Under Armour All-American Game Participants: Michigan

Joe Bolden (#27) is one of the latest Michigan commits to play in the Under Armour All-America Game.

The 2016 Under Armour All-American Game will be played in January 2016.  The following participants have committed or signed a Letter of Intent to play for Michigan:

2015
Brian Cole, WR - Saginaw, MI

2014
Juwann Bushell-Beatty, OT - Paramus, NJ
Michael Ferns III, LB - St. Clairsville, OH#
Drake Harris, WR - Grand Rapids, MI#
Bryan Mone, DT - Salt Lake City, UT
Jabrill Peppers, CB - Paramus, NJ
Wilton Speight, QB - Richmond, VA
Jared Wangler, LB - Warren, MI#

2013
David Dawson, OT - Detroit, MI
Ty Isaac, RB - Joliet, IL**
Patrick Kugler, OG - Wexford, PA
Mike McCray, LB - Trotwood, OH
Shane Morris, QB - Warren, MI
Henry Poggi, DT - Baltimore, MD
Logan Tuley-Tillman, OT - Peoria, IL

2012
Joe Bolden, LB - Cincinnati, OH
Terry Richardson, CB - Detroit, MI

2011

2010
Demar Dorsey, S - Lauderdale Lakes, FL
Devin Gardner, QB - Inkster, MI

2009
Isaiah Bell, LB - Youngstown, OH
Taylor Lewan, OT - Scottsdale, AZ
Craig Roh, DE - Scottsdale, AZ
Quinton Washington, OG - St. Stephen, SC

2008
Ricky Barnum, OG - Lakeland, FL
Dann O'Neill, OT - Grand Haven, MI

*Committed to playing in next year's game
**Transferred to Michigan
#Will not/did not participate due to injury

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Dallas Crawford (#4)

S/LB Isaiah Bell: Bell, now a defensive end, had 3 tackles and 1 sack in Lake Erie's 50-32 win over Tiffin. Lake Erie ends the year with a record of 4-7. Bell ends the year with 14 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery returned 97 yards for a touchdown.

TE Pharaoh Brown: Brown had 2 catches for 42 yards and 1 kickoff return for 5 yards in Oregon's 44-21 win over Utah.

Head coach Rich Rodriguez: Rodriguez and his Arizona Wildcats suffered a 24-17 loss to Washington State and fell to 6-4 on the year. Running back Ka'Deem Carey had 26 rushes for 132 yards and 1 touchdown.

CB Dallas Crawford: Crawford had a great individual performance with 19 carries for 115 yards and 3 catches for 48 yards, but Miami was upset by the Duke Blue Devils in a 48-30 game.

S Vladimir Emilien: Emilien had 3 tackles in Toledo's 51-41 win over Buffalo.

K Anthony Fera: Fera was 1/1 on extra points and 2/2 on field goals (from 39 and 27 yards), but Texas lost to Oklahoma State by a score of 38-13.

K Matt Goudis: Goudis was 3/3 on extra points and 3/3 on field goals (from 32, 32, and 31 yards), but Miami lost to Duke by a score of 48-30.

S Carvin Johnson: Johnson had 16 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in Hampton's 42-12 loss to Bethune-Cookman.

WR Jerald Robinson: Robinson had 2 catches for 22 yards and 1 touchdown in Walsh University's 49-28 loss to Findlay. Walsh ends the year with a record of 3-8. On the season, Robinson led the team in all categories with 38 catches for 499 yards and 7 touchdowns.

S Marvin Robinson: Robinson had 5 tackles and 3 pass breakups in Ferris State's 35-22 victory over Northern Michigan.

WR Je'Ron Stokes: Stokes had 3 catches for 27 yards in Norfolk State's 24-13 loss to North Carolina Central.

S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal had 7 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery in Pitt's 34-27 loss to North Carolina.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Dallas Crawford (#4)

DE Isaiah Bell: Bell had 1 tackle in Lake Erie's 51-41 loss to Saginaw Valley State.

CB Dallas Crawford: Crawford had 13 carries for 34 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with 1 catch for 6 yards and 1 tackle in Miami's 49-21 victory over South Florida. Former Michigan target Chris Dunkley had 2 catches for 37 yards for USF.

K Matt Goudis: Goudis was 7/7 on extra points but 0/1 on field goals in Miami's 59-21 win over South Florida.

S Carvin Johnson: Johnson had 15 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 interception in Hampton's 30-6 loss to South Carolina State.

WR Jerald Robinson: Robinson had 3 catches for 30 yards in Walsh University's 59-16 loss to Ferris State. Both Kaleb Ringer and Marvin Robinson played for Ferris State, but neither recorded a statistic.

Head coach Rich Rodriguez: Rodriguez and his Arizona Wildcats suffered their first loss of the season, a 31-13 setback, to the Washington Huskies.

WR Je'Ron Stokes: Stokes had 2 catches for 14 yards and 1 punt return for -4 yards in a 27-21 victory over Morgan State.

S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal had 2 tackles and 2 pass breakups in Pitt's 14-3 victory over Virginia.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Isaiah Bell (left, with Fitzgerald Toussaint in high school) had the best game of his college career.

DE Isaiah Bell: Bell, who started at defensive end for Lake Erie College, had a big game for the Storm. He had 2 tackles, 1 sack, forced 1 fumble, and returned it 97 yards for a touchdown. Lake Erie beat Wayne State by a score of 35-17.

CB Dallas Crawford: Crawford, now a running back for the Miami Hurricanes, had a big game this week. He had 5 carries for 48 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground, along with 1 catch for a 5-yard touchdown. And that wasn't even against the backups - Crawford scored the first, fourth, and sixth touchdowns of the day. Miami beat Bethune Cookman by a score of 77-0.

S Vladimir Emilien: Emilien had 2 tackles as a backup safety in Toledo's 38-17 victory over Central Michigan.

K Matt Goudis: Goudis was 11/11 on extra points in Miami's 77-0 victory over Bethune Cookman.

S Carvin Johnson: Johnson had 9 tackles and 1 pass breakup, but Hampton lost to Coastal Carolina by a score of 50-17.

LB Mike Jones: Jones had 7 tackles in Western Michigan's 59-3 loss to Iowa.

LB Kaleb Ringer: Ringer had 5 tackles in Ferris State's 34-7 victory over Ashland.

WR Jerald Robinson: Robinson had 5 catches for 38 yards in Walsh University's 29-7 loss to Michigan Tech.

S Marvin Robinson: Robinson had 9 tackles in Ferris State's 34-7 victory over Ashland. Robinson leads the team in tackles with 25.

WR Je'Ron Stokes: Stokes had 3 catches for 48 yards and 1 touchdown in Norfolk State's 20-12 loss to Charleston Southern.

S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal started at free safety and had 9 tackles in Pitt's 58-55 victory over Duke.

CB Adrian Witty: Witty had 3 tackles in Cincinnati's 14-0 shutout over the Miami RedHawks.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

S/LB Isaiah Bell: Bell is a 6'2", 252 lb. linebacker at Lake Erie College, which opens its season this coming Saturday against Gannon. Last year he had 7 tackles as a backup linebacker and special teamer.

CB Cullen Christian: Christian, who transferred to Pitt after his 2010 freshman season, had 1 tackle as a backup free safety in the Panthers' 41-13 loss to Florida State.

CB Dallas Crawford: Crawford, now a running back for the Miami Hurricanes, had 2 carries for 6 yards and 1 touchdown in a 34-6 victory over Florida Atlantic.

S Vladimir Emilien: Emilien had 2 tackles in Toledo's 24-6 loss to Florida.

WR/TE Ricardo Miller: Miller graduated from Michigan and transferred to UMass, where he started Saturday's game against Wisconsin after the player ahead of him got injured prior to the season. Miller has 2 catches for 22 yards in the 45-0 loss.

QB Kevin Newsome: Newsome, who de-committed in favor of Penn State during his recruitment, ended up as a wide receiver, then H-back, then running back at Temple. He chose to quit football after graduating this summer and is no longer on the Owls' roster.

WR Dewayne Peace: Peace was declared academically ineligible at Houston for the 2013 season and entered the NFL's supplemental draft, where he went undrafted (along with every other prospect who was available). Now he will presumably attempt to continue his professional football career in some fashion.

WR Je'Ron Stokes: Stokes, now at Norfolk State, had 2 catches for 24 yards in a 23-6 loss to Maine. In kind of a neat story, the second pass he caught was from his younger brother Malik.

S Ray Vinopal: Now Pitt's starting free safety, Vinopal had 9 tackles in the loss to FSU.

CB Adrian Witty: Witty, who starts at free safety for Cincinnati, had 2 tackles and 1 interception returned 41 yards for a touchdown in a 42-7 win over Purdue. You can see that pick and return starting at about 2:59 in the video at the top.

How will the recent departures affect Michigan in 2012?

Darryl Stonum is Michigan's biggest off-season loss

Several football players have left Michigan's program this offseason, including four announced departures during Friday's spring practice press conference.  Here I'll rank the departures from most important to least:

WR Darryl Stonum: Stonum was booted out of the program for yet another run-in with the law.  He had several alcohol-related offenses throughout his college career and was suspended for the entirety of the 2011 season, which would have been his senior year.  Instead, he took a "redshirt year" and everyone hoped he would mature and jump back into a starting role for 2012.  In 2010 he had 49 receptions for 633 yards and 4 touchdowns.  He probably could have approximated those numbers again in 2012 because he would have been the most proven and most physically talented wide receiver on the roster.  The Wolverines lost Junior Hemingway, Martavious Odoms, and Kelvin Grady to graduation, who combined for 46 receptions, 908 yards, and 7 touchdowns.  Now the top two wideouts going into 2012 seem to be the 5'8" Jeremy Gallon (31 receptions, 453 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Roy Roundtree (19 receptions, 355 yards, 2 touchdowns).  The loss of Stonum will hurt Michigan significantly.

C Rocko Khoury: Khoury was considered to be in the mix for the starting center job in 2012.  He had been the top backup at the position for the past two seasons, and with David Molk's graduation, there was an opening.  Most of the buzz this offseason indicated that Ricky Barnum was the front-runner for the position, and perhaps that was because the coaches knew for a while that Khoury would not return.  I would be interested to know why Khoury is done at Michigan.  Did he burn out?  Did he assume he would lose the battle with Khoury?  Will he continue his career elsewhere?  The answers to those questions are unclear.  It is clear, however, that the Wolverines are dangerously thin at center now.  Barnum - who has a history of getting injured -  is practically guaranteed to start at center, and the backup is redshirt freshman Jack Miller, who was listed at 263 lbs. last season.  Other options are Elliott Mealer, who has played guard and tackle in his career and taken some practice; walk-on Joey Burzynski; or one of the true freshmen, although none of them was expected to play center when recruited.  Considering Barnum's injury history, one or more backups are practically guaranteed to play at some point.

WR Terrence Robinson: Robinson was a virtual non-factor as a wide receiver (1 reception for 43 yards in 2010), but he turned into a bit of a special teams coverage demon in 2011.  He made a total of 6 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery on punt and kickoff coverage teams.  Some insiders believed that he even had a good shot at contributing on offense, based on comments that some of the coaches had made.  Robinson's role can likely be filled on special teams, however, and history suggests that any offensive output would probably have been minimal.

RB Michael Cox: Cox contributed very little in Michigan's 11-2 season last fall; the most he did was return a couple short kickoffs.  He had 19 career carries for 169 yards and 2 touchdowns, most of which came in 2009.  While Cox gave flashes that he might have been the most physically talented running back on the roster, rumors persisted that he struggled to learn the playbook and had some attitude issues.  He did play very well whenever he got a chance to show his skills, but all indications seemed to be that he would be see only limited duty again in 2012.  Of the six players listed here, Cox is the only one who has announced plans to continue his career elsewhere; he will transfer to UMass and play football for the upcoming season.

LB Isaiah Bell: Bell had been moored to the bench for the last three seasons.  He was likely destined to continue that role as a benchwarmer, and his departure should have virtually no effect on the team.

LS George Morales: Much like Bell, Morales hadn't seen the field yet in his career.  The Wolverines have a couple long snappers already on the roster, one of whom (Jareth Glanda) won the starting short snapper job last season for field goals and extra points; there are also a couple kids entering school as part of the 2012 class who might be able to help if needed.

Isaiah Bell, ex-Wolverine

Isaiah Bell (#4) was an Under Armour All-American in 2009

Linebacker Isaiah Bell, who would have been a redshirt junior this coming fall, has left the football program.  He was a class of 2009 recruit out of Youngstown (OH) Liberty, a high school classmate of running back Fitzgerald Toussaint and 2010 signee Antonio Kinard, the latter of whom never made it to Michigan.  It's unclear whether Bell plans to transfer to another school.

I was always a fan of Bell's abilities from the time he came out of high school.  He was a large, fairly fast free safety as a high schooler.  The rumors surrounding him since he arrived at college were that he was misinformed about his college position.  When he arrived on campus in 2009, he was expecting to play free safety.  Perhaps because he had become a little too large, Rich Rodriguez and his staff stuck him at linebacker.  Bell was reportedly frustrated with that role, struggled to buy into the strength and conditioning program, and floundered on the bench for his entire career.  Bell's problems seemed to be more mental than physical.  The only real glimpse we had of Bell was during the spring game in April 2011, when he played a bit as a weakside end, much like Jake Ryan did in nickel situations this past season.  As MGoBlog mentioned, he was left off the fall camp roster last season because the coaches can only have 105 players in camp.

Bell is the eighth class of 2009 signee to depart prior to exhausting eligibility.  For recaps of other former Wolverines, check out the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.

2011 Countdown: #72 Isaiah Bell

Isaiah Bell

Name: Isaiah Bell
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 245 lbs.
High school: Liberty High School in Youngstown, OH
Position: Middle linebacker
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #26
Last year: I ranked him #65 and said he would contribute on special teams. Bell did not play at all.

I was an unabashed fan of Bell when he was coming out of high school, but I would be lying if I said I didn't have my doubts about him at this point.  He didn't even play special teams as a redshirt freshman, and there have been persistent rumors about his work ethic, conditioning, attitude, etc.  He was largely non-existent in the spring game, too.

This coming season ought to be a barometer of what path Bell will take for the remainder of his career.  If he still can't get on the field on special teams, that's bad news and probably speaks more to his attitude than physical talent.  Walk-ons litter special teams units (Floyd Simmons, Zac Johnson, Tom Pomarico, Mark Moundros, Tony Anderson, etc.), and Bell obviously possesses more athleticism than most walk-ons.  But if Bell starts to see the field a little bit on specials and gets sprinkled in there on defense, then he might be a late-blooming type who can help the team as an upperclassman.

Prediction: Special teams contributor . . . ?

Welcome Back, 4-3 Under: The Linebackers

Shawn Crable would be ideal for the new regime

Last week I put up a post explaining how Michigan's defense will look in the coming years under new defensive coordinator Greg Mattison.  Today we'll take a look at the linebackers.

STRONGSIDE LINEBACKER (SAM)
Alignment:  9-technique, which is on the outside shoulder of the tight end
Gap responsibility:  D gap, which is outside the tight end
What should he look like?  If you're building a team, this guy should be your best overall athlete with the best combination of size, strength, and speed.  He resides on the strong side of the formation and holds the point of attack on most run plays.  He will be blocked on every running play and take on blocks from fullbacks, tight ends, and pulling guards.  He also needs to cover running backs out of the backfield, drop into flat or hook zones, or occasionally slide inside and blitz the interior line.  These varied responsibilities require unique overall athleticism.  Shawn Crable, who was about 6'5" and 245 lbs. and could run like a deer, would be the prototype.The physical freak you create in NCAA Football who's 6'6", 260 lbs., and runs a 4.3 forty . . . he's a SAM.
Best physical fit:  Jake Ryan (6'3", 224 lbs.).  Keep in mind that Ryan is just a freshman and probably weighs more than 224 at this point, but all these players are coming from a defense that didn't recruit players for the SAM position.

MIDDLE LINEBACKER (MIKE)
Alignment: 3-off, which is on the outside shoulder of the strongside guard and off the line of scrimmage
Gap responsibility:  B gap, which is between the strongside tackle and guard
What should he look like?  Your middle linebacker should be the tackling machine.  As opposed to the middle linebacker in the 3-3-5 (who lines up directly over the center), the MIKE in a 4-3 Under aligns himself on the strong side of the formation.  The formation of the defense funnels most running plays to the MIKE's vicinity.  He often has to defeat blocks from fullbacks, which means he has to have a sturdy frame.  He also needs to have a nose for the ball and roam sideline to sideline.  Unlike the 4-3 Tampa Cover Two defense, though, the MIKE in the 4-3 Under is somewhat protected in the passing game.  He needs to be able to cover crossing routes and hook zones, but the deep middle of the field will be covered by one of the safeties. Obviously, everyone would like to have a great athlete at every position, but the MIKE can afford to be a little stiffer in pass coverage.  The ideal size for a middle linebacker would be about 6'2" and 245 lbs.
Best physical fit:  Isaiah Bell (6'1", 245 lbs.)

WEAKSIDE LINEBACKER (WILL)
Alignment:  1-off, which is on the inside shoulder of the weakside guard and off the line of scrimmage
Gap responsibility:  Flow to the ball
What should he look like?  Michigan had a great deal of success with smaller weakside linebackers when Hoke and Mattison were in Ann Arbor earlier in their careers, and I see no reason why that philosophy would change in the near future.  Guys like Larry Foote and Ian Gold were both very effective while being a shade over 6' tall and 205-225 lbs.  The WILL rarely needs to take on a fullback because of the defense's alignment; with a NT over the center and a DT over the weakside guard, it's difficult to create enough space in that A gap to send a big fullback leading up through the hole.  That means the WILL often gets a chance to flow to the ball and make things happen.  He will blitz often and pick up running backs or slot receivers on rare occasions, so he needs to be somewhat more agile than the MIKE.  So despite technically being an inside linebacker (aligned between the tackles), he can get away with being smaller.
Best physical fit: Antonio Poole (6'1", 210 lbs.)

So about all these offers . . .

5-star receiver Stefon Diggs

Many Michigan fans seem worried that the new coaching staff has thrown out offers with what fans deem to be reckless abandon over the last couple months.  At last count Michigan has verbally offered 130 prospects from the class of 2012.

The key word there is "verbally."  Due to a new rule for this recruiting cycle, high schoolers cannot receive official, written offers until August 1 of their senior year.  That means someone like Stefon Diggs (pictured above) won't be 100% sure of who's recruiting him until a little over four months from now.  In the olden days, kids could receive written offers on September 1 of their junior years, meaning Diggs would have been offered several months ago.

One thing to watch is how many kids actually accept offers this early in the process.  Since they can't have official offers in hand for another several months, kids may be feeling out the process a little longer.  It seems that there have been fewer early commitments in the class of 2012 overall.  Only 19 of the 130 offered have already committed to a particular program.

While offers are coming at a much faster rate this year, they seem to be going to higher level athletes.  Of the 130 offers, 84 of them (56%) are on the Rivals 250 to Watch list, which means they are likely to be 4-stars or higher.  In my opinion, many of the other 46 players have a very good chance of being 4-stars, as well.

By about this time in the past few recruiting classes, Michigan not only had offers out to some lower level guys, but actual commitments from guys like Teric Jones (buried on the bench at RB), Antonio Kinard (a non-qualifier who ended up at Miami), Isaiah Bell (buried on the bench at LB), and Delonte Hollowell (who ended up as a middling 3-star prospect).  This is not to say that those guys won't end up being solid players at some point, but early offers and commitments should be elite kids.  You can find the Teric Joneses and Antonio Kinards of the world late in the recruiting game, like Michigan has with Ray Vinopal, Jake Ryan, and Russell Bellomy.

Additionally, Michigan's midwest recruiting base is pretty talented this season, which means the coaches - and recruits - don't have to travel far.  Forty-four of the 130 offers (34%) are to kids from Big Ten states.

I was not a huge fan of the Brady Hoke hire, so this is not coming from the we-need-a-Michigan-Man-to-right-the-ship perspective:  I am legitimately not concerned with the number of offers the Wolverines have put out there.  This coaching staff seems to have a better grasp on the type of talent Michigan can and should recruit.  I will voice my concern if and when Hoke starts tossing out offers like candy to MAC-level and Big East-level talent, but so far that's not the case.

2010 Football Roster Tidbits

This guy is 320 lbs.

The 2010 football roster was released on Monday, and there are several interesting notes. Going down the list numerically . . .

Freshman safety Marvin Robinson is #3 and listed at 6'2", 200 lbs. Not only was Troy Woolfolk impressed with his play at safety during summer 7-on-7s, but for all those people who thought he would bulk up to play linebacker . . . 200 lbs. hardly screams for a position change.

Freshman safety Josh Furman is #6 and listed at 6'2", 207 lbs.

Senior linebacker Jonas Mouton is 240 lbs. now. Last year he was listed at 228. He's not the only linebacker who bulked up, so that's clearly a directive from the coaches and training staff.

Freshman cornerback Courtney Avery is #9 and listed at 5'11", 167 lbs. He has apparently been working hard this summer, but that's not much weight to be spread out across a 5'11" frame.

Freshman safety Carvin Johnson is #13 and listed at 6'0", 195 lbs.

Junior running back Michael Shaw packed on 6 lbs. and is up to 187.

Freshman safety Ray Vinopal is #20 and listed at 5'10", 193 lbs.

Freshman cornerback Terrence Talbott is #22 and listed at 5'11", 171 lbs.

Freshman cornerback Cullen Christian is #24 and listed at 6'0", 187 lbs. That seems like a perfect size to get some playing time this year.

Redshirt sophomore middle linebacker Kenny Demens is 250 lbs. now. And if you've seen any new pictures of him, he's jacked.

Freshman slot receiver Drew Dileo is #26 and listed at 5'10", 171 lbs.

Redshirt freshman middle linebacker Isaiah Bell is 245 lbs. now, up from 237 in the spring. He was a free safety and about 205-210 coming out of high school, so that's some impressive weight gain. Hooray for chocolate milk.

Redshirt freshman kicker Brendan Gibbons is 227 lbs. There were reports that he had been up to about 245.

Freshman linebacker Jake Ryan is #37 and listed at 6'3", 224 lbs.

Freshman linebacker Davion Rogers is #38 and listed at 6'6", 200 lbs. Maybe he can play small forward for our basketball team, too.

Freshman Kenny Wilkins is #41 and listed at 6'3", 262 lbs. Hopefully that's good weight, and I'm assuming it is because he has a reputation for being a gym rat. He's also listed as a defensive end, despite some people's thoughts that he would play Craig Roh's linebacker position.

Freshman punter Will Hagerup is #43 and listed at 6'4", 210 lbs.

Senior Mark Moundros (a permanent captain for this season) is listed as a "FB/LB," the only player on the team with two positions listed.

Senior middle linebacker Obi Ezeh is up to 250 lbs.

Redshirt junior center David Molk is listed at 285 lbs., up fifteen from the 2009 season.

Freshman defensive tackle Richard Ash is #54 and listed at 6'3", 320 lbs. That's a significant weight gain for someone who was 240 lbs. as a junior and listed at 263 lbs. on his recruiting profiles. That much weight gain can't be good weight.

Freshman defensive end Jibreel Black is #55 and listed at 6'2", 258 lbs. Expect to see him on the field this fall.

Redshirt junior defensive tackle Dominique Ware is still short (5'7").

Sophomore defensive tackle William Campbell has gone through quite a transition. He came in at a reported 330 lbs., got all the way down to 318, and is now listed at 333 lbs. It sounds like the training staff had to melt off some of the flab and turn it into muscle . . . hopefully.

The redshirt freshmen offensve linemen have all put on significant weight. Taylor Lewan is 294, Michael Schofield is 293, and Quinton Washington is now 315. That should make them viable options to play this fall.

Senior tight end Martell Webb is up to 255 lbs.

Freshman wide receiver Ricardo Miller is now 6'4", 215 lbs.

Freshman wide receiver D.J. Williamson is #84 and listed at 6'1", 170 lbs.

Junior tight end Kevin Koger is up to 255 lbs.

Redshirt sophomore tight end Brandon Moore is up to 250 lbs.

Freshman Jordan Paskorz is #94 and listed at 6'3", 242 lbs. He's also listed as a defensive end, which is where someone with his hip stiffness belongs.

Freshman Terry Talbott is #96 and listed at 6'3", 248 lbs. He's destined for a redshirt, especially because he's listed at defensive tackle, not defensive end.

Senior Adam Patterson is still listed as a defensive end, despite the fact that he got snaps at nose tackle in the spring.

2010 Countdown: #65 Isaiah Bell

Name: Isaiah Bell
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 237 lbs.
High school: Liberty High School in Youngstown, OH
Position: Middle linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #26
Last year: I ranked him #75 and said he would redshirt. Bell redshirted.

Bell is in his second year of the program and making an adjustment from playing high school safety to playing college inside linebacker. Up to this point, he hasn't really made his mark on the team. Obi Ezeh and Jonas Mouton are the presumed starters at the inside linebacker positions, and J.B. Fitzgerald, Kenny Demens, and Mike Jones are scheduled to be the first ones off the bench.

I'm a little surprised that Bell was bumped to inside linebacker rather than Steve Brown's hybrid role, but at 237 lbs., Bell has put on enough weight that the hybrid position would no longer be an option. In the pictures I have seen, Bell still looks a little bit soft, so I think he's still got some work to do with his conditioning and nutrition habits. But I stand by my assessment from last year that Bell will be a good player in college - it just won't be this year. Bell could be a contributor on special teams this year, and we might also see him at linebacker against teams like UMass or Bowling Green. Otherwise, I don't expect to see #26 on the field much this year.

Prediction for 2010: Special teams action; limited linebacker reps

2010 Recruiting Grades: Linebacker

The realization that Michigan could be headed toward a 4-2-5 defense in 2010 makes the recent class's linebacker recruiting a little murky. The Wolverines desperately needed some linebackers in the class, but largely failed to get what Michigan fans - and anlaysts - wanted to see from Rich Rodriguez. Presumably, Michigan's two starting inside linebackers will graduate after 2010 (Obi Ezeh and Jonas Mouton), leaving only J.B. Fitzgerald, Kenny Demens, Isaiah Bell, and Mike Jones to play those two spots; only Fitzgerald has seen significant playing time thus far.

One of Michigan's first commitments of the cycle, Youngstown, OH, linebacker Antonio Kinard arrived on the scene. He played fullback and middle linebacker in high school, but throughout the recruiting process, he and analysts insisted he was being recruited for the Quick end position. Shortly before National Signing Day, Kinard revealed that the coaches would start him off at the weakside linebacker position. So it looks as if Kinard will be groomed to be Mouton's potential replacement. Kinard is 6'4" and only 202 lbs., so he has some filling out to do. He has the speed and athleticism to be an excellent defender, and it's promising that he actually played ILB as a high schooler.

Michigan's second linebacker commitment came from Josh Furman, a SAM prospect from Millersville, MD. Originally recruited to play SAM, the potential switch to the 4-2-5 essentially eliminates the SAM linebacker. So it remains to be seen what position Furman will play. However, his physical skills might be the most impressive of any player in the entire class. At 6'3" and 194 lbs., he supposedly ran a 4.37 laser-timed forty (which is surely fake, but still impressive, if only for its audacity). His speed is impressive, but he tends to run upright and could struggle with his agility at the next level. I don't expect the SAM linebacker position to disappear permanently (it might only be a one-year experiment to maximize talent), but Furman has the frame and skills enough to bulk up to weakside linebacker size. As for the 2010 season, I expect Furman to get some reps at strong safety.

Predictions: Kinard will almost surely redshirt in 2010, and I'd expect him to be around 230 pounds by the time he earns some playing time in a couple years. He's a more natural fit at inside linebacker than some of the other linebackers (Bell and Jones, for example), but I don't see him really pushing for playing time until his third year. Furman, on the other hand, could very well play in 2010. I think he could be an excellent special teams player with his speed and size. Furthermore, while I don't see him starting this year, he could very well get some backup minutes in the role of SS (or SAM). I wouldn't trust him in deep zone coverage just yet, but he would be a good matchup in coverage on tight ends.

Grade: C. Michigan really needed a middle linebacker in this class, which the coaches failed to secure. It's possible that Jake Ryan could play MIKE, but so far it seems he was recruited to play Quick end. Kinard has good upside, but he's a couple years away from contributing. That's fine because there are other options at weakside linebacker, but an immediate-impact sort would have been nice. Furman is a good player and could play a variety of roles; he reminds me a bit of recent Wisconsin Badger Jonathan Casillas, but with better pass rushing ability.

2009 Countdown: #37 J.B. Fitzgerald

Name: J.B. Fitzgerald
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 232 lbs.
High School: West Windsor Plainsboro High School in Princeton Junction, NJ
Position: Inside linebacker
Class: Sophomore
Jersey Number: #42
2008 statistics: 8 tackles
Prediction for 2009: Backup inside linebacker

Fitzgerald was a highly touted linebacker coming out of high school in 2008 and currently rests second on the depth chart at inside linebacker. If either Jonas Mouton or Obi Ezeh gets hurt, Fitzgerald would probably be the first guy on the field to replace them.

Unfortunately for Michigan, there's very little competition at linebacker. All the freshmen (Mike Jones, Isaiah Bell, Brandin Hawthorne) seem destined for the SAM linebacker position, and even redshirt freshman Brandon Smith has reportedly been playing SAM at times. The backups at inside linebacker are Fitzgerald, Kenny Demens, and then walk-ons. This is why linebacker recruiting is so important in the class of 2010.

But I digress. Fitzgerald is a classic middle linebacker, a heavy hitter with a nose for the ball. He won't beat out Ezeh while the latter is still playing on Saturdays, but once Ezeh departs, the MIKE position will be in good hands.

2009 Countdown: #75 Isaiah Bell

Isaiah Bell makes a tackle in the Under Armour All-American Game.

Listed at 6' and 209 lbs. by Rivals, reports on true freshman Isaiah Bell's size varied significantly throughout the recruiting process. His height was anywhere between 6' and 6'2" and he weighed from 200 lbs. up to 220 or 225. So I'm just going to assume he's 6'1" and 212.5 lbs. He comes to Michigan from Liberty High School in Youngstown, OH, and was the high school teammate of Fitzgerald Toussaint.

Ultimately rated as a linebacker by the scouting service, I have always thought Bell would make a better safety. He has tremendous ball skills when the football is in the air and he was also a good kick returner in high school. I'm sure his return days are over, but I'd like to see him roaming centerfield for Michigan in the next few years. If Greg Robinson and his hybrid-heavy defense stick around for a few years, Bell is probably headed for the "Spinner" position, which is a safety-linebacker combo (the same position that Steve Brown will occupy this fall). But with Brown entrenched as the starter and a couple early enrollees (Mike Jones, Brandin Hawthorne) getting reps there in the spring, I'd guess that Bell is headed for a redshirt this year. But as with the entire defensive backfield, one or two injuries could change that in a hurry.