NFL Draft results: Michigan

Denard Robinson dropped to the fifth round

Here's a look at the NFL Draft-related movement for Michigan players over the last 24 hours.  A couple Wolverines were drafted, and several more have been signed as free agents.

• Offensive guard Ricky Barnum signed as an undrafted free agent with the Washington Redskins
• Defensive tackle William Campbell was chosen in the 6th round (#178 overall) by the New York Jets, who plan to play him at offensive guard
• Linebacker Kenny Demens signed as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals
• Linebacker Brandin Hawthorne signed as an undrafted free agent with the St. Louis rams
• Safety Jordan Kovacs signed as an undrafted free agent with the Miami Dolphins
• Offensive center/guard Elliott Mealer signed as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints
• Offensive guard Patrick Omameh signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Francisco 49ers
• Quarterback Denard Robinson was chosen in the 5th round (#135 overall) by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who plan to play him at running back, slot receiver, and kick returner
• Defensive end Craig Roh signed as an undrafted free agent with the Carolina Panthers
• Wide receiver Roy Roundtree signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals

Still unsigned are cornerback J.T. Floyd, tight end Brandon Moore, and running back Vincent Smith.

Video: Elliott Mealer shaves beard

Elliott Mealer, #57

Elliott Mealer

HIGH SCHOOL
Mealer attended Wauseon (OH) Wauseon as a member of the class of 2008.  He was a 4-star, the #24 OT, and the #213 overall player to Rivals.  To Scout he was a 4-star and the #28 OT.  He committed to Lloyd Carr and Michigan on April 23, 2007, over offers from Cincinnati, Duke, Indiana, Michigan State, Northwestern, and Purdue.  In December 2007, just over a month before he would sign with Michigan, he was in a car accident that killed his father and girlfriend and paralyzed his brother Brock.

COLLEGE
Elliott injured his shoulder in the car accident, which helped cement his redshirt for the 2008 season.  As a redshirt freshman in 2009, he played in eleven games on special teams and subbing in at left guard on offense occasionally.  During his redshirt sophomore season in 2010, he continued standing on the sideline for the most part, his left guard spot blocked by Stephen Schilling; however, Mealer did play on special teams in every game.  He played more offense in 2011 when Brady Hoke arrived, playing both offensive guard and offensive tackle as a backup.  On the eve of the 2012 season, Mealer earned the starting offensive center job over Ricky Barnum (who would proceed to start at left guard, Mealer's projected position) because Mealer was a more consistent snapper.  He started every game as a senior.

CAREER STATS
Played in 50 total games with 13 starts

SUMMARY
The story with Mealer - which is unfortunate in numerous ways - begins with the devastating car accident during his senior year of high school.  To the credit of Rich Rodriguez, his staff, and the Michigan community, Michigan honored Mealer's scholarship offer and helped Brock Mealer on the path to recovery from his paralysis.  On the football side of things, Mealer's career probably didn't go the way he planned.  He mostly played tight end in high school, and his projected position of offensive tackle never quite fit his skills; he was a little short and lacked the foot speed to block defensive ends regularly.  Physically, his best position probably would have been offensive guard in a pro-style system, so his years under Rich Rodriguez were kind of a mismatch between system and player.  When Mealer earned the starting center job in 2012, it was largely because he was one of the five best linemen overall and the coaches liked his snapping ability - which was perhaps a good call, because there were no errant snaps all year.  Mealer had been practicing some at center for his entire college career, but he never played the position in a game until his final season.  Unfortunately, Mealer looked a little lost attempting to carry out some other center duties - mainly blocking - which caused Michigan's running game to suffer.

I WILL REMEMBER HIM FOR . . .
. . . staying strong and showing a positive attitude despite the tragedies he suffered.

PROJECTION
Mealer's solid snapping might get him a look from some NFL teams, but as I mentioned above, I believe his best position is offensive guard.  However, his lack of production and starting experience at Michigan makes him a bit of a longshot to succeed at the next level.  I do not expect him to get drafted, and I would be surprised if he hangs on in the NFL longer any longer than maybe a rookie mini-camp or training camp invitation.  But the entire Michigan community will be rooting for him.

2013 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

Michigan offensive lineman Elliott Mealer will play in tonight's NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 9:00 p.m. EST this evening.  There are several notable players for Michigan fans:

NATIONAL ROSTER
Will Compton - LB - Nebraska
Dayne Crist - QB - Kansas/Notre Dame*
Pete Massaro - DE - Penn State
Sam McGuffie - WR - Rice/Michigan*
Elliott Mealer - OT - Michigan*
Marsalis Teague - CB - Tennessee*
Vaughn Telemaque - S - Miami*
Michael Zordich - FB - Penn State*

AMERICAN ROSTER
Benjamin Cotton - TE - Nebraska
Marcus Cromartie - CB - Wisconsin
Byron Jerideau - DT - South Carolina
Orhian Johnson - S - Ohio State
Sean Stanley - LB - Penn State

*Recruited by Michigan

Offensive Line Preview: Michigan vs. South Carolina

Taylor Lewan will be the best lineman in the Outback Bowl

MICHIGAN
Starters: From left to right, the Wolverines start redshirt junior Taylor Lewan (6'8", 309 lbs.), fifth year senior Ricky Barnum (6'3", 296 lbs.), fifth year senior Elliott Mealer (6'5", 308 lbs.), fifth year senior Patrick Omameh (6'4", 305 lbs.), and redshirt junior Michael Schofield (6'7", 300 lbs.).  Omameh has started 41 games, Lewan has 27 starts, Schofield has 22, Barnum has 15, and Mealer has 12.  Altogether, they have 117 starts among them and average a shade over 6'5" and 303.6 lbs.  The Wolverines are #25 in the country in sacks allowed (1.25 per game) and have the #40 rushing offense (187 yards/game).
Backups: The Wolverines are very thin on the offensive line, but they've tried to preserve the redshirts of some highly touted freshmen.  Other than redshirt freshman center Jack Miller (6'4", 288 lbs.), the rest of the subs have been walk-ons.  Redshirt sophomore guard Joey Burzynski (6'1", 295 lbs.) has made the biggest push for playing time of the entire backup crew; redshirt sophomore Erik Gunderson (6'8", 303 lbs.) and redshirt junior Kristian Mateus (6'7", 309 lbs.) have both played in blowouts, but both would be severely overmatched against the Gamecocks.

SOUTH CAROLINA
Starters: Michigan recruited redshirt freshman right tackle Brandon Shell (6'6", 331 lbs.) and redshirt sophomore left guard A.J. Cann (6'4", 309 lbs.) coming out of high school.  The line is completed with redshirt sophomore left tackle Corey Robinson (6'8", 337 lbs.), fifth year senior center T.J. Johnson (6'6", 319 lbs.), and junior right guard Ronald Patrick (6'2", 305 lbs.).  Johnson has started 52 games in his career, Cann has 25, Patrick has 12, Shell has 9, and Robinson has 8.  Altogether, the squad has 106 starts under their belts, but the tackles have less than a season of experience, and Robinson was a defensive tackle prior to this year.  They average a bit over 6'5" and 320.2 pounds.  The Gamecocks are #105 in the country in sacks allowed (2.92 per game) and have the #84 rushing offense (143 yards/game).
Backups: Redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Cody Gibson (6'7", 278 lbs.) started a couple games early in the season.  The other backups haven't been used much, including senior offensive guard Kaleb Broome (6'6", 332 lbs.), redshirt junior center Travis Ford (6'3", 278 lbs.), and redshirt freshman offensive guard Will Sport (6'5", 291 lbs.).

THE TAKEAWAY
Having watched Michigan's offensive line struggle to create a push all year long, it's a little tough to believe, but the Wolverines have the edge here.  Despite being outweighed by an average of almost 17 pounds, Michigan gains more yards on the ground and allows fewer sacks.  They also average a couple more starts each.  Individually, the only South Carolina offensive lineman to garner consideration for All-SEC is Johnson (Second Team), whereas Michigan's Lewan is an All-American and Omameh was selected by the coaches as First Team All-Big Ten.  Except for heft, Michigan is ahead everywhere.
Advantage: Michigan

Video: Hoke, Lewan, Mealer press conference

 

Michigan 31, Air Force 25

Denard Robinson rushed for 218 yards and threw for 208, accounting for 4 touchdowns
(image via Sporting News)

The officials were terrible. Terrible. Air Force's first touchdown should have been called back for illegal procedure.  Quarterback Connor Dietz tossed to A-back Cody Getz, who beat everyone to the edge.  In the meantime, the wing started moving forward  prior to the snap like he was in the CFL and chopped down safety Jordan Kovacs, who was responsible for the pitch.  Without that forward momentum, Kovacs - Michigan's best open-field tackler - very well could have stopped Getz before the goal line.  Later in the game, Air Force converted on a key third down when both the quarterback and the running back - who were in a shotgun formation - started moving to their right before the ball was snapped . . . and a slot receiver was already in motion.  So three  guys were moving prior to the snap, and the play was allowed to stand.  Those were obvious, blatant non-calls and each one could have had a significant impact on the outcome of the game.

Devin Funchess is the new Junior Hemingway. The freshman tight end is listed at 6'5", 229 lbs.  I expected him to look skinnier than he does, but he's fairly solid looking and showed an ability to stretch the field a little bit.  He caught a 29-yard wheel route and a leaping 30-yard touchdown, totaling 4 receptions for 106 yards and that TD.  Jump balls aren't going to work with most receivers on the roster, but this guy could be Denard Robinson's savior.

These are not the droids you're looking for.  Forget what you saw the defense do yesterday.  Yes, it was ugly.  Michigan allowed 290 yards rushing and 127 yards passing, but Michigan won't see another triple option offense this year unless they meet Air Force or Georgia Tech in a bowl game.  The defensive line won't see cut blocking like this, the outside linebackers and safeties won't have to be as disciplined, etc.  I know yesterday was frustrating and too close for comfort, but it's also mostly irrelevant to the rest of our opponents.

The cornerbacks are scaring me. Raymon Taylor was very, very weak in run support.  I'm not a huge fan of J.T. Floyd in run support, either, but Taylor looks to avoid contact with blockers whenever possible, and that's a bit scary.  Now I'm going to go back to forgetting what the defense did.

The offensive line has taken a step backward.  The absence of David Molk is noticeable, and I still wonder whether it was a good idea to let Rocko Khoury walk instead of getting a fifth year.  Starting center Elliott Mealer's snaps have been good, but he's much slower than Molk.  Meanwhile, Michael Schofield looked much better at left guard last year than he does at right tackle.  The offseason was rife with talk about how Schofield looked so great at right tackle, but I'm just not seeing it.  Some people mentioned how Fitzgerald Toussaint looked rusty, but it wasn't Toussaint - it was the offensive line allowing so much penetration.  He had nowhere to run at all.

Dennis Norfleet wants to eat.  When Norfleet jumped in front of Drew Dileo to steal a kickoff return, I sort of felt bad for Dileo.  Dileo's body language indicated he wasn't too happy about it, either.  Norfleet got hit after a short return, but then he bounced off and turned in a nice play.  He had 3 returns for 77 yards yesterday, an average of 25.7 per return.  The kid is going to be exciting to watch for the next few years.

BREAKOUT PLAYER JERALD ROBINSON! He had 1 reception for 10 yards.  Departing seniors have been calling for him to explode for the last two seasons, and now he has 1 career catch.

The linebackers will be awesome for years to come.  Jake Ryan had 11 tackles, including a nice tackle on the second-to-last play, and a leaping pass breakup on Air Force's final pass attempt.  Overall, he had an excellent day.  Sophomore Desmond Morgan made some nice plays at times, freshman Joe Bolden made 10 tackles, and freshman James Ross made a couple nice plays.

Denard Robinson continues to destroy mediocre defenses.  It was a blast watching Denard Robinson yesterday as he demolished the Falcons' defense, but it wasn't unexpected.  This is what he does to so-so defenses (see Bowling Green, UConn, UMass, Indiana, Eastern Michigan, etc.) and occasionally to good defenses (see Ohio State circa 2011).  A guy who's faster than Usain Bolt (not really) ought to run away from a bunch of Air Force Academy cadets, and Robinson looked fairly comfortable in the pocket.  If Michigan continues to struggle blocking for the running backs, Robinson is going to need to replicate this performance many, many times this year.

Hail to the Air Force Academy.  I'm sort of glad that Air Force put up a good fight.  My father and grandfather are veterans, another close family member graduated from the Academy, and I have a strong appreciation for those in the military.  They don't deserve to be embarrassed anywhere, including on the football field.  They should be proud of the way they played on Saturday.

Video: Hoke, Gardner, Mealer - Air Force week

Video: Countdown to Kickoff 2012 - Day 14: Elliott Mealer

2012 Season Countdown: #26 Elliott Mealer

Elliott Mealer

Name: Elliott Mealer
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 310 lbs.
High school: Wauseon (OH) Wauseon
Position: Offensive line
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #57
Last year: I ranked Mealer #58 and said he would be a backup offensive guard.  He played in 13 games on special teams, 7 of them on the offensive line.

Much like tight end Brandon Moore (profiled yesterday), Mealer has one last chance to establish himself at Michigan.  He has been a key backup for the past couple seasons, but he's been unable to crack the starting lineup thus far.  Back in the spring, Mealer was once again "passed over" by Joey Burzynski at left guard, just like he was last season by Ricky Barnum and Michael Schofield.  My theory (as mentioned previously) is that the coaches needed Mealer to play tackle in the spring, since there were essentially no backups at the tackle positions, whereas there are two or three capable backups at guard.

Going into the 2012 season, I expect to see Mealer starting at left guard, but I don't think he has a stranglehold on the position.  Burzynski may not be a viable Big Ten starter in the long run, but I do think he provides competition.  Many people think Kyle Kalis will make a push and/or eventually start at left guard, but offensive line coach Darrell Funk stated in the spring that Kalis would start working at right tackle.  While Kalis is the freshman lineman most ready to play, I think people underestimate how difficult it is to start on the offensive and defensive lines as a true freshman, especially without enrolling early.  This is going to be a close race, which is why Michigan's starting left guard is all the way down here at #26, but I think Mealer's going to hold onto the job.  And if he doesn't, he can back up almost every position on the line.

Prediction: Starting left guard

2012 Spring Game Review - Offense

Thomas Rawls (#38) looked pretty solid in today's spring game

QUARTERBACKS
Denard Robinson didn't play much.  We know what we have in Denard, and we're not going to know whether he can cut down on his interceptions until the fall.  Devin Gardner looked very athletic.  He seems to be faster and in better shape this year than last, but he struggled throwing the ball.  He tried to force some throws, but the receivers really struggled to get separation from the defensive backs.  That's probably why Gardner scrambled repeatedly, and he made the defense look silly at times.  Third stringer Russell Bellomy looked like what we've been expecting - a game manager type who can scramble a little and make check-down throws, but he seems to lack the requisite arm strength for pushing the ball downfield.

RUNNING BACKS
Fitzgerald Toussaint continues to look like a star on offense.  Backup Thomas Rawls looks faster and stronger to me than he did in the fall.  He seems like a viable #2 back and he runs angry.  You could tell when he got the ball that the defense stepped up its intensity a little bit, because those guys knew they were going to have a fight on their hands to get him down.  He did make a nice touchdown run early, but keep in mind that he ran through the tackle of backup free safety Jarrod Wilson, who should still be two or three months away from graduating high school.  Vincent Smith continues to be subpar running inside, but he caught the ball well.  To me it's a wasted rep when he's handed the ball to run up the middle.  Justice Hayes is in the same boat.  He doesn't have any mass or strength behind him.  If there's an injury to Toussaint or Rawls in the fall, the coaches are going to have to look at freshman Drake Johnson or maybe moving Hopkins back to tailback.

FULLBACKS
Hopkins and Kerridge looked pretty solid.  Michigan should be set at this position, especially with reinforcements coming in the form of Sione Houma.

WIDE RECEIVERS
As I mentioned above, the receivers really struggled to separate from the defensive backs.  We didn't see a whole lot of Roy Roundtree, but he and Jeremy Gallon looked decent.  I would not be surprised to see Gallon lead the team in receptions this season.  He's going to be a tough matchup.  After that nobody looked particularly impressive.  Jerald Robinson had an embarrassing drop, Jeremy Jackson is who he is, etc.  Games this season will continue to be won on the ground.

TIGHT ENDS
This continues to be a weak spot.  Brandon Moore didn't get any separation, and both Moore and Ricardo Miller struggled at the point of attack.  They were playing against some pretty good defenders - Craig Roh, Jake Ryan, Cam Gordon - but tight end will be a liability this season, in both the running and passing games. I don't think we'll see as many two- and three-tight end formations as we did last season.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Taylor Lewan is a very good left tackle.  The starter at left guard was Joey Burzynski.  All spring we've heard that Elliott Mealer was the front-runner for the left guard position, and I think that might still be the case.  I have no inside information on this, but I have a feeling that Burzynski's start was kind of a practical matter.  The coaches didn't want Lewan on the field much; with Michael Schofield as the primary backup at left tackle, they seemed to want Mealer to rotate in at right tackle when Schofield flipped.  Burzynski doesn't have the ability to play tackle.  Burzynski looked fair against the pass and somewhat ineffective in the running game.  Barnum blocked well, but he had two bad snaps because he failed to get the ball up to Denard before getting out of his stance.  That will be something to watch heading into the season.  Barnum also needs to speed up his shotgun snaps, which are noticeably slower than David Molk's.  He's also got to work on calling protections.  Omameh looked mostly solid but got blasted by William Campbell.  Schofield struggled some in pass protection, but picked it up as the day went on.  As far as backups go, the walk-ons played like walk-ons do, outside of Burzynski.  Graham Glasgow doesn't know how to pull.  Kristian Mateus looks downright skinny.  Erik Gunderson might be able to play in a pinch.  Chris Bryant looked solid in the running game.  Jack Miller still lacks size.  Barnum must  stay healthy this season.

Video: Brock Mealer walks without canes!

It's pretty damn cool to watch Brock Mealer in the above video.  Brock is the brother of Michigan offensive guard Elliott Mealer, who were both involved in a car accident a few years ago that killed Elliott's girlfriend and the Mealers' father.  It feels like Michigan fans have been with Brock throughout his recovery, and we will continue to root for him as he perseveres.

Video: Elliot Mealer interview

Poll Results: Who will be Michigan's starting left guard?

Fifth year senior offensive lineman Elliott Mealer

This comes on the heels of Rocko Khoury's departure, who was presumed to be in the running to play center.  Now that it seems Ricky Barnum is destined to be the starting center this fall, that leaves an opening at left guard.  So I posed the question (for a second time): Who will be Michigan's starting left guard against Alabama?

Chris Bryant: 58%
Bryant is only a redshirt freshman but has earned praise from coaches and practice observers alike.  So far in spring practices, it has been reported that Bryant is playing behind Patrick Omameh at right guard.  This could be to give Omameh some competition, but Bryant has always seemed like more of a strongside guard to me.  When a kid is 6'4", 341 lbs., the coaches probably want him to do more bulldozing and less pulling.

Kyle Kalis: 16%
I still have doubts that a true freshman will start the first game of the season.  Kalis is good, but he won't get to campus until June.

Patrick Omameh: 12%
Omameh has been the starting right guard for parts or all of the last three seasons.  I'm not sure why he would flip to the left side at this point, although I wouldn't say it's impossible.  If the other guard isn't adept at pulling, Omameh (who isn't great at pulling, either) might be an upgrade in that department.

Elliott Mealer: 11%
At least in the early going of spring, Mealer seems to be the frontrunner for the left guard position.  The fifth year senior has been running with the first team, and his only serious competition would seem to be Bryant. 

Other: 1%
It was recently reported that redshirt freshman walk-on Graham Glasgow has been the #2 left guard in spring ball, but keep in mind that a couple walk-ons are bound to be on the second team due to a lack of depth.  Without Khoury, David Molk, and Mark Huyge (all of them graduated) and without the four freshman linemen on campus, numbers dictate walk-ons will get a chance to see some time.  The only "backup" scholarship players available are Bryant and redshirt freshman center Jack Miller.

Offensive Line Preview: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech

Blake DeChristopher (left) is a four-year starter for Virginia Tech
and head coach Frank Beamer
(image via Washington Post)

MICHIGAN
Starters: Redshirt sophomore left tackle Taylor Lewan (6'8", 302) has started every game this season and was voted Second Team All-Big Ten by conference coaches.  Redshirt junior left guard Ricky Barnum (6'3", 292 lbs.) has started three games this season and remained #1 on the depth chart all season despite missing all or part of the other nine contests.  Fifth year senior center David Molk (6'2", 286 lbs.) received every conceivable award for a center, including First Team All-America status and the Rimington Trophy, given to the nation's top center.  Redshirt junior right guard Patrick Omameh (6'4", 299 lbs.) has started every game this season.  Fifth year senior right tackle Mark Huyge (6'6", 302 lbs.) has started every game this year.
Backups: The only backup to see significant playing time this season was redshirt sophomore tackle/guard Michael Schofield (6'7", 299 lbs.), who actually started more games (9) than Barnum at left guard.  Schofield is a tackle by trade, but with Barnum consistently hurt, the coaches plugged him in and he's essentially a sixth starter.  The next two backups appear to be redshirt junior tackle Elliott Mealer (6'5", 310 lbs.) and redshirt junior center Rocko Khoury (6'4", 287 lbs.), who have played in seven and four games, respectively.

VIRGINIA TECH
Starters: Fifth year senior left tackle Andrew Lanier (6'5", 306 lbs.) is a two-year starter at left tackle.  Redshirt junior left guard Greg Nosal (6'6", 297 lbs.) has started every game for the past two seasons and was Honorable Mention All-ACC in 2011.  Redshirt sophomore center Andrew Miller (6'4", 290 lbs.) has started every game this season.  Fifth year senior right guard Jaymes Brooks (6'2", 307) is a three-year starter and two-time Second Team All-ACC selection.  Fifth year senior right tackle Blake DeChristopher (6'5", 311 lbs.) is a four-year starter with 50 career starts, was a First Team All-ACC selection and earned the ACC's top award for offensive linemen.
Backups: True freshman Caleb Farris (6'3", 309 lbs.) has played in four games as a backup offensive center.  Redshirt junior Michael Via (6'7", 292 lbs.) has played in eleven games as a backup guard and center this year, and also has past experience at tackle.  Redshirt junior Nick Becton (6'6", 326 lbs.) has played in every game at offensive tackle.  Via and Becton appear to be in line for starting jobs next season.

THE TAKEAWAY
Michigan's starters average a shade under 6'4" and about 294 lbs.  Virginia Tech's starters are a shade under 6'4" and about 302 lbs.  In addition to size, the Hokies also have a slight advantage in experience, with an average experience level of 4.4 years; Michigan's starters average 4.2 with Barnum counted as the starter and 4.0 if Schofield earns the nod.  It's a slight advantage, but an advantage nonetheless.  Virginia Tech's linemen have 158 starts total, or 31.6 on average.  Michigan's linemen have 123 starts among them, or 24.6 on average.  That means the average Hokie lineman has started for half a season longer than Michigan's, and if you look at the following list, the only position Michigan has an experience advantage over VT is at center, where Molk's 41 starts and Rimington Trophy hold an obvious edge over redshirt sophomore Miller:

Lewan: 21 starts
Barnum: 3 starts
Molk: 41 starts
Omameh: 28 starts
Huyge: 28 starts

Lanier: 27 starts
Nosal: 28 starts
Miller: 13 starts
Brooks: 40 starts
DeChristopher: 50 starts

Michigan might have more talent due to playing in the Big Ten, but experience is a key component in offensive line development, so . . .

Advantage: Virginia Tech

2011 Countdown: #58 Elliott Mealer

Elliott Mealer

Name: Elliott Mealer
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 313 lbs.
High school: Wauseon High School in Wauseon, OH
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #57
Last year: I ranked Mealer #51 and said he'd be a backup left guard and special teamer.  He played all 13 games on special teams.

If you're a fan of humanity, you can't help but root for Mealer.  It doesn't seem that long ago, but now entering his fourth year in the program, Mealer lost his father and girlfriend to a car accident during the holidays in his senior year of high school.  Elliott suffered a shoulder injury and his brother, Brock, was partially paralyzed.  On a brighter note, Brock recovered enough to lead the team onto the field for its opener against Connecticut in September 2010.

Elliott has played sparingly in his first three seasons in the program, seeing action at offensive guard in only four games thus far.  Brady Hoke's offense might benefit Mealer a little more than Rich Rodriguez's system, which stressed quickness and blocking at the second level.  Mealer looked fairly quick coming out of high school and as a redshirt freshman in 2009, but he added some weight prior to 2010 and looked a little too slow to be effective.  Now he's the heaviest he's ever been (up from 310 to 313), but the power running game ought to suit him a little better.  I don't expect him to push for a starting position here in 2011, but he could be a key backup if there are any injuries along the offensive line.

Prediction: Backup offensive guard

2010 Countdown: #51 Elliott Mealer

Name: Elliott Mealer
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 310 lbs.
High school: Wauseon High School in Wauseon, OH
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #57
Last year: I ranked Mealer #69 and said he'd see mop-up duty. Mealer played a couple games as a backup left guard and was a consistent contributor on special teams.

Now Michigan's heaviest offensive lineman, Mealer spent 2009 working his way back into shape after injuring his shoulder in an automobile accident. In the meantime, he beat out more highly touted linemen like Ricky Barnum and Quinton Washington for a role as a second-string offensive guard. In addition, he was an anchor of the field goal protection unit.

Mealer's role in 2010 will be reminiscent of his 2009 contributions. He heads into fall camp as the top backup behind starting left guard Steve Schilling. He's an athletic kid who played some tight end as a high schooler, so he's able to release to the second level and get blocks downfield. And with that 310 lb. frame, he can excel as a blocker on the field goal unit. This won't be his year to shine, but that day isn't far away.

Prediction for 2010: Backup left guard, special teams duty

2010 Countdown: #61 Quinton Washington

Name: Quinton Washington
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 307 lbs.
High school: Timberland High School in St. Stephen, SC
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #76
Last year: I ranked him #80 and said he'd redshirt. He redshirted.

Washington is a mammoth offensive guard, weighing more than all but two of his teammates - nose tackle Will Campbell (324 lbs.) and fellow guard Elliott Mealer (310). As evidence that Rich Rodriguez is embracing larger offensive linemen, there are now five 300-pounders; there were only two in 2009. With several guards ahead of him on the depth chart last season, Washington's services weren't needed . . .

. . . and they probably won't be needed again this year. David Moosman was the only guard to graduate in 2009. Steve Schilling returns at left guard, and last year's part-time starters at right guard (Patrick Omameh and Mark Huyge) also return. Mealer, Ricky Barnum, and part-time 2008 starter John Ferrara also return. There have also been reports from practice that Washington has been developing slowly. That's not a concern at this point, considering that he's only one year removed from high school. But Michigan fans shouldn't be expecting to see Washington on the field much this season. Perhaps he can push for the guard position that Schilling will be vacating after this season.

2010 Recruiting Grades: Offensive Line

Michigan's lone offensive line commitment in 2010 is early enrollee Christian Pace. Pace comes out of Avon Lake, OH, and is likely a center. He could also play guard, but considering Michigan's depth at guard (Patrick Omameh, Elliott Mealer, Ricky Barnum, Quinton Washington, and Mark Huyge all have at least two years of eligibility remaining), the more pressing need in the 2010 class was a center.

Predictions: As long as two-year starting center David Molk can return from his torn ACL healthily, Molk and his immediate backup, Rocko Khoury, should hold down the fort. Mealer has also practiced at center, and Barnum was a center in high school, so there's no reason Pace should play in 2010. But when the center position opens up in 2012 after Molk graduates, I expect an all-out battle between a fifth year senior Khoury and a redshirt sophomore Pace. Pace has the athleticism to be an all-conference center as a starter.

Grade: C-. Pace will be a good player, but Michigan needed more linemen in the class of 2010. Once Steve Schilling and Perry Dorrestein graduate after the 2010 season, only ten scholarship linemen will remain on the roster. Not only does that set Michigan up for an inexperienced line in a few years, but it forces Rich Rodriguez to devote a significant amount (4-5) of his small 2011 class (13-14 as of now) to the offensive line.

Elliott Mealer is better than me...

...and not just at football.



This is an "E:60" report from ESPN. It outlines the sad story of the deaths of Elliott Mealer's father and girlfriend two years ago.

If I were Mealer, I would have stood up and walked away from Lisa Salters when she asked me what I whispered to my girlfriend as I held her dying body in my arms. Some things should be left between a person and his maker.

I'm guessing Elliott Mealer doesn't want to be remembered for this car accident. Hopefully Michigan fans will someday know Mealer for his success on the field in Michigan Stadium. On a lot of teams, the fans' favorite player is the backup quarterback. I don't know that I've ever seen the favorite be a backup guard, but there's a first time for everything.