Donovan Peoples-Jones (image via Bleacher Report)
Name: Donovan Peoples-Jones
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 193 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #9
Last year: Peoples-Jones was a senior in high school.
TTB Rating: 92
Peoples-Jones was perhaps the jewel of the 2017 class, as he was the most highly sought recruit in the State of Michigan, and one of the best in the country. He had the highest SPARQ score as an underclassman in the summer of 2016, and everyone raves about his speed and athleticism. Toss in the fact that he’s academics-oriented and wants to go to medical school someday, and Michigan seems to have pulled in a pretty solid all-around guy. He ended up playing in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl before enrolling early at Michigan.
Now Donovan Peoples-Jones is going to wear the #9 at Michigan. This is noteworthy, because he yoinked it from junior Grant Perry. (Perry may have yoinked it from himself with his alleged felonious behavior in East Lansing, but we’ll kind of ignore that for the purposes of this post.) Peoples-Jones impressed in the spring, though he doesn’t seem to have an otherworldly grasp on the game to the point where he’s going to be an immediate star in college. That’s a difficult task for almost anyone, but especially in a pro-style offense with lots of adjustments and virtually no emphasis on tempo. Kekoa Crawford will likely start at one receiver spot, so it seems to be a race between Peoples-Jones and fellow freshman Tarik Black for the open wideout position. My take based on practice rumblings and what I saw in the spring game is that Black might have the edge for now, but I think Peoples-Jones has the higher ceiling in the long run. Either way, both should play a considerable amount, but neither is destined for an all-conference year here in 2017.
Prediction: Backup split end
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I remember watching all the highlight videos (not particulary the best vehicle to scout) and I thought Black was the best of all the guys. I just rewatched Martin and I think he is going to be an outstanding intermediate route guy. Collins may get potentially get moved to TE. Guy is huge.
Back to DPJ, it’s going to be close with him and Black. I have always felt that people don’t appreciate a guys physical strength and body balance vs. a players speed. Handling a corner within the first 5 yards through physicality sets up the rest of the route. Calloway is a perfect example of a guy who wasn’t particulary fast but was one heck of a receiver.
Where do they put all these wr’s. All of them are legit. Any thoughts?
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While I agree he isn’t likely to be an immediate impact, someone has to (if we’re going to be any good)
With that, I can see DPJ come on strong about halfway through the season, and just completely assert himself as a star for 2018 and beyond
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I think a Crawford-McDoom-Perry trio can be the best in the conference.
Having a freshman emerge as a downfield would be great, but we’ve been through this kind of hope game with freshman before. The last highly productive true freshman WR at Michigan was…
That doesn’t mean it can’t happen. This year presents a unique opportunity, so if ever there was going to be a 40-catch/800 yard freshman this would be the year.
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Martavious Odoms had 49 catches as a true freshman, though admittedly not with a lot of competition, and not with a very good YPC average. Still, that’s a lot of getting open for a freshman. Before that, Manningham probably had the best season for a freshman WR recently (27 catches) and Breaston (38 catches).
It can happen, but it’s a very tough position for a new guy to shine in. Some of out best all time WRs had very quiet true freshman seasons before they broke out as sophomores.
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My point exactly. Braylon and Mario had established guys ahead of them as Fr. This year, DPJ, Black, or even Martin won’t… The chance is there for the unlikely to occur
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Yes, it can happen. Your comments help to keep expectations of freshman receivers in perspective. I agree with this from Thunder, “grasp on the game to the point where he’s going to be an immediate star in college. That’s a difficult task for almost anyone”, applies to all.
These guys have the speed and athleticism to make big plays but they have to be in position to catch the ball and have the concentration and hands to make things happen.
Like JE, I hope that by mid season or B1G play that light has come on.
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All great examples. This could be another year like that – but I would expect it to be one freshman, not multiple guys. We’ll see…
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wow was this wrong!
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I would be surprised if more than one freshman has more catches than Perry.
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Turns out it was none, though DPJ wasn’t far off and Black was hurt…
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