2011 Countdown: #79 Delonte Hollowell

Tag: 2011 Season Countdown

13Jun 2011
Uncategorized 6 comments

2011 Countdown: #79 Delonte Hollowell

Delonte Hollowell

Name: Delonte Hollowell
Height: 5’8″
Weight: 163 lbs.
High school: Cass Tech High School in Detroit, MI
Position: Cornerback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #24
Last year: Hollowell was a high school senior (commitment post here)

TTB Rating: 58

Hollowell is just one of many Technicians to pick Michigan in the past few years.  He was Michigan’s second commitment for the class of 2011 and never wavered when the old coaching staff was fired in early January.

Hollowell looks like the most likely of the freshman cornerbacks to redshirt.  At only 163-ish pounds and having run track this spring, he probably hasn’t had much time to bulk up.  And college players in the Big Ten generally need to be bigger than 163 to play.  A few of these freshmen defensive backs will probably play, either on defense or special teams, but my guess is that Hollowell won’t be one of them.

Prediction: Redshirt

10Jun 2011
Uncategorized 2 comments

2011 Countdown: #80 Frank Clark

Frank Clark

Name: Frank Clark
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 210 lbs.
High school: Glenville Academic Campus
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #57
Last year: Clark was a high school senior (commitment post here)

TTB Rating: 59

Clark was one of those kids that a lot of Michigan fans were excited about because getting him would mean a foot in the door at a school full of talent.  The only issue is that Clark is just kind of a so-so prospect compared to some of the talent that comes from Glenville.  There weren’t many highlights available for him, but the ones we did see weren’t overwhelming.

Clark could play any number of positions at Michigan, depending on what the needs are and how big he gets. He could play strongside linebacker, weakside end, or tight end.  He’s still thin and needs to bulk up, so his best chance for playing in 2011 would be to show some promise as a special teamer.

Prediction: Redshirt

9Jun 2011
Uncategorized 17 comments

2011 Countdown: #81 Brennen Beyer

Brennen Beyer is the tall guy in the middle

Name: Brennen Beyer
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 215 lbs.
High school: Plymouth High School in Plymouth, MI
Position: Defensive end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #97
Last year: Beyer was a high school senior (commitment post here)

TTB Rating: 82

Beyer has a great deal of talent as an outside linebacker/defensive end hybrid.  He ought to be perfect for the weakside end position at Michigan and looks almost like a clone of junior defensive end Craig Roh.  He has some weight and strength to add, but the base level of athleticism is there to make an impact at the college level.

Unfortunately, it’s tough to do much as a 215 lb. defensive end in the Big Ten.  You can see in the above photograph that Beyer is just about the skinniest guy within sight, despite the fact that he’s headed to a big-time football program.  I would expect that Beyer will be heavier than 215 lbs. by the time he hits campus, but probably not enough to make his mark in 2011.  There’s an outside chance that he can contribute on the punt unit or as a third- or fourth-string end behind Roh and sophomore Jibreel Black, but the best thing for him to do would probably be to lift weights and eat eat eat.

Prediction: Redshirt

8Jun 2011
Uncategorized 3 comments

2011 Countdown: #82 Chris Barnett

Chris Barnett

Name: Chris Barnett
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 245 lbs.
High school: L.D. Bell High School in Hurst, TX
Position: Tight end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #82
Last year: Barnett was a high school senior (commitment post here)

TTB Rating: 82

Barnett has all kinds of physical talent.  He can run, jump, catch, and block when he wants.  “When he wants” is the key term.  He seems like kind of a quirky kid and I’m not 100% sold on his work ethic.  Of course, it’s possible that the issues I’ve seen (not running hard, bad body weight, etc.) are benign problems and symptomatic of an injury or something, but those are things I intend to watch with him.  And speaking of injuries, he tore his ACL last year.

There are various readers who will surely disagree with me, but I think Barnett should be headed for a season of sitting on the bench.  Coming off a knee injury that limited his off-season work, he might not be ready physically.  But to top all that off, Michigan has enough depth at the tight end positions to make it through the upcoming season, barring injury.  Senior starter Kevin Koger offers many of the same qualities as Barnett, and redshirt junior Brandon Moore was known as a receiving threat when he came out of high school.  I still think Moore is raw and might not ever “get it” but there’s potential.  Redshirt freshman Ricardo Miller has been playing U-back (which is a hybrid TE/FB position) after playing receiver as a freshman.  And tight end defensive end tight end Steve Watson gives the team a fully developed, fifth year senior who’s 270 lbs. and ought to be able to come in and at least block someone on short yardage situations.  Barnett has the skills to play as a freshman, but he wouldn’t offer much as a freshman that the coaches can’t get from somewhere else.

Prediction: Redshirt

7Jun 2011
Uncategorized 3 comments

2011 Countdown: #83 Chris Bryant

Chris Bryant

Name: Chris Bryant
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 330 lbs.
High school: Simeon Career Academy in Chicago, IL
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #58
Last year: Bryant was a high school senior (commitment post here)

TTB Rating: 87

I’m an unabashed fan of Bryant.  He might be one of those boom-or-bust prospects, but I’m leaning toward boom.  He’s a huge kid with a mean streak on the football field.  My hope is that he can get and keep his weight and conditioning in a good enough spot to be a game-changing offensive guard.  The talent is there.  What happens from January through August is the biggest question.

With all my high hopes aside, I still think Bryant should redshirt in 2011.  Michigan is stacked with experienced guards (four players who are redshirt juniors), and playing the young guy this year would be a waste.  Bryant is the most college-ready of the freshman linemen, but ideally, all three will watch from the sideline this season.

Prediction: Redshirt