2017 Season Countdown: #65 Benjamin St-Juste

2017 Season Countdown: #65 Benjamin St-Juste


June 26, 2017

Benjamin St-Juste (image via Twitter)

Name: Benjamin St-Juste
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 188 lbs.
High school: Montreal (Quebec) Vieux
Position: Cornerback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #25
Last year: St-Juste was a senior in high school. He made 30 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 18 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 78

St-Juste had an odd route to Michigan. Originally committed as a part of the 2016 class, he reclassified to 2017. He was a very inexperienced football player and extremely raw when he first popped up onto the scene and committed to Michigan in June of 2015. Many Michigan fans – including me – were unsure why the Wolverines would take a chance on him, even though Michigan offered him after they saw him at a camp in person.

But then came his 2016 season and an early enrollment and the spring game, and maybe we were wrong. Michigan just had a 6’3″, 220 lb. cornerback with a torn ACL get drafted, and maybe Jim Harbaugh knows what he’s doing with big corners.  St-Juste had an okay spring game where he was toasted by fellow freshman Tarik Black for several catches, except St-Juste was right in his hip pocket the whole time and it took some nice throws and catches to complete those passes. The defense needs two brand new starting corners this year, and while St-Juste probably won’t be a starter this year, he could be a depth player who gets groomed for a bigger role as a boundary corner in the next couple years.

Prediction: Backup cornerback

6 comments

  1. Comments: 313
    Joined: 8/17/2015
    JC
    Jun 26, 2017 at 2:19 PM

    I think St. Juste has a bright future, and I think this is a perfect spot for him. Probably 6th or 7th best cornerback ready to play at the moment., would put him right borderline 3 deep.

    • Comments: 6285
      Joined: 8/11/2015
      Lanknows
      Jun 26, 2017 at 3:35 PM

      I would guess he is ahead of Drake Harris. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s ahead of some of the other kids also.

      The 4th CB will probably play some meaningful snaps – the 5th CB probably won’t unless things go sideways.

      Bit of a scrum for playing time at CB right now so it’s hard to peg St. Juste with too much confidence. Anything from starter to red-shirt is on the table.

  2. Comments: 6285
    Joined: 8/11/2015
    Lanknows
    Jun 26, 2017 at 3:31 PM

    Mike Zordich deserves a lot of respect in the work he did with Jeremy Clark especially, but Stribling and Lewis too. Dramatic improvements from all of them over the last 2 years.

    Hoping this is meaningful for not only St.Juste but all the other young CBs Michigan will count on this year.

  3. Comments: 1863
    Joined: 1/19/2016
    je93
    Jun 26, 2017 at 5:04 PM

    My thoughts exactly. A raw TrFr CB with those measurables, and Brown’s staff will only get better

    “except St-Juste was right in his hip pocket the whole time and it took some nice throws and catches to complete those passes”

  4. Comments: 262
    Joined: 8/12/2015
    Painter Smurf
    Jun 26, 2017 at 6:38 PM

    I think Black will be UM’s #1 WR before too long, so losing some closely covered fades to him in first spring is no embarrassment for St Juste. Appears to have the ability to hang at CB.A lot of writers are expecting him to take a redshirt, but I am not so sure. I don’t sense the coaches are enamored with Long or Hill, so they could wind up playing multiple guys for competitive purposes.

  5. Comments: 10
    Mich1993
    Jun 27, 2017 at 10:11 PM

    I re-watched the spring game a few time and came away quite impressed by St. Juste. My guess is the CBs rotate in and out to start the year as they figure out who the top 2-3 CBs are. I could see St. Juste beat out the rest and be the 2nd or 3rd CB or end up 5th and not play much the rest of the year. I think Hill leads the pack with Long, Washington, Watson and St. Juste all about the same slightly ahead of Ambry Thomas.
    I think he will play and contribute this year. However, if he didn’t, Long Washington and Watson would likely be just as good or better so this ranking is reasonable.

You must belogged in to post a comment.