2018 Season Countdown: #111 Adam Shibley

Tag: 2018 season countdown


6May 2018
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2018 Season Countdown: #111 Adam Shibley

Adam Shibley (image via Twitter)

Name: Adam Shibley
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 225 lbs.
High school: Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #45
Last year: I did not rank Shibley. He redshirted.

Shibley has good size for an inside linebacker, or maybe even a fullback, at Michigan. The Wolverines have good depth at linebacker, but there’s always room for special teamers and position switchers. I liked Shibley coming out of high school more than most walk-on linebackers, but it’s still early for a walk-on linebacker to contribute in just his second year on campus.

5May 2018
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2018 Season Countdown: #112 Tyler Cochran

Tyler Cochran (image via Hudl)

Name: Tyler Cochran
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #30
Last year: I did not rank Cochran. He did not see any game action.

Cochran, the son of former Wolverine Brad Cochran – who played with Jim Harbaugh in the 1980s – came to Michigan in 2016 as a preferred walk-on. It can be tough to get on the field as a walk-on skill guy, and that got a little more difficult when Michigan recruited four defensive backs and landed grad transfer Casey Hughes from Utah. I think Cochran is the type of guy who could play on a punt return or kickoff team, but otherwise, he probably won’t see the field much, if at all.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer

4May 2018
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2018 Season Countdown: #113 Jack Dunaway

Jack Dunaway (left, image via MGoBlog)

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Name: Jack Dunaway
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 222 lbs.
High school: Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #88
Last year: I did not rank Dunaway. He did not see any game action.

Dunaway has dropped down the list over the past couple years. I ranked him #90 in 2016, and I didn’t bother with him last year. Now he’s all the way down at #113. Michigan has done a thorough job of recruiting linebackers over the past few years, and Dunaway was never a guy who was likely to push for playing time, anyway. Position-wise, he has bounced around a little bit, and he should be bigger than 222 lbs. by now if he’s 6’3″ and wants to see the field. The coaching staff might try to find a way for him to see the field since he’s a veteran, but he won’t be much of a factor in any way except on the scout team.

Prediction: Backup linebacker

3May 2018
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2018 Season Countdown: #114 Conner Edmonds

Conner Edmonds was Offensive Scout Team Co-Player of the Week against Florida last season (via Twitter)

Name: Conner Edmonds
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 252 lbs.
High school: Richfield (WI) Germantown
Position: Tight end
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #86
Last year: I ranked Edmonds #86 and said he would be a backup tight end. Edmonds did not see game action.

Edmonds has now been on campus for two seasons without seeing the field. He’s a year older, 1″ taller, and 4 lbs. heavier than Ryan Veingrad (profiled yesterday). That might give Edmonds a leg up on seeing the field, but it’s still an uphill climb to beat out the other tight ends on the roster, including incoming freshmen Mustapha Muhammad and Luke Schoonmaker. I do believe there is a possibility for Edmonds to get on the field in certain situations, but Michigan doesn’t have a cupcake schedule this year. At least one of the freshmen is likely to see the field, which might cost the walk-ons a few opportunities to get some snaps.

Prediction: Backup tight end

2May 2018
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2018 Season Countdown: #115 Ryan Veingrad

Ryan Veingrad (image via CBS Sports)

Name: Ryan Veingrad
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 248 lbs.
High school: Boca Raton (FL) Spanish River
Position: Tight end
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #94
Last year: I did not rank Veingrad. He redshirted.

Veingrad happens to be a decent walk-on who perhaps picked a poor destination to come play tight end. Michigan recruits and develops some good tight ends, but he finds himself on a roster with several other good players with better measureables. Veingrad played tight end, offensive tackle, and defensive end in high school. After some time in the weight room, I believe he could be effective at Michigan like several former walk-on tight ends. The question is whether he will ever be able to break through the wall of TEs ahead of him, including Sean McKeon, Zach Gentry, Nick Eubanks, and Tyrone Wheatley, Jr., not to mention some young guys with upside. He will probably find himself limited to scout team duty this season.

In case you don’t remember, Veingrad also beat Hodgkin’s lymphoma (LINK), so there’s an extra reason for him to get on the field in Michigan Stadium.

Prediction: Backup tight end