Posts under: Blog

2016 Season Countdown: #92 Andrew Robinson

Andrew Robinson (image via Twitter)

Name: Andrew Robinson
Height; 5’11”
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school: Troy (MI) Athens
Position: Long snapper
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #41
Last year: I did not rank Robinson. He played in one game.

I believe this is the first time I’ve included a backup long snapper in a countdown, though I have included a long snapper and short snapper in previous countdowns. Anyway, last year Scott Sypniewski was the full-time snapper until his thumb was hurt on the most devastating play of the 2015 season. He had snapping issues after that, and Robinson stepped in for one game against Penn State to let Sypniewski heal. You may not have noticed that the backup long snapper was playing, which means Robinson did a solid job. Rivals threw out a rumor earlier this spring that Sypniewski might even be looking to transfer, but as of now, it looks like Robinson will be his backup.

Prediction: Backup long snapper

2017 Recruiting Update: May 25, 2016

Robert Porcher III and Robert Porcher IV (image via Twitter)

This has nothing to do with 2017 recruiting, but I finalized the TTB Ratings for the 2016 class on Monday (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Grenada (MS) Grenada safety C.J. Avery was offered by Michigan. Avery is a 6’1″, 198 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, and Stanford, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #19 safety, and #198 overall. As a junior in 2015, he made 76 tackles, 5 INTs, and 1 fumble return for a TD. He’s an aggressive safety who high-points the ball well and is a pretty vicious hitter.

Richmond (VA) Benedictine linebacker Ellis Brooks decommitted from Duke. He’s a 6’2″, 233 lb. prospect with offers from North Carolina, Notre Dame, Pitt, and South Carolina, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #16 outside linebacker, and #230 overall. Duke doesn’t typically recruit well, so Brooks was their top commit in 2017; he was also a teammate of the Blue Devils’ highest rated signee in 2016, wide receiver Scott Bracey.

Orlando (FL) Dr. Phillips defensive end Robert Porcher IV was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 245 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Mississippi State, USC, and Virginia Tech, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #58 weakside end, and #1334 overall. As a junior in 2015, he made 92 tackles, 32 TFLs, and 11 sacks. He’s the son of former Detroit Lions defensive end Robert Porcher, and he attends a school that Michigan recruited pretty heavily during the Rich Rodriguez era (Demetrius Hart, Ricardo Miller, etc.). Despite a high level of productivity, Porcher does not seem to be a standout athletically, and I think he’s pretty accurately ranked as a so-so 3-star.

Hit the jump for a few more bits and pieces of 2017 recruiting.

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2016 Season Countdown: #93 Cheyenn Robertson

Cheyenn Robertson (#92, image via LA Times)

Name: Cheyenn Robertson
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 233 lbs.
High school: Union City (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #92
Last year: Robertson redshirted.

I talked a little bit about Robertson as a preferred walk-on in the 2015 class (LINK). Last season he was reportedly playing Buck linebacker in practice, but as most freshman walk-ons do, he redshirted and did not create much buzz.

This year that Buck linebacker position has disappeared under Don Brown, and Robertson was playing linebacker in the spring. Part of that may be his lack of size for the defensive end position, at least right now. I saw Robertson play some linebacker in the spring and he was generally what I thought he was coming out of high school. However, some of these walk-ons get some time on special teams or in mop-up duty, so we may see him for a few snaps here or there.

Projection: Mop-up duty

Final TTB Ratings for 2016

Rashan Gary

This post has been delayed for a bit. It probably would have been done sooner if not for the fact that Michigan got commitments from 29 players in the class of 2016, so there was a lot of film to review. Also, life got in the way a couple weekends ago when I planned to spend some time putting together this post.

Anyway, these ratings are designed to project how I see their careers developing at Michigan. For example, a running back who might get a chance to shine early at Indiana could be in a tooth-and-nail battle for playing time at Michigan. So these ratings are specific to Michigan, and do not necessarily reflect a prospect’s overall ability.

Ranked from highest final rating to lowest final rating, here are Michigan’s members of the 2016 class:

Rashan Gary: 100
He’s the consensus #1 prospect in the country, and his game translates well to a lot of places, including the NFL.

TE Devin Asiasi: 92
With his prodigious talent and Jim Harbaugh’s usage of the tight end, I see no reason why Asiasi – who is big, can block, can catch, and can run – can’t be a high draft pick in three to five years. Sometimes other things get in the way, but he’s the most well rounded TE prospect to come to Michigan in a long time.

CB David Long: 92
I still think Long is an excellent prospect who brings a good combination of physicality and athleticism, along with a good head on his shoulders.

Hit the jump for the rest of the 2016 recruiting class.

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2016 Season Countdown: #94 Nate Johnson

Jim Harbaugh and Nate Johnson hit the dab at the in-home visit

Name: Nate Johnson
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 175 lbs.
High school: Thompson’s Station (TN) Independence
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Johnson was a senior in high school (LINK). He caught 87 passes for 1,713 yards and 27 TDs.
TTB Rating: 76

Johnson popped up on Michigan’s radar fairly late in the process. He was a Purdue commit for a while, flipped to the Wolverines, and then said he would make a final decision on National Signing Day after flirting with the prospect of going to Miami or Notre Dame. He signed with the Wolverines after a meeting with Jim Harbaugh in which he was assured that Michigan still wanted him; rumors existed that Miami and Notre Dame would no longer take him at that point. It was perhaps the strangest recruitment of any of Michigan’s signees. Anyway, Johnson was extremely productive as a high school senior, scoring 27 touchdowns and catching 87 passes. I’ve always been a part of run-oriented high school offenses, so the idea of putting up those numbers in high school boggles the mind.

Production aside, I don’t think Michigan needs to rely on Johnson this season. He’s tiny and bound for the slot receiver position, which Michigan does not utilize extremely often with all the tight ends and fullbacks and such. Grant Perry returns as Michigan’s incumbent slot, and both Kekoa Crawford and Eddie McDoom are physically more prepared for college, though neither of them enrolled early. Johnson could help down the road as a punt returner, but again, that position already has some experience. This season should see him watching and learning, but there will be more opportunities next year after Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson graduate, allowing Crawford, McDoom, and Perry more opportunities to potentially play outside.

Prediction: Redshirt