Tag: Jaron Dukes

Poll results: Who will be Michigan’s leading receiver?

This is a poll I took over the summer, prior to the season. Then things got busy and I didn’t have a chance to post the results.

Who do you think Michigan’s leading receiver will be in 2013? All statistics are through seven games.

Jeremy Gallon: 79%
Gallon took a pretty commanding lead with his 369-yard performance against Indiana, but as of now, he has 45 catches for 831 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Amara Darboh: 10%
Darboh suffered a foot injury shortly before the season began, has not played, and is expected to miss the rest of the year.

Devin Funchess: 3%
Funchess has 23 catches for 492 yards and 4 touchdowns. He was pushing Gallon for the lead, but now he’s 339 yards behind.

Drew Dileo: 1% (6 votes)
Dileo has 8 catches for 99 yards and 1 touchdown. I expect him to catch a few more passes down the stretch, but he’s obviously out of the running.

Jehu Chesson: 1% (5 votes)
Chesson’s 7 catches for 98 yards and 1 touchdown aren’t particularly impressive, but the physical skills are there to be a leading receiver someday. He needs to work on his hands and on adjusting to balls in the air.

Jeremy Jackson: 1% (4 votes)
Jackson has notched 5 catches for 53 yards.

Da’Mario Jones: 1% (4 votes)
Jones has yet to see time on offense, although he has played on special teams.

Joe Reynolds: 1% (4 votes)
Reynolds has 3 catches for 56 yards after being passed up for playing time by Chesson.

Csont’e York: 1% (4 votes)
York has played sparingly this season and has yet to make a catch.

Other: 0% (2 votes)
I don’t know who else might have received a vote. Maybe Dennis Norfleet’s parents stopped by to vote.

Jaron Dukes: 0% (0 votes)
Yeah, nobody voted for him.

2013 Season Countdown: #80 Jaron Dukes

Jaron Dukes (right, with Khalid Hill and Jake Butt)

Name: Jaron Dukes
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 197 lbs.
High school: Columbus (OH) Marion-Franklin
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #83
Last year: Dukes was a senior in high school. I gave him a TTB Rating of 59.

Dukes committed to Michigan in February 2012 after a pretty solid junior year. Never an upper echelon prospect, he had a mediocre senior year due to some iffy quarterback play.  Michigan fans did get a little excitement when Dukes had a good game against future Ohio State cornerback Cam Burrows, from Trotwood-Madison, but overall it was a pretty anticlimactic senior year.

Dukes enters college with a long frame and plenty of room to add weight, a kid that could easily reach 220-225 pounds.  The knock on him is somewhat limited athleticism and speed.  He could be the first receiver from the 2013 class to hit the field due to his size, because freshman receivers sometimes get in the game just due to how they might help in the running game; last year the coaches kept the slight Jehu Chesson on the bench while the physically developed Amara Darboh saw the field in limited action. However, even if he does see playing time, I doubt Dukes will be an integral part of the offense this season.

Prediction: Redshirt

Poll results: Best wide receiver in 2013 class?

Westland (MI) John Glenn wide receiver Da’Mario Jones

Last week I asked the readers to choose who would be the best wideout in the 2013 class.  Overwhelmingly, TTB readers chose Da’Mario Jones.  Here are the results:

Da’Mario Jones – WR – Westland (MI) John Glenn: 71%
Jones is a 6’2″, 185 lb., 3-star prospect.  He has a little more speed than the other two receivers in the class, but he was under the radar, partly because he bounced from New Jersey to Michigan before his senior year.  Jones was my choice for the top receiver in the class.  Here’s his commitment post.

Jaron Dukes – WR – Columbus (OH) Marion Franklin: 15%
Dukes is about 6’4″ and around 200 lbs.  He did not have a great senior season, which has been partly blamed (according to observers, not Dukes) on a lack of quality quarterback play at Marion Franklin.  My biggest question about Dukes is his lack of speed, which might limit him to being an occasional target as a possession receiver; of course, he could also be a good red zone target due to his size.  He has some upside, but his athleticism leaves a little to be desired. (Commitment post.)

Csont’e York – WR – Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park: 13%
If I were ranking these guys, I would have put York second and Dukes third.  While York lacks some of Dukes’s length, I think York is a more natural pass catcher.  He’s still not an explosive target, but he adjusts well to the ball in the air and catches the ball with his hands away from his body.  I think he will be a quality target on jump balls and near the sideline, somewhat like a Brandon Lloyd (minus some speed) who can contort himself into making some difficult catches. (Commitment post.)

Scout: Class of 2013 Ohio Final State Rankings

Dymonte Thomas is the #2 player in the state of Ohio for the class of 2013

Scout finalized its state of Ohio rankings for the class of 2013.  Here are some notes for Michigan fans:

2. Dymonte Thomas – S – Alliance (OH) Marlington: Offered, committed to Michigan.
3. DeVeon Smith – RB – Warren (OH) Howland: Offered, committed to Michigan.
4. Evan Lisle – OT – Centerville (OH) Centerville: Offered, committed to Ohio State.
5. Cameron Burrows – CB – Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: Offered, committed to Ohio State.
6. Gareon Conley – CB – Massillon (OH) Washington: Offered, committed to Ohio State.
7. Jake Butt – TE – Pickerington (OH) North: Offered, committed to Michigan.
9. Ben Gedeon – LB – Hudson (OH) Hudson: Offered, committed to Michigan.
11. Taco Charlton – DE – Pickerington (OH) Central: Offered, committed to Michigan.
12. Billy Price – DT – Youngstown (OH) Fitch: Offered, committed to Ohio State.
14. Shane Jones – LB – Cincinnati (OH) Moeller: Offered, committed to Michigan State.
16. Rob Wheelwright – WR – Columbus (OH) Walnut Ridge: Offered, committed to Wisconsin.
19. Jayme Thompson – S – Toledo (OH) Central Catholic: Offered, committed to Ohio State.
20. Godwin Igwebuike – RB – Pickerington (OH) North: Teammate of TE commit Jake Butt.
22. Jacob Matuska – DE – Columbus (OH) Bishop Hartley: Offered, committed to Notre Dame.
24. Michael McCray II – LB – Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: Offered, committed to Michigan.
32. Jarrod Clements – DT – Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: Teammate of LB commit Michael McCray II, committed to Illinois.
37. Reon Dawson – CB – Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: Offered, committed to Michigan.
38. Ross Douglas – CB – Avon (OH) Avon: Offered, committed to Michigan.
39. Matt Miller – OG – Toledo (OH) St. John’s: Brother of Michigan center Jack Miller, committed to Wisconsin.
40. Marcus Ball – S – Westerville (OH) South: Offered.
47. Jaron Dukes – WR – Columbus (OH) Walnut Ridge: Offered, committed to Michigan.
52. Kevin Gladney – WR – Akron (OH) Firestone: Offered, committed to Nebraska.
58. Dan Monteroso – WR – St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville: Teammate of 2014 LB commit Michael Ferns.

Recruit Tracker: Jaron Dukes

Jaron Dukes

August 24, 2012:  Dukes’ Columbus (OH) Marion-Franklin team beat Columbus Brookhaven by a score of 20-14.  Dukes described his performance as the “worst game I’ve ever had.”  Marion-Franklin is now 1-0.

August 31, 2012:  Marion-Franklin lost to Michigan commitment Taco Charlton and Pickerington (OH) Pickerington Central by a score of 45-24.  Dukes caught 5 passes for 42 yards.  Marion-Franklin is now 1-1.

September 7, 2012:  Marion-Franklin beat Canal Winchester (OH) by a score of 28-3.  Dukes recorded “over 100 yards and 1 TD,” according to his twitter account.  His team is now 2-1.

September 14, 2012:  Marion-Franklin routed Columbus (OH) Briggs, 72-6.  Dukes caught 4 passes for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns in the game.  Marion-Franklin is now 3-1.

September 21, 2012:  After a weather delay caused the game to be postponed to Saturday morning, Marion-Franklin took down Columbus (OH) Independence by a score of 36-30.  Dukes caught 2 passes for 24 yards.  Marion-Franklin is now 4-1.

September 28, 2012:  Marion-Franklin overcame five turnovers to beat Columbus (OH) Walnut Ridge by a score of 7-6.  Jaron Dukes “didn’t see many passes thrown his way” but did make a nice play on the ball in the fourth quarter for a 10-yard game-winning touchdown reception.  His team is now 5-1.

October 5, 2012:  Marion-Franklin dominated Columbus (OH) Africentric Early College, 73-20.  Dukes had two catches for 30 yards and a touchdown.  His team is now 6-1.

October 12, 2012:  Marion-Franklin defeated Columbus (OH) West by a score of 53-14.  Dukes had one reception for 38 yards in the game.  Marion-Franklin is now 7-1.

October 19, 2012: Marion-Franklin beat Columbus (OH) Eastmoor Academy by a score of 6-0.  Marion-Franklin is now 8-1.


October 26, 2012: Marion-Franklin beat Columbus (OH) South by a score of 43-21.  Marion Franklin is now 9-1.


November 2, 2012: Marion-Franklin beat Licking Heights (OH) Licking Heights by a score of 46-14.  Marion Franklin is now 10-1.

November 9, 2012: Marion-Franklin beat Canal Winchester (OH) Canal Winchester by a score of 44-14.  Dukes had 3 receptions for 38 yards and 1 touchdown.  Marion-Franklin is now 11-1.

November 16, 2012: Marion-Franklin lost to New Albany (OH) New Albany by a score of 32-30.  Dukes caught 2 passes for 28 yards and a two-point conversion.  Marion-Franklin ends the year 11-2.

Final stats: 31 receptions, 553 yards, 9 touchdowns