-shirt locks in my eyes, but I see him as a longshot.
As to Warren, I don't think we know much about his potential. At times he has looked very good and bad at other times. But his "non-emergence" so far can be easily explained by (1) JJ in the lineup, and (2) Warren had cancer and missed valuable QB time in HS. He very well could be a late bloomer. Also, Davis may have potential but I thought the clear plan (and one that he signed off on) was that he would redshirt his freshman year. True things could always change and he will likely get some development snaps but it seems very unlikely he plays a significant portion of the season.
DeleteWe know he was and seemingly still is behind Tuttle (not a great player) and Orji (a younger player). I think that tells you all you need to really know about the potential of somebody who is already 21 years old.
DeleteJJ holding you back would make sense as an excuse if Warren was the backup. But he wasn't. Jack Tuttle just interviewed on mgoblog talking about how he put off surgery (meaning missing spring practice) because the team wanted him "just in case" something happened to JJ. And Alex Orji played a meaningful role (even if limited) on a national championship squad.
Missing time in high school is more relevant, but that was 5 years ago. Plus, he reclassified and did a prep year, that's why he's a 22 year old senior, a year older than typical. (Unlike Cade McNamara who was held back by daddy to get an advantage over his peers).
You don't always have to see a guy play to know about his potential. We can speak to the potential of somebody like say Dominic Guidice (another senior) or Ike Iwunnah (another senior) without having seen them play a bunch on the field. They could be late bloomers too -- but they're probably not starter material. They could have untapped potential -- but it's very likely not starter level talent. Same story for them as for Davis Warren. It would be very very unlikely for players THAT buried on the depth chart through their senior year to suddenly become quality starters. Not impossible, just very very unlikely.
Nobody would characterize Iwunnah or Guidice as players with intriguing potential, but that narrative comes up with Warren.
Why is Warren perceived so differently? Because some folks don't like the other options at QB. If JJ was back or Michigan had another QB folks were really excited about, Warren Davis would be considered no more than a walk-on depth player who may pursue a grad transfer opportunity to start somewhere else after this year or may stick at Michigan as a vet in hopes of transitioning to coaching at some point.
It's a fantasy.