Review of 2009 Recruiting: Wide Receiver

Tag: Cameron Gordon


17May 2021
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Review of 2009 Recruiting: Wide Receiver

Jeremy Gallon

The 2009 recruiting class was Rich Rodriguez’s first full recruiting class in Ann Arbor. Ultimately, not one of Michigan’s targets turned into a standout receiver on a national level, and the most productive player was Michigan’s own diminutive Jeremy Gallon.

THE ROSTER

  • LaTerryal Savoy (RS Sr.)
  • Greg Mathews (Sr.)
  • James Rogers (Jr.)
  • Junior Hemingway (RS So.)
  • Darryl Stonum (So.)

THE RECRUITS

Jeremy Gallon
Ratings: 4-star, #12 ATH, #244 overall
High school: Apopka (FL) Apopka
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Auburn, Iowa
Scoop: Gallon’s usage steadily increased throughout his career, starting with a redshirt in 2009, 4 catches in 2010, then 31, 41, and 89. Though he made some great players in 2012 with the combination of Denard Robinson and Devin Gardner behind center, his career really took off in 2013, when he and Gardner developed a special chemistry that resulted in 1,379 yards and 9 touchdowns. Gallon also averaged 7.1 yards/return on 47 punt returns and 20.6 yards/return on 32 kickoff returns. He was taken by the Patriots in the 7th round (#244 overall) in 2014 but never played in the NFL.

Cameron Gordon
Ratings: 4-star, #43 WR, #317 overall
High school: Inkster (MI) Inkster
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Iowa, Minnesota
Scoop: Gordon was brought in with the promise to get a chance at wide receiver, so he redshirted in 2009 while figuring out that he wasn’t a receiver. The crack defensive staff at Michigan thought he should then be a safety, so they put him there in 2010, where he made 77 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, and 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown. When Brady Hoke was hired in 2011, Gordon moved to a better spot at outside linebacker. By 2013 he made 40 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. Altogether, his college career saw him make 138 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 fumble return TD. Gordon went undrafted in 2014 but spent parts of two seasons with the Patriots and Chiefs, including winning a Super Bowl with New England while on injured reserve.

Je’Ron Stokes
Ratings: 4-star, #11 WR, #94 overall
High school: Philadelphia (PA) Northeast
College: Michigan Bowling Green Norfolk State
Other notable offers: Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Penn State
Scoop: Stokes made just 3 catches for 27 yards over two seasons at Michigan before transferring to Bowling Green. After sitting out a season due to transfer rules, he made 15 catches for 114 yards and 1 touchdown for the Falcons. For his final year of eligibility in 2013, he transferred to Norfolk State to play with his brother, quarterback Malik Stokes, and ended up making 15 catches for 158 yards and 1 touchdown.

Hit the jump for a look at the rest of Michigan’s quarterback recruiting efforts in 2009.

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11May 2014
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2014 NFL Draft results and undrafted free agent news

1st round: Offensive tackle Taylor Lewan to Tennessee Titans (#11 overall)

3rd round: Offensive tackle Michael Schofield to Denver Broncos (#95 overall)

7th round: Wide receiver Jeremy Gallon to New England Patriots (#244 overall)

Undrafted free agents:
Jibreel Black – DT – Pittsburgh Steelers
Cameron Gordon – LB – New England Patriots
Thomas Gordon – S – New York Giants
Marvin Robinson – S – Dallas Cowboys*
Fitzgerald Toussaint – RB – Baltimore Ravens

*Robinson spent the 2013 season at Ferris State after transferring away from Michigan

6May 2014
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NFL Draft Preview: Michigan

Taylor Lewan could be the most talented tackle in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Here’s a 2014 NFL Draft preview from Michigan’s perspective. There should be a few Wolverines selected by NFL teams, and a few guys may latch on as undrafted free agents. If you want a look back, I did a similar post for the 2013 NFL Draft. I whiffed on Denard Robinson (I had him pegged as a 2nd rounder but he fell to the 5th), got pretty close on William Campbell (I had him in the 6th round at #188 overall and he went at #178), and did okay on Jordan Kovacs (I had him going in the 7th round; he went undrafted but caught on with the Dolphins).

The first round will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 8th. The second and third rounds will be on Friday, May 9th, starting at 7:00 p.m. The fourth through seventh rounds will be on Saturday, May 10th, beginning at 12:00 noon.

Players are listed in order of projected likelihood of being drafted.

Taylor Lewan, OT
Lewan measured in at 6’7″ and 309 lbs. at the NFL Combine. He ran a 4.87 forty, which was the top time for his position group. He also did 29 reps on the bench press, vertical jumped 30.5″, broad jumped 9’9″, had a 4.49 shuttle, and did a three-cone drill in 7.39 seconds. Lewan became a starter during his redshirt freshman year and surprised a lot of people when he returned for his fifth year in 2013 when he could have been a top ten draft pick last year. His stock essentially had nowhere to go but down, and he probably hurt his chances a little bit with some off-the-field issues that were revealed or occurred during the 2013-2014 school year. Lewan is a very consistent pass blocker and a powerful run blocker with a nasty disposition. He has taken some bad penalties at times, and he has a pending assault and battery charge stemming from late in the 2013 season during an altercation outside an Ann Arbor bar. If he pleas or is found guilty, the punishment will likely be light, but that’s still a bit of a red flag. He’s in the discussion for the top offensive tackle in the draft along with Texas A&M’s Jake Matthews and Auburn’s Greg Robinson.
Best guess: 1st round to Buffalo Bills (#9 overall)

Jeremy Gallon, WR
Michigan’s all-time record holder in season receiving yardage, Gallon measured in at the NFL Combine at just 5’7″ and 184 lbs. He ran a 4.45 forty, which surprised those of us who watched him for five years at Michigan, showing good acceleration and short speed but getting caught from behind on multiple occasions. However, he does have excellent leaping ability, can outmuscle corners for jump balls, has strong hands, and can break some tackles. He will almost certainly get drafted, but it will have to be by a team with an open mind toward working with small-ish receivers.
Best guess: 5th round to Denver Broncos (#171 overall)


Michael Schofield, OT
Schofield measured in at 6’6″, 301 lbs. at the NFL Combine. His arms are 34″ in length and a hand width of 9 5/8″. He ran a 5.01 forty, which was good for #6 among offensive linemen. He also put in a 4.57 shuttle, a 7.62 three-cone drill, a 24″ vertical, and a 93″ broad jump. Analysts have pretty consistently pegged as going in the middle rounds, perhaps in the 4th or 5th. Schofield was consistent but not dominant at the college level.
Best guess: 6th round to New York Giants (#187 overall)


Thomas Gordon, S
Gordon, a fifth year senior, played at 5’10” and 210 lbs. last year. He was not invited to the Combine, but he ran a 4.49 at Michigan’s pro day, ran a 4.10 shuttle, had a 40.5″ vertical, and broad jumped 10’5.5″. Gordon was productive in 2011 but has had two mediocre years in 2012 and 2013 – not many busts, but not many big plays, either. He was a box safety under Rich Rodriguez in 2010 and appears to be better playing closer to the line of scrimmage, so some teams may look at him if they play their safeties near the line.
Best guess: Undrafted


Fitzgerald Toussaint, RB
Toussaint is a 5’10”, 205 lb. runner who was not invited to the NFL Combine. He had underwhelming redshirt junior and fifth year senior years, suffering a nasty broken leg in the midst of the 2012 season. However, he turned in a solid pro day with a 4.49 forty, 24 reps on the bench, a 4.10 shuttle, and a 6.59 three-cone drill. Tousssaint’s lack of production in 2012 and 2013 will hold him back, but he showed flashes of excellence as a redshirt sophomore in 2011. He will almost certainly not get drafted, but I do think he has the potential to be one of those guys who hangs on as a sub for guys who get injured as the season goes along.
Best guess: Undrafted


Cameron Gordon, LB
Gordon stands 6’3″, 237 lbs. and has good speed for his size. After starting his career at wide receiver and then moving to free safety, he eventually found a home as an outside linebacker. Unfortunately for him, he was stuck behind someone who appears to be a future NFLer in Jake Ryan. Gordon gained a lot of experience as a redshirt freshman and was mostly a backup for the remainder of his career. He reminds me a lot of some former Michigan players who had fringe NFL careers (Roy Manning, Shantee Orr), so while he likely won’t get drafted, I do expect him to get picked up by a team and given a shot to make the roster as a special teams player or backup.
Best guess: Undrafted


Jibreel Black, DT
Black is a 6’2″, 278 lb. player who did 29 reps on the bench press at Michigan’s pro day, which was tops on the team that day. He did not produce heavily at Michigan, but he did start a fair share of games and played every position on the defensive line at one point or another. Black used his quickness at defensive tackle because he never put on the bulk to become a great run-stopper. He’s somewhat of a tweener who lacks the ideal speed and height for defensive end and lacks the ideal size to play inside at the next level.
Best guess: Undrafted


Quinton Washington, DT
Washington measured in at 6’2″, 292 lbs. at Michigan’s pro day, where he was nursing an ankle injury and could not participate in every phase. He ran a 5.55 forty and did 26 reps on the bench press. He looked larger than 292 during the season, so perhaps he slimmed down in an effort to lower his forty times. Either way, Washington had a mildly productive 2012 season followed by an oddly ineffective 2013 season that saw his playing time reduced. His measurables are not particularly impressive, and when combined with his on-the-field production, he will surely not have his name called in the draft. Washington played offensive guard early in his college career, but he’s not physically imposing enough to warrant a William Campbell-like position change in the NFL, in my opinion. If Washington makes it at the next level, it will have to be as a free agent nose tackle.
Best guess: Undrafted


Courtney Avery, CB
Avery is a 5’11”, 175 lb. player who played cornerback and some safety in college. After a rough freshman season, he had a solid sophomore year followed by diminishing returns as a junior and senior. Despite being named a captain, he was used only sporadically throughout his senior year. Avery has decent size to play corner in the NFL, but he lacks the speed, hips, and anticipation to play it capably at the next level. If he continues his football career, it will likely be at a lower level. I do not even see him as a practice squad player.
Best guess: Undrafted

Drew Dileo, WR
Dileo is a 5’10”, 180 lb. receiver who did a lot of things at Michigan. He played receiver, returned punts, returned kickoffs, and was the holder for extra points and field goals. Dileo did a fine job as a role player at Michigan, but he doesn’t have the size to play receiver in the NFL, nor does he have the speed to make up for it.


Jareth Glanda, LS
Glanda measured in at 6’3″, 256 lbs. as a senior. He was nearly perfect as a long snapper in college, but the job gets even tougher at the next level. Snappers often double as backup linebackers or tight ends in the NFL who can contribute elsewhere in an emergency, but Glanda has no such experience, so that may make it tougher for him to cut it at the next level.
Best guess: Undrafted

OTHER SENIORS WHO WILL LIKELY GO UNDRAFTED

Joe Reynolds, WR
Jeremy Jackson, WR

13Mar 2014
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2014 Michigan Pro Day Results

Safety Thomas Gordon had perhaps the most impressive Pro Day

DB Courtney Avery: 36.5″ vertical

DT Jibreel Black: 29 reps on 225 lb. bench

WR Jeremy Gallon: 39.5″ vertical, 10’10” broad jump

LB Cameron Gordon: 4.65 forty, 36″ vertical

S Thomas Gordon: 4.49 forty, 40.5″ vertical, 10’5.5″ broad jump, 4.10 twenty-yard shuttle

OT Taylor Lewan: Only participated in offensive line drills

WR Joe Reynolds: 37.5″ vertical, 10’5″ broad jump

OT Michael Schofield: 9′ broad jump

RB Fitzgerald Toussaint: 4.49 forty, 24 reps on 225 lb. bench, 6.59 three-cone drill, 4.10 twenty-yard shuttle

DT Quinton Washington: 26 reps on 225 lb. bench

14Feb 2014
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Cameron Gordon, #4

Cameron Gordon

HIGH SCHOOL
Gordon came from Inkster (MI) Inkster in the class of 2009, where he was a teammate of Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner, who was a year younger. Gordon’s senior season saw him catch 49 passes for 863 yards, and he also had 126 tackles, 5 sacks, and 5 interceptions at linebacker. Rivals ranked him as a 4-star, the #36 wide receiver, and the #233 player overall in his class. He chose the Wolverines in December 2008 over offers from Cincinnati, Iowa, Minnesota, and some MAC schools. Here’s my first TTB post on Gordon, where I claimed he was the most likely freshman to redshirt.

COLLEGE
Michigan’s head coach at the time, Rich Rodriguez, promised Gordon a chance to play wide receiver, which is where he took reps as a true freshman. During the spring of 2010, he made the switch to free safety and started 7 games there before moving to linebacker, where he started the final 6 contests. Altogether, he made 77 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, and 2 fumble recoveries (1 of which he returned for a 58-yard touchdown against Purdue). When Brady Hoke and his staff arrived in 2011, they moved Gordon to SAM linebacker. Bothered by a bad back and stuck behind Jake Ryan and Brennen Beyer, he made just 4 tackles on the year. With Beyer playing defensive end in 2012, Gordon saw his playing time increase and finished with 17 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 pass breakup. He was then named one of four team captains prior to the 2013 season and started 2 games while Ryan recovered from a torn ACL; Gordon turned in his best statistical year since his redshirt freshman season and topped off his career with 40 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, a team-leading 5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble.

CAREER STATISTICS
138 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 3 interceptions for 35 yards, 7 pass breakups, 2 fumble recoveries for 58 yards and 1 touchdown, 1 forced fumble


AWARDS
Second Team Freshman All-American, 2010
Academic All-Big Ten, 2010-2012
Team Captain, 2013


SUMMARY
I was always leery of Gordon as a wide receiver (and then as a safety) because of his size and relative lack of speed. He played linebacker in high school, and I rarely like the idea of moving guys back in a defense (see also: Josh Furman). Even though he had 3 picks as a redshirt freshman safety, he got burned repeatedly, including by tight ends. Once he moved to linebacker, he gave the Wolverines a little more speed and athleticism. I wish he would have played more over Beyer, but Gordon found himself somewhat limited once Ryan emerged as such a big playmaker. It speaks to his leadership and lack of complaining that he was able to become a captain despite being a backup for the majority of his career.


I WILL REMEMBER HIM FOR . . . 
. . . his interception deep in the red zone against Indiana in 2010. He made a very nice play on the ball, and he helped secure a 42-35 win by stopping the Hoosiers on a potential scoring drive. He had a couple other picks, that exciting score against Purdue, and some nice plays early in his senior season, but that pick against Indiana still stands out.

PROJECTION
Listed at 6’3″ and 237 lbs., Gordon has plenty of size to play linebacker in the NFL. I will be curious to see how he performs at Michigan’s Pro Day. I doubt he will amaze anyone with his strength, speed, or quickness, but he has a nice combination of all those things. If guys like Tim Jamison, Roy Manning, and Shantee Orr can eke out careers as backup or practice squad edge guys in the NFL, I don’t see why Gordon can’t do the same thing if he wants. He’s more versatile than those guys since he can rush the passer and cover in space a little bit.