Ben Braden (image via Michigan Daily)
Name: Ben Braden
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 335 lbs.
High school: Rockford (MI) Rockford
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #71
Last year: I ranked Braden #17 and said he would be the starting right guard (LINK). He started thirteen games at left guard.
Going into the 2015 season, Braden was making a pretty big transition. At 6’6″ (and sometimes listed at 6’7″), he seemed a little tall for an offensive guard, and he had started at right tackle during the 2014 season. Brady Hoke had tried him at guard in the spring of 2014, but he was back to tackle by that fall. Jim Harbaugh committed to the left guard thing, and Braden was good enough to be named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten. He wasn’t as dominant as you would hope for somebody who’s 330+ pounds and was winning sprints for his position group, but the offensive playcalling favored running behind Braden and then tackle Mason Cole on the left side.
Braden should be back at left guard for the second season in a row, and I expect him to make at least an incremental improvement. He will need to be a little better because he will most likely have a first-time starter on his left, since Cole has moved to center. Whether it’s sophomore Grant Newsome or freshman Ben Bredeson at left tackle, it’s important for a team with a right-handed QB like Michigan to have a solid left side of the line, not only to protect the QB’s blind side, but to set up a convincing play action. I think Braden has a chance at being All-Big Ten this fall, since he should be a three-year starter at season’s end and Michigan should be a top-tier team in the Big Ten.
Prediction: Starting left guard
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Thunder, why do you think we have trouble finding a LT? Mags & Braden have the size, and both have plenty of experience.
Drevno has done more with less, right? I’d think between his success at Stanford and USC, SOMEONE would be turned into a viable option (outside of Freshmen)
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That’s a good question. I just don’t think we’ve recruited the position very well, but keep in mind that there’s a pretty good chance Logan Tuley-Tillman would be playing there this season if not for his legal issues. He was the sixth offensive lineman to begin last season, and with Glasgow graduated/Cole moving to center, he would be the logical guy to play at LT. Magnuson, for whatever reason, has not developed the way I thought he would. I think I mentioned that in his post, but he’s become a little more rotund than I expected and hasn’t filled out the way a LT probably should. Whether that’s because of genetics, diet, not working hard enough in the weight room, or what, he needed to get a little quicker while maintaining size/strength, and I just don’t see the foot quickness. I do think he could “play” left tackle, but speed rushers would really give him a problem on the blind side. As for Braden, I just don’t think he has the skill set for it, and everyone knew that coming out of high school. Newsome can get there, I think, but he’s got work to do on his technique.
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Agree that Mag’s issue appears to be difficulty adding good weight. Just looking at his build, I am guessing that his natural playing weight is around 275-280, which is where he was as a freshman and looked much more agile then. Jack Miller had the same issue a few years ago as well, where he had to carry a lot of bad weight to get into the 290-300 lbs range.
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