Tag: 2018 season countdown

2018 Season Countdown: #91 Taylor Upshaw

Taylor Upshaw

Name: Taylor Upshaw
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 240 lbs.
High school: Bradenton (FL) Braden River
Position: Defensive end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #91
Last year: Upshaw was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 33 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and 1 interception for a touchdown.

Upshaw is the son of a former NFL defensive lineman in Regan Upshaw. The younger Upshaw was originally committed to Florida, but the uncertain coaching situation (which resulted in Florida head coach Jim McElwain getting fired and, ultimately, becoming a Michigan assistant) led to his decommitment. He flipped to the Wolverines and enrolled early in January.

In light of the early enrollment, it seems that buzz would have started already this spring if Upshaw showed signs of being an early contributor. I have heard zero buzz about Upshaw, which is frankly what I expected when I gave him a TTB Rating of 62. That’s not to say the 62 will be his ceiling throughout his career, but his high school film shows a guy who seems very raw. It would take a huge leap for him to see the field much this season, if at all. He plays like a strongside end or even a guy who might be a 3-tech defensive tackle, and being 240 lbs. isn’t a great sign, either. Next year might be a different story, but for now, he looks like a non-factor for 2018.

Prediction: Redshirt

2018 Season Countdown: #92 Andrew Robinson

Andrew Robinson

Name: Andrew Robinson
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 221 lbs.
High school: Troy (MI) Athens
Position: Long snapper
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #49
Last year: I ranked Robinson #32 and said he would be the starting long snapper (LINK). He snapped for punts, field goals, and PATs in two games.

Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to long snappers. Scott Sypniewski got hurt two years ago, and Robinson stepped in flawlessly. I expected him to be the starter in 2017, and Camaron Cheeseman took those duties. Robinson stepped in for a couple games and once again did a good job, but Cheeseman returns in 2018. I assume Cheeseman will keep the starting job as the incumbent, but who knows? At least Michigan appears to have at least two good options at long snapper, since both of them have played significant time without more than a slight hiccup.

Prediction: Backup long snapper

2018 Season Countdown: #93 Sammy Faustin

Sammy Faustin (image via Naples Talon)

Name: Sammy Faustin
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Naples (FL) Naples
Position: Safety
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Faustin was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 36 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, and 3 pass breakups.

Faustin was a relatively unheralded recruit out of Florida whose 4.63 forty didn’t wow many observers. More impressively, he claimed a bench press of 305 lbs. and a squat of 385 lbs. What do those numbers represent? They seem to indicate a kid who can be physically imposing but who won’t make a ton of game-changing plays at the next level. Faustin has had some injury issues in high school, which have perhaps limited his production. Even so, the film makes him look like a safety, despite playing cornerback in high school.

Michigan needs reinforcements at safety, and those reinforcements could come in the form of Faustin. Physically, he’s close to being ready for college with his height, weight, and strength. The position change from corner to safety could take some time, and he will have to become proficient with his reads and technique to make up for some mediocre athleticism. The Wolverines have a few decent options at safety already, including senior Tyree Kinnel and junior Josh Metellus, plus Utah transfer Casey Hughes. I don’t see Faustin playing a key role this season, and I would expect him to redshirt, but there’s a chance for him to get some mop-up snaps or special teams duty.

Prediction: Redshirt

2018 Season Countdown: #94 Luke Schoonmaker

Luke Schoonmaker (image via Youtube)

Name: Luke Schoonmaker
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 229 lbs.
High school: Hamden (CT) Hamden Hall
Position: Tight end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Schoonmaker was a senior in high school (LINK). He caught 22 passes for 343 yards and 1 touchdown. He also ran 34 times for 306 yards and 1 touchdown, and he was 18/37 for 201 yards and 2 touchdowns passing.

Connecticut isn’t known for its football, and that’s why you find a 6’6″, 229 lb. guy playing both quarterback and tight end at his high school. Throughout his career at Hamden Hall, Schoonmaker was a guy who had to run the ball, throw the ball, and catch passes. He was actually much more productive as a junior, but he was not needed as much to play quarterback during his final season.

Schoonmaker will probably be good at Michigan because all tight ends at Michigan are good unless they fizzle out before they get to see the field. Michigan features tight ends, and this staff doesn’t recruit subpar athletes like, ahem, some other coaches have. But Schoonmaker isn’t a great blocker at this point, and he doesn’t have the size to be effective in that area right now. Furthermore, Michigan already has some good all-around tight ends and some good pass receivers at the position, so Schoonmaker should be able to redshirt. Once Zach Gentry and Sean McKeon matriculate after 2018 or 2019, that should open up the door for Schoonmaker to make a good impact on the field.

Prediction: Redshirt

2018 Season Countdown: #95 Ronnie Bell

Ronnie Bell (image via 810 Varsity)

Name: Ronnie Bell
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 174 lbs.
High school: Kansas City (MO) Park Hill
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Bell was a senior in high school (LINK). He caught 89 passes for 1,605 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Bell was a very divisive signee back in February. He planned to play college basketball at Missouri State, and he had even signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Bears (you didn’t know Missouri State’s mascot, did you?). Then Michigan swooped in with an offer to play football, and that changed everything. The small-college basketball player was suddenly a big-time football recruit, and it’s not hard to see why based on his eye-popping numbers (89 receptions, 1605 yards, 21 TD; 15 carries, 163 yards, 1 TD).

Now Bell joins a roster that is loaded at wide receiver, at least according to the recruiting sites. Michigan brought in four freshmen in the 2017 class, and they have some leftover star power, too (Eddie McDoom, Kekoa Crawaford, etc.). That doesn’t even include Grant Perry, who is a multi-year starter in the slot. Playing time in 2018 is an uphill battle, and I think Bell will redshirt while looking to add size and strength.

Prediction: Redshirt

Hit the jump for some of Bell’s basketball highlights.

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