Posts under: Blog

2020 Season Countdown: #78 Joey Velazquez

Name: Joey Velazquez
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 213 lbs.
High school: Columbus (OH) St. Francis De Sales
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #9
Last year: I ranked Velazquez #89 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: 82

So far Velazquez’s Michigan career is going as expected:

Start career off redshirting at Viper? Check.

Bulk up and move to WILL linebacker? Check.

It’s year two in Michigan’s system, and the only thing that hasn’t gone according to plan is when his freshman baseball season was canceled due to coronavirus.

The two-sport athlete goes into his redshirt freshman season as a potential role player on defense, mainly due to the departure of some key backups (Jordan Anthony, Devin Gil). While Joshua Ross is likely to start at WILL, the backup situation is in flux. Velazquez will be in a battle with sophomore Anthony Solomon, redshirt freshman Charles Thomas, and a few freshmen to get on the field. I expect Velazquez’s primary contribution to come on special teams.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

2020 Season Countdown: #79 Zak Zinter

If you’re making Amazon purchases anytime soon, please feel free to get them through TTB (LINK):

Name: Zak Zinter
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 300 lbs.
High school: North Andover (MA) Buckingham Browne & Nichols
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Zinter was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 76 80

Zinter finished the 2020 recruiting class as a 4-star, the #10 offensive guard, and #264 overall. I’m glad he was finally rated as a guard, because early on in his recruitment, he was pegged as a tackle. Zinter graduated in December and enrolled in January, but obviously his time at Michigan was cut short due to COVID-19.

I may have moved him slightly up in the countdown if he had had a full spring session of football practice, but he will come in as basically a summer enrollee. And while he has had time with the playbook and contact with the coaches since he’s officially a college student, that’s not the same as getting reps on the field. I am as impressed by Zinter’s senior film as anyone’s, but I do have concerns about his ability to stay healthy. It seems that guys who are jumbo-sized entering college (Chris Fox, Chris Bryant, etc.) have a harder time staying healthy than the guys who grow into the position, and Zinter is a pretty big dude. Also, if you look at the picture at the top of this post, Zinter’s lower legs taper outward below the knee, which I have concerns about from a structural standpoint for a guy carrying around 300+ pounds.

So . . . I bumped Zinter up from a 76 to an 80 in the TTB Ratings, but my main concern is whether Zinter can hold up physically. As for this particular season, I think Zinter is strong enough that he could come in and play a few games as a garbage time backup, but he shouldn’t burn his redshirt.

Prediction: Redshirt

Hit the jump for his senior highlights.

2020 Season Countdown: #80 Carl Myers

Name: Carl Myers
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 286 lbs.
High school: Grand Rapids (MI) West Catholic
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #54
Last year: I ranked Myers #69 and said he would be a backup defensive tackle (LINK). He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

A few years ago, I thought Myers might be the fourth Glasgow brother. As a true freshman walk-on, he played in the very first game possible, against Hawaii in the 2016 season opener. Then he didn’t play at all in 2017, played in four games in 2018, and didn’t play at all in 2019. If Myers is alternating years of seeing playing time, then 2020 should once again be his year.

Unfortunately, I just don’t really buy it. Maybe Myers is just another above average walk-on type who just can’t really play at the scholarship guys’ level, and that’s fine. Four years into his career, he’s played in five games. While injuries have been an issue and caused him to miss some time, he’s probably still not a guy who will work heavily into the rotation.

Prediction: Backup defensive tackle

Quintin Somerville, Wolverine

Scottsdale (AZ) Saguaro defensive end Quintin Somerville committed to Michigan on Saturday afternoon. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, and Ohio State, among others.

Somerville is listed at 6’1″ and 230 lbs., though some reported height measurements have him at 6’2 1/2″ now. His own team lists him at 6’3″ and 238 lbs. As a junior in 2019, he reportedly made 68 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 84 grade, #12 DE
Rivals: 4-star, 5.8 grade, #5 WDE, #151 overall
247 Sports: 4-star, 90 grade, #18 SDE

Hit the jump for more on Somerville’s recruitiment.

2020 Season Countdown: #81 Cornell Wheeler

Name: Cornell Wheeler
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school: West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Wheeler was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 130 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery.
TTB Rating: 73

Statistically, Wheeler had a standout season in 2019 with a whopping 130 tackles.

And yet that still paled in comparison to the 165 tackles he racked up in 2018.

My guess is those tackle numbers will drop considerably in 2020. Wheeler enters college as an inside linebacker for a team with an entrenched starter at middle linebacker (Cam McGrone) and an experienced probable starter at weakside linebacker (Josh Ross). Michigan normally rotates three inside linebackers and then just gives a smattering of snaps to anyone else. One thing to consider is if COVID-19 causes a player to be out for a couple weeks, so maybe we’ll see more players play and fewer redshirts in 2020. But aside from that possibility, I expect Wheeler to redshirt.

Prediction: Redshirt

Hit the jump for Wheeler’s senior highlights.