Ben Gedeon
Name: Ben Gedeon
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 247 lbs.
High school: Hudson (OH) Hudson
Position: Linebacker
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #42
Last year: I ranked Gedeon #28 and said he would be a backup linebacker with 35 tackles and 2 sacks (LINK). He started one game, making 34 tackles and 3 tackles for loss.
Gedeon should have been better than Joe Bolden last year. I don’t mean to turn a Ben Gedeon post into an anti-Joe Bolden post, but Bolden was kind of not very good. Both Brady Hoke and Jim Harbaugh seemed to like Bolden and put him on the field a lot, so Gedeon spent a lot of time looking on from the sideline. It’s not often that there’s a clamoring for a backup linebacker, but I was part of the clamor. Bolden burst onto the scene with a blocked punt return for a touchdown against Appalachian State two years ago, and he has looked pretty decent at times since. Not great, but decent. Meanwhile, Bolden looked consistently . . . replaceable.
Gedeon took some steps forward toward the end of last season. Early in the year, I thought he looked a little hesitant at times, and maybe it was the new defense. Maybe it was a lack of reps. But in the last three games (against Penn State, Ohio State, and Florida), he made 13 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. When he’s locked on, he’s a thumper and he has pretty good speed to boot.
Almost by default, this spring it was Gedeon’s show at inside linebacker. Michigan lost four senior linebackers (Bolden, Desmond Morgan, Royce Jenkins-Stone, and James Ross III), and Gedeon is the only experienced linebacker returning. He’s added six pounds and is up to a pretty imposing 6’3″, 247 lbs., and Don Brown likes big inside linebackers. There’s really no competition at MIKE linebacker. I thought Gedeon took charge this spring and looked good in the spring game. He’s a load to handle for blockers, and he can range from sideline to sideline. If he gets hurt – and I hope he doesn’t – I would expect to see WILL Mike McCray II move over from his spot. I expect to see walk-on Mike Wroblewski on the two-deep at MIKE linebacker, but he converted from defensive end and looked bad in the spring. If Wroblewski is needed in crunch time, I do not think things will go well. On one hand, I hesitated to put Gedeon this high on the list because he hasn’t looked consistently good in past seasons. On the other hand, I almost want to rank him higher because there is a void behind him. Regardless, as long as he stays healthy, I think we will see an improved, steadier Gedeon who will probably lead the team in tackles.
Prediction: Starting middle linebacker; 85 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 interception; Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
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Y no redshirt Brady Hoke yarrrrrgh!
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Bolden struck me as a guy who was excellent at reading UM’s offense, so he looked terrific in practice and in the spring scrimmages. But when it came to playing real opponents, his reactions really slowed down. The old mantra that you play how you practice is not always true. Always felt that Bolden would have been better at OLB with simpler reads and more edge rushing. But he never was able to put on the size for that type of role.
Anyway, Gedeon suffers from playing behind a practice all-star. I think he will make a huge improvement this year and wind up as a decent draft prospect. The tools are all there, that is for sure. He is big, fast, and intelligent. Just needs a confidence boost from Don Brown.
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Hasn’t put it all together yet, but he’s a good athlete and now an experienced veteran being “handed the keys” to the defense.
Very key player — agree with the rank despite his lack of proven impact.
I hate that he doesn’t have any real competition but I also don’t feel much worry about him being anything less than a good solid player, with all-conference upside if things go as well as we hope with Brown and DL.
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If I had to pick one guy on either side of the ball to have an unexpectedly good (significantly better than they’ve done so far), but still realistic season, it would be Isaac on offense and Gedeon on defense. It’s certainly not the worst group of athletes we’ve had starting the season at LB, but they still have to be regarded at the weak link of the D. If Gedeon or McCray stepped up and had an all-conference season, it would pretty much cement us as an elite defense.
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