Site News: Launch date (plus a mid-day serving of Jourdan Lewis)

Jordan Lewis (image via Maize and Blue News)

In site-related news, the tentative launch date of the new website is June 7. Thanks to those of you who have contributed to the efforts. If you would like to donate, please use Paypal (on the left sidebar) or do some shopping through Amazon (LINK).

In football-related news, a video popped up on Scout of cornerback Jourdan Lewis working out against various guys at Belleville High School (LINK). One of the guys is former Detroit (MI) Cass Tech quarterback Jayru Campbell, who is headed to prep school after squandering away his college opportunities.

18 Wolverines Who Might Get Drafted in 2016

Jourdan Lewis

If you would also like to donate to the site redesign drive, please use Paypal (on the left sidebar) or do some shopping on Amazon (LINK). Thanks!
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Michigan recently had three players drafted in the 2015 NFL Draft - two seniors and a true junior, the latter of which was talented but never really hit his ceiling while in college. Over the past few days, I have seen some gnashing of teeth amongst Michigan fans about whether or not anyone will be drafted in 2016. It's a somewhat valid concern because Michigan does not appear to have many superstars, and nobody leaps out as a likely first or second round pick for next year. However, there are numerous guys who could find their names called next spring. Here is a rundown of the players who could potentially get a phone calling bearing good news during next year's draft. Some of them are young players who might make the choice - wise or not - to leave after their junior or redshirt sophomore seasons.

SENIORS
Joe Bolden, LB (Sr.): The 6'3", 232 lb. senior became a part-time starter in 2013 and a full-time starter last year when he finished second on the team with 102 tackles; he also had 4 tackles for loss and 2 sacks. He will be counted on once again to be a leader on the defense, alongside fellow inside linebacker Desmond Morgan. Bolden has never been the most athletic linebacker, but he is known as a smart, high-character guy who usually gets to the right spot. If Jake Ryan is the standard for a 4th rounder, then Bolden might be a late-round selection.

Blake Countess (RS Sr.): Countess has had an up-and-down career for the Wolverines. After showing promise as a freshman, he tore his ACL in 2012. Then he had 6 interceptions in 2013, followed by zero - and basically losing his job - as a redshirt junior in 2014, when he did have 24 tackles and 3 pass breakups. If the odd year trend continues, he's poised for a big year here in 2015. The 5'10", 185 lb. Countess will be battling Jourdan Lewis and Wayne Lyons for playing time, but Countess has a shot to get drafted pretty high if he performs like he did two years ago.

Graham Glasgow, OL (RS Sr.): The 6'6", 303 lb. Glasgow comes with some off-the-field issues having to do with alcohol, but he has been Michigan's most consistent lineman over the past two seasons. He has the ability to play center, guard, or tackle, although his best fit is probably the guard position. He could probably carry some additional weight if necessary. If Michigan finds success on the ground, much of the credit will probably go to Glasgow, who will probably be the starting center this year now that Jack Miller has departed.

Hit the jump for some more seniors and some underclassmen who could be tempted to make a jump to the NFL.

2015 Spring Game: Blue 7, Maize 0

After watching the spring game on Saturday, here are some thoughts on each position group:

QUARTERBACKS: With Wilton Speight nursing a slight injury, this was a game between Alex Malzone and Shane Morris. Malzone had the superior completion percentage, but Morris looked like the better quarterback. Malzone still has an ugly, baseball-pitcher delivery that needs to be shortened up. He looks okay on quick throws (bubble screens, etc.), but any time he has to drop back and set up, the ball drops down to waist level and takes forever to come out. That is not something that gets fixed quickly. He made some good decisions but just doesn't have the ability to get the ball there quick enough (from a mechanical standpoint and an arm strength standpoint). Morris, meanwhile, also made some good decisions, showed nice touch on some throws we haven't seen him make before, and generally looked calmer in the pocket. His Blue team picked on "cornerback" Dennis Norfleet a bunch, which I thought was a bit unfair. Norfleet has been practicing mostly at wide receiver, but he was playing corner due to a lack of depth with the split squads. Morris and the Blue team sent Amara Darboh and Jaron Dukes deep on him several times, both of whom are significantly taller and veteran receivers. If the season were to start today, I think Morris is definitely the guy . . . but Jake Rudock is on his way from Iowa.

Hit the jump for some feedback on the rest of the position groups.

2014 All-Big Ten teams announced

Jake Ryan

A few All-Big Ten teams have been announced. As you might expect from a 5-7 team with several players who underperformed, Michigan doesn't have many representatives.

COACHES
1st team: Jake Ryan, LB
2nd team: Devin Funchess, WR

MEDIA
1st team: Jake Ryan, LB

BTN.COM
Jake Ryan, LB

Honorable Mention
Brennen Beyer, DE
Blake Countess, CB
Will Hagerup, P
Raymon Taylor, CB

I am completely behind the selection of #47. During the regular season, Jake Ryan was #2 in the conference in tackles (112) and tackles per game (9.33); he was also #4 in tackles for loss (14.0) and #5 in tackles for loss per game (1.17). He also had 2 sacks, 1 interception, 3 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles, and 5 quarterback hurries.

I am less convinced by the selection of Devin Funchess. He was #3 in receptions (62), #5 in yardage (733), #24 in yards/catch (11.82), and tied for #12 in touchdowns (4). Congratulations to him, but here's a list of players I would rank above him:

Tony Lippett, Michigan State: 60 catches, 1124 yards, 11 touchdowns
Leonte Carroo, Rutgers: 53 catches, 1043 yards, 10 touchdowns
Kenny Allen, Nebraska: 40 catches, 717 yards, 5 touchdowns
Devin Smith, Ohio State: 26 catches, 662 yards, 8 touchdowns
Michael Thomas, Ohio State: 40 catches, 639 yards, 8 touchdowns
Stefon Diggs, Maryland: 52 catches, 654 yards, 5 touchdowns

As for the guys named Honorable Mention, Blake Countess has no business being on that team. He had a very rough season, made 24 tackles, and broke up 3 passes. No interceptions, no big plays, and he got picked on rather often. Beyer had a decent year (35 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks), but the best defensive lineman on the team was Frank Clark, who may not have been included since he was kicked off the team. Taylor had 0 interceptions and 6 pass breakups; not a terrible season, but nothing special, either. Hagerup averaged 42.9 yards/kick (#3 in the conference) and pinned teams deep fairly often.

The biggest exclusion I see is sophomore cornerback Jourdan Lewis (39 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 6 pass breakups), who was the best player in the secondary for Michigan. I wouldn't have minded seeing junior linebacker Joe Bolden selected for Honorable Mention, either; he ended the year with 102 tackles (#11 in the conference), 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 1 pass breakup.

Michigan 10, Northwestern 9

This was the scene for most of the first half (image via Zimbio)

Ugly. That was a terrible performance by everyone except Michigan's front seven and Northwestern's secondary. Each team turned over the ball 3 times, nobody could move the ball consistently, quarterbacks were falling down without being touched, and there were no big plays except when Northwestern safety Ibraheim Campbell returned an interception 79 yards. The Wildcats are banged up, and their offensive line isn't very good. Michigan's top skill players - Devin Gardner, Devin Funchess, Dennis Norfleet, and Derrick Green - are all limping or out entirely.

Michigan's defensive tackles have matched the secondary in interceptions. Matt Godin's interception gives the tackles two (Willie Henry had a pick against Utah), while cornerback Jourdan Lewis has 2 - and is the only player in the secondary to record an interception. The Wolverines now have 5 picks on the season after linebacker Jake Ryan got one in this game, too, but it has been a largely unproductive season for Michigan's defensive backs.

Quarterback play is wretched. Devin Gardner made some terrible decisions in the passing game, much like he did last year at Northwestern. He finished the game 11/24 for 109 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Michigan was winning the field position battle in the first half, playing in Northwestern territory almost the entire time. That added up to 0 points. On the play that turned into Campbell's interception, Bo Dever was wide open deep on the right sideline, but Gardner tried to hit Freddy Canteen in the middle of the field. Gardner looks indecisive, doesn't throw on time, and won't tuck the ball and run with any authority. When he does make a quick decision, it's usually the wrong one.

Offensive line improvement. Michigan fans may not like to hear it, but this offensive line is getting better. The Wolverines did a good job of keeping pressure off of Gardner, and they were opening up decent-sized holes in the running game. Northwestern did not get a ton of penetration, and while they don't have any huge playmakers on the defensive line, this still represents a step forward for Michigan. Fans who want head coach Brady Hoke and offensive line coach Darrell Funk gone after this season are not gathering convincing evidence on the field from the offensive line. Of course, Michigan's skill players aren't doing much with the holes provided, either.

Running back situation. Last week I called for Drake Johnson to get more playing time, and he did (10 carries for 30 yards). However, he and De'Veon Smith both looked bad early. I thought Smith, in particular, looked indecisive and slow to the hole in the first half. He spent way too much time dancing in the backfield, trying to wait for something better. One of the coaches on the sideline - presumably Fred Jackson - must have talked to Smith, because when he finally decided to hit the line with authority, the running game took off. Smith finished with 18 carries for 121 yards and 1 touchdown. Johnson, meanwhile, is the faster of the two backs, but he struggles to break tackles. I believe we saw the last of him when he fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Joey-on-the-Spot Kerridge.

The wide receivers are slow. This is not new news, but it is painfully obvious. Funchess has more speed than he's showing, but I just don't see him running hard. I think his ankle is still bothering him. Maybe that's what's sapping his concentration, since he seems to drop half the passes thrown his way. Jehu Chesson has decent speed, but he has been banged up and has perhaps the worst hands out of the entire receiving corps. Norfleet is out. Gardner - who is playing poorly anyway - has limited options, none of whom can get separation unless the defense blows a coverage. Unfortunately, there's not much help in sight. I have hopes for Maurice Ways, who I think is going to surprise some people when he hits the field. Drake Harris, who is redshirting along with Ways, used to be fast before he had a two-years-long hamstring injury. I am not counting on him to return to form. Da'Mario Jones can't seem to find his way onto the field.

The defensive line made Northwestern look silly. When backup defensive end Mario Ojemudia bull rushes through your offensive line for 2 sacks, you know things are bad. Michigan totaled 6 sacks, including 1.5 from Frank Clark, 1 from Brennen Beyer, and 1 from Willie Henry. Michigan's defensive line made Northwestern's linemen, quarterback, and play calling look silly at times. Color guy Ed Cunningham kept questioning Northwestern's decision to call dropback passes, and I actually agreed with an analyst for once. The Wildcats finally seemed to have some success when they called shorter pass routes and kept backs in the backfield to protect the quarterback. It just took them a long time to realize it. Northwestern just couldn't handle trying to block Michigan's defensive line one-on-one while waiting for routes to develop. Clark, in particular, had a great game, especially in the first half.

Jake Ryan is a monster. He had 11 tackles, .5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup. He and Clark could both feasibly earn Defensive Player of the Week honors in the Big Ten, which Ryan also won last week against Indiana. I thought all the linebackers played well, including Joe Bolden (7 tackles) and James Ross III (5 tackles).

Everyone except Jourdan Lewis is a step slow. Michigan's secondary just isn't making plays this year. Everyone seems a step slow, even against a Northwestern offense that is slow and lacking playmakers. The one exception appears to be Lewis, but even he a) should have been called for pass interference at least once and b) should have intercepted a pass thrown to Kyle Prater. The commentators praised Lewis for batting down the ball, but he should have planted his back foot and gone up to get the pass at its highest point. Meanwhile, whenever backup cornerback Delonte Hollowell is in the game, I think opposing offensive coordinators target him; he is, of course, the guy who allowed Northwestern's lone touchdown. That has been his M.O. this year. I believe Notre Dame, Utah, and Northwestern have all scored touchdowns against Hollowell on flat routes near the offense's left sideline.

Pat Fitzgerald's decision at the end of the game. With Michigan hanging onto a 10-9 leading with a pending extra point attempt, Fitzgerald decided to go for the two-point conversion. I agree with the decision, but not the execution. Northwestern had momentum at that point, but for the entire game, Michigan dominated defensively. It seemed to take everything Northwestern had to muster that late-game rally. After losing for two straight years in overtime, it's understandable that Fitzgerald wanted to go for the win. The maxim is that you should go for the tie at home, and go for the win on the road, but Michigan had been the more consistent team in this one. Northwestern had been hitting short passes late in the game, and I believe they should have continued with what was working. They should have gone with max protection and tried to hit someone short. Instead, they rolled quarterback Trevor Siemian to the right, and when Frank Clark ended up in his face, Siemian's foot slipped and he fell to the ground. Game over.

What does this all mean? It means Michigan's offense is still terrible, and Michigan's defense is pretty good. The Wolverines managed just 256 yards, went 1-for-12 on third downs, 0-for-1 on fourth, and had just 13 first downs the whole game. The defense allowed -9 total rushing yards, and while Northwestern threw for 273, it was largely on dink-and-dunk passes late in the game.

Michigan vs. Utah Awards

Willie Henry celebrates his touchdown (image via Zimbio)

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . nobody. I am growing weary of people who think the guy on the bench is better. Shane Morris is not better than Devin Gardner. Justice Hayes is not better than Derrick Green/De'Veon Smith. Michigan needs to keep "pounding the rock" and improvement should come. Michigan has outgained the opponent in every game so far, so there should be a breakthrough at some point.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Shane Morris. I don't know the rationale behind inserting Morris into the game last night. Personally, I thought it seemed like a reaction to public presssure. Gardner was obviously pressing again, but he's still the most experienced, most athletic, and best quarterback on the team. If Gardner was pulled as a punishment for bad decision-making . . . okay. If Gardner was pulled in order to keep him healthy . . . that's lame in a two-score game with about a quarter to go. If Gardner was pulled because the coaches think Morris is his equal . . . that's dumb. I realize that Gardner isn't getting the job done, but sometimes that guy is still the best guy.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Jarrod Wilson. Wilson hadn't been a standout this year, but safety was the huge question mark on defense this year because he was the only experienced guy back there. Of course, he got hurt and has missed the last two games. Now Michigan is left with redshirt sophomore Jeremy Clark, who is prone to fundamental breakdowns; sophomore Dymonte Thomas, who is a decent tackler but needs work in coverage; and sophomore Delano Hill, who played exclusively on special teams last year and has missed a large chunk of time with a broken jaw this fall. Michigan needs him back healthy.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . nobody. Other than the mish-mash of young safeties mentioned above, the defense is doing a good job. They only allowed one offensive touchdown and five field goal attempts, and the main reason they got that many chances to score was because the offense couldn't drive deep into Utah territory.

Play of the game . . . Willie Henry's interception and touchdown. Near his own goal line, backup quarterback Kendal Thompson - temporarily replacing starter Travis Wilson, who had suffered a worse-than-it-seemed, face-first crash landing on the sideline - dropped back to pass. Smelling blood, Michigan's defensive line tore through Utah's front five, and Jake Ryan wrapped him up. Thompson tried to chuck it short over Henry's head, but Henry got vertical (a little bit), bobbled the ball (a little bit), and then made a visible attempt to truck Thompson on his way into the endzone. Honorable mention in this category goes to Jourdan Lewis, who came all the way across the field to track down Utah running back Bubba Poole on a 67-yard screen catch-and-run.

MVP of the game . . . Jake Ryan. Ryan had 13 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 sack in the game. He's coming around as an inside linebacker, and he even played both options on a power read option play, making the tackle on quarterback Travis Wilson for a loss.

Michigan 34, Miami-OH 10

Derrick Green (image via 247Sports.com)

That was too close. The final score said 34-10, but it was 10-10 in the second quarter, 17-10 at halftime, and Michigan didn't get separation until tight end Jake Butt caught a touchdown pass with 3:44 remaining in the third quarter. The offense was inconsistent once again. The Wolverines had 460 yards of total offense to Miami's 198, which should indicate a whooping. But Devin Gardner threw an interception through the hands of Jehu Chesson, Amara Darboh fumbled, and the kickoff return team botched a short kick, all in the second quarter. Maybe the Wolverines were still in shell-shock from last week's 31-0 loss, but Miami was on an 18-game losing streak and gave Michigan a scare. This game won't do much to alleviate the pressure on Brady Hoke.

We have running back answers? Derrick Green was the workhorse back on Saturday afternoon with 22 carries, 137 yards (6.2 yards/carry), and 2 touchdowns. Michigan had a stretch in the second half where they needed to run the ball and take some pressure off of quarterback Devin Gardner, which they did. Green was the guy they looked to, and he produced. The offensive line also did a decent job of opening up some holes, but Green seemed to find the creases that he missed last week. He showed some nifty feet and decent burst, and he started to run through some tacklers. He also had zero negative-yardage plays. Meanwhile, De'Veon Smith had 9 carries for 44 yards (4.9 yards/carry), and while he can still power through some tackles, his speed on a couple outside zone plays was once again lacking. Third down back Justice Hayes had 5 carries for 24 yards, and that's a fitting role for him.

Big plays are lacking without Devin Funchess. Devin Funchess missed the game due to the injury he suffered late in the Notre Dame contest, and it's unclear whether he'll be back next week or not. Michigan's receivers seemed to struggle getting separation from Miami's secondary at times, and I don't see anyone who can stretch the field or gain yards after the catch consistently. Jehu Chesson has some speed, Amara Darboh has the strength and decent size, and Dennis Norfleet has the ability to run after the catch, but nobody has all those qualities rolled into one. Darboh (6 catches, 88 yards, 1 touchdown) appears to be Gardner's go-to guy without Funchess available. The longest plays on the day were a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jake Butt and 27-yard runs by Green and backup quarterback Shane Morris.

I like Michigan's corners. Jabrill Peppers (3 tackles) played quite a bit on the outside, and while he looked raw in some aspects of coverage, he clearly has the speed, strength, and hips to be a very good corner. It's just a matter of time with him. Jourdan Lewis (1 interception) also looked like a good man coverage guy, which we already knew. They both seemed to get a little more playing time than Blake Countess, although I could be wrong about that. Once Raymon Taylor comes back, I think Michigan will be in good shape. Miami quarterback Andrew Hendrix was completing 48% of his passes but for 338 yards/game coming into this one, and he finished 12/26 for 165 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 pick.

Where's the pass rush? Michigan is getting some pressure on quarterbacks, but they're not getting home. Brennen Beyer got Michigan's lone sack on Saturday, basically by outworking Miami right tackle Collin Buchanan - who had 3 false starts on the day, if I remember correctly. Michigan didn't roll out the exotic blitzes they showed against Notre Dame, but they didn't sit back and rush four defensive linemen all day, either. The Wolverines just aren't beating guys off the line like you think they would once in a while. The pass rush improved as the 2013 season wore on, so hopefully that becomes the case once again. The Wolverines have just 4 sacks in three games this year.

The run defense still looks good. Miami isn't a good running team, but Michigan did well against Notre Dame on the ground and held Miami to 33 yards on 24 carries (1.4 yards/carry). The defensive linemen aren't getting a ton of penetration, but they're not losing ground, and the linebackers are doing a good job of cleaning up behind them. Joe Bolden even made a nice pass breakup on a post route, which is probably the first time I can say that during his career. The linebackers are pretty solid all-around.

WHY, JEHU CHESSON II, WHY?!?!?! When he got his hands on the Shane Morris pass in the endzone that would have made it 37-10 (before the extra point), I really thought my score prediction of 38-10 was going to come true. Chesson must read my blog - and he must not be a fan - because he made the Wolverines settle for a field goal that made it 34-10.

Notre Dame 31, Michigan 0

Oh, how I long for a "pocket."

What just happened? I found this question reverberating around in my head from the second quarter onward. The scoreboard - whether it said 31-0 or 37-0 at the end - was not reflective of what this Michigan team can do, and it was not reflective of Notre Dame. Notre Dame has some good players, and so does Michigan. Notre Dame has some good coaches, and so does Michigan. Notre Dame was missing some people, and so was Michigan. Are Notre Dame's coaches, starters, and backups 31 points superior to Michigan's? Well, yeah, I guess they are. But I have no idea why. Michigan had 289 total yards to Notre Dame's 280. It wasn't that the Fighting Irish totally destroyed Michigan's offense, or that their offense ripped up the Wolverines' defense. They just made plays when they needed to make plays, a trait absent from Michigan for the last couple years.

This is where I jump on Doug Nussmeier. When it comes to play calling, I don't think Nussmeier helped quarterback Devin Gardner at all on Saturday night. Notre Dame realized early on - probably as early as last year - that if they blitzed relentlessly, they could either get to Gardner or at least pressure him into bad throws or mistakes. Instead of pulling out plays to ease the pressure, Nussmeier basically said, "At least one receiver is going to beat his one-on-one matchup, so you'd better find him with Jarron Jones or Sheldon Day in your face." Al Borges and Vincent Smith perfected the throwback screen. Al Borges and Jeremy Gallon perfected the throwback tunnel screen. Borges loved to run lead draws. Nussmeier's way of slowing down the rush was to run zone read play action. When the bubbles and quick throws stopped working, he never seemed to take the next step to ward off the blitz. I would have liked to see more sprintouts, half rolls, tunnel screens, etc. He just thought the offensive line would magically stop the overload blitzes. Michigan moved the ball in chunks because they won one-on-one matchups - Devin Funchess vs. Cody Riggs, Dennis Norfleet vs. Jaylon Smith, etc. - but this isn't Alabama, where he can count on his offensive linemen winning one-on-one matchups. I was afraid that, at some point, Nussmeier would fall victim to thinking that he could just count on being bigger, faster, and stronger than the opponent. I hope he came to realize the errors in that thought process in the aftermath of this game.

This offensive line isn't as bad as last year. Center Jack Miller was repeatedly shoved back into Devin Gardner's grill, and that's a problem. But not every team has a Jarron Jones. Mason Cole and Erik Magnuson had several communication issues on the left side, but that comes with the territory of starting a true freshman left tackle. Regardless of the numbers, I thought the offensive line looked closer to the one that opened up huge holes against Appalachian State than the one that soured the taste in our mouths in 2013. Michigan is not a team that can wear teams down by running the ball, but they should be able to run the ball enough to keep most defenses off balance.

Blake Countess looks uncomfortable. I don't think Countess is a wussy corner like Deion Sanders, but Countess does look awkward in press coverage. He is not physical at the line of scrimmage, and because he lets receivers get free releases, he's opening up his hips too quickly. That style does not jive with what we're seeing at the other corner in the form of Raymon Taylor/Jourdan Lewis. If Countess can't play press man like defensive coordinator Greg Mattison wants this year, then perhaps he should move into the slot, where his ability to bait quarterbacks would be more useful.

So much for that wealth of cornerbacks. One place I thought Michigan had the advantage going into this game was at corner, where Michigan's experienced and/or talented guys could win out against some inexperienced - but still talented - wideouts. Then I saw that Jabrill Peppers was on the sideline with his bum ankle, replaced by the lesser talented Delonte Hollowell. Then after the first defensive series, starter Raymon Taylor went to the locker room with an injury and never returned to the game. Just like that, Michigan was missing two of its top three corners. Hollowell was picked on repeatedly by Notre Dame. Jourdan Lewis picked up two pass interference penalties, at least one of which was highly questionable. The next guy in was Channing Stribling, who still looks a half-beat too slow for playing football against the big boys. I thought the numbers were leaning toward Michigan, with five Notre Dame academic fraud suspects off the field and a starting safety missing due to injury. However, those absences quickly started to even out with Peppers, Taylor, and tight end Jake Butt standing on the sideline.

But the linebackers looked good. After being unimpressive last week against Appalachian State, I thought starting linebackers Jake Ryan (11 tackles) and Joe Bolden (10 tackles) looked markedly better last night. They were reacting quicker, and they held a solid crew of running backs to 25 carries for 61 yards.

The refereeing was bad. The second pass interference penalty on Jourdan Lewis was hogwash, and it appears that Michigan is a step late in wanting to be all hands-on with their corners. That's soooo  2013. Somehow, Devin Funchess got hit early on a crossing route that resulted in an incomplete pass, but the officials kept their hankies in their pockets. There was also no reason for Notre Dame's Corey Robinson to be ruled down on the three-yard line when Stribling tackled him on a skinny post; the ball should have been placed at the 6" line. You can't blame the refs for a 31-point loss, but they certainly didn't help Michigan find any success early.

The announcing was bad. I hate hate hate watching games on NBC, because it's always a Notre Dame slurpfest. And while there weren't a lot of good things to say about Michigan last night, I don't remember color guy Mike Mayock saying many nice things about Michigan players. He said NFL scouts "love" Jake Ryan, and he complimented Devin Funchess's ability to be big. Otherwise, he fawned over Everett Golson, Cam McDaniel, Greg Bryant, Jaylon Smith, Jarron Jones, Sheldon Day, Cody Riggs, Will Fuller's speed (though not his hands), and even Notre Dame's quarterbacks coach. Thank goodness that by the time Michigan plays Notre Dame again in the distant future - the year 2000 - Mayock won't be around anymore.

Turnovers don't exist. Michigan has zero takeaways in two games.

I don't know where this team goes from here. This seems like a game that could make or break some teams. I don't think anyone was under the illusion that Michigan was going to win a national championship this year, but the shutout could fracture a locker room and make some people question whether this unit is going anywhere. Again, I look at how Michigan moved the ball at times, and I think it might just be an unhappy coincidence that the Wolverines didn't string together enough plays to create a couple scores. Notre Dame has a high-powered offense, and I predicted that they would score 31 points. We all knew they could march down the field and score. Michigan needs to regroup and get healthy next week against Miami, and moving forward, Nussmeier needs to open up his playbook against blitzing defenses to keep them out of Gardner's face.

2014 Season Countdown: #26 Jourdan Lewis

Jourdan Lewis

Name: Jourdan Lewis
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 175 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Cornerback
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #26
Last year: I ranked Lewis #71 and said he would play on special teams. He played in all thirteen games and had 17 tackles and 2 pass breakups.

Coming out of high school, Lewis looked slight and physically unready to play college football. When fall camp rolled around, he was 170 lbs. and looked the part of a guy who could see a little bit of time on the field. It became apparent in the middle of the season that Lewis has the coverage chops to make it at this level. He stuck to receivers well, and even on completed balls, he was rarely more than a step away. At times it took a perfect throw to beat him. By the time spring arrived, rumors were persisting that Lewis had supplanted Blake Countess as one of the starting cornerbacks. Then Lewis proceeded to make two interceptions of Devin Gardner in the spring game.

I do not believe that Lewis will start at corner this year, unless someone gets injured. Countess is an All-Big Ten player, and fellow corner Raymon Taylor has been starting for a couple years. What Lewis offers is the ability to come off the bench and play like a starter. He has good speed and awareness, and he can break on the ball as well as anyone on the team. He could also play in nickel situations. Michigan has a glut of cornerback options with Countess, Taylor, Lewis, Channing Stribling, and incoming freshman Jabrill Peppers, who has been reportedly been calling himself a safety while head coach Brady Hoke publicly insists he'll play nickel corner. I'm only half-joking when I say that Michigan's best lineup against the spread might be a dime look with four (or three) defensive linemen, Jake Ryan at linebacker, two safeties, and a quartet of Countess, Taylor, Lewis, and Peppers. At the very least, Lewis will establish himself as the heir to a starting spot in 2015.

Prediction: Backup cornerback; 20 tackles, 1 interception

Video: Brandon Watson, Jourdan Lewis talk spring ball

Hit the jump for Jourdan Lewis's interview.

Video: Jourdan Lewis, Delano Hill talk spring ball

Hit the jump for Delano Hill's interview.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Preview: Defensive Backs

Safety Ty Zimmerman is a potential game-changer at safety if he's healthy.

MICHIGAN
Starters: The headliner of this group is redshirt sophomore Blake Countess (5'10", 182 lbs.), who's tied for #5 in the country with 6 picks and is #3 in return yards with 169, including a touchdown. He also has 42 tackles and 4 pass breakups to his name. Countess starts on the outside but will slide into the slot when Michigan goes to its nickel packages. The other starter at corner is junior Raymon Taylor (5'10", 183 lbs.), who's tied for the team lead with 81 tackles and has 4 picks and 9 pass breakups of his own. Taylor racks up a lot of tackles because teams attack him instead of Countess, but he's a solid tackler when receivers catch the ball near him. The other sure starter in the defensive backfield is fifth year senior strong safety Thomas Gordon (5'11", 213 lbs.), a guy who lacks speed and isn't a headhunter but who usually seems to be in the right spot; he has 49 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, and 2 pass breakups this year despite missing two games. The likely starter at free safety is sophomore Jarrod Wilson (6'2", 200 lbs.), a potentially violent hitter who sometimes gets caught out of position; he has 45 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 2 pass breakups.
Backups: Wilson has lost some playing time to senior Courtney Avery (5'11", 175 lbs.), who has bounced back and forth between corner, slot corner, and safety throughout his career; he has 30 tackles and .5 sacks on the year but looks to have lost a step after an injury over the summer and has been inconsistent. Redshirt junior Josh Furman (6'2", 202 lbs.) is a linebacker in a safety's body, and he has just 11 tackles and 1 pass breakup on the year, despite earning two starts and a variety of backup duty. He can be taken advantage of through the air. At cornerback, when Countess slides into the slot, he's replaced by one of two freshmen: Channing Stribling (6'2", 171 lbs., 15 tackles) or Jourdan Lewis (5'10", 170 lbs., 17 tackles, 2 pass breakups). Whoever has the best week of practice is the one who earns the role that game, so we'll just have to wait and see who gets the nod.

KANSAS STATE
Starters: Fifth year senior safety Ty Zimmerman (6'1", 204 lbs.) is the leader of the group and has been a First Team All-Big 12 selection in both 2012 and 2013; he has 70 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions (2 returned for touchdowns), and 4 pass breakups this season. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, he missed the final two regular season games and is questionable for the bowl game. Sophomore fellow safety Dante Barnett (6'1", 186 lbs.) has 67 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, and 3 pass breakups. The Wildcats spend a lot of time in a nickel package, so the fifth defensive back - a safety/linebacker hybrid - is redshirt junior Randall Evans (6'0", 190 lbs.), who has 59 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, and 10 pass breakups. The cornerbacks are solid but did not earn any all-conference accolades. Fifth year senior Kip Daily (5'11", 180 lbs.) has 47 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 4 pass breakups on the year, while fifth year senior Dorrian Roberts (5'10", 168 lbs.) has 37 stops, 2.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, and 8 pass breakups. Roberts is rather inexperienced after playing in junior college for two years, redshirting in 2011, and not seeing the field at all in 2012.
Backups: Redshirt junior Dylan Schellenberg (6'0", 189 lbs.) has been starting in Zimmerman's stead, and he has 19 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 interception on the year. Fifth year senior Carl Miles, Jr. (5'11", 190 lbs.) has 6 tackles and 1 pass breakup on the season, but he and the other backups are rarely used. Other than subbing Evans in and out for a linebacker, the Wildcats go with their starting unit almost the whole game.

THE TAKEAWAY
Michigan is #62 in the nation giving up 238 yards/game through the air, but much of that is due to teams throwing instead of running on a stout run defense; they're #32 in passer efficiency rating defense. Kansas State is #24 in the latter category and tied for #47 nationally at 222 yards allowed/game. Two of KSU's worst three games against the pass were in recent games against TCU and Oklahoma before righting the ship against a pathetic Kansas Jayhawks squad. They rank #20 in the country with 16 interceptions on the year. If Zimmerman is unable to go, the Wildcats are without any real playmakers in the defensive backfield, though. Michigan is #17 in interceptions with 17 this year, and the two starting corners are the strength of the backfield with 10 interceptions and 13 pass breakups between them. The safety play leaves a little bit to be desired between a lack of discipline (Wilson) and athleticism (Gordon). Despite having a better defensive unit against the pass, the better group of defensive backs play for . . .

ADVANTAGE: Michigan

Class of 2013 Redshirts

Derrick Green (#27) carries the ball against Central Michigan

Here's an updated list of the freshmen who have played thus far in 2013 and the freshmen who are on pace to redshirt. Offensive guard Kyle Bosch, who is expected to start at left guard against Michigan State, is the most recent addition to the first list.

FRESHMEN WHO HAVE PLAYED
OG Kyle Bosch
TE Jake Butt
DE Taco Charlton
LB Ben Gedeon
RB Derrick Green
S Delano Hill
WR Da'Mario Jones
CB Jourdan Lewis
QB Shane Morris
RB De'Veon Smith
CB Channing Stribling
S Dymonte Thomas
WR Csont'e York

FRESHMEN WHO ARE REDSHIRTING (SO FAR)
OG David Dawson
FS Reon Dawson
CB Ross Douglas
WR Jaron Dukes
OT Chris Fox
TE Khalid Hill
DT Maurice Hurst, Jr.
C Patrick Kugler
LB Mike McCray
DT Henry Poggi
OG Dan Samuelson
FB Wyatt Shallman
LS Scott Sypniewski
OT Logan Tuley-Tillman

Michigan vs. Indiana Awards

Devin Gardner passed for 503 yards and ran for 81, totaling 5 touchdowns.

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Erik Magnuson. Magnuson started at right guard on Saturday afternoon, and things went fairly well (248 team rushing yards, 7 touchdowns). His body still needs some work, but he's suited just fine for guard if Michigan is going to run a lot of spread looks. The left guard spot still looks questionable, but I thought Magnuson looked solid for Michigan's "new look" offense.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Jeremy Jackson. Slot receiver Drew Dileo appeared to have been injured and spent much of the game on the sideline with a headset (why does a slot receiver need a headset?), and Jackson stepped in with 2 catches for 23 yards. I have never been a fan of Jackson, largely because of his lack of speed. Here's hoping that Dileo comes back for the next game, because he's a superior target who can run a little bit after the catch.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Jourdan Lewis. Lewis played as a backup cornerback yesterday and ended the day with 5 solo tackles. He was beaten on a long pass, but the coverage was almost perfect. He also nearly had a pick on a late throw by Tre Roberson, tipping it into the hands of safety Thomas Gordon. Michigan might need not need him for a few weeks, but Lewis could be valuable against up-tempo teams like Northwestern.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Channing Stribling. Cornerback Stribling started the game because Michigan spent almost the entire day with at least five defensive backs, moving Blake Countess into the slot. It looked like Stribling blew a coverage on Indiana slot receiver Shane Wynn's 5-yard touchdown catch, and Stribling also got out-muscled and out-techniqued by Kofi Hughes on a 67-yard touchdown. Instead of leaping with his fingers up to get the ball at its highest point, Stribling tried to cradle the ball into his chest - a high school-level technique issue - and allowed Hughes to come over the top for a catch. The coaches seem to like Stribling more than Lewis, perhaps because of the difference in size and strength; but Lewis seems to be more ready for the speed of the college game.

Play of the game . . . Jeremy Gallon's first 70-yard catch. In an unbalanced set, quarterback Devin Gardner ran a play fake to the left. As he turned around, Indiana's backside end came bearing down on him, forcing Gardner to sidearm the throwback to Gallon. Gallon caught it in stride, came inside his block, dodged a couple tacklers, and started racing downfield. Meanwhile, center Graham Glasgow was almost stride for stride with Gallon for about 40 yards before finally realizing that he's supposed to be slow. Safety Greg Heban eventually chased down Gallon on the right sideline, but it was a pretty play up to that point.

MVP of the game . . . Devin Gardner and Jeremy Gallon. I can't pick just one, so they share the trophy. Without Gallon, Gardner doesn't have a record-setting day. And without Gardner, Gallon doesn't have a record-setting day. Take away either one, and this likely would have gone down as a loss. Gardner had the second-best total yardage performance in Big Ten history (503 passing, 81 rushing), set a school record for passing yards, and totaled 5 touchdowns. Gallon had the best receiving yardage total in Big Ten history (369 yards) while catching 14 passes and scoring 2 touchdowns; he also had two 70-yard receptions in one game, similar to Roy Roundtree's 246-yard performance against Illinois in 2010 in which he had two 75-yarders.

2013 Season Countdown: #71 Jourdan Lewis

Jourdan Lewis (left) with Dymonte Thomas, Derrick Green, Jake Butt, and Chris Fox

Name: Jourdan Lewis
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 170 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Cornerback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Lewis was a senior in high school. I gave him a TTB Rating of 84.

Lewis committed in February 2012 and turned into a pretty high profile recruit, despite a lack of reported offers. He participated in Nike's The Opening last summer and was selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Lewis earned a lot of praise for his ability to break on the ball and stick with receivers, but like most Cass Tech cornerbacks of recent vintage, he's about as physically imposing as Towelie.

It might be a good idea for Lewis to redshirt, but Michigan has taken two other slight cornerbacks from Cass Tech in the past two years, and both have played. In fact, if you come from Cass Tech, you're practically guaranteed to play as a true freshman (see: Will Campbell, Delonte Hollowell, Royce Jenkins-Stone, Teric Jones, Terry Richardson). It might be special teams or garbage time or as an injury replacement late in the year, but my guess is that he ends up on the field. If I were playing a video game, though, I would totally redshirt him.

Prediction: Special teamer

Nike's The Opening participants: Michigan

Jourdan Lewis and Delano Hill were two of Michigan's ten eventual signees to participate in Nike's The Opening

2013
Ian Bunting, TE - Hinsdale, IL
Drake Harris, WR - Grand Rapids, MI

2012
Kyle Bosch, OG - Wheaton, IL
Jake Butt, TE - Pickerington, OH
Taco Charlton, DE - Pickerington, OH
David Dawson, OG - Detroit, MI
Ross Douglas, CB - Avon, OH
Derrick Green, RB - Richmond, VA
Delano Hill, S - Detroit, MI
Jourdan Lewis, CB - Detroit, MI
Mike McCray II, LB - Trotwood, OH
Shane Morris, QB - Warren, MI

Final TTB Ratings for 2013

Maurice Hurst, Jr. made the biggest leap in
the final TTB Ratings

Here are the finalized TTB Ratings for the class of 2013.  Discuss!

Derrick Green - RB - Richmond (VA) Hermitage: 92 95
The more I think about the offensive line Michigan is building, the more I think Green is going to have a very good career in a winged helmet.  He could very well be the starter by his sophomore year, if not as a freshman.

Dymonte Thomas - S - Alliance (OH) Marlington: 92 89
I'm downgrading Thomas because I don't know that he's an All-American candidate, which is what a 90+ grade entails.  I think he will still be a very good player and turn into an all-conference player as a strong safety.

Kyle Bosch - OG - Wheaton (IL) St. Francis: 88
I'm going to leave Bosch right where he is.  He looks like an excellent guard prospect, and I like his nastiness.

Shane Morris - QB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: 89 87
Morris still has all the physical schools he has ever had - strong arm, decent athleticism - and has shown with his recruiting that he has some leadership skills.  It just seems like he has some limitations on seeing the whole field and making good decisions.

Patrick Kugler - C - Wexford (PA) North Allegheny: 83 86
With a couple years between Jack Miller and Kugler, the latter should have at least a couple seasons as a starter.  I liked what I saw of him at the Under Armour All-American Game.


Chris Fox - OT - Parker (CO) Ponderosa: 90 85
Fox's ACL tear concerns me some. He's still a big body who's pretty athletic, but I fear that this injury might put him behind some of the other linemen to begin..

Jourdan Lewis - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: 86 84
Lewis isn't the biggest, strongest, or fastest recruit out there, but he shows good change of direction and ball skills.  I like him as a college cornerback, but he might be limited beyond that.

Jake Butt - TE - Pickerington (OH) North: 82
I'm leaving Butt right where he is. He's not a "next generation" tight end who can run really fast and jump really high, but he's a very solid prospect.  He should have no problem turning into a good blocker at the very least.

Ben Gedeon - LB - Hudson (OH) Hudson: 82 81
I still like Gedeon, but I have slightly more confidence in Butt as a prospect.  I like turning running backs into linebackers, and he has experience at both positions.

Da'Mario Jones - WR - Westland (MI) John Glenn: 79 81
As Michigan's passing offense improves and they can find more ways to get the ball to receivers, I like Jones's skill set more.  He's not an absolute blazer, but he offers a dimension of speed that some other recent receiver recruits lack.

Henry Poggi - DT - Baltimore (MI) Gilman: 81 79
Watching Poggi in the Under Armour All-American Game, I still think Poggi looks like a good prospect for the college level - he played very well - but I'm not sure he'll have the size or explosion to be a serious NFL prospect down the road.

Maurice Hurst, Jr. - DT - Westwood (MA) Xaverian Brothers: 73 78
I always liked Hurst's athleticism, but I like his energy, too.  After seeing his senior highlights and his performance in the Semper Fi All-American Bowl, I think he has some potential to be a pretty good player down the road.

Csont'e York - WR - Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park Academy: 79 77
York's rating doesn't change much, but I have less confidence in him than Poggi.  He still has considerable upside because he can go up and get the ball, but he's not a dynamic athlete.

Taco Charlton - DE - Pickerington (OH) Central: 75 76
Charlton has the speed to stick at weakside end, but he keeps growing and growing. I wonder if at some point he might be too heavy to play WDE and end up as a strongside end. Considering some lacking technique, that could be troublesome.

Logan Tuley-Tillman - OT - Peoria (IL) Manual: 79 75
I'm downgrading Tuley-Tillman a little bit because he's so raw.  He's helped by the fact that he's the only left tackle prospect in this class, but it's tough to get a feel for him.  Pass protection is still a huge issue for him as he learns.

Mike McCray II - LB - Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: 74
This seems to be a pretty good spot for McCray. It's unclear whether he'll finally end up at SAM or MIKE. He's a good athlete, but I have questions about his ability to read plays quickly.  I might be in favor of putting him at SAM, where he would be in a position to attack more often than having to read and react.

Channing Stribling - CB - Matthews (NC) Butler: 73
I thought about bumping up Stribling, but I just don't think I can do it.  He showed his ability to make plays in high school, but I just don't think he has the speed to be a dynamic player in college.  Most of Michigan's good corners over the past 15 years or so have been fast or at least quick, but I don't see that in Stribling.

David Dawson - OG - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: 67 71
I'm bumping Dawson up a little bit, because I think he could be a starter later in his career.  Anyone who becomes a starter with the way Michigan is recruiting has to be pretty good player, but I don't see a particularly high ceiling for him.

Delano Hill - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: 71 69
Hill has lots of physical talent, but if he were a great playmaker, he would have been rated higher by the recruiting services.  He seems to be a guy who could be a very good special teamer and earn spot duty in college, but he's a man without a position - is he a corner or a safety? - and there's talent at those spots already.

Wyatt Shallman - RB - Novi (MI) Catholic Central: 65
I think this is a pretty good spot for Shallman.  I don't think he will ever be a starter at running back, although he could be a factor at fullback or U-back in the future.  He also has the ability to contribute on defense, but Shallman and the coaches have been insistent that he'll play offense.

Ross Douglas - CB - Avon (OH) Avon: 63
Douglas was recruited to play slot corner, and when you combine that with his lack of great size, I think he's somewhat limited when projecting him beyond college.  I think he could be a solid slot corner in the same vein as Brandon Harrison.

DeVeon Smith - RB - Warren (OH) Howland: 63
I thought about bumping Smith up because I truly believe that Michigan will be putting together some good rushing seasons in the coming years because of the offensive line, and not totally because of the talent of the running backs.  I do not believe Smith has the speed to be a dynamic running back himself, but he might put up good numbers as a backup and perhaps eventual successor to Green.

Reon Dawson - CB - Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: 62
Dawson does have some potential to outperform this ranking, but he's behind some of the other guys in technical prowess.  The speed and size are there.  It just depends on how it all comes together.

Khalid Hill - TE - Detroit (MI) East English Village: 68 60
Hill can fill a role on this team, but he has talent ahead of him and his lack of speed or size sort of limits his upside.

Dan Samuelson - OG - Plymouth (IN) Plymouth: 65 59
I think Samuelson will be a quality backup down the road, who could make a spot start and be fine.  However, I think he's someone who might get lost in the shuffle with the rest of the linemen Michigan is getting.

Jaron Dukes - WR - Columbus (OH) Marion Franklin: 70 58
Dukes didn't have a great senior season, and I already had questions about him going into the 2012 season.  He doesn't have great speed, and he doesn't look like a lithe athlete who can make up for that speed deficiency with acrobatics.

Scott Sypniewski - LS - Ottawa (IL) : Incomplete
I don't know enough about long snappers around the country to offer an opinion here.

Scout: Class of 2013 Michigan Final State Rankings

Warren (MI) De La Salle quarterback Shane Morris is the top player in the state

Scout finalized its 2013 in-state rankings.  Here are some notes on a few players of Michigan interest:

1. Shane Morris - QB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Offered, committed to Michigan.
2. Steven Elmer - OT - Midland (MI) Midland: Offered, committed to Notre Dame.
3. Jourdan Lewis - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Offered, committed to Michigan.
4. Jon Reschke - LB - Bloomfield (MI) Brother Rice: Offered, committed to Michigan State.
5. David Dawson - OG - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Offered, committed to Michigan.
6. Dennis Finley - OT - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Offered, committed to Michigan State.
7. Delano Hill - S - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Offered, committed to Michigan.
8. Wyatt Shallman - FB - Novi (MI) Catholic Central: Offered, committed to Michigan.
9. Khalid Hill - TE - Detroit (MI) East English Village: Offered, committed to Michigan.
13. Da'Mario Jones - WR - Westland (MI) John Glenn: Offered, committed to Michigan.
23. Berkley Edwards - RB - Chelsea (MI) Chelsea: Brother of former Michigan WR Braylon Edwards, committed to Minnesota.
26. Andre Turner - DE - Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park: Teammate of WR commit Csont'e York, committed to Western Michigan.
28. DeJuan Rogers - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Teammate of commits Lewis, Dawson, and D. Hill; committed to Toledo.
37. Josh Cox - S - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Teammate of QB commit Shane Morris; committed to Central Michigan.
64. Matt Linehan - QB - Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's: Son of Detroit Lions OC Scott Linehan, committed to Idaho.

Rivals 250 for 2013 finalized

Jourdan Lewis (left, pictured with once and future teammate Delano Hill) jumped up to the #131 player in the nation

Rivals released its final top 250 players for the class of 2013.  The top 100 was released yesterday:  Here's what the top 250 looked like on December 4.

Movement for Michigan players:

- Kyle Bosch fell from #99 to #104
- Dymonte Thomas fell from #107 to #109
- Mike McCray fell from #88 to #115
- Jourdan Lewis jumped from #147 to #131
- Chris Fox fell from #123 to #142
- Jake Butt fell from #141 to #144
- Taco Charlton fell from #231 to #237
- Ross Douglas fell from #238 to #241
- Logan Tuley-Tillman fell out of the top 250

Here are the rest of Michigan's offerees

104. Kyle Bosch - OG - Illinois (Michigan)
106. Dorian O'Daniel - LB - Maryland (Clemson)
107. Elijah Daniel - DE - Indiana (Mississippi)
109. Dymonte Thomas - S - Ohio (Michigan)
110. E.J. Levenberry - LB - Virginia (Florida State)
112. Larenz Bryant - LB - North Carolina (South Carolina)
115. Mike McCray II - LB - Ohio (Michigan)
124. Isaac Rochell - DE - Georgia (Notre Dame)
127. Jake Raulerson - DE - Texas (Texas)
131. Jourdan Lewis - CB - Michigan (Michigan)
133. Cole Luke - CB - Arizona (Notre Dame)
139. Kameron Miles - S - Texas (Texas A&M)
142. Chris Fox - OT - Colorado (Michigan)
143. Maurice Smith - CB - Texas (Alabama)
144. Jake Butt - TE - Ohio (Michigan)
146. Michael Hill - DT - South Carolina (Ohio State)
147. Jake Oliver - WR - Texas (Texas)
149. Jon Reshke - LB - Michigan (Michigan State)
161. Joe Mathis - DE - California (Washington)
162. Hunter Bivin - OT - Kentucky (Notre Dame)
165. David Dawson - OG - Michigan (Michigan)
174. Darren Carrington - WR - California (Oregon)
175. Billy Price - DT - Ohio (Ohio State)
179. Tim Harris - CB - Virginia (Virginia)
181. Na'Ty Rodgers - OT - Maryland (South Carolina)
183. Jordan Cunningham - WR - Florida
186. Devon Allen - WR - Arizona
200. Kevin Olsen - QB - New Jersey (Miami)
202. Nadir Barnwell - ATH - New Jersey (Rutgers)
204. Jayme Thompson - S - Ohio (Ohio State)
209. Ishmael Wilson - OG - Texas (Texas A&M)
210. Sebastian Larue - WR - California
212. Ebenezer Ogundeko - DE - New York (Clemson)
213. Cameron Hunt - OG - California (Cal)
221. Jason Hatcher - DE - Kentucky (USC)
226. Chase Abbington - ATH - Missouri (Missouri)
237. Taco Charlton - DE - Ohio (Michigan)
239. Darius Latham - DT - Indiana (Wisconsin)
241. Ross Douglas - CB - Ohio (Michigan)
245. Darrell Daniels - WR - California (Washington)
249. Eldridge Massington - WR - Texas (UCLA)

Detroit News Blue Chip list for 2013

Shane Morris is the top player in Michigan, according to the Detroit News

The Detroit News released its "blue chip" list for 2013, and unsurprisingly, there's a handful of future Wolverines on the list.  A quick rundown:

1. Shane Morris - QB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Committed to Michigan.
2. David Dawson - OG - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Committed to Michigan.
3. Steve Elmer - OT - Midland (MI) Midland: Committed to Notre Dame.
4. Jourdan Lewis - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Committed to Michigan.
5. Jon Reschke - LB - Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice: Committed to Michigan State.
6. Wyatt Shallman - RB - Novi (MI) Catholic Central: Committed to Michigan.
7. Cameron Dillard - OG - Plymouth (MI) Canton: Committed to Florida.
8. Gerald Holmes - RB - Flint (MI) Carman-Ainsworth: Committed to Michigan State.
9. Delano Hill - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Committed to Michigan.
10. Khalid Hill - TE - Detroit (MI) East English Village: Committed to Michigan.
11. Da'Mario Jones - WR - Westland (MI) John Glenn: Committed to Michigan.
12. Dennis Finley - OT - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Committed to Michigan State.
13. Csont'e York - WR - Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park: Committed to Michigan.
14. Kenton Gibbs - DT - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Uncommitted.
15. Luke Maclean - LB - Grand Blanc (MI) Grand Blanc: Committed to Pitt.

So Michigan has 8 of the top 15 players in the state for the class of 2013, in addition to 8 of the 15 from last year.