Tag: 2007 recruiting

Review of 2007 Recruiting: Linebackers

Brandon Herron was the star of the class! (here being chased by former Michigan tackle Dann O’Neill, #68)

THE ROSTER
Shawn Crable, RS Sr.
Chris Graham, Sr.
John Thompson, Sr.
Brandon Logan, Jr.
Obi Ezeh, So.
Jonas Mouton, So.

THE RECRUITS
Marell Evans
High school: Richmond (VA) Varina
Ratings: Rivals 2-star outside linebacker
College: Michigan Hampton Michigan
Other notable offer: Temple
Scoop: Evans had quite the circuitous journey through college football. A high school teammate of Brandon Minor (who would end up as Michigan’s starter at running back), Evans was a very under-the-radar recruit. He played sparingly in five games on special teams as a freshman in 2007, and then he made one start under Rich Rodriguez in 2008, finishing his sophomore year with 4 tackles, .5 tackles for loss, and .5 sacks. He left Michigan in 2009 and transferred to Hampton in 2010, but he sat out that season due to injury. He then returned to Michigan in 2011 and was purported to be starter-level material on a team with questionable linebackers, but apparently his academic situation left him unable to compete in games; he remained on the team and played as a scout linebacker. He participated in Michigan’s pro day, but he never got a shot in the NFL.

Brandon Herron
High school: Sugar Land (TX) Dulles
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #25 outside linebacker
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech
Scoop: Herron (a high school teammate of defensive back Troy Woolfolk) redshirted as a freshman in 2007. He made 7 tackles as a special-teamer in 2008. He saw more time on defense in 2009, when he made 20 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 fumble recovery. As a redshirt junior in 2010, he made 7 tackles and 1 pass breakup. He broke out in a big way as a fifth year senior in 2011 when he earned his first start against Western Michigan; Herron responded with 8 tackles, 1 fumble recovery (returned 29 yards for a touchdown), and 1 interception (returned 94 yards for a touchdown). Interestingly, he was barely heard from again, as he played just five more games that year and never started again; a nagging leg injury after week one may have contributed to that. He was not drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft, and his career ended despite a solid showing at Michigan’s pro day (4.59 forty, 26 bench press reps, a 37.5″ vertical, etc.).

Austin Panter
High school: El Dorado (KS) Butler County Community College
Ratings: Rivals 4-star inside linebacker
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Minnesota
Scoop: A rare foray into the junior college transfer ranks for Michigan, Panter played immediately with junior eligibility in 2007. He made 7 tackles and 1 tackle for loss that year. Then in 2008 he made 8 tackles, .5 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. An ineffective Big Ten player, he was not drafted in the 2009 NFL Draft and his career never got off the ground.

Hit the jump for the guys that Michigan took a swing at and missed.



THE TARGETS
Manny Abreu
High school: Union City (NJ) Union City
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #11 outside linebacker
College: Rutgers
Other notable offers: Florida, Florida State
Scoop: Abreu played in one game and made 1 tackle before taking a redshirt for the 2007 season. As a redshirt freshman in 2008, he had 33 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. He made 18 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in 2009. He became a starter as a redshirt junior in 2010, making 48 tackles and 5 tackles for loss. Prior to the 2011 season, he switched from outside linebacker to defensive end and played at 260 lbs. He finished the year with 29 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. He was not drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft and failed to latch on with an NFL team, after which it appears his career ended.

Chris Colasanti
High school: Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice
Ratings:
College: Penn State
Other notable offers:
Scoop: Colasanti played as a backup during the second half of his freshman year, making 3 total tackles. He was the backup middle linebacker in 2008 and made 16 tackles on the year. As a junior in 2009, he made 18 tackles and 1 sack. He finally became a starter as a senior in 2010, when he flourished with 112 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 1 pass breakup. He went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft, and while he signed with the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent, he never played in the NFL.

Scotty Cooper
High school: Lake City (SC) Lake City
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #5 outside linebacker
College: Clemson
Other notable offers: LSU, Penn State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech
Scoop: Cooper was a backup linebacker as a freshman but managed 21 tackles and .5 tackles for loss. He made 30 tackles as a sophomore and then 12 as a junior, but he never earned a starting gig. He went through a couple knee surgeries and a neck injury, and he finally quit football before his 2010 senior season due to the mounting injuries. Cooper coached college football at Evangel University in Missouri during the 2012 season before joining the U.S. Army (LINK).

Lorenzo Edwards
High school: Orlando (FL) Edgewater
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #6 outside linebacker
College: Florida
Other notable offers: Clemson, Miami, Notre Dame
Scoop: Edwards played a bit as a freshman and made 3 tackles on the season. As a sophomore in 2008, he made 27 tackles as a backup and special-teamer. He made 13 tackles as a backup in 2009 and then 14 in the same role in 2010. He was not drafted in the 2011 NFL Draft, and it appears his football career ended.

Brian Ellis
High school: Visalia (CA) College of the Sequoias
Ratings: Rivals 4-star inside linebacker
College: Purdue
Other notable offers: Arkansas, Auburn, South Carolina
Scoop: Ellis signed with Florida out of high school but didn’t qualify. As a junior college all-American, Ellis then signed with Purdue in the 2007 class. He never made it to Purdue, either, and it appears his college football career fizzled out.

Brandon Hicks
High school: Jacksonville (FL) Forrest
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #8 outside linebacker
College: Florida
Other notable offers: Auburn, Florida State, Miami
Scoop: As a freshman in 2007, Hicks made 13 tackles, .5 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, and 2 pass breakups as a special teams player and backup linebacker. He became a part-time starter in 2008 and made 34 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 4 pass breakups. As a junior in 2009, he made 32 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 2 pass breakups. Then as a senior, he topped off his career with 38 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 interception. He went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft, and while he was signed by the Bills and Steelers, he never played in the NFL.

Jermale Hines
High school: Cleveland (OH) Glenville
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #10 outside linebacker
College: Ohio State
Other notable offers: Iowa, Michigan State, West Virginia
Scoop: As a freshman in 2007, Hines made 3 total tackles as a backup and special teamer. In a larger role as a sophomore, he notched 31 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 3 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery, which he returned 48 yards for a touchdown. He became a starter at free safety in 2009, making 57 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions (with 48 yards and a touchdown), and 3 pass breakups. Finally, as a senior in 2010, he made 66 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, 1 interception (returned for 23 yards), and 5 pass breakups; for that performance he was named First Team All-Big Ten. He was drafted in the 5th round (#158 overall) by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2011 NFL Draft. Hines made 6 total tackles in 2011 for the Colts and Carolina Panthers, but he did not play in the NFL after that.

John Jones
High school: Sarasota (FL) Booker
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #30 outside linebacker
College: Florida
Other notable offers: Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame, South Carolina
Scoop: As a freshman in 2007, Jones made 10 tackles – mostly on the kickoff team – and 1 tackle for loss. He made 18 tackles and 1 pass breakup as a backup in 2008. He then transferred to to Tennessee State, where he became a starting linebacker; he made 70 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 1 fumble recovery, and 6 pass breakups as a junior in 2009. He was injured and sat out the 2010 season but returned to the field in 2011, when he made 47 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and 10 pass breakups. He was not drafted in the 2011 NFL Draft and his career seems to have ended there.

Steve Paskorz
High school: Pittsburgh (PA) Hampton
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #29 athlete
College: Notre Dame
Other notable offers: Iowa, Pitt, West Virginia
Scoop: Paskorz – whose younger brother, Jordan, played linebacker/defensive end/tight end at Michigan – redshirted as a freshman in 2007. He played sparingly as a backup fullback as a redshirt freshman and redshirt sophomore in 2008 and 2009. He missed the entire 2010 season due to a knee injury, and he transferred to West Virginia prior to 2011, but I do not believe he ever stepped on the field for WVU. He was not drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft, and it appears his football career ended.

Barquell Rivers
High school: Wadesboro (NC) Anson
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #63 outside linebacker
College: Virginia Tech
Other notable offers: South Carolina, Virginia
Scoop: Rivers redshirted as a freshman in 2007. He made 10 tackles as a backup middle linebacker in 2008 before becoming a starter in 2009, when he notched 96 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 4 pass breakups. He tore his left quadriceps after the season and barely played in 2010. As a fifth year senior in 2011, he worked his way back into being a part-time starter and finished the year with 16 tackles, .5 tackles for loss, and 1 interception. He was not drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft, and it appears his career was over.

Malcolm Smith
High school: Woodland Hills (CA) Taft
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #8 athlete
College: USC
Other notable offers: Notre Dame, Penn State
Scoop: Smith is the brother of former USC wide receiver Steve Smith, who also went on to play in the NFL, most notably with the New York Giants. As a freshman in 2007, Malcolm Smith made 6 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery, which he returned for 31 yards. He was a backup again in 2008, making 18 tackles and .5 tackles for loss. He became a starting weakside linebacker in 2009 and made 72 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 1 interception (returned for a 62-yard TD against UCLA), 1 forced fumble, and 3 pass breakups. As a senior in 2010, he made 78 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 pass breakups. He was drafted in the 7th round (#242 overall) by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2011 NFL Draft. So far he has 111 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, and 6 pass breakups for the Seahawks as a part-time starter, including eight starts during their Super Bowl-winning season in 2013.

Chris Walker
High school: Memphis (TN) Christian Brothers
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #14 outside linebacker
College: Tennessee
Other notable offers: Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Miami
Scoop: As a freshman in 2007, Walker made 3 tackles in limited time as a backup. As a backup again in 2008, he made 15 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. He became a starter at defensive end as a junior, when he totaled 42 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, a team-leading 6 sacks, a team-high 2 interceptions (one of which he returned for a touchdown), 1 forced fumble, and 3 pass breakups. As a senior in 2010, he finished with 45 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass breakup. He was not drafted in the 2011 NFL Draft, and while he signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens at one point, he never played in the NFL. Walker was one party in a lawsuit against the NCAA for failing to provide adequate protection against concussions.


CONCLUSIONS
This was a pretty poor recruiting effort on Michigan’s part. With some mediocre talent on the team and not much in the way of numbers, Michigan infused the linebacker position with a JUCO guy, a 3-star with a halfway decent offer list, and a no-name 2-star. That partly explains Michigan’s defensive struggles from 2008-2010, when the Wolverines didn’t get a ton of production from their various defensive alignments.

Biggest miss: Malcolm Smith. Smith had a decent college career and was the only one to make it to the NFL. He would have improved the speed and talent level on the defense, but likely wouldn’t have been a huge difference-maker for the team in general.

Biggest bust: Brian Ellis. Ellis had two chances to make in college football (Florida and Purdue) and never made either happen.

Best in class: Melvin Ingram. Ingram was a 4-star outside linebacker from Hamlet, North Carolina, who chose the South Carolina Gamecocks. In his last two years in Columbia, he totaled 76 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, and 19 sacks, and he had a ridiculous game against Georgia when he scored 2 touchdowns, including a 68-yard fake punt run. He was drafted in the 1st round (#18 overall) by the San Diego Chargers in the 2012 NFL Draft after being named a Consensus All-American. He only has 57 tackles, 3 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles in his pro career, although his 2013 season was shortened by a recovery from an ACL tear.

Review of 2007 Recruiting: Defensive Ends

Michigan recruited Devon Still back in the day (here pictured with his cancer-stricken daughter, Leah; image via Christian Post)

THE ROSTER
Tim Jamison, Sr.
Brandon Graham, So.
Greg Banks, RS Fr.
Adam Patterson, RS Fr.
Will Heininger, Fr.

THE RECRUITS
Ryan Van Bergen
High school: Whitehall (MI) Whitehall
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #18 SDE
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Michigan State, Northwestern, Purdue
Scoop: Van Bergen redshirted as a true freshman. As a redshirt freshman in 2008, he started one game, made 13 tackles, and broke up 1 pass. He moved inside to start twelve games at defensive tackle in 2009, making 40 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 4 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. Then as a redshirt junior in 2010, he moved back to defensive end and made 37 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 1 pass knockdown. He achieved all-conference Honorable Mention status in 2011 with 45 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 4 pass breakups, 3 fumble recoveries, and 1 forced fumble. He signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent but never played a game in the NFL.

THE TARGETS
Kourtnei Brown
High school: Charlotte (NC) Victory Christian
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #12 WDE
College: Clemson
Other notable offers: Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia Tech
Scoop: Brown played in eleven games as a freshman and made 12 total tackles, including 1 sack. As a sophomore in 2008, he made 16 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Brown redshirted in 2009. Then in 2010, he made 17 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss as a redshirt junior. Finally, he finished his career with 22 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception returned 20 yards for a touchdown, 1 fumble recovery returned 26 yards for a touchdown, and 3 pass breakups. He went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft but found his way into the league with the San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and St. Louis Rams.

Jared Glover
High school: Bixby (OK) Bixby
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #29 WDE
College: Oklahoma State
Other notable offers: Nebraska, Texas A&M
Scoop: Glover redshirted in 2007. As a redshirt freshman in 2008, he was a backup linebacker and played in six games, making 5 total tackles. He left OSU prior to the 2009 season due to injury.


Everson Griffen
High school: Avondale (AZ) Agua Fria
Ratings: Rivals 5-star, #1 SDE, #6 overall
College: USC
Other notable offers: Florida, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon
Scoop: As a freshman in 2007, Griffen started two games and finished with 21 tackes, 5.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 pass deflections on the season; for his efforts he was a First Team Freshman All-America. In 2008 he made 18 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks as a backup. He earned the starter’s job in 2009 and responded with 45 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 pass deflection, for which he was named Second Team All-Pac 10. He left school after his junior year and entered the 2010 NFL Draft, where he was picked in the 4th round (#100 overall) by the Minnesota Vikings. Since becoming a pro, he has had a few run-ins with the law. However, he has totaled 85 tackles, 17.5 sacks, 1 interception (returned 29 yards for a touchdown), and 3 forced fumbles as a backup for the Vikings and was re-signed this past off-season.


Devon Still
High school: Wilmington (DE) Howard
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #10 SDE
College: Penn State
Other notable offers: Miami, Ohio State
Scoop: Still redshirted as a freshman in State College. Between a torn ACL and a broken ankle, he missed almost all of the 2007 and 2008 seasons. As a redshirt sophomore backup  in 2009, he made 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. When I attended a coaching clinic at Penn State in the spring of 2009, Still was physically the most impressive guy I saw in practice. He started twelve games at defensive tackle in 2010, making 39 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 1 pass breakup. He came into his own as a 6’5″, 310 lb. senior in 2011, when he made 55 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass breakup; he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. The Cincinnati Bengals picked him in the 2nd round (#53 overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft. In two-plus professional seasons, he has made 28 tackles, .5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. The Bengals recently made news by signing him so that his daughter’s cancer treatments would be covered by their medical insurance.


John Stokes
High school: Memphis (TN) University School
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #13 WDE
College: Vanderbilt
Other notable offers: Alabama, Ole Miss, Stanford
Scoop: As a freshman in 2007, Stokes earned the long-snapper duties and made 7 tackles as a backup outside linebacker. He became the starting outside ‘backer in 2008 and finished with 31 tackles and 4 tackles for loss. He platooned at OLB in 2009 and made 44 tackles and 2 tackles for loss. As a senior in 2010, he won the job outright and made 78 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 3 pass breakups. He was not drafted in the 2011 NFL Draft but spent some time with the Tennessee Titans as a long snapper before getting cut before the season began. As far as I can gather, he has not played in a regular season game and his football career appears to be finished.


Chris Strong
High school: Batesville (MS) South Panola
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #3 SDE, #53 overall
College: Ole Miss
Other notable offers: Florida, Miami, Ohio State, USC
Scoop: Strong signed with Ole Miss in 2007 but had issues with his weight as he bounced back and forth between defensive end and middle linebacker. He started three games that year and made 19 tackles, but he quit football prior to the 2008 season and was not heard from again in the football world.


Martez Wilson
High school: Chicago (IL) Simeon
Ratings: Rivals 5-star, #2 WDE, #26 overall
College: Illinois
Other notable offers: Florida, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, USC
Scoop: Wilson was a backup outside linebacker in 2007 and made 29 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 1 pass breakup on the way to being named a Freshman All-America. He became a starter in 2008 and ended the year with 73 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, and 3 pass breakups. He suffered a herniated disc early in 2009 and was given a medical hardship waiver after making 9 tackles in limited time. He returned with a vengeance in 2010 and started at middle linebacker, where he made 112 tackles (4th in the Big Ten), 11.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 interception, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 4 pass breakups, and 1 blocked kick. He was named First Team All-Big Ten and entered the NFL Draft after the year, foregoing his final year of eligibility. Wilson was picked in the 3rd round (#72 overall) by the New Orleans Saints in the 2011 NFL Draft and has played for the Saints, Oakland Raiders, and Dallas Cowboys since then, totaling 33 tackles, 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 2 pass breakups over the last three seasons. He was cut by the Cowboys in August and has not signed on with another team.

CONCLUSIONS
Defensive end always seems like a questionable position to recruit, because so many players end up outgrowing the position or never filling out their frames. You can see in this class that a few guys remained as outside linebackers, while Still turned into a huge defensive tackle.

Biggest miss: Devon Still. The lean Rich Rodriguez years may have been improved a little bit with someone like Still in the middle, pairing with a guy like Mike Martin. Imagine that duo in the center of those defensive lines. Michigan fans may not have had to deal with watching Adam Patterson play nose tackle.

Biggest bust: Chris Strong. Strong didn’t really have a position, and he was out of football after just a short college career. That’s underwhelming for the #53 player nationally.

Best in class: Von Miller. Miller attended Texas A&M, where he played 4-3 outside linebacker, 4-3 weakside end, and 3-4 outside linebacker. His ability to rush the passer never waned, though. He had 17 sacks as a junior in 2009 and another 10 sacks in 2010. He was a 1st round pick (#2 overall) by the Denver Broncos in 2011, for whom he has 191 tackles, 41 sacks, 1 interception, and 11 forced fumbles in two-plus seasons. He’s a two-time Pro Bowler and has 6 sacks so far this season.

Review of 2007 Recruiting: Defensive Tackles

This is Joe Barksdale. Notice that the maize isn’t quite maize enough and the blue is more of a purple.

THE ROSTER
Will Johnson, Sr.
Terrance Taylor, Jr.
Marques Slocum, So.
John Ferrara, RS Fr.
Jason Kates, RS Fr.


THE RECRUITS
Renaldo Sagesse
High school: Montreal (Quebec) Vieux School
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #34 DT
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Illinois
Scoop: Sagesse played in six games as a true freshman in 2007 but didn’t accrue any statistics. As a sophomore in 2008, Sagesse made 3 tackles as a backup defensive tackle, mostly in goal-line situations. Then in 2009 he made 8 tackles and 2 tackles for loss in a backup role. He made 5 tackles and 1 tackle for loss as a senior in 2010. He went undrafted by the NFL in the 2011 NFL Draft but was picked in the 4th round (#25 overall) by the Montreal Alouettes in the 2011 Canadian Football League draft. He played for the Alouettes in 2011 and the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2012, but he has not played in the CFL since then.

THE TARGETS
Joseph Barksdale
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #6 DT, #67 overall
College: LSU
Other notable offers: Florida State, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, USC
Scoop: Barksdale was a backup right offensive tackle as a true freshman in 2007 and played in every game that year, some on special teams. After that he became the starter at right tackle for the 2008 and 2009 seasons and flipped to the left side in 2010, running his streak of consecutive starts to 39 over his final three seasons. As a senior in 2010, he was named Second Team All-SEC. He was chosen in the 3rd round (#92 overall) by the Oakland Raiders in the 2011 NFL Draft, but the Raiders released him before his second year. The St. Louis Rams picked him up prior to the 2012 season and he has started ten games for them over the past couple years.

Josh Brent
High school: Bloomington (IL) Central Catholic
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #11 DT
College: Illinois
Other notable offers: Ohio State, Wisconsin
Scoop: As a true freshman in 2007, Brent made 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and .5 sacks as a backup defensive tackle. He became a part-time starter in 2008 and made 34 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. Then as a junior in 2009, he tallied 29 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery as a full-time starter. Brent was declared academically ineligible for the 2010 season, which caused him to enter the NFL’s supplemental draft, where he was taken in the 7th round by the Dallas Cowboys. He made 44 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble for the Cowboys before getting into some serious legal trouble in 2012 when he got drunk and flipped his car with teammate Jerry Brown in the passenger seat. Brown was killed in the accident. The accident and Brent’s treatment afterward caused quite a stir, and he “retired” after failing multiple drug tests while awaiting trial. In January 2014 he was convicted of manslaughter, for which he was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years of probation.

Tonio Celotto
High school: Simi Valley (CA) Royal
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #38 DT
College: Oregon Humboldt State
Other notable offers: Ole Miss, Washington State
Scoop: Celotto was a backup as a true freshman and made 16 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss in 2007, including 4 stops in the Ducks’ win over Michigan that year. As a sophomore in 2008, he made 10 tackles and 1 tackle for loss. Slowed by injuries, Celotto left Oregon before the 2009 season and ended up at Humboldt State University. He made 1 tackle in 2011 in an injury-shortened season and received a sixth year of eligibility for 2012. As a sixth year senior, he made 14 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 pass breakups, and 1 blocked kick but could only participate in six games. He went undrafted in the 2013 NFL Draft and appears to have completed his football career.

Da’John Harris
High school: Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #3 DT, #48 overall
College: USC
Other notable offers: Miami, Nebraska, Oregon, UCLA
Scoop: Harris redshirted as a freshman in 2007. In 2008 he was a backup defensive tackle and blocking tight end, making 1 tackle in limited time before missing several late games for academic reasons. As a redshirt sophomore in 2009, he became a key backup and made 14 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and .5 sacks. He finally became a starter in 2010 and finished the year with 35 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 pass breakup. Then as a fifth year senior in 2011, he had 22 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 6 pass deflections. He went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft and has played for the Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins, last appearing in 2012 for the Titans and making 3 tackles total. He is not currently on an NFL roster.

Rolando Melancon
High school: Lutcher (LA) Lutcher
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #22 DT
College: Tennessee Louisiana Tech Texas Southern
Other notable offers: Nebraska, Ole Miss
Scoop: Melancon signed with Tennessee out of high school but failed to qualify academically. He then enrolled at Louisiana Tech, where he took a redshirt for the 2007 season and also sat out 2008 due to academic ineligibility. He got into some off-the-field trouble in the off-season and was dismissed by then head coach Derek Dooley. Melancon transferred to Texas Southern, playing nine games in 2009 and five more in 2010. In that 2009 season, he made 31 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 1 interception that he returned 26 yards for a touchdown. Then in 2010 he made 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble. He went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft and his career appears to be finished.

CONCLUSIONS
Recruiting defensive tackles is always an iffy proposition, because some players have lots of size and some natural quickness but don’t have the technique to be successful. It’s also tough for any player to carry that much bulk and stay injury-free. When 300+ pounders are diving at your legs and you’re 300 lbs. yourself, you never know what can happen. This class had a mish-mash of talent, and looking through the whole list of defensive tackles from the 2007 class, it didn’t seem to have a ton of depth. Sagesse turned into a decent player and may have been more if not for some shoddy defensive coordinating, although defensive line coach Bruce Tall did okay with what he had.

Biggest miss: Joseph Barksdale. This one is obvious. Barksdale attended Cass Tech – before it became a pipeline to Michigan – and was right in Michigan’s back yard, but they couldn’t reel him in. He started off as a defensive tackle at LSU but almost immediately switched to offense, which worked out well for him. Even if he had made the same move at Michigan, the Wolverines could have used him on the offensive line during that stretch of time.

Biggest bust: Josh Brent. Brent had a decent college career and the beginnings of a promising NFL run, but the college portion was cut short by bad grades and the pro portion was cut short by terrible life decisions. And by the way, 180 days of jail is way too short for someone who chooses to drink and drive, resulting in a death.

Best in class: I would like to say Nick Fairley, but he’s a moron, too. I can’t bust on Josh Brent and then say Nick Fairley was a real gem. Let me just say that I was angry when the Detroit Lions drafted Fairley #13 overall, and I still am. I guess I’ll have to go with Devon Still, the former Penn State defensive tackle who was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. Still hasn’t done much in the NFL (21 tackles, .5 sacks), but he was the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year and an All-American in 2011, earning himself a 2nd round pick.

Review of 2007 Recruiting: Tight Ends

I sure am glad Aaron Hernandez didn’t accept his scholarship offer to play for Michigan.

THE ROSTER
Mike Massey, RS Sr.
Andre Criswell, RS Jr.
Chris McLaurin, RS Jr.
Carson Butler, So.

THE RECRUITS
Steve Watson
High school: Denver (CO) Mullen
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #19 TE
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Cal, Colorado, Nebraska, UCLA
Scoop: Watson redshirted as a freshman in 2007, then played some on special teams in 2008. As a redshirt sophomore in 2009, Watson moved to linebacker and made 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 pass breakup in limited action. He became a defensive end and even saw some action at defensive tackle in 2010, notching 3 total tackles. With a dearth of tight ends on the team, Watson moved back to offense in 2011 and started four games; he made just 1 catch in his career, but he made it count because it was a 9-yard touchdown against Northwestern. He was not drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft and his football career appears to be finished.

Martell Webb
High school: Pontiac (MI) Northern
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #29 WR
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Iowa, Michigan State, Wisconsin
Scoop: Webb played sparingly as a freshman in 2007, mostly as a special teamer but also as a backup tight end. As a sophomore in 2008, Webb mostly sat on the bench behind Carson Butler and Kevin Koger and played in just three games. Still behind Koger in 2009, Webb started just one game but saw more time at tight end and caught 4 passes for 44 yards and 1 touchdown. He started two more games as a senior in 2010 and caught 5 passes for 67 yards and 1 touchdown. Webb went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft and has never played in the league, but he has bounced around between the Eagles, Jets, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Colts, Titans, Lions, and now the Indianapolis Colts.

THE TARGETS
Christian Ballard
High school: Lawrence (KS) Free State
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #10 TE
College: Iowa
Other notable offers: Georgia, Oklahoma, UCLA
Scoop: Watson played defensive end to start at Iowa, making 15 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks as a freshman backup in 2007. He became a starter in 2008 and made 40 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, and 1 forced fumble. Ballard grew into a starting defensive tackle by his junior year and had a very good season with 54 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks; he was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten. As a senior in 2010, he played both defensive end and defensive tackle and made 43 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble, once again earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten. He was drafted in the 4th round (#106 overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings after testing positive for marijuana, which caused his draft stock to fall a little bit. He made two total starts in 2011-2012 for the Vikings and totaled 29 tackles and 1 sack. However, he quit football prior to the 2013 season due to a lack of love for the game.

Aaron Hernandez
High school: Bristol (CT) Central
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #2 TE, #66 overall
College: Florida
Other notable offers: Connecticut, Iowa, Notre Dame
Scoop: Hernandez started three games as a freshman in 2007, including the Outback Bowl against Michigan; he caught 9 passes for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns that year. He became the starter at tight end as a sophomore and caught 34 passes for 381 yards and 5 touchdowns. As a junior in 2009, Hernandez won the John Mackey Award (given to the nation’s best tight end) with 68 receptions for 850 yards and 5 touchdowns; naturally, he was First Team All-SEC and a First Team All-American. Hernandez left college after his junior year only to drop to the 4th round (#113 overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft, chosen by the New England Patriots. He made the Pro Bowl in 2011 and totaled 175 catches for 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns from 2010-2012. He also saw some action as a situational running back, running 9 times for 97 yards in his career. However, Hernandez was allegedly involved in a murder and was arrested during the summer of 2013, for which he is still matriculating through the legal process. It’s safe to assume that his football career is over for the foreseeable future, if not permanently.

Blaine Irby
High school: Ventura (CA) St. Bonaventure
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #6 TE
College: Texas
Other notable offers: Cal, Florida State, Miami, UCLA, USC
Scoop: Irby made 2 catches for 29 yards as a freshman in 2007. As a sophomore in 2008, he caught 10 passes for 95 yards and 2 touchdowns, but he suffered a gruesome knee injury in a game against Rice. He sat out the 2009 and 2010 seasons rehabbing from the injury, which tore his right ACL and MCL and caused nerve damage. Irby returned in 2011 to catch 11 passes for 157 yards and 3 touchdowns. Rather than pursuing a sixth year of eligibility or attempting to make a career out of football, he chose to retire following the 2011 season.

CONCLUSIONS
Michigan actually seems to have done quite a good job of identifying talent at the tight end position in the 2007 class. Ballard made a big impact (at a different position), Hernandez turned into arguably the best tight end in college, and Irby seemed well on his way to a good career, if not for the knee injury. Webb has bounced around NFL practice squads and was somewhat hampered by his situation, where he spent his last three years under a coach who didn’t use tight ends very much. Watson, the least accomplished of the bunch, still turned into a mediocre starter and was likely stunted in his development by the Rich Rodriguez offense and bouncing to defense. If he had played tight end his whole career for a coach who valued tight ends more (such as the guy who recruited him, Lloyd Carr, or the guy for whom he finished his career, Brady Hoke).

Biggest miss: Christian Ballard. I suppose the choice here based on talent would be Aaron Hernandez, but his repeated run-ins with the law, failed drug tests, etc. would be a huge black mark on the program. Even if Ballard never played a down at tight end and played defense instead, he turned into a quality player who was NFL-bound.

Biggest bust: Aaron Hernandez. Hernandez had all kinds of talent and could have been one of the most productive tight ends in NFL history, although he might have been limited by Rich Rodriguez’s offense. He was probably better off at Florida than he would have been elsewhere, so he made the right choice. Unfortunately, that appears to have been one of the few good choices he has made in his life. I’m glad to say that Michigan has no real connection to him, but it’s a sad story overall.

Best in class: Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski, who went to Arizona, caught 28 passes for 525 yards and 6 touchdowns as a true freshman in 2007 and followed that up with 47 receptions for 672 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore. He missed the 2009 season after having back surgery, but his first two seasons were good enough to earn him a 2nd round selection (#42 overall) by the New England Patriots in the 2010 NFL Draft. Despite suffering from various injuries at the pro level, he has caught 226 passes for 3,255 yards and 42 touchdowns during his four-year career and made the Pro Bowl twice.

Review of 2007 Recruiting: Offensive Linemen

David Molk

THE ROSTER
Adam Kraus, RS Sr.
Jake Long, RS Sr.
Jeremy Ciulla, RS Jr.
Grant DeBenedictis, RS Jr.
Brett Gallimore, RS Jr.
Alex Mitchell, RS Jr.
Tim McAvoy, RS So.
David Moosman, RS So.
Mark Ortmann, RS So.
Cory Zirbel, RS So.
Justin Boren, So.
Perry Dorrestein, RS Fr.
Stephen Schilling, RS Fr.

THE COMMITS
Mark Huyge
High school: Grand Rapids (MI) Catholic Central
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #65 OT
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan
Scoop: Huyge redshirted as a freshman in 2007. Huyge didn’t play at all during the 2008 season, but he turned into a nine game starter (five at guard, four at tackle) as a redshirt sophomore. He started another seven games at tackle in 2010 and became the full-time starter at right tackle as a fifth year senior in 2011. He was not drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft and his football career appears to be finished.

David Molk
High school: Lemont (IL) Lemont
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #5 C
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern, Purdue, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Scoop: Molk redshirted as a freshman in 2007 but became a full-time starter in 2008 and never looked back. He started four games as a redshirt sophomore in 2009 but was sidelined by foot and knee injuries. As a redshirt junior in 2010, he was First Team All-Big Ten, a Rimington Trophy finalist, and the team’s top lineman after starting all thirteen games. During his fifth year season in 2011, he won the Rimington Trophy and was a First Team All-American. He was drafted in the 7th round (#226 overall) by the San Diego Chargers. He played in twelve games for the Chargers but was released prior to the 2013 season. The Philadelphia Eagles signed him earlier this offseason.


THE TARGETS
Bryan Bulaga
High school: Woodstock (IL) Marian Central Catholic
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #6 OT, #70 overall
College: Iowa
Other notable offers: Nebraska, Wisconsin
Scoop: Bulaga started five games as a freshman in 2007 and was named Freshman All-Big Ten. As a sophomore in 2008, he became the full-time starter at left guard and was named Second Team All-Big Ten. He missed a few games in 2009 but was still named first team all-conference and a First Team All-America. He left Iowa after his true junior year and became a 1st round pick (#23 overall) by the Green Bay Packers in the 2010 NFL Draft. He has been a starter at both right and left tackle in the NFL and was an All-Rookie player in 2011, but he missed the 2013 season due to a torn ACL.

Jaivorio Burkes
High school: Phoenix (AZ) Moon Valley
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #7 OG
College: Nebraska
Other notable offers: Arizona, Arizona State, Oklahoma, Oregon
Scoop: Burkes started two games as a true freshman in 2007 and four more as a sophomore in 2008, but his career ended before the 2009 season when a medical condition was discovered.

Patrick Crump
High school: Hoover (AL) Hoover
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #20 OG
College: Alabama
Other notable offers: Kentucky, Louisville, Purdue
Scoop: Crump redshirted in 2007 and had some minor knee issues during the spring of 2008, but then he quit football prior to the 2008 season.

John Elliott
High school: East Meadow (NY) East Meadow
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #16 OT
College: Boston College
Other notable offers: Maryland, Rutgers, Virginia, West Virginia
Scoop: Elliott – who is no relation to former Michigan and NFL tackle Jumbo Elliott – redshirted as a freshman in 2007. From what I can gather, he did not continue his football career beyond that season.

Mark Jackson
High school: Cincinnati (OH) Harmony Prep
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #23 prep player
College: Illinois
Other notable offers: Michigan State, Oklahoma, West Virginia
Scoop: Jackson redshirted as a freshman in 2007. He left Illinois for DuPage Junior College in 2008 and then transferred to Glenville State, where he started at left tackle for three consecutive seasons and was named All-WVIAC each year. He was not drafted by the NFL and now plays for the Spokane Shock of the Arena Football League (along with former Michigan defensive tackle Terrance Taylor).

Josh Oglesby
High school: Milwaukee (WI) St. Frances
Ratings: Rivals 5-star, #1 OT, #10 overall
College: Wisconsin
Other notable offers: Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, USC
Scoop: Oglesby redshirted as a freshman in 2007 before starting three, ten, and two games in the successive seasons, missing portions of each with knee problems. He finally stayed healthy and blossomed as a fifth year senior in 2011 when he started thirteen games and was named First Team All-Big Ten. He went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft and was signed by the Washington Redskins, but his knee problems forced him to fail his physicals and his career ended. He spent 2013 as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin.

Maurkice Pouncey
High school: Lakeland (FL) Lakeland
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #15 OG
College: Florida
Other notable offers: Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Nebraska
Scoop: Pouncey started eleven games as a freshman in 2007 and fourteen as a sophomore in 2008. As a true junior in 2009, he was a First Team All-American and All-SEC as Florida’s center, also winning the Rimgton Trophy. He left college early and entered the 2010 NFL Draft, where he was selected in the 1st round (#18 overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was named to the Pro Bowl following the 2010

Michael Pouncey
High school: Lakeland (FL) Lakeland
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #16 OG
College: Florida
Other notable offers: Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Nebraska
Scoop: Maurkice’s twin brother, Mike played defensive tackle as a freshman in 2007 due to some injuries on the team, making 8 tackles and 1 interception. As a sophomore in 2008, he started all fourteen games at offensive guard and was named Second Team All-SEC. He became a Second Team All-American as a junior in 2009. Then as a senior in 2010, he moved to center (replacing his brother, who went to the NFL) and became Second Team All-SEC. He was drafted in the 1st round (#15 overall) by the Miami Dolphins in the 2011 NFL Draft. He has started 46 games for the Dolphins from 2011-2013 and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2013.

Chaz Ramsey
High school: Madison (MS) Central
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #12 OG
College: Auburn
Other notable offers: Mississippi, Mississippi State, South Carolina
Scoop: Ramsey started ten games as a true freshman in 2007 and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team, also earning Honorable Mention Freshman All-America. Ramsey injured his back prior to the 2008 season, which ended his career; that injury instigated a lawsuit against Auburn’s athletic trainer, whom Ramsey blamed for the permanent injury during his rehab.

Matt Romine
High school: Tulsa (OK) Union
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #3 OT, #55 overall
College: Notre Dame
Other notable offers: Florida, Miami, Oklahoma
Scoop: Romine played sparingly as a freshman in 2007, which garnered him a redshirt, and then was a backup for the next two years. As a redshirt junior in 2010, he made three starts in the middle of the year. He was a grad year transfer to Tulsa in 2011 and started all thirteen games that season. He was not drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft and was not picked up by a pro team, as far as I can tell.

Darris Sawtelle
High school: Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #10 OT,
College: Tennessee Grand Valley State
Other notable offers: Michigan State, Nebraska
Scoop: Sawtelle redshirted at Tennessee in 2007 and did not see game action in 2008. When Lane Kiffin was hired at Tennessee, he and Sawtelle didn’t see eye to eye, so Sawtelle transferred to Grand Valley State in 2009. He played ten games that season but appears to have left the team prior to 2010.

Mitchell Schwartz
High school: Pacific Palisades (CA) Palisades
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #27 OT
College: Cal
Other notable offers: Oregon, Stanford, Virginia
Scoop: Schwartz redshirted in 2007 but immediately drew into the lineup as a redshirt freshman, starting the next 51 games of his career at Cal. He was Second Team All-Pac 10 as a redshirt junior in 2010 and moved up to First Team as a fifth year senior in 2011. He was a 2nd round pick (#37 overall) by the Cleveland Browns in the 2012 NFL Draft. He has started all 32 games of his pro career.

Derek Sherrod
High school: Columbus (MS) Caledonia
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #13 OT
College: Mississippi State
Other notable offers: Florida, Miami, Mississippi, Notre Dame
Scoop: Sherrod was a backup as a freshman in 2007 but became a starter for the 2008-2010 seasons, getting the nod at left tackle in his final 36 games. He was First Team All-SEC as a senior in 2010. He was a 1st round pick (#32 overall) by the Green Bay Packers in the 2011 NFL Draft. He has played in just twelve games during his three-year NFL career, partly due to a broken leg that robbed him of part of 2011 and all of 2012.

Donald Stephenson
High school: Blue Springs (MO) Blue Springs
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #34 OT
College: Oklahoma
Other notable offers: Missouri, Nebraska
Scoop: Stephenson redshirted as a freshman in 2007 before playing in seven games as a backup in 2008. He missed the 2009 season, partially due to injury, but returned to start ten games in 2010 and total 103 knockdown blocks, which was second on Oklahoma’s line. As a fifth year senior in 2011, he was Honorable Mention All-Big 12. He was drafted in the 3rd round (#74 overall) by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2012 NFL Draft, and he has started 14 games over the last two seasons.

Stefen Wisniewski
High school: Pittsburgh (PA) Central Catholic
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #8 OG
College: Penn State
Other notable offers: Georgia Tech, Northwestern, West Virginia
Scoop: Wisniewski played in eight games and started one as a true freshman in 2007, earning him Freshman All-Big Ten honors. He became a full-time starter at right guard for the 2008 season. Moving from guard to center for his junior year in 2009, Wisniewski was named First Team All-Big Ten. Not only did he maintain that status a year later, but he added First Team All-America in 2010. He was selected in the 2nd round (#45 overall) by the Oakland Raiders in the 2011 NFL Draft and has started all 45 games he has played since entering the league, both at guard and center.

Lee Ziemba
High school: Rogers (AR) Rogers
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #4 OT, 61 overall
College: Auburn
Other notable offers: Arkansas, Nebraska, Notre Dame, USC
Scoop: Ziemba started thirteen games as a true freshman in 2007 and was named a Freshman All-America, and he started twelve more games as a sophomore. With thirteen starts as a junior in 2009, he was named Second Team All-SEC. As a senior in 2010, he was an All-American and First Team All-SEC after starting all fourteen games, and the SEC coaches gave him the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which is awarded to the conference’s best blocker. Overall, he started 52 games for Auburn. He was drafted in the 7th round (#244 overall) by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2011 NFL Draft and played six games for them in 2011, but he has not played since then.

CONCLUSIONS
Biggest miss: Mike Pouncey. This is a difficult choice because Michigan recruited several good players. I could probably choose Maurkice Pouncey, Stefen Wisniewski, or Bryan Bulaga here, too. However, Michigan got a good center in Molk, so Maurkice Pouncey would have been a luxury, although he could have played guard next to Molk. Wisniewski, too, could have been a guard for Michigan. But Mike Pouncey had success at both guard and center, and while I thought Michigan was able to piece together some quality tackle play over the years, the interior of the line seemed a little more questionable. If you plug in Mike Pouncey at right or left guard during the Rodriguez years, I think that would have helped quite a bit.

Biggest bust: John Elliott. I can find no record of injury or family strife for Elliott, who it appears quit football entirely. Either way, he was the #16 offensive tackle in the country and appears not to have played a single down of college football.

Best in class: Maurkice Pouncey. Really, there are lots of options, as several guys turned into high level draft picks and solid NFL players. Pouncey, though, won the Rimington Trophy, became the #18 pick as a center (which is very high to pick a center), and was a Pro Bowler for his first few years in the league, stopped only by a torn ACL at the beginning of 2013.