Posts under: homepage

2017 Season Countdown: #28 Henry Poggi

Henry Poggi

Name: Henry Poggi
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 257 lbs.
High school: Baltimore (MD) Gilman
Position: Fullback
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number:

#19
Last year: I ranked Poggi #41 and said he would be a part-time starting fullback. He started seven games and ended with 1 carry for 4 yards, plus 6 catches for 45 yards.
TTB Rating: 79

Poggi split fullback time with Khalid Hill in 2016. Poggi was treated as the big, bruising blocker who could kick out defensive ends and trap defensive tackles, while Hill was the guy who would lead on toss sweeps and grab short-yardage carries. I thought Hill played better than Poggi, but somehow the coaching staff still started for half of the season.

Despite Poggi not being an offensive skill weapon, I think he has value to the team because he’s big enough and strong enough to be an effective blocker against bigs. Michigan uses multiple tight ends and sometimes multiple fullbacks at once, and Poggi and Hill are the only two guys ready for that spot this year. The next guy is probably freshman Ben Mason, and after that it drops off to small-ish walk-ons. If Michigan didn’t play Hill ahead of Poggi last year full-time, then I don’t see why that would change going into 2017. I expect another low-key season for Poggi, but he should be a battering ram in the power running game.

Prediction: Part-time starting fullback

2017 Season Countdown: #29 Brad Robbins

Brad Robbins (image via Westerville Schools)

Name: Brad Robbins
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Westerville (OH) South
Position: Punter
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #3
Last year: 

Robbins was a senior in high school

.
TTB Rating: 70

Michigan was in good shape last year at punter with fifth year senior Kenny Allen. But his contract expired after the season and he was not re-signed, so now the Wolverines drafted a punter. On National Signing Day. Kind of like Mr. Irrelevant. Except he’s totally relevant. Walk-on Ryan Tice and redshirt freshman Quin Nordin both have the ability to punt, but the plan for Nordin is to be the placekicker, and it’s iffy whether someone so young should be pulling double duty. I think Robbins will win the punting job, but the efficacy of his kicking is up in the air.

Prediction: Starting punter; 42 yards/kick

Sammy Faustin, Wolverine

Naples (FL) Naples defensive back Sammy Faustin (image via Naples Daily News)

Naples (FL) Naples safety Sammy Faustin committed to Michigan last Wednesday. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Arizona, Kentucky, Maryland, UCF, and USF, among others.

Faustin is 6’2″, 190 lbs. He claims a 4.63 forty, a 305 lb. bench, and a 385 lb. squat.

RATINGS

ESPN: N/A
Rivals: 3-star CB
Scout: 3-star, #78 CB, #913 overall
247 Sports: 3-star, 86 grade, #74 CB, #734 overall

Hit the jump for more on Faustin’s commitment.

read more

2017 Season Countdown: #30 Luiji Vilain

Luiji Vilain (image via 247 Sports)

Name: Luiji Vilain
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 247 lbs.
High school: Alexandria (VA) Episcopal
Position: Defensive end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #18
Last year: Vilain was a senior in high school.
TTB Rating: 90

Vilain grew up in Canada, but a couple years before graduation, his name started to pop up on Michigan’s radar. He was attending camps in the midwest and eventually ended up in Alexandria, VA, to finish out the final two years of his high school career. That was probably a good choice, because offers started rolling in. Penn State, Rutgers, and North Carolina all took runs at him at various times, but perhaps that early familiarity with border state Michigan helped out in the end. He became an Under Armour All-American and powered his way up to #56 overall in the 247 Composite rankings, including #36 overall to 247 itself.

Vilain joins a team with no established backup at weakside end. Taco Charlton graduated, and his backup, Chase Winovich, will step into the starting role. Everyone else is almost totally inexperienced, and one bullet in the chamber was ejected when Corey Malone-Hatcher retired due to medical reasons. Donovan Jeter worked there in the spring, but he’s more of a strongside end or even a 3-tech in the long term. Other options include redshirt freshman Ron Johnson, redshirt sophomore Mike Jones, sophomore Carlo Kemp, and freshman Kwity Paye, along with redshirt junior linebacker Noah Furbush, who has been rumored to be getting a chance to put his hand down. There’s some talent in there, but no one looked ready to step up and be an impact player in the spring. Paye and Vilain just arrived this summer, so we haven’t seen them in college pads yet, but the coaching staff is reportedly pleased with how Vilain has looked since hitting campus. I think he will play a fair amount this season and eventually lock down the backup WDE spot.

Prediction: Backup weakside end; 20 tackles, 2 sacks

Chris Hinton, Jr., Wolverine

online pharmacy buy synthroid online no prescription

Chris Hinton, Jr. (image via Twitter)

Norcross (GA) Greater Atlanta Christian defensive end Chris Hinton, Jr., a 2019 prospect, committed to Michigan on Saturday. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, LSU, and Stanford, among others.

Hinton is 6’4″, 265 lbs.

RATINGS
ESPN: N/A
Rivals: 5-star SDE, #3 overall
Scout: 5-star, #1 SDE, #3 overall
247 Sports: 4-star, 96 grade, #2 SDE, #14 overall

Hit the jump for more on Hinton.

read more