Posts by: Thunder

2016 Season Countdown: #77 Jared Wangler

Jared Wangler (white jersey, image via MLive)

Name: Jared Wangler
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 231 lbs.
High school: Warren (MI) De La Salle
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #19
Last year: I ranked Wangler #72 and said he would be a backup linebacker and special teamer (LINK). He did not play.

Wangler was a mid-level, 3-star recruit coming out of high school and a Michigan legacy. He had offers from LSU, Michigan State, and Penn State, among others, but he has yet to step on the field in two seasons at Michigan. As a redshirt freshman in 2015, the Wolverines had a lot of experienced linebackers. That won’t be the case so much this season.

Going into his third year, Wangler has yet to create any buzz on the practice field. It’s rare that players come out of nowhere after two or three years to be heavy contributors, so this will be a key year for him. True freshman early enrollee Devin Bush, Jr. worked his way up to second string in the spring, and there are rumblings that Michigan is looking to get Elysee Mbem-Bosse some time this fall to get him marinating for 2017. With Mike McCray II, Ben Gedeon, Jabrill Peppers, and Noah Furbush seeming pretty solidly entrenched as starters or part-time starters at linebacker, Wangler might be fighting for scraps of playing time.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

2016 Season Countdown: #78 A.J. Pearson

A.J. Pearson (image via 247 Sports)

Name: A.J. Pearson
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 197 lbs.
High school: Johns Creek (GA) Northview
Position: Safety
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #18
Last year: I did not rank Pearson. He played in three games and made 1 tackle.

Pearson is a walk-on safety who has made exactly one tackle in each of the past two seasons. He hasn’t done anything to show the potential of a Jordan Kovacs, but he has apparently earned the coaches’ trust to be a special teamer and capable backup. This spring he got a lot of playing time when Michigan was low on safeties, but three pretty solid players return (Dymonte Thomas, Delano Hill, Tyree Kinnel). Michigan is thin at the position, so Pearson might get some run, but he won’t be a key player except perhaps on special teams.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer

2017 Recruiting Update: June 21, 2016

Darien (CT) Darien offensive tackle Andrew Stueber (image via Darien Times)

COMMITMENT

Leesburg (GA) Lee County defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon committed to Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017

Peculiar (MO) Raymore-Peculiar defensive end Anthony Payne was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 250 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas State, a few MAC schools, Tulane, and the like. He’s a 247 Sports 3-star, the #27 strongside end, and #697 overall. He worked out at Michigan’s satellite camp in Missouri, and the coaches liked what they saw. I can’t really blame them too much if his reported measurables are accurate: a 4.67 forty, a 405 lb. bench, a 635 lb. squat, and a 39″ vertical. However, his film isn’t anything special, and he looks like a guy who could get swallowed up by offensive tackles.

Darien (CT) Darien offensive tackle Andrew Stueber was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’6″, 285 lb. prospect with offers from Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, Pitt, Rutgers, and Tennessee, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #80 offensive tackle, and #774 overall. The nice thing about recruiting the New England area is that there’s not a strong pull to remain in the geographical area, since there aren’t any noteworthy programs there. On the flip side, one reason for the lack of noteworthy programs is a lack of talent (and competition for the talent that is there). Stueber’s film is fun to watch if you like to see an FBS-caliber tackle beating up on overmatched defenders, but he’s somewhat limited athletically and stands up too high.

Hit the jump for several commitments elsewhere, along with some random tidbits.

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2016 Season Countdown: #79 Alex Malzone

Alex Malzone (#12)

Name: Alex Malzone
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 222 lbs.
High school: Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #12
Last year: I ranked Malzone #75 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.

Malzone enrolled in January of 2015 and earned a start for one team in last year’s spring game. That was the pinnacle of his very short career. By the fall he had dropped down the depth chart, at least to #4 behind Jake Rudock, Wilton Speight, and Shane Morris. This spring he was behind Speight, Morris, transfer John O’Korn, and even true freshman early enrollee Brandon Peters. And after a few snaps in the spring game, he was escorted off the field by a trainer after injuring his throwing hand. Then he had a minor run-in with the law. So the last twelve months or so have not gone smoothly for him in the football department.

It’s a new season in 2016, but not much will change. He should still be behind the aforementioned players, making him maybe fifth on the depth chart. Some mop-up duty isn’t out of the question, since Peters will probably redshirt. However, if something drastic were to happen, I think Peters would draw into the lineup before Malzone. Peters is just a superior athlete. Malzone will probably spend all or the vast majority of the season watching from the sideline.

Prediction: Fifth string quarterback

Otis Reese, Wolverine

Leesburg (GA) Lee County linebacker Otis Reese (image via Scout)

Leesburg (GA) Lee County linebacker Otis Reese, a 2018 prospect, committed to Michigan on Saturday. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Central Michigan, Louisville, Troy, and UCLA.

Reese is 6’2″, 195 lbs.

RATINGS
ESPN: Unranked
Rivals: Unranked
Scout: 4-star S
247 Sports: 4-star, 92 grade, #11 S, #117 overall

Hit the jump for more on Reese’s commitment.

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