Tag: 2023 season countdown

2023 Season Countdown: #98 Roderick Pierce

Name: Roderick Pierce
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 290 lbs.
High school: Oak Lawn (IL) Brother Rice
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Pierce was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 79

Pierce is a good prospect who happens to play a position that is very difficult to play as a true freshman. There are occasionally players like Mason Graham who fit in just fine as true freshmen, but more often, even upper tier prospects end up like Kenneth Grant. Grant was a 6’4″, 335 lb. monster coming out of high school and he played very little in 2022.

Pierce is starting off smaller – which should help with adjusting to the conditioning aspect of college football – but he will probably need to add weight and strength in order to get on the field. Michigan also has a solid group of returning players, including Graham, Grant, Kris Jenkins, and Rayshaun Benny, not to mention some unproven young guys Pierce will have to battle in order to even be third- or fourth-string.

Prediction: Redshirt

2023 Season Countdown: #100 Hayden Moore

Name: Hayden Moore
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 205 lbs.
High school: Parker (CO) Regis Jesuit
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Moore was a senior in high school. He made 197 tackles, 7 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble.
TTB Rating: N/A

Moore was committed to Nebraska for several months in the 2023 cycle, pledging in June of 2022 and then staying committed until mid-December. However, an offer came from Michigan and an official visit in December sealed the deal, resulting in a pledge to the Wolverines and signing in December. It was a bit of a head-scratcher for Michigan, coming off of a Big Ten championship and “reaching” for the #1164 overall player in the country, according to the 247 Composite.

That being said, Moore is a good athlete who seems undervalued at that ranking. While I do not see him as a high-level athlete, I wouldn’t bat an eyelash if he was ranked in the 500s or 600s. He has good size, decent speed, and a reputation as a tackling machine – his 197 tackles led the state of Colorado in 2022. I’m not quite sure where he fits at Michigan. I don’t think he has the bend – he plays a little high – to be an edge rusher, and I don’t see the athleticism to run sideline-to-sideline as an inside linebacker. In other words, I don’t see him being a major factor on a team with the ability to recruit elite athletes, but he could be a guy who goes somewhere like Boston College or, ahem, Nebraska, and finds a good amount of success. He can play in the Big Ten. Can he play at Michigan? Time will tell.

As for the 2023 season, Moore is a little light and needs some development, coming from playing the SAM linebacker spot in a 3-3 stack defense. I think he’s likely to redshirt, but special teams play could be in consideration, and even some late-season developmental time might be in order.

Prediction: Redshirt

2023 Season Countdown: #101 Charlie Mentzer

Name: Charlie Mentzer
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 192 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cathlic Central
Position: Kicker
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #93
Last year: I did not rank Mentzer. He did not play in any games.
TTB Rating: N/A

You may not have heard of Charlie Mentzer before. There’s probably a good reason for that.

That reason’s name is Jake Moody.

Moody, the former Lou Groza Award winner, made people forget about backup kickers. The kicking position can sometimes make people yearn for the backup kicker – just like the backup quarterback is often the most popular guy on the team – but Moody was so consistent over the past two years that the only concern was who was going to replace him when he left.

Well, I don’t think Mentzer is going to be that guy. For a while it seemed like he, freshman Adam Samaha, and redshirt sophomore Tommy Doman (the latter of whom will likely be handling punting duties) would be battling it out for the kicking job, but then Michigan brought in transfer James Turner from Louisville. Now it seems like Turner will handle the placekicking duties, and Mentzer is likely to spend most of the 2023 season watching from the sidelines.

Prediction: Backup kicker

2023 Season Countdown: #102 Joshua Nichols

Name: Joshua Nichols
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Loyola
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #29
Last year: I ranked Nichols #121 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: N/A

Nichols is one of those walk-ons who seems like he’s going to make an impact by the time his career is over, whether just on special teams or maybe a little bit on defense. He filled up the stat sheet as a high school senior two years ago – 82 tackles, 11 forced fumbles, 7 pass breakups, and 1 interception – and now seems to have put on about 20 pounds of muscle.

Nichols could have a Hunter Reynolds type of career. Reynolds played as a backup before transferring to start at Utah State. Now that Nichols has put on some good weight, perhaps this is the season for him to run down on kickoff and/or punt coverage and start to make a name for himself. With the talent and depth at safety right now, that’s probably the best chance for him to get on the field.

Prediction: Backup safety and special teamer

2023 Season Countdown: #103 Noah Stewart

Name: Noah Stewart
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 283 lbs.
High school: Muskegon (MI) North Muskegon
Position: Tight end
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #61
Last year: I didn’t rank Stewart. He played in one game.
TTB Rating: N/A

Denegal wins the annual Tom Strobel Random Lineman Turned Into a Tight End Award, previously awarded to the likes of Tom Strobel, Trente Jones, and Joel Honigford. Coming out of high school, Stewart was ranked as a 3-star offensive lineman by 247 Sports, but the offensive line is stacked. The official roster lists a position change from offensive line to tight end, but the #61 jersey lags a little behind the position switch.

Considering how much his predecessors actually played as extra (blocking) tight ends, perhaps I’m ranking Stewart way too low. At 6’7″ and 283 lbs. he could potentially be a very tough tight end to deal with for 5-tech defensive ends – or even smaller players – so perhaps Michigan has some secrets plans to help Stewart outstrip this low-ish ranking. But until I see otherwise, I’ll assume Stewart will be mostly on the bench.

Prediction: Backup tight end