Posts by: Thunder

2017 Season Countdown: #48 Nate Schoenle

Nate Schoenle (image via 247 Sports)

Name: Nate Schoenle
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 185 lbs.
High school: Ann Arbor (MI) Gabriel Richard
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #35
Last year: I did not rank Schoenle. He played in one game.
TTB Rating: N/A

Schoenle was a bit of a revelation this spring. Not only did he play a skill position as a true freshman walk-on in 2016, but he was a reliable receiving threat in the spring game. That capped a behind-the-scenes batch of positive rumors regarding his practice performances. Schoenle is a steady route runner with decent speed, and he seems to have the trust of Michigan’s quarterbacks. Michigan is looking for someone in the slot to potentially take the spot of Grant Perry, who has had some off-the-field troubles, and Schoenle is vying for that spot. He’s not a jet sweep threat like Eddie McDoom, and he’s not a threat to take it to the house on a bubble screen, but he’s a good enough route runner to get separation in the slot, and he’s a big enough target to be a matchup issue for tiny nickel corners. In reality, he might outplay this ranking, or this might be too high for him, but his star seems to be rising a bit.

Prediction: Backup slot receiver

Attractive Michigan Girl of the Week

If you have any other pictures of good looking girls wearing Michigan gear, drop me an e-mail.

2017 Season Countdown: #49 Drake Harris

Drake Harris (image via MLive)

Name: Drake Harris
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 188 lbs.
High school: Grand Rapids (MI) Christian
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #14
Last year: I ranked Harris #42 and said he would be a backup wide receiver with 9 catches for 90 yards and 1 TD. He had 2 catches for 11 yards.
TTB Rating: 93

There was a lot of hype for Harris in the 2015-2016 off-season. A long, tall, speedy wide receiver who used to be an elite basketball recruit? It was about time that he hit his stride. But instead of capitalizing on all those skills when he finally seemed to be healthy, he made 2 receptions for 11 yards. Meanwhile, the two wideouts ahead of him got drafted to the NFL, and the guys expected to replace them are . . . not Drake Harris.

No, Drake Harris won’t replace Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh, because Harris is now a cornerback. He and Jim Harbaugh decided to make the position switch this summer after spring practice had concluded. One reason is that cornerback needs depth and competition, and another reason is likely that Harris just wasn’t getting it done at receiver. On 8 career catches, Harris has a paltry 6.2 yards per reception. Of course, he has never played defense before, so that could be an adventure itself.

Michigan’s staff has had success with tall corners and position-switchers in the past (Jeremy Clark from S to CB, Richard Sherman from WR to CB), but Harris’s injury history and the suddenness of this switch seems not to bode very well for this fall. I do think he could make some contributions simply because of his size, and this is a year where Michigan might need to throw a bunch of corners out there and give them all a chance to move to the front of the pack. The Wolverines lost their top three corners from last season; Harris, David Long, and Lavert Hill have all had injury issues; and the door to a starting job seems to be wide open. I don’t think Harris will start, but anything could happen with this group.

Prediction: Backup cornerback

2017 Season Countdown: #50 Zach Gentry

Zach Gentry (image via 247 Sports)

Name: Zach Gentry
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 244 lbs.
High school: Albuquerque (NM) Eldorado
Position: Tight end
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #83
Last year: I ranked Gentry #61 and said he would be a backup tight end. He played in seven games.
TTB Rating: 84

Gentry has had an interesting career in just two years on campus. Brought in as a blue-chip quarterback, he struggled with the offense and began taking snaps as a tight end during the bowl preparation at the end of the 2015 season. He then struggled with blocking at the tight end position, so he spent the second half of the 2016 season taking reps at wide receiver. This spring Michigan was down a couple tight ends from last year, and Gentry was back at tight end.

Gentry still struggles with blocking, despite the fact that he’s listed at 244 lbs. Honestly, he’s terrible at blocking as an in-line tight end. He’s not aggressive, and he’s slow to get off the ball. I would be surprised if Michigan uses him in that role at all this season. However, he is a unique specimen as a receiving prospect, and he has shown that ability on multiple occasions. His most exciting play was a long catch-and-run touchdown in the spring game; it was a busted coverage, but he made a (walk-on) defender miss in space and then sprinted to the endzone. The ability is obvious. Whether Michigan uses that athletic ability or not remains to be seen, but it’s there. I think the idea of a matchup problem is overused, but a guy who’s 6’7″ and can run like Gentry is a rarity.

Prediction: Backup tight end

7-12-17 Recruiting Update: The White Whale is Gone

Cameron McGrone (image via Indy Star)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2018

Miami (FL) Central running back James Cook decommitted from Florida State. He’s a 4-star, the #3 running back, and #33 overall. At 5’11” and 181 lbs., he runs a 4.51 forty. The brother of Dalvin Cook, he was expected to continue the Cook legacy at FSU, but now it appears he’s likely to end up signing with Georgia.

Ontario (CA) Colony tight end Michael Ezeike was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 210 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, UCLA, and USC, among others. He’s a 3-star, the #17 tight end, and #413 overall. This appears to be a wide-open race right now, but Michigan does need a tight end or two in this recruiting class.

Valdosta (GA) Lonwdes offensive tackle Jalen Goss was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 250 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Maryland, Mississippi State, and Oregon, among others. He’s a 3-star, the #66 offensive tackle, and #781 overall. He’s a teammate of 2018 running back Michael Barrett, whom Michigan is recruiting as a running back and Wildcat quarterback.

Hit the jump for a couple more new offers, along with several players who committed elsewhere.

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