Posts under: Blog

2016 Season Countdown: #2 Jabrill Peppers

Jabrill Peppers (image via The Big Lead)

Name: Jabrill Peppers
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 205 lbs.
High school: Paramus (NJ) Catholic
Position: Linebacker/safety
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #5
Last year: I ranked Peppers #3 and said he would be a starting safety and punt returner, plus a part-time slot receiver and kickoff returner (LINK). He made 45 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 10 pass breakups; ran 18 times for 72 yards (4.0 yards/carry) and 2 touchdowns; caught 8 passes for 79 yards (9.9 yards/catch); returned 8 kickoffs for 223 yards (27.9 yards/return); and returned 17 punts for 194 yards (11.4 yards/return).

It’s difficult to quantify what kind of impact Jabrill Peppers had on the Wolverines in 2015, even with all the stats listed above. He was tied for 7th in the Big Ten in pass breakups, mostly from the slot corner position. He was 4th in punt return average. He would have been #1 in kickoff return average if he had had enough opportunities. He was 6th on the team in tackles and 9th in tackles for loss. He did all that in one fewer game than many of his teammates, since he sat out the 41-7 drubbing of Florida with a hand injury. All that production came from one guy, like a created player on NCAA Football (may its soul rest in peace).

Hit the jump for more Peppers.

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2016 Season Countdown: #3 Mason Cole

Mason Cole

Name: Mason Cole
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 305 lbs.
High school: Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake
Position: Center
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #52
Last year: I ranked Cole #8 and said he would be the starting left tackle (LINK). He started all thirteen games at left tackle.

Cole has been eligible to play in 25 Michigan games over his two seasons, and he started every one at left tackle. He was a lightweight as a freshman in 2014, but he held his own. He was a little heavier in 2015, and he was good enough to be Honorable Mention All-Big Ten. His best quality was his ability to block on the edge and in space, but he was occasionally overpowered by bigger, stronger guys since Cole was only about 287 lbs. Still he was a solid player, and the offensive coaching staff favored the left side in crunch time. Combined with mammoth left guard Ben Braden and center Graham Glasgow, the left side got the job done pretty well.

With Glasgow graduated and playing for the Detroit Lions, Michigan needed a new center and moved Cole there in the off-season. They gave him a taste of center in the spring of 2015 in anticipation of Glasgow’s departure, so this isn’t brand new. There were some issues with shotgun snaps in the spring game, and it’s always a concern when a player moves to center because they have to get acclimated to calling protections, snapping under pressure, etc. Cole is arguably Michigan’s best blocker, and he’s the most suited to center because of his quickness. He was always unlikely to stick at left tackle because he lacks prototypical bulk and length, so center and guard seem more fitting. His primary backup is redshirt junior Patrick Kugler, who has looked overmatched in limited time. If Cole were to get hurt, it would create a void in the middle that would be difficult to overcome. Cole has a chance to be an all-conference player and set himself up as an NFL draft pick for 2018.

Prediction: Starting center; Second Team All-Big Ten

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2016 Season Countdown: #4 Jehu Chesson

Jehu Chesson

Name: Jehu Chesson
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 203 lbs.
High school: St. Louis (MO) Ladue Horton Watkins
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #86
Last year: I ranked Chesson #18 and said he would be a starting wide receiver with 25 catches for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns (LINK). He started twelve games, making 50 catches for 764 yards and 9 touchdowns; he ran 8 times for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns; and he returns 4 kickoffs for 166 yards and 1 touchdown.

Chesson was the offensive breakout star of the Michigan Wolverines in 2015. Earlier in his career, I had lamented his ball skills, and that even reared its ugly head early in the year when Jake Rudock tried to connect with Chesson on deep balls numerous times. The ball was either overthrown or Chesson wouldn’t adjust properly to it. Then about halfway through the year, the light came on for Chesson and he turned into one of the most dynamic receiving threats in the country. He had 33 catches for 632  yards and 7 touchdowns over the final six games, including a 207-yard effort against Indiana. One of the most exciting moments of the year was his kickoff return against Northwestern, which he took 96 yards for a touchdown and was completely untouched.

I have high expectations for Chesson in 2016. I think his game meshes well with Wilton Speight, who has a stronger arm than Rudock. Again, I’m putting my faith in Jim Harbaugh to pick the right quarterback, so hopefully Speight will push the ball down the field at times so he can connect with guys like Chesson. I’ve had questions about Speight’s accuracy on the deep ball, but Chesson can leave corners in the dust and out-leverage safeties. He may not be needed so much in the running game if the Wolverines can run the ball more effectively, but based on what teams saw him do last season, he can be a threat to make defenses pause on end around and jet sweep fakes.

Prediction: Starting wide receiver; 60 catches for 900 yards and 9 touchdowns

2016 Season Countdown: #5 Taco Charlton

Taco Charlton (image via MGoBlog)

Name: Taco Charlton
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 272 lbs.
High school: Pickerington (OH) Central
Position: Defensive end
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #33
Last year: I ranked Charlton #31 and said he would be the backup strongside end (LINK). He started three games, making 30 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 1 sack.

Some might say that Charlton had a breakout season in 2015, but it was a pretty quiet breakout. When he was talking about the change from D.J. Durkin to Don Brown at defensive coordinator, he lamented the fact that he spent 2015 as a 285 lb. “tackle” in a 3-4. While I didn’t deem him a tackle, I did think it was odd that Michigan took a long, lanky guy whose raw athleticism was his biggest asset, and then added bulk to make him a more stationary player. Charlton has never been known as the most technically sound player, so making him deal with double-teams instead of trying to tear off the edge seemed like a mild mistake. However, it’s hard to argue with the production too much, since he was third on the team in sacks while mostly being a backup. His best game came against Penn State when he made 3 tackles for loss and 2 sacks.

Now Charlton has lost 10+ pounds and moved to weakside end in Don Brown’s four-man front. He claims to be quicker and faster, and those skills will be needed on a team that has sorely lacked a quality speed rusher. Not only are those skills highly desirable, but few others on the roster offer potential as edge rushers. Backup end Shelton Johnson is in the doghouse and could miss the entire season, and the primary backup at weakside end is redshirt sophomore Chase Winovich, who impressed some people in the spring but spent the last two seasons playing linebacker and tight end/H-back. If the Wolverines are forced into playing the 6’3″, 245 lb. Winovich full-time at end, they’re going to be hurting. I think Winovich is a capable backup, but he’s not going to scare too many left tackles. Meanwhile, Charlton’s size and speed combination could strike some fear in offensive tackles and quarterbacks, and his measurables/production have some NFL scouts thinking he could be a high-round draft pick. He has been steadily improving over the past few years, and I think a lot of people will notice his play this year, as Brown will find ways to free him up coming off the edge.

Prediction: Starting weakside end; 45 tackles, 9 sacks

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Visitors: Michigan vs. Hawaii

Tarik Black (image via Eleven Warriors)

2017

Tarik Black – WR – Cheshire (CT) Cheshire Academy: Black is a 6’3″, 204 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Stanford, and UCLA, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #17 wide receiver, and #131 overall. The U.S. Army All-American will be taking his official visit this weekend. Michigan held a camp at Cheshire Academy this summer, and Black is one of a few targets Michigan is heavily in the mix for right now. As of Wednesday night, the Crystal Ball is 62% in favor of the Wolverines for Black.

Corey Bolds – DT – Paramus (NJ) Catholic: Bolds is a 6’3″, 276 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Clemson, Michigan, and Rutgers, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #38 defensive tackle, and #462 overall. He’s a teammate of 2017 linebacker Drew Singleton (see below).

Carter Dunaway – TE – Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice: Dunaway is committed to Michigan (LINK).

Ja’Raymond Hall – OT – Oak Park (MI) Oak Park: Hall is committed to Michigan (LINK).

Brad Hawkins, Jr. – WR – Suffield (CT) Suffield Academy: Hawkins is a 6’1″, 202 lb. prospect who signed with Michigan in the 2016 class. He was an NCAA non-qualifier and is now headed to Suffield Academy for a prep year. He graduated from Camden (NJ) Camden, where he was a teammate with freshman defensive end Ron Johnson, Jr. Here’s Hawkins’s commitment profile from the summer of 2015 (LINK).

Hit the jump for more visitors.

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