Review of 2007 Recruiting: The Quarterbacks

Tag: Ryan Mallett


31Dec 2013
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Review of 2007 Recruiting: The Quarterbacks

Jimmy Clausen, folks.

THE RECRUITS
Ryan Mallett
High school: Texarkana (TX) Texas
Ratings: Rivals 5-star, #2 QB
College: Michigan Arkansas
Other notable offers: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida State, Texas
Scoop: Mallett committed to Michigan as the heir apparent to Chad Henne, and the youngster got a chance to play early and often.  Henne suffered a couple nagging injuries, and Mallett stepped in to go 61/141 (43.1%) for 892 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions as a true freshman. He might have been on his way out the door already, but the hiring of Rich Rodriguez after the 2007 season didn’t help matters.  Mallett transferred to Arkansas, sitting out the 2008 season as a result.  As the starter for the Razorbacks in 2009 and 2010, he went a combined 491/814 for 7,296 yards 62 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions.  He was drafted in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, but he has played in just four games, all in 2012. Altogether, he’s 1/4 for 17 yards and 1 interception, with 8 carries for -9 yards.

Jimmy Clausen
High school: Westlake Village (CA) Oaks Christian
Ratings:
 Rivals 5-star, #1 QB, #1 overall
College: Notre Dame
Other notable offers: South Carolina, USC
Scoop: Clausen committed in September 2006 and enrolled early at Notre Dame in January 2007. He was starting by the second game of 2007, the earliest freshman QB to start at Notre Dame. He eventually started nine games that year, finishing with a 56.3% completion percentage, 7 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. The unquestioned starter going into 2008, Clausen started every game and completed 60.9% of his passes for 3,172 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. Improving yet again, he become a 68% passer in 2009 with 3,722 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. He declared for the NFL Draft after his junior year and many expected him to be a high first round pick, but he fell to #48 overall in the 2010 draft, going to the Carolina Panthers. He was given ten starts as a rookie, going 157/299 (52.5%), 1558 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. The Panthers hitched their franchise to Cam Newton, relegating Clausen to the bench, where he has spent the last two-plus seasons. They released him in August 2013 but re-signed him before placing him on injured reserve.

Peter Lalich
High school: Springfield (VA) West Springfield
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #5 pro-style QB
College: Virginia
Other notable offers: Miami, UCLA
Scoop: Lalich committed to Virginia in April 2006. He played sparingly as a freshman and sophomore in 2007 and 2008, compiling 74 completions in 135 attempts (54.8%) for 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. However, several alcohol incidents resulted in a transfer to Oregon State, where he redshirted during the 2009 season due to NCAA transfer rules. After yet another incident, he transferred to California University in Pennsylvania. As the starter in 2011, he threw for 3,725 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. In an injury-shortened 2012, he threw for 2,413 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He was not taken in the 2013 NFL Draft and appears not to be involved in professional football at this time.

Mike Paulus
High school: Syracuse (NY) Christian Brothers
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #4 pro-style QB, #82 overall
College: North Carolina
Other notable offers: Alabama, Miami, USC
Scoop: Paulus, the brother of former Duke basketball player and Syracuse quarterback Greg Pauls, committed in April 2006. He redshirted as a true freshman and then went 4/13 for 33 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions as a redshirt freshman in 2008. After sitting on the bench behind T.J. Yates in 2009, Paulus transferred to FCS school William & Mary prior to the 2010 campaign. He went 88/142 for 883 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions while playing a backup role. Once again a backup as a fifth year senior in 2011, he went just 28/72 for 267 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions. He now works at VCU in the athletic office.

CONCLUSIONS
In Lloyd Carr’s final full class, he made offers to some very questionable people and football players. Mallett played one season at Michigan before transferring, and while he had a very good college career at Arkansas, he was perhaps not the greatest leader. Clausen was also not an ideal character throughout his college career, although he parlayed it into a decent result on draft day. Lalich and Paulus both stunk it up at the higher levels of college football and then had mixed success after moving down a level.

Biggest miss: Clausen. Like him or not – and I don’t – Clausen had some physical talent and would have fit well with Carr’s pro-style offense. Either way, the impending hire of Rich Rodriguez would have either resulted in a transfer for Clausen or a square peg in a round hole for a few years. In fact, none of these players would have fit what Rodriguez wanted to do, so it’s quite possible that a commitment from any of the four would have resulted in a very similar situation for Rodriguez.

Biggest bust: Paulus. Ultimately, Paulus didn’t find success at any level. As the #82 prospect in the country, he threw only 13 passes in his FBS college career.

Best in class: Cam Newton. The 2007 class was surprisingly devoid of any surefire stud quarterbacks, and even Newton had some bumps in the road before finding success (legal trouble at Florida, playing at Blinn Community College, an ineligibility investigation). However, Newton became a Heisman winner, a national champion, a #1 draft pick, and is having a solid career for the Carolina Panthers. Other options include Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles, and Kellen Moore.

4Feb 2012
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Ex-Wolverine Updates: The Class of 2007

Ryan Mallett (#15) looks frustrated at having to watch Tom Brady do his thing

Former Michigan wide receiver Toney Clemons played for Michigan in 2007 and 2008 before transferring to Colorado.  He was the Buffaloes’ leading receiver in 2011 with 43 receptions for 680 yards and 8 touchdowns.  He has not been invited to the NFL Combine yet, but he is preparing for Colorado’s pro day, which is scheduled for March.

Former Michigan linebacker Marell Evans returned to Michigan for 2011, but due to some issues with the NCAA Clearinghouse, he was never able to suit up for the Wolverines during the 2011 season.  The coaches said that he did an excellent job as a scout team player throughout the season, despite being ineligible.  He recently participated in the NFLPA Bowl, where he made 9 tackles.

Former Michigan quarterback Ryan Mallett is in Indianapolis preparing for the Super Bowl against the New York Giants.  He spent the 2011 season as New England’s third string quarterback and didn’t play in a single game as a rookie.  Coincidentally, he’s behind former Michigan quarterback Tom Brady and former Michgian State quarterback Brian Hoyer.

Former Michigan commit Marquis Maze spent the last five years on Alabama’s team, winning a couple national championships in the process.  The 5’10”, 180 lb. wide receiver caught 56 passes for 627 yards and 1 touchdown this past season.  He also returned 50 punts for 436 yards and 1 touchdown, and added another 342 yards on 13 kickoff returns.  He’s getting ready for the 2012 NFL Draft.

Former Michigan wide receiver Zion Babb, safety Artis Chambers, defensive tackle/fullback Vince Helmuth, and running back Avery Horn have presumably concluded their football careers, and things don’t seem to have changed since the last updates on them, which are available on the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.

25Jan 2012
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Michigan Well Represented in Super Bowl XLVI

Seven former Michigan athletes are represented in Super Bowl XLVI, which will be played between the Giants and the Patriots in Indianapolis on February 5th.  New York Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham (2,310 yards and 27 touchdowns from 2005-07), center David Baas (Rimington Award in 2004), linebackers coach Jim Herrmann (65 career tackles from 1980-82) and running backs coach Jerald Ingram (191 career rushing yards from 1979-81) are former Michigan athletes.  New England Patriots punter Zoltan Mesko (42.5-yard average from 2006-09), Tom Brady (5,351 yards and 35 touchdowns from 1996-99), and Ryan Mallett (892 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2007) are former Wolverines, too.

Tallying only the players, Michigan is in a six-way tie for third on the list of most well-represented schools in Super Bowl XLVI, trailing Boston College (6) and Rutgers (5). (For what it’s worth, a BigTen.org article only gives Rutgers credit for four players, putting Michigan and its five acquaintances in the #2 spot.)  With 22 players on the rosters of the Giants and Patriots, the Big Ten is second only to the SEC (23) as the most represented conference.

2May 2011
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NFL Draft Review: Michigan-style

Why do I have a picture of Joe Cocozzo?

2ND ROUND
#61.  Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton was drafted by the San Diego Chargers.  Mouton was the first Michigan player chosen by the Chargers since offensive guard Joe Cocozzo in 1993, who was selected in the third round (#63 overall).

3RD ROUND
#74.  Arkansas quarterback (and former Wolverine) Ryan Mallett was drafted by the New England Patriots.  He has first round talent but an undrafted free agent level of maturity, so he probably couldn’t have asked for a better situation.  Sure, I bet he would have loved first round money, but now he gets to sit behind and learn from Tom Brady for a few years.  If he learns well, he could become a franchise quarterback when Brady moves on or retires.

6TH ROUND
#201.  Michigan offensive lineman Steve Schilling was drafted by the San Diego Chargers.  This is the first time multiple Michigan players have been chosen by one team since . . . 2008, when the Miami Dolphins picked offensive tackle Jake Long in the first round and quarterback Chad Henne in the second.

UNDRAFTED
DT Greg Banks, OG Justin Boren (Ohio State), OT Perry Dorrestein, LB Obi Ezeh, OG John Ferrara, DE Eugene Germany (Central Washington), LB Kevin Leach, LB Cobrani Mixon (Kent State), FB/LB Mark Moundros, DE Adam Patterson, CB James Rogers, DT Renaldo Sagesse, TE Martell Webb

28Apr 2011
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NFL Draft Preview: Ex-Wolverine-style

Justin Boren.

This is slightly related to yesterday’s NFL Draft Preview: Michigan-style and completely related to the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.  I will freely admit that I didn’t put too much effort into this post, because I dislike two of the four players highlighted, and the other two aren’t exactly Boy Scouts.  One is a traitor, one is a reported alcoholic, and two are borderline criminals.  So I won’t exactly be rooting for any of these guys, but it will still be slightly interesting to see when and if they’re drafted.  Those players are:

Justin Boren – OG – Ohio State
Boren, who played for Michigan from 2006-07, transferred to Ohio State and played the 2009-10 seasons for the Buckeyes.  He is 6’3″, 311 lbs. and rated the #17 offensive guard by NFL Draft Scout.
Projection: 7th round or free agent

Eugene Germany – DE – Central Washington
Germany, who was on Michigans team from 2005-06, transferred to Arizona State and then Central Washington.  He is 6’2″, 270 lbs. and rated the #76 defensive end by NFL Draft Scout.
Projection: Free agent


Ryan Mallett – QB – Arkansas
Mallett, who played for Michigan in 2007, transferred to Arkansas and played the 2009-10 seasons for the Razorbacks.  He is 6’7″, 253 lbs. and rated as one of the top five or six quarterbacks.  A potential first round prospect at one time, his stock seems to have dropped off because of serious character issues.  Michigan fans predicted this approximately halfway through Mallett’s freshman year.
Projection: 2nd round


Cobrani Mixon – ILB – Kent State
Mixon, who spent one year at Michigan in 2006, transferred to Kent State and played the 2008-10 seasons for the Golden Flashes.  He is 6’1″, 241 lbs. and rated the #20 inside linebacker by NFL Draft Scout.
Projection: 7th round or free agent