Tag: Cornell Wheeler

2023 Ex-Wolverine Updates: Week 4

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FORMER PLAYERS

TE Erick All (Iowa): All caught 3 passes for 35 yards in a 31-0 loss to Penn State.

WR Andrel Anthony (Oklahoma): Anthony caught 7 passes for 117 yards in a 20-6 win over Cincinnati. He now has 21 catches for 371 yards and 1 touchdown this year.

Andrel Anthony is good at footballpic.twitter.com/hCHo76mqoB

— RanDynasty (@ran_dynasty) September 23, 2023

QB Alan Bowman (Oklahoma State): Bowman completed 23/48 throws for 278 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in a 34-27 loss to Iowa State. He also ran 4 times for 5 yards and 1 touchdown.

Alan Bowman with a dime on his 6th drive of the day for a TD.

Almost like a QB settles into a game when you let him play more than 4-5 drives. Weird. #OKState pic.twitter.com/xnbihinjZq

— TJ Eckert (@TJEckertKTUL) September 23, 2023

Hit the jump for more.

Ex-Wolverine Player Updates: Pre-season 2023

FORMER PLAYERS

TE Erick All (Iowa): All is now a Hawkeye and might play second fiddle at tight end to Luke Lachey, but Iowa uses multiple tight ends on a regular basis, so he should get plenty of playing time. Last year’s second tight end was Lachey, who had 28 catches for 398 yards and 4 touchdowns behind Sam LaPorta, who is now with the Detroit Lions.

WR Andrel Anthony (Oklahoma): Anthony is slotted in as a starting receiver for the Sooners this fall. He’s listed as a 6’1″, 192 lb. junior.

QB Alan Bowman (Oklahoma State): Bowman is in a battle for the starting quarterback job at one of the “other” OSU schools.

OG Zach Carpenter (Indiana): Carpenter is a redshirt senior who is expected to start at center for the Hoosiers.

S Damani Dent (Charlotte): Dent is a 5’11”, 196 lb. redshirt freshman at Charlotte.

CB Darion Green-Warren (Nevada): Green-Warren is a redshirt sophomore who is expected to be a backup for the Wolfpack in 2023.

TE Louis Hansen (UConn): Hansen is expected to start for the Huskies at tight end this fall. He’s listed at 6’4″ and 238 pounds.

Hit the jump for more.

Cornell Wheeler, Ex-Wolverine

Redshirt freshman linebacker Cornell Wheeler put his name into the transfer portal. Wheeler was a 3-star, the #22 inside linebacker, and #471 overall in the class of 2020.

Wheeler played for Ron Bellamy at West Bloomfield High School, so it surprises me a little bit that he would transfer before even spending one full season with Bellamy on the coaching staff. However, Bellamy coaches safeties, so their contact might be a bit limited. Regardless, this seems like a slightly odd development.

On the other hand, I always thought Wheeler was a bit of a project and would have his best chance to succeed only if he stuck around for a few years. Athletically, he did not jump off the screen on his highlights. I do think he has a chance to be a hard-hitting, solid inside linebacker at the college level, but I would not expect that from him until he’s been in school for three to five years.

Michigan signed five linebackers in the 2020 class, and the only two remaining on the roster are Nikhai Hill-Green and Kalel Mullings. Wheeler, William Mohan (Tennessee), and Osman Savage (Alabama A&M) have all decided to find greener pastures elsewhere.

2020 Season Countdown: #81 Cornell Wheeler

Name: Cornell Wheeler
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school: West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Wheeler was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 130 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery.
TTB Rating: 73

Statistically, Wheeler had a standout season in 2019 with a whopping 130 tackles.

And yet that still paled in comparison to the 165 tackles he racked up in 2018.

My guess is those tackle numbers will drop considerably in 2020. Wheeler enters college as an inside linebacker for a team with an entrenched starter at middle linebacker (Cam McGrone) and an experienced probable starter at weakside linebacker (Josh Ross). Michigan normally rotates three inside linebackers and then just gives a smattering of snaps to anyone else. One thing to consider is if COVID-19 causes a player to be out for a couple weeks, so maybe we’ll see more players play and fewer redshirts in 2020. But aside from that possibility, I expect Wheeler to redshirt.

Prediction: Redshirt

Hit the jump for Wheeler’s senior highlights.

How does the 2020 class match up with Michigan’s all-time recruits?

Michigan wrapped up a decent recruiting class earlier in February. There are no 5-star recruits, but the Wolverines got a fair share of 4-star guys. For a historical perspective on where they match up with recruits from the past, here’s a look at where they slot in all-time, according to the 247 Composite.

A.J. Henning – WR – Frankfort (IL) Lincoln-Way East
2020 ranking: #101
Historical ranking: #80 all-time at Michigan
Flanked by: RB Kareem Walker (#100 in 2016) and DT Will Johnson (#105 in 2004)
Closest positional comparisons: Toney Clemons (#96 in 2007) and Adrian Arrington (#115 in 2004)

Braiden McGregor – DE – Port Huron (MI) Northern
2020 ranking: #122
Historical ranking: #103
Tied with: WR Tarik Black (#122 in 2017)
Closest positional comparisons: Aidan Hutchinson (#112 in 2018) and Chris Wormley (#129 in 2012)

Hit the jump for more.