Tag: 2020 season countdown

2020 Season Countdown: #94 Matt Brown

Name: Matt Brown
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 225 lbs.
High school: Solon (OH) Solon
Position: Running back
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #46
Last year: I ranked Brown #87 and said he would be a backup fullback and special teamer (LINK). He played in four games on special teams.
TTB Rating: N/A

Brown was negatively affected by the departure of Pep Hamilton and the arrival of Josh Gattis. Gattis ditched the more traditional fullback position for more of a spread offense, which hung Brown out to dry a little bit. After playing in three games as a backup fullback in 2018, he played four games last season but only on special teams.

This year looks to be more of the same from Brown. His best bet to get on the field will probably be on special teams. One plus is that Ben Van Sumeren – a former bigger back – made a transition to potentially play linebacker, so that could open up a few low-risk snaps late in games for Brown. But by and large, he’s just a quality walk-on for depth and special teams purposes.

Prediction: Backup running back, special teamer

2020 Season Countdown: #95 Griffin Korican

Name: Griffin Korican
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 305 lbs.
High school: Seattle (WA) O’Dea
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #78
Last year: I did not rank Korican. He played in two games.
TTB Rating: N/A

If you’re not aware of Korican, he initially committed to Oregon State as a preferred walk-on in the 2018 class. After taking a visit to Michigan in June, he flipped to the Wolverines. He redshirted as a freshman and then worked his way into some playing time in 2019. The staff gave him some snaps in a couple blowout wins, against Middle Tennessee and Rutgers.

Korican is not a threat to take one of the four open starting jobs this fall. Michigan has plenty of athletic, highly rated linemen to do that. But Korican does have some talent and he’s a little over 300 pounds, so he’s capable of helping out on the scout team; he could also be on the field goal unit or play a backup role, perhaps to keep a freshman from burning his redshirt.

Prediction: Backup offensive guard

2020 Season Countdown: #96 Jeffrey Persi

Name: Jeffrey Persi
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 275 lbs.
High school: Mission Viejo (CA) JSerra Catholic
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Persi was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 65 82

I have to admit that Persi is the biggest boom-or-bust prospect in the 2020 class in my mind. I really don’t know what to do with him when it comes to TTB Ratings. He’s very athletic and the coaches love him, so what’s the matter? I have heard multiple coaches and Matt Dudek use Persi as an example of someone the rankings don’t love but the coaches do. So is he kind of a sleeper?

Persi is the kind of guy (long and athletic) I normally love at tackle, but he has a raw quality that makes me wonder. He was a tight end to begin high school, and he has only played tackle during his final two years. So that explains part of the disconnect. When I watch him on film, he does the right thing initially. If you were doing a drill tape against air where you want a guy to kick slide, down block, etc., Persi would be a great candidate.

But then when you watch him react to defenders, he’s a split second late. It’s almost like he’s so preoccupied with performing the correct technique that he forgets to think a step ahead. I also came away from his senior film with the same criticisms I had of his junior film: his feet get too narrow, and he comes up too high. He also does not finish blocks as well as he should, and he can get overpowered.

So as you can see, Persi is a mixed bag. He’s athletic with good bend and initial technique, but he needs to get stronger and doesn’t react well to the changing pictures in front of him. I’m going to go ahead and believe that Ed Warinner can work his magic on Persi, but I think it’s going to take some time.

Prediction: Redshirt

Hit the jump for some of his senior clips.

2020 Season Countdown: #97 Kraig Correll

Name: Kraig Correll
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 296 lbs.
High school: Easton (PA) Blair Academy
Position: Center
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #54
Last year: I ranked Correll #105 and said he would be a backup center (LINK). He did not see any game action.
TTB Rating: N/A

As Correll enters his third year on campus, he finds himself battling to stay relevant as a backup interior lineman. One obstacle jumped out of the way when fellow walk-on Jess Speight moved over to defensive tackle in the middle of last season, but more remain: redshirt freshman Zach Carpenter, fifth year senior Andrew Vastardis, and others.

I do not expect Correll to contribute this season, but he had solid high school film and looks like a guy who should at least be able to offer a look on the scout team. With some decent fellow walk-ons and a good number of scholarship guys, Correll looks like a depth guy moving forward.

Prediction: Backup center

2020 Season Countdown: #98 Dan Villari

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Name: Dan Villari
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 215 lbs.
High school: Massapequa (NY) Plainedge
Position: Quarterback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Villari was a senior in high school (LINK). He passed for 1,306 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 1 interception, while running for 1,522 yards and 25 touchdowns.
TTB Rating: 69

Villari was a late add to Michigan’s class due to an unfortunate development with J.D. Johnson. Johnson, as you might remember, discovered that he would not be able to continue his football career because of a heart condition. That left the Wolverines scrambling, and in stepped Villari, who took a whirlwind trip to Michigan and ended up signing in December.

Villari is an athletic quarterback whose passing acumen might not wow many, but he does offer some versatility. First of all, Michigan and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis do value athletic quarterbacks more than some other past coaching staffs. But second, Jim Harbaugh has converted a quarterback (Zach Gentry) into a draft pick as a tight end. Villari looks to me like a player who will eventually end up contributing at a position other than quarterback. He shouldn’t be any higher than #4 on the depth chart in 2020, and 2021 will see 5-star J.J. McCarthy arrive.

Prediction: Redshirt

Hit the jump for Villari’s senior highlights.