Tag: 2016 season countdown

2016 Season Countdown: #90 Jack Dunaway

Jack Dunaway (right, with Grant Perry; image via MLive)

Name: Jack Dunaway
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 212 lbs.
High school: Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #88
Last year: I did not rank Dunaway. He redshirted.

I generally don’t rank freshman walk-ons, and that was the case in 2015 with Dunaway. He’s the son of former Michigan tight end Craig Dunaway, who wore #88 from the late 1970s into the early ’80s; he also has a younger brother, tight end Carter Dunaway, who is committed to the Wolverines in the 2017 class. Last year Jack played defensive end, and this spring we saw him taking reps at SAM linebacker behind Jabrill Peppers and Noah Furbush. He clearly needs to bulk up, and I don’t think his athleticism will allow him to be a regular contributor. When the season rolls around, there will probably be another incoming freshman or two who move ahead of him on the depth chart, too. I don’t expect to see him on the field much this season, if at all, but he could sneak in there in garbage time.

Prediction: Backup SAM linebacker

2016 Season Countdown: #91 Joe Hewlett

Joe Hewlett (image via Freep)

Name: Joe Hewlett
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Novi (MI) Northville
Position: Running back
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #27
Last year: I did not rank Hewlett. He did not see any game action.

Devout Michigan fans were probably vaguely aware of Hewlett when he committed as a preferred walk-on a couple years ago. Or maybe they scanned the roster and saw a quarterback or safety named Joe Hewlett, as he bounced around a little bit. But usually walk-on skill guys don’t make huge contributions to a team like Michigan, so it’s understandable if he didn’t register on your radar. That changed for many when Michigan held an open spring practice at Ford Field a couple months ago. Hewlett was used heavily in scrimmage situations and acquitted himself well, drawing a few oohs and ahs with some nifty runs. Aside from Ty Isaac, he was the most impressive running back on the day (note: De’Veon Smith didn’t play much, and others didn’t participate at all). Hewlett doesn’t have great speed or size, so he had to run hard and break tackles, but he showed some short-area quickness, too.

Other backs on the roster have more potential, so I don’t think Hewlett will play much in crunch-time situations. He’s a guy who could play on special teams or mop up late in a blowout victory. But he’s worth mentioning here as an underdog player to watch for sometime in the upcoming season.

At the bottom of this post, you can see his highlights from when he was a QB at Northville.

Prediction: Backup running back, special teams player; 2 carries, 5 yards

2016 Season Countdown: #92 Andrew Robinson

Andrew Robinson (image via Twitter)

Name: Andrew Robinson
Height; 5’11”
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school: Troy (MI) Athens
Position: Long snapper
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #41
Last year: I did not rank Robinson. He played in one game.

I believe this is the first time I’ve included a backup long snapper in a countdown, though I have included a long snapper and short snapper in previous countdowns. Anyway, last year Scott Sypniewski was the full-time snapper until his thumb was hurt on the most devastating play of the 2015 season. He had snapping issues after that, and Robinson stepped in for one game against Penn State to let Sypniewski heal. You may not have noticed that the backup long snapper was playing, which means Robinson did a solid job. Rivals threw out a rumor earlier this spring that Sypniewski might even be looking to transfer, but as of now, it looks like Robinson will be his backup.

Prediction: Backup long snapper

2016 Season Countdown: #93 Cheyenn Robertson

Cheyenn Robertson (#92, image via LA Times)

Name: Cheyenn Robertson
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 233 lbs.
High school: Union City (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #92
Last year: Robertson redshirted.

I talked a little bit about Robertson as a preferred walk-on in the 2015 class (LINK). Last season he was reportedly playing Buck linebacker in practice, but as most freshman walk-ons do, he redshirted and did not create much buzz.

This year that Buck linebacker position has disappeared under Don Brown, and Robertson was playing linebacker in the spring. Part of that may be his lack of size for the defensive end position, at least right now. I saw Robertson play some linebacker in the spring and he was generally what I thought he was coming out of high school. However, some of these walk-ons get some time on special teams or in mop-up duty, so we may see him for a few snaps here or there.

Projection: Mop-up duty

2016 Season Countdown: #94 Nate Johnson

Jim Harbaugh and Nate Johnson hit the dab at the in-home visit

Name: Nate Johnson
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 175 lbs.
High school: Thompson’s Station (TN) Independence
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Johnson was a senior in high school (LINK). He caught 87 passes for 1,713 yards and 27 TDs.
TTB Rating: 76

Johnson popped up on Michigan’s radar fairly late in the process. He was a Purdue commit for a while, flipped to the Wolverines, and then said he would make a final decision on National Signing Day after flirting with the prospect of going to Miami or Notre Dame. He signed with the Wolverines after a meeting with Jim Harbaugh in which he was assured that Michigan still wanted him; rumors existed that Miami and Notre Dame would no longer take him at that point. It was perhaps the strangest recruitment of any of Michigan’s signees. Anyway, Johnson was extremely productive as a high school senior, scoring 27 touchdowns and catching 87 passes. I’ve always been a part of run-oriented high school offenses, so the idea of putting up those numbers in high school boggles the mind.

Production aside, I don’t think Michigan needs to rely on Johnson this season. He’s tiny and bound for the slot receiver position, which Michigan does not utilize extremely often with all the tight ends and fullbacks and such. Grant Perry returns as Michigan’s incumbent slot, and both Kekoa Crawford and Eddie McDoom are physically more prepared for college, though neither of them enrolled early. Johnson could help down the road as a punt returner, but again, that position already has some experience. This season should see him watching and learning, but there will be more opportunities next year after Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson graduate, allowing Crawford, McDoom, and Perry more opportunities to potentially play outside.

Prediction: Redshirt