Tag: Donovan Jeter

2022 NFL Draft Results

The 2022 NFL Draft has wrapped, and here are the Michigan-related results:

Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was taken in the 1st round (#2 overall) by the Detroit Lions.

Safety Daxton Hill was taken in the 1st round (#31 overall) by the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals.

Outside linebacker David Ojabo was picked in the 2nd round (#45 overall) by John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens. Ojabo would almost certainly have been a 1st round pick if not for a torn Achilles suffered at Michigan’s pro day.

Running back Hassan Haskins was drafted in the 4th round (#131 overall) by the Tennessee Titans, where he will have a chance to run behind former Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan.

Offensive tackle Andrew Stueber went to the New England Patriots in the 7th round (#245 overall), joining former Wolverine Michael Onwenu on the offensive line. Outside linebacker Joshua Uche and inside linebacker Cam McGrone are also with the Patriots.

Undrafted free agent signings include:

• CB Vincent Gray to the New Orleans Saints
• S Brad Hawkins to the Atlanta Falcons
• DT Chris Hinton to the New York Giants
• DT Donovan Jeter to the Pittsburgh Steelers
• QB Brandon Peters, who transferred to Illinois, to the Los Angeles Chargers
• LB Josh Ross to the Baltimore Ravens
• DE Luiji Vilain, who transferred to Wake Forest, to the Minnesota Vikings

2022 NFL Draft Preview: Michigan

It’s NFL Draft time! The draft starts tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. EST. Here is a look at the various Michigan players eligible for the draft.

Aidan Hutchinson, DE
Captain and all-time season sacks leader Aidan Hutchinson will be the first Wolverine off the board. At 6’7″ and 260 pounds, Hutchinson showed off good (not great) speed with a 4.75 forty at the Combine and also has elite quickness with a 4.15-second 20-yard shuttle. His arms are considered to be a little short (32 1/8″), but that doesn’t seem to be limiting his draft stock. In general, he’s considered to be nearly a lock to go in the top two to the Jaguars or Lions.
Projected round: 1st

Daxton Hill, S
At 6’0″ and 191 pounds, Hill is a little bit small for a traditional safety role. However, his speed (4.38 in the forty) and athleticism (10’1″ broad jump) are tantalizing and he’s a willing and able tackler in the open field. He could be a starter from day one, especially as a nickel corner. Scouts seem to like his man coverage abilities, and he could also be a major asset on special teams. Most projections seem to have in the bottom half of the first round, and he’s battling with Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton to be the first safety off the board.
Projected round: 1st

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2021 Season Countdown: #16 Donovan Jeter

Name: Donovan Jeter
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 325 lbs.
High school: Beaver Falls (PA) Beaver Falls
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #95
Last year: I ranked Jeter #29 and said he would be a backup defensive tackle (LINK). He made 11 tackles, 1 pass breakup, and 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown.
TTB Rating: 78

In some ways Jeter has been a much maligned figure over the past four years. He was listed as a strongside defensive end as a recruit, but everybody knew he was headed for defensive tackle. Fans expected him to take a couple years to develop, but that never seemed to happen. As he enters his fifth year on campus, he has not yet registered a single sack or tackle for loss. Far and away, the biggest highlight of his career was last year against Minnesota, when a big hit by a blitzing Michael Barrett popped the ball up into the air, where it happened to land in Jeter’s arms and he ran a few yards into the endzone. Otherwise, the soundtrack of Jeter’s career is filled with crickets.

Here we are in 2021 in Jeter’s last chance (maybe) to make an impact. Jim Harbaugh has said this was Jeter’s best off-season, but big talk from coaches doesn’t always translate onto the field. It’s possible that Jeter could return in 2022 since last season didn’t count for eligibility, but that doesn’t make much sense. If he performs well in 2021, he should probably try to parlay that into an NFL career. If he doesn’t perform well, then why waste another year in Ann Arbor where Shaun Nua obviously hasn’t been able to figure out how to develop your skills?

I think Michigan’s scheme change should benefit Jeter. He’s not athletic enough to play a 5-tech regularly, and he doesn’t stay low enough to play in the interior. Playing a tackle position on the inside shoulder of the offensive tackle should be a good spot. He won’t have to take on endless double-teams, and he won’t have to hold the edge. If he can occupy the B-gap while allowing Michigan’s outside linebackers to get to the quarterback and set the edge, Jeter will have done his job. I’m beyond predicting a breakout for Jeter and expect him to have a pretty ho-hum end to his career in a winged helmet, but this should still be his best year.

Prediction: Starting defensive tackle; 18 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack

2020 Season Countdown: #29 Donovan Jeter

Name: Donovan Jeter
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 318 lbs.
High school: Beaver Falls (PA) Beaver Falls
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #95
Last year: I ranked Jeter #1B and said he would be a starting efensive tackle with 20 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 sack (LINK). He strted one game and made 3 tackles.
TTB Rating: 78

This is my mea culpa for the 2019 countdown. I ranked Jeter at #1B – just behind Shea Patterson – because I thought he was going to have a little bit of a breakout, but also mostly because he was a big guy at a position where Michigan really didn’t have many big guys.

In my defense, the defensive tackle position was probably the weakest position group, and that really hurt Michigan. But Jeter was not even close to being the guy who mattered most. That honor should have gone to Carlo Kemp, and the likes of Chris Hinton, Jess Speight, and Michael Dwumfour outperformed Jeter.

Kemp, Hinton, and Speight return, while Dwumfour transferred to Rutgers. Jeter will also be battling redshirt freshman Mazi Smith for playing time, along with any of the young whippersnappers who try to step up and play inside.

I don’t expect much from Jeter because he burned me last year. Not only that, but he’s up from a listed 290 to a listed 318 when quickness and conditioning seemed to be part of the issue even at a lighter weight. (For the record, I believe he was heavier than 290 in 2019, but that’s how the roster listed him.) But it’s a now-or-never situation with Jeter, who’s a redshirt junior without much to show for it at this point.

Prediction: Backup defensive tackle

Ohio State 56, Michigan 27

The seniors played like crap. I said this on Twitter, and someone responded saying they’re looking forward to the seniors moving on. I wouldn’t go that far, but I was very disappointed in their lack of poise. I was reminded of Shawn Crable hitting Troy Smith late out of bounds…and that reminder came numerous times. Why did senior captain Carlo Kemp untie Dobbins’s shoe? 15 yards. Why did senior captain Khaleke Hudson jump offsides on a 4th-and-4 Ohio State punt? 5 yards and a first down. Why did Hudson not keep outside contain when OSU got under center and ran the ball at him? Huge gains, one of which was a touchdown. Why did senior quarterback Shea Patterson keep trying to run outside instead of cutting up to follow his blockers? -3 yards each time. Why did senior Josh Metellus decide not to play his deep half in cover 2? Touchdown. These were major gaffes. It annoys me that Cam McGrone hit Justin Fields out of bounds when Fields was already losing yards, but at least McGrone is just a young guy who’s only been starting for less than a full season. The seniors have no excuse.

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