Tag: Brad Robbins

2023 NFL Draft Results: Michigan

Here are the results of the 2023 NFL Draft for Michigan:

1st round: Mazi Smith – DT – Dallas Cowboys (#26 overall)
2nd round: Luke Schoonmaker – TE – Dallas Cowboys (#58)
2nd round: D.J. Turner II – CB – Cincinnati Bengals (#60)
3rd round: Jake Moody – K – San Francisco 49ers (#99)
5th round: Mike Morris – DE – Seattle Seahawks (#151)
5th round: Olu Oluwatimi – C – Seattle Seahawks (#154)
6th round: Brad Robbins – P – Cincinnati Bengals (#217)
7th round: Ryan Hayes – OT – Miami Dolphins (#238)
7th round: Ronnie Bell – WR – San Francisco 49ers (#253)

CB Gemon Green was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants and TE Joel Honigford was signed by the Arizona Cardinals.

Below are some former Wolverines who were drafted or signed as undrafted free agents:

2nd round: Zach Charbonnet – RB – Seattle Seahawks (#52 overall)
UDFA: Chuck Filiaga – OG – New York Giants
UDFA: Hunter Reynolds – S – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The following player, Eric Gray, was committed to Michigan at one point but signed with Tennessee before transferring to Oklahoma:

5th round: Eric Gray – RB – New York Giants (#172)

2023 NFL Draft Preview: Michigan

With the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft coming up on Thursday night, here’s a look at how things might play out for several former Wolverines:

CB D.J. Turner II: Turner wowed people at the Combine by running a 4.26 in the forty, which seems to have launched him from maybe a mid-round pick to the lower end of the 1st round. Personally, I do not view him as a 1st round talent and I do not think he’s physical enough at 5’11” and 178 lbs. to play up to those expectations. But it sure seems like a lot of people are convinced he’s going to go in the mid- to late 20s on Thursday night.
Prediction: 1st round

DT Mazi Smith: Smith was the #1 freak on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” last year, but that athleticism wasn’t enough to turn him into a surefire 1st round selection in 2023. In fact, some early optimism about being a high 1st round pick has fizzled to the point where many think he’s a 2nd rounder. At 6’3″ and 323 lbs., he has good size but isn’t an outlier in that area. I think he could slip into the last few picks of the 1st round, but more likely he’ll have to wait until Friday.
Prediction: 2nd round

Hit the jump for more.

2023 NFL Combine Invitees

Michigan has nine players participating in the NFL Combine this week/weekend.

And if you’re like me, you’re dying to see the bench press and vertical jump numbers for Brad Robbins.

Here is the full list of participants:

• WR Ronnie Bell
• OT Ryan Hayes
• K Jake Moody
• DE Mike Morris
• C Olu Oluwatimi
• P Brad Robbins
• TE Luke Schoonmaker
• DT Mazi Smith
• CB D.J. Turner II

Both defensive tackle Mazi Smith and cornerback D.J. Turner II were on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” prior to the 2022 season. Smith bench pressed 325 for a total of 20 reps in the off-season, and some think Turner might be able to run in the high 4.2s in the 40-yard dash.

2022 Season Countdown: #27 Brad Robbins

Name: Brad Robbins
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 205 lbs.
High school: Westerville (OH) South
Position: Punter
Class: Sixth year senior
Jersey number: #91
Last year: I ranked Robbins #15 and said he would be the starting punter (LINK). He punted 45 times for 2,085 yards (46.3 yards/punt) and put 17 of them inside the 20-yard line.
TTB Rating: 70

Robbins was a standout punter in 2021, averaging 46.3 yards per punt, which is second only to Will Hart’s average of 47.0 yards per punt in 2018. He’s come a long way from the point where he was struggling, had a back injury, and entered the transfer portal earlier in his career. He had a 65-yard punt against Penn State and a 64-yarder against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship game. Altogether, his performance in 2021 earned him Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors.

So it might seem to make sense to rank him higher on the list, except the backup punter is Tommy Doman. Doman averaged 44.8 yards per punt as a senior in high school in 2020 and was an Under Armour All-American. I’m guessing Robbins is still a better punter at this point, but how large is the gap between the two? I expect Robbins to be the starting punter again in 2022 and have a solid season.

Prediction: Starting punter

2021 Season Countdown: #15 Brad Robbins

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Name: Brad Robbins
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 203 lbs.
High school: Westerville (OH) South
Position: Punter
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #91
Last year: I ranked Robbins #64 and said he would be a backup punter (LINK). He punted 23 times for 1,041 yards (45.3 yards/punt) and put 8 of them inside the 20-yard line.
TTB Rating: 70

If you talk about an up-and-down career at Michigan, Robbins should be in the conversation. He was Honorable Mention All-Big Ten in 2017 before an injury caused him to miss 2018, when walk-on Will Hart stepped in and looked outstanding. But then Hart’s play fell off, allowing Robbins to take back over the job. Hart went from looking like an All-American to looking very pedestrian (and has since transferred to San Jose State), while Robbins went from looking pedestrian to looking like an All-Big Ten player, leading the conference in punting average.

With Hart out of the picture in 2021, Robbins is even more important than he was, since the Wolverines have no proven or experienced backup. He’s the only full-time punter listed in the roster. Backups include fifth year senior transfer Rhett Andersen from Hampden-Sydney – who has been a placekicker his entire college career – and true freshman Tommy Doman, who averaged 44.8 yards on punts as a high school senior. Doman is the best bet to be the backup, but you never know how a freshman will respond to the pressure of playing in the Big Ten.

Prediction: Starting punter