Tag: David Dawson

2016 Season Countdown: #45 David Dawson

David Dawson (image via Scout)

Name: David Dawson
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 316 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #55
Last year: I ranked Dawson #56 and said he would be a backup offensive guard (LINK). He played in six games as a backup left guard.

Dawson had opportunities to break into the lineup over the past couple seasons, including when Kyle Kalis struggled in 2015. The coaching staffs have decided to stick with their guys, so the 2015 versions of Kalis and Ben Braden went start-to-finish as the right and left guards, respectively. Meanwhile, Dawson played occasionally as a backup guard when minor injuries occurred, or late in blowout games. He struggled in last year’s spring game, and he struggled during the 2015 season. He just wasn’t there yet.

This spring Dawson was in a shoulder sling during the Ford Field open practice. He missed a chunk of time, and while he’s supposed to be healthy for the fall, that doesn’t bode well for his development. The two starters are likely to again be Braden and Kalis, but they both graduate after this season. Fellow backup lineman Blake Bars isn’t returning for a fifth season, backup interior lineman Patrick Kugler has had his own struggles, and Logan Tuley-Tillman was booted off the team last year for legal troubles. That leaves the Wolverines pretty thin at the three interior positions, with just Dawson, Kugler, Juwann Bushell-Beatty, and varying forms of freshmen vying for time. I’m not 100% sure that Dawson should be ahead of redshirt freshman Jon Runyan, Jr., but considering that Dawson has two seasons of being the primary backup guard, I think he will maintain that spot. With both guard spots opening up in 2017, it will be interesting to see the dogfight that ensues between Dawson and the aforementioned players.

Prediction: Backup offensive guard

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Spring Football Preview: Offensive Line

Mason Cole

Projected starters: LT Grant Newsome (So.), LG Ben Braden (RS Sr.), C Mason Cole (Jr.), RG Kyle Kalis (RS Sr.), RT Erik Magnuson (RS Sr.). Newsome was the sixth lineman by the end of the season. Jim Harbaugh said recently that Cole would start getting snaps at center as soon as spring practices starts, those two developments seem to be related. Braden, Kalis, and Magnuson all started at those respective positions for the entirety of 2015.

Hit the jump for the rest of the offensive line preview.

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2014 Season Countdown: #53 David Dawson

David Dawson (#55) – image via AnnArbor.com

Name: David Dawson
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 295 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #55
Last year: I ranked Dawson #91 and said he would redshirt. He redshirted.

Dawson spent the 2013 season on the sideline, where most people expected him to stand. He came in a little undersized at 280 lbs., and some of it appeared to be bad weight. Michigan had a revolving door at the guard positions, but Dawson’s classmate, Kyle Bosch, was the most college ready lineman in the class and started a couple games because of it.

Now Dawson is up to 295 lbs., and while most of the main contenders for the interior positions remain (Chris Bryant’s career ended due to injury), they will spread out a little bit with the graduations of tackles Taylor Lewan and Michael Schofield. The semi-permanent starter at left guard, Erik Magnuson, bumps out to left tackle, and starting center/guard Graham Glasgow could also play right tackle if a viable center candidate arises out of the Jack Miller/Patrick Kugler combination. Dawson does not appear to be in contention to start this year, but he may draw into the lineup if there are injuries. He played left tackle and left guard in the spring when Magnuson was out with a shoulder injury, but freshman Mason Cole started the spring game at left tackle. I rank Dawson slightly ahead of Cole because Dawson has a year of experience, a little more size, and the coaches may want to preserve Cole’s redshirt if they can. Based on Dawson’s play in the spring game, he’s still a work in progress. Michigan can’t afford to suffer any long-term injuries on the offensive line.

Prediction: Backup offensive guard/tackle

Video: Dawson, Bosch talk spring ball

Hit the jump for Kyle Bosch’s interview.

2013 Season Countdown: #91 David Dawson

David Dawson

Name: David Dawson
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 280 lbs.
Position: Offensive guard
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #55
Last year: Dawson was a senior in high school. I gave him a TTB Rating of 71.

Dawson’s recruitment was probably the most dramatic of Michigan’s class of 2013. For a little while, some Michigan fans were wringing their hands because the Wolverines hadn’t offered the Cass Tech lineman with some significant BCS offers. When the offer finally came, Dawson committed in February 2012. Then he spent the summer months entertaining trips elsewhere, which is a no-no to Michigan’s staff. A trip to Florida seemed to seal Dawson’s departure from the class . . . but then he re-committed to the Wolverines in December. “The Policy” became “The Policy?” and now nobody knows how Brady Hoke and Co. will handle future recruits who want to visit elsewhere.

On the field, Dawson had enough success to be ESPN’s top-ranked guard and participate in the Under Armour All-America Game. He played tackle in high school but looks like a college offensive guard. There’s not a whole lot of experience at the interior positions, but there is a little bit of depth.  Like most freshman offensive linemen, Dawson is expected to bide his time until at least 2014.

Prediction: Redshirt