17Jul 2016
Michigan Today: Every Day is Game Day
Jibreel Black has been traveling across the country after his college career ended (LINK).
Hit the jump for some pictures of Jocelyn Chew.
Jibreel Black has been traveling across the country after his college career ended (LINK).
Hit the jump for some pictures of Jocelyn Chew.
Brandon Watson (image via Maize and Blue News)
Name: Brandon Watson
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 191 lbs.
High school: Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #28
Last year: I ranked Watson #34 and said he would be a backup cornerback (LINK). He played in twelve games and made 8 tackles.
In one of my more egregious overrankings last year, I put Watson at #34, thinking he would beat out Channing Stribling for the #3 corner spot. Stribling split starting duties with Jeremy Clark. The #3 cornerback is pretty important, but the #4 guy . . . he’s usually not so important. After a solid spring game, he did okay in 2015 but was pretty invisible on the field.
This season should be more of the same since Michigan has three senior corners (Clark, Stribling, and Jourdan Lewis). Watson will also have to contend with a couple blue-chip freshmen (Lavert Hill, David Long) and a redshirt freshman Keith Washington. There have been vague rumors floating around that Watson may end up elsewhere, especially now that high school teammate Freddy Canteen is no longer with the team, but Watson has stuck with the program so far. I don’t expect Watson to play a ton of defense, but I do think he has some value as a special teams player and he could potentially contribute at a thin safety position if there are injuries.
Prediction: Backup defensive back, special teamer
Ahmir Mitchell (image via MLive)
Name: Ahmir Mitchell
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 205 lbs.
High school: Egg Harbor City (NJ) Cedar Creek
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #2
Last year: Mitchell was a senior in high school (LINK). He caught 30 passes for 359 yards and 2 touchdowns, and he ran for 3 touchdowns.
Final TTB Rating: 79
Mitchell was a big-time recruit out of New Jersey who was wanted by a lot of powerhouses like Florida State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. Oh, and Rutgers. Brady Hoke started recruiting him a few years ago as a safety, but as time wore on, it became clearer that he looked more like a wide receiver . . . with one caveat: questionable hands. He has at various times been described as someone who fights the ball and is inconsistent catching it. Michigan earned his pledge in August, and he enrolled in January.
This spring Mitchell was at times running with the twos at wideout. I think that was partially due to some depth issues that may be fixed in the fall when some other guys return healthy. There have been rumors that off-the-field issues have arisen, so that could be another obstacle to overcome for the fall. I don’t know if Mitchell will find his way to the field this season or not, but he does provide a big, athletic body with some blocking ability. With Brad Hawkins, Jr. heading to prep school, Mitchell is the lone freshman receiver who is clearly headed for the split end or flanker position.
Prediction: Backup wide receiver, possible redshirt
Tom Van Haaren (image via Twitter)
I don’t know why, but I have always been interested in the number of people who cover Michigan football for a living. Not only are there pay sites requiring subscriptions, but there are also numerous blogs and websites that have developed over the years (including this one). It’s a bit of a revolving door, so I thought I would gather up some biographical bits for various writers. I’m limiting this to the four major recruiting sites and MGoBlog, since going even a step further would probably make this way too broad.
Chantel Jennings (image via Twitter)
Name: Chantel Jennings
Athletic experience: N/A
Prior to current job: Writer for The Michigan Daily, Wolverine Nation
Currently: Pac-12 football and basketball writer for ESPN.com
Name: Michael Rothstein
Athletic experience: N/A
Prior to current job: Writer for Wolverine Nation
Currently: Detroit Lions writer for ESPN.com
Name: Tom Van Haaren
Athletic experience: N/A
Prior to current job: Owner of U Recruit, writer for MGoBlog
Currently: Recruiting analyst for ESPN.com
Hit the jump for a further rundown of the people writing about Michigan.
Elysee Mbem-Bosse (image via Bleacher Report)
Name: Elysee Mbem-Bosse
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 232 lbs.
High school: Ellenwood (GA) Cedar Grove
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Mbem-Bosse was a senior in high school (LINK).
Final TTB Rating: 78
Mbem-Bosse was an early Georgia lean who never got an offer from the Bulldogs. He flirted with other SEC schools, but a dogged late pursuit by new defensive coordinator Don Brown rekindled Mbem-Bosse’s interest in Michigan. He went ahead and committed in January.
At 6’3″ and 232 lbs., Mbem-Bosse might be the most physically ready linebacker in the freshman class. He is a middle linebacker, and starting MIKE Ben Gedeon is the most proven player on the inside. Michigan is going to be looking for a player who can replace Gedeon in 2017, and it’s a good idea to get experience for your linebackers. Mbem-Bosse’s fellow freshman, Devin Bush, also has a good chance to play at the WILL spot. I think there’s a chance that Mbem-Bosse redshirts, but with no clear backup to Gedeon, it seems likely that he will play this season. Sure, an injury to Mbem-Bosse may put the position in flux, but I don’t think he’s all that ready to be a prime-time contributor right now. If the defense had to reshuffle to get McCray or Noah Furbush at MIKE, I don’t think the team would be negatively affected much.
Prediction: Backup linebacker