Tag: 2016 season countdown

2016 Season Countdown: #84 Jordan Glasgow

Graham, Jordan, and Ryan Glasgow

Name: Jordan Glasgow
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Aurora (IL) Marmion Academy
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #29
Last year: I did not rank Glasgow. He redshirted.

Jordan became the third Glasgow brother to walk on at Michigan, joining offensive lineman Graham (drafted by the Lions in April) and defensive tackle Ryan. But safety is a tougher position to break in as a walk-on, because skill guys need some God-given talents like speed to succeed. Linemen can eat and get stronger, but it’s tough to get a great deal faster.

Jordan redshirted last season, and because of the shallow depth chart at safety, he played a lot this spring. However, Michigan returns two safeties with starting experience (Delano Hill, Dymonte Thomas), a solid recruit (Tyree Kinnel), and a part-time starter at corner who could move back to safety if necessary (Jeremy Clark). Glasgow’s too slow and stiff to play much safety this year, but he could be a special teams guy or a mop-up guy.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer

2016 Season Countdown: #85 Kingston Davis

Kingston Davis

Name: Kingston Davis
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 225 lbs.
High school: Prattville (AL) Prattville
Position: Running back
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #23
Last year: Davis was a senior in high school (LINK). He rushed 242 times for 1,656 yards (6.8 yards/carry) and 19 touchdowns.
Final TTB Rating: 70

Following the signing of 2015 cornerback Keith Washington from Prattville, Davis committed to the Wolverines in April 2015. After all, Washington was the quarterback who handed Davis the ball for most of his carries in 2014. At one point during the camp season last year, Davis checked in at 242 lbs. Despite his bulk, he insists he wants to be a running back in college, and he has slimmed down some since then to his official weight of 225. Regardless, he set school rushing records and picked up offers from Florida, Nebraska, and Ole Miss before enrolling at Michigan in January.

Davis didn’t create much buzz in the spring and dealt with a minor injury for part of the practice session. I think he’s the type of guy who may need a year or two of strength and conditioning work to reach his potential. On top of reshaping his body a bit, he has plenty of running backs ahead of him on the depth chart. De’Veon Smith, Drake Johnson, and Ty Isaac have all established themselves somewhat, and Karan Higdon got some experience last season. It’s not out of the question for Davis to contribute this season, but a fifth year of eligibility down the road might be helpful if he turns into a 230- or 240-pound beast who can pound teams to death.

Prediction: Redshirt

2016 Season Countdown: #87 Devin Gil

Devin Gil

Name: Devin Gil
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 225 lbs.
High school: Pembroke Pines (FL) Flanagan
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Gil was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 60 tackles.
TTB Rating: 63

A one-time Miami commit, Gil was listed early in his recruitment as a safety. After pledging to the Hurricanes in January of 2015, Michigan offered him in March. The coaching staff had already starting pursuing teammate Devin Bush, Jr., and they would eventually offer Josh Metellus after a camp in South Florida. (Michigan has offered more teammates for the 2017 class, including Stanford Samuels III.) Even before Gil visited campus, it seemed he was likely to flip to the Wolverines. Then a visit in mid-June helped him pull the trigger. By the time his senior season rolled around, Gil was playing linebacker for Flanagan. He was thought by many – including me – to be too slow for safety in college, so he got in a year of linebacker experience before college.

Don Brown has pegged Gil as an “outside linebacker,” though that could mean either the SAM or WILL position. I think he will end up at WILL, which is also the position Bush plays. With Mike McCray II looking like the starter at WILL and Bush playing pretty well after enrolling early, Gil looks to be no higher than third string as a freshman. There are also a couple other players who could slide in at WILL if needed, so it would make sense for him to redshirt. He may find a role on special teams, but those roles can often be filled by other players.

Prediction: Redshirt

2016 Season Countdown: #88 Ryan Tice

Ryan Tice (at Saline, image via MWolverine)

Name: Ryan Tice
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 181 lbs.
High school: Saline (MI) Saline
Position: Punter
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #41
Last year: I didn’t rank Tice. He redshirted.

Tice enrolled early in January of 2015 and has now finished two spring football sessions. I have yet to hear any buzz on him, and he is unlikely to contribute in a meaningful way this season. Starting placekicker Kenny Allen returns for his fifth year, and he’s likely to grab the punting job, too. Michigan also recruited Quinn Nordin in the 2016 class, and Nordin can also contribute in both phases of the kicking game. It might not be ideal to have one guy holding down both the punting and kicking duties, so if Tice can make some strides with his punting abilities, then he has a chance to make things a bit easier on Allen.

Prediction: Backup punter

2016 Season Countdown: #89 Jack Wangler

Jack Wangler (#16) with Maurice Ways (#85) and Derrick Henry (#27) (image via MLive)

Name: Jack Wangler
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Warren (MI) De La Salle
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #16
Last year: I did not rank Wangler. He played in one game.

Wangler – the son of former Michigan QB John Wangler and the brother of LB Jared Wangler – enters his fourth season on campus after committing to Brady Hoke as a preferred walk-on, and this is the first time I’m profiling him in the countdown. He has played in three games in his career, including just one as a redshirt sophomore in 2015. He did see quite a bit of action in the spring with Michigan’s receiver corps decimated by injury (Maurice Ways, Jehu Chesson), along with a host of freshmen at the position who have yet to enroll. Wangler isn’t a quick-twitch guy and struggles to get separation, but he does seem to be the most trusted walk-on wideout. I doubt he will play much once Ways, Chesson, and the freshmen are in action.

Prediction: Backup wide receiver