Tag: Joey Velazquez

2022 Season Countdown: #49 Joey Velazquez

Name: Joey Velazquez
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 228 lbs.
High school: Columbus (OH) St. Frances DeSales
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #29
Last year: I ranked Velazquez #63 and said he would be a backup linebacker and special teamer (LINK). He played in eight games and made 2 tackles with 1 fumble recovery.
TTB Rating: 82

It’s been getting late early for Velazquez for a couple seasons now. It seems like forever ago now, but Velazquez was initially recruited to Michigan to play the “Viper” outside linebacker/safety hybrid position in Don Brown’s defense. Since that time Velazquez has played some baseball (he hit .277 with 5 homeruns and 21 RBI this past season), changed positions to inside linebacker, and played some special teams. But his impact on the field has been relatively minimal. So far he has played in nine games with 2 tackles and 1 fumble recovery during his three years on campus.

Now is the time for him to step up if he’s going to step up. Michigan has a solid two inside linebackers with Junior Colson and Nikhai Hill-Green, and then things get dicey. Part-time running back Kalel Mullings, position-fluid Mike Barrett, and redshirt freshman Jaydon Hood are all competing with Velazquez to be the next man in. So far I have not seen anything to make me think Velazquez will be that guy, but he’s a decent all-around athlete who should see an increased role on special teams, if nothing else. I think he’s getting to the point where he can be a solid veteran on specials, but I would be surprised if he’s more than a mop-up duty guy on defense.

Prediction: Backup linebacker and special teamer

2021 Season Countdown: #63 Joey Velazquez

Name: Joey Velazquez
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 224 lbs.
High school: Columbus (OH) St. Francis De Sales
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #29
Last year: I ranked Velazquez #78 and said he would be a backup linebacker and special teamer (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: 82

Velazquez has developed roughly in the manner I expected so far during his career. After starting off his career at Viper in 2019, he moved to inside linebacker in 2020. That was a better fit for him, especially considering all the players Michigan had been bringing in at the hybrid Viper position. The one opportunity he got to see the field in 2020 was on special teams against Michigan State.

Now with the defensive coaching change, it’s unclear exactly what the defense will look like in 2021. Velazquez is still a little light at 224 lbs., and his baseball training probably holds him back from realizing his full potential in football. (He hit .174 with 7 RBI and 1 double this spring.) It’s very tough to play two sports in college, and I would not be surprised to see him make a choice sometime in the next year about which sport to choose to play full-time. There were some positive things being said about him this off-season, but at best, he appears to be at least the fifth-best inside linebacker going into year three.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

2020 Season Countdown: #78 Joey Velazquez

Name: Joey Velazquez
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 213 lbs.
High school: Columbus (OH) St. Francis De Sales
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #9
Last year: I ranked Velazquez #89 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: 82

So far Velazquez’s Michigan career is going as expected:

Start career off redshirting at Viper? Check.

Bulk up and move to WILL linebacker? Check.

It’s year two in Michigan’s system, and the only thing that hasn’t gone according to plan is when his freshman baseball season was canceled due to coronavirus.

The two-sport athlete goes into his redshirt freshman season as a potential role player on defense, mainly due to the departure of some key backups (Jordan Anthony, Devin Gil). While Joshua Ross is likely to start at WILL, the backup situation is in flux. Velazquez will be in a battle with sophomore Anthony Solomon, redshirt freshman Charles Thomas, and a few freshmen to get on the field. I expect Velazquez’s primary contribution to come on special teams.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

Final TTB Ratings for 2019

Help out the blog by making purchases at Amazon from links like this one (LINK):

I know it’s a little bit late in the game, but back in the spring, I didn’t have time to review all the senior film for Michigan’s 2019 signees and give them updated TTB Ratings. I did that during the 2019 Season Countdown, so here are the final TTB Ratings for the class of 2019.

S Daxton Hill: 100
He’s the best safety in the class, though it’s an unimpressive safety class overall.

RB Zach Charbonnet: 83 90
As long as he can get/stay healthy, Charbonnet has the potential to be a high draft pick in the future.

DT Chris Hinton, Jr.: 90
He should be an early contributor with high long-term upside.

Hit the jump for more.

2019 Season Countdown: #89 Joey Velazquez

Name: Joey Velazquez
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Columbus (OH) St. Francis De Sales
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Velazquez was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 101 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 7 forced fumbles, and 6 pass breakups; he also ran for 817 yards and 13 touchdowns.
TTB Rating: 82

Velazquez is that rare kid who leaves the shadow of Buckeye Stadium to head north to Ann Arbor. That takes a special kind of kid, especially when there are other options. While he didn’t have an Ohio State offer, there were other schools in pursuit – in both football and baseball, the latter of which Velazquez will also play at Michigan.

This year will probably be a developmental year for Velazquez. Defensive coordinator Don Brown said he could play WILL linebacker, but he’s coming in as a Viper. Michigan has two senior Vipers (Khaleke Hudson and Jordan Glasgow) and a redshirt freshman they’re grooming (Michael Barrett), so Velazquez shouldn’t be needed this season. And while he was listed at 6’0″ and 205 lbs. as a senior, he’s listed by Michigan at 5’11”, 195 lbs., not big enough to play WILL yet. Velazquez has a shot to play some special teams, perhaps, but I full expect him to redshirt.

Prediction: Redshirt