Tag: 2013 season countdown

2013 Season Countdown: #90 Logan Tuley-Tillman

Logan Tuley-Tillman (image via BHR)

Name: Logan Tuley-Tillman
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 285 lbs.
High school: Peoria (IL) Manual
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #72
Last year: Tuley-Tillman was a senior in high school. I gave him a TTB Rating of 75.

Tuley-Tillman was part of the huge run on prospects committing to Michigan in February 2012.  He graduated from high school in December, played in the Under Armour All-America Game, and enrolled at Michigan in January.  He reportedly reached 330 lbs. at one point, but he was listed at 285 lbs. on the spring roster.  And despite being listed at 6’7″, he looked shorter than the 6’6″ Ben Braden during the spring game. Regardless, he did not play particularly well during the all-star game, and he was a third-stringer in the spring.

Technique is constantly mentioned as a weakness, so it may take a few years before he realizes his potential. Personally, I took a lot of heat for suggesting that he did not receive quality offensive line coaching as a high schooler.  His high school team promptly went winless in the 2012 season and numerous analysts mentioned how raw he is as a prospect because of technical deficiencies.  However, he does have a nasty streak and some good athleticism, so it all depends on how quickly he learns the ins and outs of major college football.

Prediction: Redshirt

2013 Season Countdown: #91 David Dawson

David Dawson

Name: David Dawson
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 280 lbs.
Position: Offensive guard
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #55
Last year: Dawson was a senior in high school. I gave him a TTB Rating of 71.

Dawson’s recruitment was probably the most dramatic of Michigan’s class of 2013. For a little while, some Michigan fans were wringing their hands because the Wolverines hadn’t offered the Cass Tech lineman with some significant BCS offers. When the offer finally came, Dawson committed in February 2012. Then he spent the summer months entertaining trips elsewhere, which is a no-no to Michigan’s staff. A trip to Florida seemed to seal Dawson’s departure from the class . . . but then he re-committed to the Wolverines in December. “The Policy” became “The Policy?” and now nobody knows how Brady Hoke and Co. will handle future recruits who want to visit elsewhere.

On the field, Dawson had enough success to be ESPN’s top-ranked guard and participate in the Under Armour All-America Game. He played tackle in high school but looks like a college offensive guard. There’s not a whole lot of experience at the interior positions, but there is a little bit of depth.  Like most freshman offensive linemen, Dawson is expected to bide his time until at least 2014.

Prediction: Redshirt

2013 Season Countdown: #92 Dan Samuelson

Dan Samuelson (#74)

Name: Dan Samuelson
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 290 lbs.
High school: Plymouth (IN) Plymouth
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Samuelson was a senior in high school. I gave him a TTB Rating of 59.

Samuelson was once committed to Pitt. Then Nebraska. Then Michigan. If his measurements were accurate coming out of high school, he has the size to be an early impact player. However, he lacks experience in a pro-style blocking system and some refinement when it comes to both run and pass blocking. As you might have discovered via my TTB Ratings, I think Samuelson is the least talented of Michigan’s six incoming freshman linemen, but he does have some potential. Since freshman linemen usually redshirt, I think it’s very likely that he stays on the sideline this year.

Prediction: Redshirt

2013 Season Countdown: #93 Chris Fox

Chris Fox

Name: Chris Fox
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 300 lbs.
High school: Parker (CO) Ponderosa
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Fox was a senior in high school. I gave him a TTB Rating of 85.

Perhaps the state of Colorado’s best player, Fox committed to Michigan in February 2012. Michigan recruited him as a right tackle, but he could also potentially play guard.  He accepted an invitation to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, but Fox tore his ACL at the end of his senior season, which meant he was unable to participate in the bowl game.  Because of that injury, the loss of time to prepare for football, and the fact that freshmen usually redshirt, anyway, it’s very unlikely that Fox sees the field this year.

Prediction: Redshirt

2013 Season Countdown: #94 Scott Sypniewski

Scott Sypniewski

Name: Scott Sypniewski
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 230 lbs.
High school: Ottawa (IL) Marquette
Position: Long snapper
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A 
Last year: Sypniewski was a senior in high school.

The story about the recruitment of Sypniewski was an odd one.  In the midst of putting together a highly rated recruiting class, the coaches offered and received a commitment from a long snapper.  Nobody really knew whether he was being offered a guaranteed scholarship or a preferred walk-on spot, and as a long snapper, he seems to be the forgotten recruit of the class.  It appears to have been a legitimate scholarship offer, so the coaches must think that he can get the job done for the better part of the next five years.  In case you don’t remember the story of Taybor Pepper, by the way, let me refresh your memory: Pepper was a preferred walk-on long snapper in the 2012 class who was “committed” to become a Wolverine; well after National Signing Day 2012, he accepted a scholarship to play for the Michigan State Spartans.  Sypniewski represents Michigan’s more aggressive approach to recruiting long snappers, who are usually walk-ons that might earn a scholarship if they win the starting job.

The reason Sypniewski is all the way down here at #94 is that Michigan has a returning long snapper in the form of fifth year senior Jareth Glanda.  Glanda has done a good job as a short snapper and long snapper over the past couple seasons, and he even caught that miracle pass against Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl.  Long snappers who catch passes are a pretty rare commodity, so we can probably expect Sypniewski to stare slack-jawed from the sideline as Glanda’s greatness unleashes itself.

Prediction: Redshirt