Name: Ben Roebuck
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 330 lbs.
High school: Lakewood (OH) St. Edward's
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Roebuck was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 64
Roebuck is a mammoth offensive lineman who committed to the Wolverines in March of 2023. He and fellow Ohioan offensive lineman Luke Hamilton had some fun exchanges about Ohio State on Twitter, ingratiating them with Michigan fans. Players from Ohio who don't get recruited by OSU have a chip on their shoulders when it comes to the Buckeyes, which may help down the road.
Anyway, Roebuck finished the cycle as a 247 Composite 3-star, the #41 offensive tackle, and #539 overall player. I pointed out some issues in his original commitment post, and those issues still existed in his senior highlights: he's a huge player who doesn't really finish blocks with a lot of ferocity, and he's limited athletically (doesn't show a lot of foot quickness, doesn't bend particularly well, etc.).
After having played tackle in high school, I think Roebuck will have to move inside to guard. That should help mitigate some of the above issues. I had some of the same concerns about Michael Onwenu, and Onwenu played as a freshman, so perhaps Roebuck's size will be too overwhelming to keep off the field. Maybe he'll get a few snaps late in games. Ultimately, I'll think he'll play in four games or fewer and keep his redshirt.
Prediction: Redshirt
HUGE ... problems with bend will make Guard tough
ReplyDeleteI can see him as an extra OL early, but breaking into a starter will require fixes that are critical at OL
Red-shirt lock. Our depth on OL is still very strong even with turning over the top 6 guys from last year.
ReplyDeleteEven if we lose 3 guys to injury we probably still don't have to rely on any freshman with Bounds, Persi, and Anderson projected to come off the bench and various other sophs and juniors lined up. If a freshman earns a role like Onwenu and Zinter did, it'll be merit based.