Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Week 1

Tag: Brad Robbins


17Sep 2023
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Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Week 1

Aidan Hutchinson

NOTE: I thought I posted this in the middle of last week, but turns out I forgot to make it live. So now you get it on the morning of Week 2.

Detroit Lions defensive end Hutchinson made 3 tackles in a 21-20 win over the Chiefs, but he was constantly double-teamed. And in the NFL season debut on TV, the broadcasters constantly talked about how the Chiefs were “cheating” via false starts and illegal alignments to prevent Hutchinson from getting to Patrick Mahomes.

HONORABLE MENTION

  • LB Devin Bush, Jr. (Seattle Seahawks): Bush made 1 tackle in a 30-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. This was Bush’s debut with Seattle after being drafted by the Steelers.
  • DE Frank Clark (Denver Broncos): Clark made 2 tackles in a 17-16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Clark is in his first season with the Broncos after coming over from the Kansas City Chiefs.
  • WR Nico Collins (Houston Texans): Collins made 6 catches for 80 yards and 1 touchdown in a 25-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
  • DE Mike Danna (Kansas City Chiefs): Danna made 6 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 pass breakup in a 21-20 loss to the mighty Detroit Lions.
  • RB Chris Evans (Cincinnati Bengals): Evans had 2 carries for 12 yards in a 24-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
  • S Daxton Hill (Cincinnati Bengals): Hill made 6 tackles and his first career interception in a 24-3 loss to the Browns.
  • S Josh Metellus (Minnesota Vikings): Metellus made 6 tackles and 1 pass breakup in a 20-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Metellus recently signed a 2-year, $13 million contract extension and is a captain for the Vikings.
  • K Jake Moody (San Francisco 49ers): Moody was 3/3 on extra points and 3/3 on field goals, including a long of 41 yards, in a 30-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
  • DT Mike Morris (Seattle Seahawks): Morris made 2 tackles in his NFL debut, a 30-13 loss to the Rams.
  • DE David Ojabo (Baltimore Ravens): Ojabo made 3 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble on former Ohio State quarterback Marcus Stroud in a 25-9 win over the Texans.
  • DE Kwity Paye (Indianapolis Colts): Paye made 3 tackles and 1 sack in a 31-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
  • WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (Cleveland Browns): Peoples-Jones made 1 catch for 12 yards and 3 punt returns for 15 yards in a 24-3 win over the Bengals.
  • S Jabrill Peppers (New England Patriots): Peppers made 6 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass breakup in a 25-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
  • P Brad Robbins (Cincinnati Bengals): Robbins punted 10 times for 409 yards (40.9 yards/punt), including 2 inside the 20-yard line, during a 24-3 loss to the Browns.
  • CB Ambry Thomas (San Francisco 49ers): Thomas made 5 tackles and 1 pass breakup in a 30-7 win over the Steelers.
  • CB D.J. Turner II (Cincinnati Bengals): Turner made 2 tackles in his NFL debut during a 24-3 loss to the Browns.
  • DE Josh Uche (New England Patriots): Uche made 1 tackle and 1 sack in a 25-20 loss to the Eagles.
30Apr 2023
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2023 NFL Draft Results: Michigan

Mazi Smith is now a Dallas Cowboy

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)

26Apr 2023
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2023 NFL Draft Preview: Michigan

D.J. Turner II is fast!

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.

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3Mar 2023
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2023 NFL Combine Invitees

Mazi Smith

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.

16Aug 2022
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2022 Season Countdown: #27 Brad Robbins

Brad Robbins (image via 247 Sports)

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