Tag: Jimmy Rolder

2024 Spring Football Preview: Linebacker

2023 Starters: MLB Junior Colson, WLB Michael Barrett
Losses: Colson (NFL), Barrett (NFL)
Returning players: Jaydon Hood (RS Jr.), Ernest Hausmann (Jr.), Micah Pollard (Jr.), Jimmy Rolder (RS So.), Semaj Bridgeman (RS Fr.), Jason Hewlett (RS Fr.), Hayden Moore (RS Fr.)
Newcomers: Jaishawn Barham (Jr.), Jeremiah Beasley (Fr.), Cole Sullivan (Fr.)
Projected starters: MLB Barham, WLB Hausmann

With the prevalence of the nickel position, linebacker has been somewhat de-emphasized in recent years. A position group that used to play three guys is now primarily whittled down to two. Michigan had a very good two in 2023 in Junior Colson and Michael Barrett, but both are off to the NFL. Both have had very different paths, with Colson playing three years – two as a starter – and Barrett bouncing around between running back, slot receiver, Viper, and weakside linebacker.

Michigan will have two new starting faces at linebacker in 2024, and both of them are transfers who previously wore red. Barham is a two-year starter at Maryland whom the Wolverines poached this off-season. Hausmann started as a freshman at Nebraska in 2022 before joining the Wolverines in 2023, rotating heavily with Colson and Barrett as basically a third starter. So while both will be new starters at Michigan, they have three combined years of starting and another year of heavily involvement out of four college seasons. That’s a ton of experience for two “new” starters and should help Michigan’s defense succeed in 2024.

The backup situation is a little murkier, especially with a new defensive coordinator (Wink Martindale) and a new linebackers coach (Brian Jean-Mary). Jimmy Rolder got a lot of experience in 2022 before playing sparingly in 2023 in the hopes of preserving his redshirt, which was a successful endeavor. Rolder seems like the most likely guy to emerge as a rotational guy or primary backup in 2024. Meanwhile, Jaydon Hood is a fourth-year player who was recruited by Jean-Mary to Michigan out of high school; some suspected Hood would have left by now with no clear path to playing time, but he’s still wearing a winged helmet.

Junior Micah Pollard has played a ton of special teams and some in a backup role, but the rest of the guys are total unknowns on the college level. Semaj Bridgeman, Jason Hewlett, and Hayden Moore all redshirted in 2023, and Michigan gets two early enrollees involved this spring with in-state product Jeremiah Beasley and Pennsylvanian Cole Sullivan. There are way too many players (10) in the linebacker room to support just two starting spots, so this is a position group that will certainly be thinned out by transfers within the next couple years. But for now, it will be interesting to see who could eventually step in, because both Barham and Hausmann could conceivably jump to the NFL with solid seasons in 2024.

2023 Season Countdown: #39 Jimmy Rolder

Name: Jimmy Rolder
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 233 lbs.
High school: Orland Park (IL) Marist
Position: Linebacker
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #30
Last year: I ranked Rolder #81 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in thirteen games and made 14 tackles.
TTB Rating: 81

Rolder emerged last season, especially late, as a valuable piece of Michigan’s defense. With Nikhai Hill-Green out for the 2022 season with an injury, the team needed someone to step up at inside linebacker. Junior Colson and Mike Barrett manned the positions for the most part, but the third guy turned out to be Rolder, who made 14 tackles altogether. Listed at 220 lbs. last year, he looked a little thin and had a few tackling issues – which stood out more because Michigan tackles so well in general – but he played pretty well for a freshman.

This season Rolder might end up being the fourth linebacker. Colson and Barrett return, and Nebraska transfer Ernest Hausmann is also in the mix. Rolder has added thirteen pounds and might look less out of place, but the other three guys all have significant starting experience. There has been some talk that Colson could leap to the NFL in 2024, and Barrett will be out of eligibility, so Hausmann and Rolder could be getting groomed in 2023 to be the inside linebacker duo for next year. Regardless, there are always bumps and bruises at linebacker, so Rolder should get some decent playing time on defense as well as continue to be a special teams player.

Prediction: Backup linebacker and special teamer

2022 Season Countdown: #81 Jimmy Rolder

Name: Jimmy Rolder
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school: Orland Park (IL) Marist
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Rolder was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 115 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles.
TTB Rating: 81

Rolder was a bit of a late bloomer. Originally planning to play baseball in college, his recruitment didn’t really take off until he realized that hitting running backs is a whole lot easier to do than hitting baseballs. His first Power 5 offer didn’t come until October of his senior season. He climbed in the rankings and eventually ended up as a 4-star, the #21 linebacker, and #222 overall in the 247 Composite, and Michigan bested Florida, Iowa, LSU, Ohio State, and Wisconsin for his services.

Rolder did not enroll at Michigan early and is just getting to campus this summer, so the chances of him playing much this fall are slim. Much like Deuce Spurlock (whom I profiled yesterday), if Rolder gets on the field, that means things have probably gone wrong with injuries and performance ahead of him. He also probably needs a year or two in the weight room. He could get some late game snaps to prepare him for 2023, when Michigan may need someone to take up snaps potentially vacated by Mike Barrett.

Prediction: Redshirt

How Does the 2022 Class Match Up with Michigan’s All-Time Recruits?

Thanks to Ashley, Eric, Joe, and Stephen for the recent Paypal donations.

As much as we like to get excited about every single Michigan recruit, it’s important to keep perspective and realize that not every one of these players will be destined for stardom. This exercise can give us a range of what to expect from some of these players, even though star rankings can be very wrong.

Will Johnson – CB – Grosse Pointe (MI) South
2022 ranking: #14
Historical ranking: tied for #9 all-time at Michigan
Tied with: S Daxton Hill (2019) and DE LaMarr Woodley (2003)
Closest positional comparisons: Jabrill Peppers (#3 in 2014) and Donovan Warren (#27 in 2007)

Derrick Moore – DE – Baltimore (MD) St. Francis
2022 ranking: #49
Historical ranking: tied for #37 all-time at Michigan
Tied with: OG Kyle Kalis (2012) and RB Ty Isaac (2013)
Closest positional comparisons: Pierre Woods (#43 in 2001) and Luiji Vilain (#56 in 2017)

Keon Sabb – S – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy
2022 ranking: #84
Historical ranking: #64 all-time at Michigan
Flanked by: OT Cory Zirbel (#83 in 2005) and #87 Kyle Bosch (2013)
Closest positional comparisons: Michael Williams (#72 in 2007) and Demar Dorsey (#87 in 2010)

Hit the jump for more.

Visitors: Michigan vs. Ohio State

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Here is an early list of players who are planning to head to Ann Arbor for The Game.

2022

Zeke Berry – S – Concord (CA) De La Salle: Berry is a 6’0″, 185-pounder with offers from Michigan, Oregon, and UCLA; he decommitted from Arizona. He’s a 4-star, the #19 safety, and #227 overall. This is an official visit.

Ethan Burke – DE – Austin (TX) Westlake: Burke is a 6’7″, 225 lb. prospect with offers from Baylor, Kansas State, Michigan, and Texas Tech, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 3-star and the #40 edge player. This is an official visit.

Joshua Conerly – OT – Seattle (WA) Rainier Beach: Conerly is a 6’5″, 275-pounder with offers from Michigan, Oregon, and USC, among others. He’s a 5-star, the #3 offensive tackle, and #19 overall. He already took an official visit to Michigan – and an unofficial – so this will be his third trip to Ann Arbor. UPDATE: Conerly is no longer planning to visit.

Kiyaunta Goodwin – OT – Charlestown (IN) Charlestown: Goodwin is a 6’8″, 340 lb. prospect who’s committed to Kentucky. He also has offers from Alabama and Michigan, among others. He’s a 5-star, the #5 offensive tackle, and #30 overall.

Kenneth Grant – DT – Merrillville (IN) Merrillville: Grant is committed to Michigan.

Kevonte Henry – LB – Lawndale (CA) Leuzinger: Henry is committed to Michigan (LINK).

Domani Jackson – CB – Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei: Jackson is a 6’1″, 185 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama and Michigan, along with a bunch of others. He also just decommitted from USC last week. He’s a 5-star, the #2 cornerback, and #6 overall. He has developed a good relationship with Michigan commit Will Johnson (see below), who has been a big positive in Jackson’s recruitment. Jackson took an official visit back in September, so this is an unofficial.

Hit the jump for more.