Tag: Cameron McGrone

2021 NFL Draft Primer: Days 2 & 3

Last night defensive end Kwity Paye went #21 overall to the Indianapolis Colts. I discussed offensive tackle Jalen Mayfield yesterday as a possible first rounder (LINK), but as expected, he did not go off the board on night one.

So besides Mayfield, who’s next?

Wide receiver Nico Collins measured in at 6’4″, 215 lbs., having lost weight since he last wore a Michigan uniform in 2019. He ran a 4.43 at Michigan’s pro day, broad jumped 10’5 3/4″, and showed a 37.5″ vertical. Even though I have doubts about that forty time, I don’t think anyone expects him to be a burner in the NFL. He can be a matchup probably with his size. I thought he might be a good fit for a team like the Philadelphia Eagles, but the Eagles already went with a wide receiver (albeit a small one) in Devonta Smith.
Projected draft spot: Rounds 2-3

Cornerback Ambry Thomas is probably the next best bet. At 5’11” and 191 lbs., Thomas showed off a 38″ vertical, broad jumped 10’2″, and ran the forty in 4.37. He opted out of the 2020 season, but he was a shutdown corner when he last played in 2019. Will teams hold it against him that he missed 2020? That remains to be seen, but a few guys who opted out of 2020 still went in the first round.
Projected draft spot: Rounds 3-4

Linebacker Cam McGrone missed a chunk of the 2020 season with a torn ACL, and he wasn’t playing that well before the injury, anyway. At 6’0″ and 234 lbs., he was unable to run the forty and did 20 reps on the bench press. McGrone only started for part of 2019 and part of 2020, and he probably left too early. It would not surprise me if he went undrafted, and it would not surprise me if he went in the 5th round.
Projected draft spot: Rounds 6-7

Fullback Ben Mason weighed in at 6’2″ and 246 lbs. He did 29 reps on the bench, ran a 4.72, and broad jumped 9’9″. Fullbacks have gone the way of the dodo in recent years, but he’s such a devastating lead blocker that I think he can fill a role on a roster somewhere.
Projected draft spot: Rounds 6-7

Running back Chris Evans is 5’11” and 211 lbs. He clocked a 4.44 forty, did 20 bench press reps, had a 40.5″ vertical, and broad jumped 10’7″. His pro day was arguably the most impressive of any Michigan player, and yet his overall lack of production at Michigan leaves some questions about what he can really do at the next level. He never topped 685 rushing yards in a Wolverines uniform, and his final season included just 73 rushing yards and 87 receiving yards. I think he can play in the NFL, but it would be a little odd for him to get drafted.
Projected draft spot: Round 7 or UDFA

Other draft-eligible players I do not expect to get drafted:

• LS Cameron Cheeseman
• TE Nick Eubanks
• DT Carlo Kemp
• K Quinn Nordin

2021 Michigan Pro Day Results

Several NFL Draft hopefuls worked out at Michigan’s pro day on Friday, March 26. Here are some of the noteworthy results:

WR Nico Collins (6’4″, 215 lbs.)
40 time: 4.43 seconds
Bench press reps: 14
Vertical jump: 37.5″
Broad jump: 10’5 3/4″
3-cone drill: 6.71 seconds
5-10-5 drill: 4.32 seconds

Hit the jump for more.

Goodbye, Cam McGrone

HIGH SCHOOL
McGrone attended Indianapolis (IN) Lawrence Central, where he was a 4-star, the #7 outside linebacker, and #118 overall. He was chosen for the Army All-American Bowl that year in 2018, despite having torn his ACL as a junior. I gave him a TTB Rating of 80, and here are a couple paragraphs from my writeup on him (LINK):

McGrone’s blitzing is perhaps the best phase of his game, but it’s the way that he plays the ball carrier in the backfield that is most impressive. Some guys are mauling blitzers who just eat up everything coming their way, but McGrone plays with a low center of gravity that allows him to redirect and make plays all over in the backfield. Lawrence Central brings him from various angles, and he plays fast and reckless. He uses his hands well to shed blockers, and even when he gets caught up in the trash, he fights non-stop to shed. When he arrives at the ball carrier, he’s a violent hitter who runs through people. Unless he has hit a growth spurt, he has a solid frame but probably shouldn’t get too much larger than 235 lbs. or so in college, which is still a decent size.

On the negative side, McGrone has that injury history that can sometimes come back to repeat itself. It’s always concerning to have a guy who already tore an ACL. His play recognition skills need to improve, since he occasionally finds himself a half-step out of position on basic run reads. That may be partially the reason why his coaches choose to blitz him so often, to negate some read-and-react deficiencies.

Hit the jump for more.

Michigan vs. Wisconsin Awards

Head on over to touchthebanner.blogspot.com to discuss this post if you want.

Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Hassan Haskins. The team’s leading rusher had 1 carry for 6 yards. The end.

Hit the jump for more.

2020 Season Countdown: #8 Cam McGrone

Name: Cam McGrone
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 236 lbs.
High school: Indianapolis (IN) Lawrence Central
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #44
Last year: I ranked McGrone #47 and said he would be a backup linebacker and special teamer (LINK). He started ten games at middle linebacker and made 66 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass breakup, and 5 quarterback hurries.
TTB Rating: 80

Nobody expected McGrone to be a starter in 2019. Josh Ross was the starting middle linebacker, Jordan Glasgow was the starting weakside linebacker, and Devin Gil had started at WILL in 2018. So Michigan had three starting inside linebackers for two spots, and that didn’t include Jordan Anthony, who was in the rotation.

Then Ross got hurt, and the inexperienced McGrone – who had played in just one game in 2018 – was the wide-eyed beneficiary. He made 6 tackles against Wisconsin, showing off his speed. Shortly afterward, he would go on his best streak of the year, with 35 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks against Iowa, Illinois, Penn State, and Notre Dame.

This year McGrone leaps into the top ten of the countdown partly because of the important position he plays – middle linebacker – but also because of the complete lack of experience behind him. Glasgow is blocking punts in the NFL, Jordan Anthony entered the transfer portal, Gil transferred to USF, and Ross shifted to WILL. Michigan has two solid players at inside linebacker, but behind them is redshirt freshmen Charles Thomas and Joey Velazquez, true freshmen, and walk-ons. And while there has been positive buzz about the true freshmen, the crickets have drowned out anything about Thomas and Velazquez.

McGrone should get a chance to show off his blitzing ability and sideline-to-sideline speed in 2020, and hopefully he can stay healthy throughout the year.

Prediction: Starting middle linebacker