2019 Season Countdown: #95 Trente Jones

Tag: 2019 season countdown


23May 2019
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2019 Season Countdown: #95 Trente Jones

Trente Jones (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Trente Jones
Height: 6’5″
Weight; 302 lbs.
High school: Loganville (GA) Grayson
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Jones was a senior in high school (LINK). He had 69 pancake blocks as a senior.
TTB Rating: N/A

Jones is a bit of a rarity for Michigan – a touted prospect from an elite program in the South. Jones comes from Loganville (GA) Grayson, which produces star players every year. There are some hard feelings in the area that Grayson poaches a lot of good players from nearby schools. But they play against good programs and hold their own against powerhouses from other parts of the country.

This year Jones should not be a factor in Michigan’s rotation, despite being an Under Armour All-American. Jon Runyan, Jr. will start at one tackle, and the other tackle spot is a battle between Andrew Stueber and Jalen Mayfield. Jones needs a year or two in the weight room, so that works out well for the program overall, but I do think he will be a good player down the road.

Prediction: Redshirt

22May 2019
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2019 Season Countdown: #96 Charles Thomas

Charles Thomas (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Charles Thomas
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 224 lbs.
High school: Oakdale (CT) St. Thomas More
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Thomas was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 49 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and a 44-yard punt return for a touchdown.
TTB Rating: N/A

Thomas is a tough prospect to pin down – figuratively and figuratively. (Not literally, because that would just be mean.) Not only has he attended three high schools – Langston Hughes in GA, IMG Academy in FL, and St. Thomas More in CT – but his highlights are a bit scattered. He’s listed on Michigan’s signing day info as being 5’11” and 224 lbs., even though those are often exaggerated, and he was listed as a recruit at 6’0″. So he’s probably 5’10”.

As for his play on the field, it doesn’t appear to be too impressive. He doesn’t show a lot of sideline-to-sideline speed, and his physicality is combined with less than stellar technique. He could be a thumping two-down middle linebacker, but those are a thing of the past. Can he improve his speed and coverage? If not, I’m afraid he’ll be playing from behind throughout his career. I expect him to redshirt while those things get sorted out.

Prediction: Redshirt

20May 2019
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2019 Season Countdown: #97 Jared Davis

Jared Davis

Name: Jared Davis
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 202 lbs.
High school: Frankenmuth (MI) Frankenmuth
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #23
Last year: I ranked Davis #110 and said he would be a backup safety and special teamer (LINK). He did not see game action.
TTB Rating: N/A

There’s not a whole lot to say about Davis at this point. He went from being listed at 6’1″ and 180 lbs. last year to 5’11” and 202 lbs. this year, so he got shorter and put on 22 lbs. That’s an impressive one-year growth pattern! When we saw him in the spring, he was being slower than Michigan’s scholarship offensive skill players. Not a surprise. This year Davis is bound to fit into the same general niche, which is as a borderline special teamer.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer

19May 2019
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2019 Season Countdown: #98 Dan Jokisch

Dan Jokisch (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Dan Jokisch
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 279 lbs.
High school: Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #61
Last year: I did not rank Jokisch. He did not see game action.
TTB Rating: N/A

Jokisch, the son of former Michigan tight end Dan Jokisch, is entering his fourth season in the program without having set foot on the field yet. I have seen him on the field in practices and warmups, and he always looks a little out of place – a little too light, a little too stiff, etc. After all he was a high school tight end, and I think perhaps trying to bulk up is just not something that has worked out for his body.

Either way, there has been a little talk about Jokisch this spring getting some more playing time with the twos and threes, but I don’t expect that to carry over into meaningful playing time this season. He’s mostly a scout team and program guy.

Prediction: Backup offensive tackle

18May 2019
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2019 Season Countdown: #99 Michael Sessa

Michael Sessa (#6, image via 247 Sports)

Name: Michael Sessa
Height: 6’8″
Weight: 211 lbs.
High school: Hinsdale (IL) Central
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #6
Last year: I ranked Sessa #99 and said he would be a backup quarterback (LINK). He played one game against Rutgers.
TTB Rating: N/A

You can’t really appreciate the tallness of Michael Sessa until you see him around other Michigan football players. I mean, 6’8″ sounds really tall, but they’re football players, so they’re all big, right? But then you see videos of Michigan football players hanging out together, including a pretty gimongous Wilton Speight, and there’s a guy who towers even over him.

And that guy is Michael Sessa.

On the football side of things, Sessa took one snap against Rutgers last year. So there’s that.

Prediction: Backup quarterback