Tag: Brandon Watson

Orange Bowl Preview: Michigan Defensive Backs vs. Florida State Receivers

Travis Rudolph (image via Chop Chat)

I’ve been posting highlights of commits, top whatever lists, etc. on the Message Board (LINK), so check it out if you get a chance.

MICHIGAN

Starters: Michigan features a two-time First Team All-American in senior cornerback Jourdan Lewis (5’10”, 186 lbs.), who missed the first 25% of the season with a hamstring injury. He still ended up with 23 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 12 passes defended (tied for #8 in the conference). He owns the school record for pass breakups and generally shuts down his receiver. On the other side is 6’2″, 175 lb. senior Channing Stribling (27 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 sack, 4 INTs, 12 PBUs), a lanky corner who has struggled in the run game but has had good coverage most of the year. Senior free safety Dymonte Thomas (6’2″, 199 lbs.) has improved from some early-season struggles and ended the regular season fourth on the team in tackles with 61, along with 1 INT and 7 PBUs. Senior Delano Hill (6’1″, 215 lbs.) has 47 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 3 INTs, and 3 PBUs. This is one of the top few secondaries in the country.

Key backups: Sophomore safety Tyree Kinnel (5’11”, 206 lbs.) is one of just a couple guys worth mentioning after a regular season that included 15 tackles and 1 TFL. He’ll spell either of the other safeties. The other guy is redshirt sophomore nickel corner Brandon Watson (5’11”, 203 lbs.), who was addressed with the linebackers and plays some on the outside. Watson is physical but not a great athlete.

Hit the jump for a look at FSU’s receiving targets.

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Orange Bowl Preview: Michigan Linebackers vs. Florida State Running Backs

Dalvin Cook (image via Miami Herald)

Previously: QB vs. QB, Michigan RB vs. FSU LB, Michigan WR vs. FSU secondary, Michigan OL vs. FSU DL

MICHIGAN

Starters: Michigan’s top three tacklers are the three starting linebackers, and they rarely come off the field. The most well known is redshirt sophomore Heisman finalist Jabrill Peppers (6’1″, 205 lbs.), the SAM linebacker – a hybrid S/LB – who ended the regular season with 71 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 interception, and 7 quarterback hurries. Peppers plays all over the place and will have his hands full with Florida State likely choosing to run right at him since he’s undersized for a linebacker. The leading tackler is 6’3″, 247 lb. senior middle linebacker Ben Gedeon. He made 98 stops (tied for #10 in the conference), 15 TFLs, and 4.5 sacks. Gedeon is much improved this season, a good athlete, a heavy hitter, and an effective blitzer. The WILL linebacker is 6’4″, 248 lb. redshirt junior Mike McCray II (71 tackles, 13 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, 6 PBUs), who plays a lot like Gedeon, though he’s more instinctive in defending the pass. The trio makes for Michigan’s best linebacker corps in . . . a long time.

Key backups: Michigan doesn’t substitute much, but the most likely true linebacker to play is 5’11”, 232 lb. freshman Devin Bush (11 tackles, 0.5 TFLs), a backup WILL. Redshirt sophomore Brandon Watson (5’11”, 203 lbs.) will also likely play some on defense, and he’s a backup for Peppers at SAM, though he’s used more like a slot corner.

Hit the jump for a look at Florida State’s running game (a.k.a. Dalvin Cook).

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2016 Season Countdown: #56 Brandon Watson

Brandon Watson (image via Maize and Blue News)

Name: Brandon Watson
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 191 lbs.
High school: Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #28
Last year: I ranked Watson #34 and said he would be a backup cornerback (LINK). He played in twelve games and made 8 tackles.

In one of my more egregious overrankings last year, I put Watson at #34, thinking he would beat out Channing Stribling for the #3 corner spot. Stribling split starting duties with Jeremy Clark. The #3 cornerback is pretty important, but the #4 guy . . . he’s usually not so important. After a solid spring game, he did okay in 2015 but was pretty invisible on the field.

This season should be more of the same since Michigan has three senior corners (Clark, Stribling, and Jourdan Lewis). Watson will also have to contend with a couple blue-chip freshmen (Lavert Hill, David Long) and a redshirt freshman Keith Washington. There have been vague rumors floating around that Watson may end up elsewhere, especially now that high school teammate Freddy Canteen is no longer with the team, but Watson has stuck with the program so far. I don’t expect Watson to play a ton of defense, but I do think he has some value as a special teams player and he could potentially contribute at a thin safety position if there are injuries.

Prediction: Backup defensive back, special teamer

Spring Football Preview: Cornerbacks

Jourdan Lewis

Projected starters: Senior Jourdan Lewis had an All-America season last year when he made 52 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 2 INTs (1 TD), and a school-record 20 pass breakups. The other side is a bit murkier, but senior Channing Stribling may be the best bet. He started four games last season and finished with 17 tackles, 2 INTs, and 3 pass breakups, including picking off a botched fake field goal by Florida in the bowl game.

Hit the jump for more on the cornerback position.

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2014 Season Countdown: #73 Brandon Watson

Brandon Watson

Name: Brandon Watson
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 185 lbs.
High school: Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy
Position: Safety
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #20
Last year: Watson was a senior in high school.
Final TTB Rating: N/A

Watson is a largely unknown quantity coming into college. He earned an offer when he camped at Michigan last summer (along with high school teammate Freddy Canteen), but he played just a few games as a junior. And despite the fact that Eastern Christian Academy was essentially created to get exposure for football players, highlights have been tough to find. What we do know is that a few schools like UConn and Rutgers also pursued Watson, which means he may not be a Brady Pallante-sized gamble.

Watson enrolled in January and went through spring drills as a safety, despite playing corner in high school. There was a time (when I originally drafted the list) that I thought Watson might be able to nab some playing time, but the more I think about it and sift through information, the more it looks like Watson will redshirt this season. Special teams duty is a possibility, but I think there are enough other players with similar skills to fill those roles. I was unable to nail down a TTB Rating for Watson based on a lack of film, but it’s going to be tough for him to break through into playing time considering the youth of some other players and the talent in Michigan’s secondary.

Prediction: Redshirt