Future Blue Derivatives: Cesar Ruiz
[Josh Pruitt]
If you read last week’s roundtable and you’re anything like me, you’ve spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about different line combinations and wondering who might be able to slide where and which guys are most ready to see the field right now. That’s where Youtube comes in.
Cesar Ruiz is purported to be one of the more college-ready linemen in the 2017 class, which is something of an OL luxury for Michigan if that does end up panning out. Ruiz earning the starting nod at center would allow them to move Mason Cole out to tackle if need be; yes, that’s putting the cart before the horse, but you wouldn’t be reading this site if you weren’t a cart-before-horse-putter now and then. Thankfully, Ruiz went to IMG Academy. IMG has a number of games on the youtubes, and a week without hockey to GBGA presents a perfect opportunity to take an every-snap look at the nation’s composite best overall center.
I couldn’t find a full game where Ruiz was lined up across from a DI nose tackle, but the Cetennial game cut-up below does feature a two-star 3-4 DE in BYU commit Seleti Fevaleaki. On top of that, the game itself was incredible. It was a true shootout, with the teams practically trading touchdowns and extra points until there were just 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter. IMG converted on 3rd-and-16 with a 38-yard heave into the end zone; they then decided to go for the two-point conversion (and likely win). They converted, Centennial’s Hail Marys fell short, and IMG held on in a fashion befitting the teams that would end the season ranked third (IMG) and eighth (Centennial) nationally in USA Today’s HS poll.
[Hit THE JUMP for the scouting report]
The play that starts around 00:07 is as good a place to start as any. Ruiz explodes and helps chip the nose; once that guy’s parallel to the line of scrimmage, he works to the second level and finds the MLB. Ruiz gets his hands into the linebacker while the LB isn’t squared up, which results in the ‘backer getting completely turned around, taken off his feet, and deposited 10 yards downfield. His blocks are powerful and driven by a very strong lower body; there are times (00:45, for instance) where he buries his guy and it’s not because of his punch. His punch, though, is usually well timed and effective when he does use it.
Ruiz is surprisingly light on his feet for a guy as big (310 pounds) as he is. He does an excellent job quickly sliding one gap over; his power step and slide steps are efficient, and he seemingly always keeps a solid base. As mentioned above, he’s also great at quickly getting to the second level. He does a good job avoiding false steps; you won’t see him take the kind of extra half step that creates a soft shoulder, the kind which a rushing defensive lineman could use to their advantage.
On the whole, his football IQ seems very high. He picked up twists and knew his assignment; if it involved defensive linemen, he could diagnose and counter it. At 1:53, he picked up the rusher late but recovered and directed him toward help. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was able to quickly pick up line calls, unfamiliar though they may be. (It looked to me like IMG’s quarterback was checking with the sideline for audibles from the coaching staff and then calling them in with hand signals.)
As with any young player, there are areas Ruiz could improve. He got his hands outside at times (4:09, for example). Admittedly, that happened infrequently enough to be considered nitpicking and by no means something that I think will plague him at the next level. The one area that I do think he’ll really need to shore up if he’s to start is pass protection. The play at 6:25 is one of two times he gave up a sack; in this instance, he thought the LB was in zone and went to help the guard and didn’t see the LB blitz late. The other (at 8:08) is almost identical. It seems he sometimes has an issue identifying the blitzer in pass pro.
If he is going to play early, however, it’ll be because of plays like the ones from 8:10 on. On the last two plays of game he buries his man, made even more impressive considering one of the plays was a pass on which Ruiz had to reset after the defender spun off of him. His biggest strength, though, is clearly run blocking, where he’s a technically-sound road grader to the point where I could see him coping with Big Ten linemen in year one before developing into a big plus on a young line from year two on.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:31 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 10:39 AM ^
He's certainly got the size for it, and Harbaugh-Drevno (Harbauvno? Actually, that's terrible) seem to think Cole is the guy for making line calls. Plus, a Freshmen making line calls would require lots and lots of Pepto for the coaching staff and fan base.
I think its more likely we'd see Bredeson move to tackle if Ruiz is one of the Top-5 linemen.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:48 AM ^
So you're saying you'll eat lemons if this is not the line:
LT - Filiaga
LG - Ruiz
C - Cole
RG - Onwenu
RT - Bredeson
I could live with that. Anyway this new line is diced up, it's going to be young and inexperienced. Might as well go with what would be best at the end of the year, rather than the start of the year.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:54 AM ^
I like those 5 in some combination. I think Ulizio will be in the mix as well, maybe Kugler too.
January 10th, 2017 at 2:38 PM ^
What do we really know about this guy? I know the great Stanford OL in 2010 was not manned by four and five star recruits. Does Ulizio have the potential to be a David DeCastro type sleeper? I know wishing does not make it so...but wouldn't that be a big shot in the arm.
January 10th, 2017 at 3:24 PM ^
Just my 2 cents. I thought Ulizio looked good in the spring game last year. Good body and feet. Keeps pad level low on run blocks. Decent mobility. He did not get much playing time during the regular season, however last spring he looked like a potential (eventual) starter. I feel that he will develop and get a shot at meaningful playing time in 2017.
January 10th, 2017 at 11:46 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 1:47 PM ^
Run right
January 10th, 2017 at 11:46 PM ^
Under those circumstances, it sounds like something Speight might be telling himself as soon as he receives the snap.
January 10th, 2017 at 12:19 PM ^
even though a freshman, is an early enrollee.
I would feel a lot better if Filiaga was also an early enrollee. That's why I'm skeptical of him being an immediate starter, which it seems everyone is taking for granted.
January 10th, 2017 at 12:57 PM ^
it is those five, this combination balances out the sophmores and freshmen...
LT - Bredeson (So)
LG - Ruiz (Fr)
C - Cole (Sr)
RG - Owenu (So)
RT - Filiaga (Fr)
January 10th, 2017 at 12:05 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 12:50 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 10:44 AM ^
I really don't get this line of thinking. Mason Cole decided to stay for his senior year instead of entering the NFL draft. I sincerely doubt a freshmen OL is going to beat out our NFL bound center for his position. If Ruiz does play next year, he'll probably be a guard.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:53 AM ^
But did he really seem like an NFL-ready center to you? He was good against college level talent, but he struggled at times with bigger more athletic tackles. I agree though that he will likely remain at center, after taking his lumps in his first year playing C.
Ultimately, I think an interior line of Ruiz-Cole-Onwenu would be solid, with Bradenson at one of the tackles. Have no idea how the other tackle position shakes out.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:59 AM ^
It really doesn't matter what I think. Our Oline graded out far better than I (and many others) thought all season. We all thought they sucked but the fact of the matter is that they were actually decent. They just weren't amazing like we wanted them to be.
January 10th, 2017 at 1:43 PM ^
Cole might stay at center, but this speculation that Cole will play center because Harbaugh owes him a bone for staying is off the mark. First off, that's not Harbaugh's style. If he plays center it's because that's where we need him most. Second, if Cole declared I doubt he'd even get signed as a UDFA. He's a good Big5 center and a decent tackle. His best asset is mobility in space, which is excellent (for a lineman), but it's something he can't make full use of at center (it's not like they can pull him every play). He lacks the strength to beat elite FBS DTs. He's more versatile at tackle, but he doesn't have the length to handle elite FBS DEs either. Well, EVERY D-lineman in the NFL is elite at the FBS level. So if you're an NFL coach, where do you put him? He's a good college player with zero NFL upside, where unfortunately to make it as a lineman you need physical assets you just can't teach.
Cole isn't staying to shore up his game at center; he's staying to play his last year of football. Harbaugh's gonna play him where we need him.
January 10th, 2017 at 2:41 PM ^
That's harsh. And probably not true. Someone would pick him up. If only for training camp fodder.
January 10th, 2017 at 6:17 PM ^
Roster sizes are fixed. It isn't about being good; it's about making someone unemployed.
He might sign with a team, but it might mean much. Droves of late-round picks and UDFAs are cut during preseason.
January 10th, 2017 at 11:03 PM ^
...signed as a UDFA. Not that he makes the final roster.
January 11th, 2017 at 9:52 AM ^
I didn't guarantee it wouldn't happen.
January 15th, 2017 at 10:54 AM ^
I don't think he'll play center because Harbaugh owes him anything. I think he discussed the matter with Harbaugh and he was probably told where he was expected to play, which I expect to be center.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:56 AM ^
Ruiz beating him out. It's about getting the best 5 guys on the line that best fit the needs of the team. I don't think Cole returned to just play C.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:57 AM ^
I don't think anyone is suggesting Ruiz is going come in and beat out Cole for the starting center job. If Ruiz is starting at center that means Cole had to be moved out to tackle out of necessity and not being outplayed by a freshman at center.
I hope the tackle position is good enough that Cole can stay at center and Ruiz can start at guard as I think he can be better than adequate there next year.
January 10th, 2017 at 2:20 PM ^
Well somebody is suggesting that Ruiz will win the starting C job, if not game 1 then before B1G play - this guy.
And yes, it'll be because Cole can help the team more at T than at C - where he really was only adequate at best... maybe not even. Ruiz is a fire plug, won't be moved. Subtelties will come - like the A-gap blitz he missed discussed in the tape breakdown.
But if he holds his own against NT on 95% of snaps and has to learn blitz pickup, that'll be quite a bit better than what we got last year.
January 10th, 2017 at 11:00 AM ^
To be clear, I'm not advocating they move Cole. I'm just looking at the perilously thin depth chart at tackle and wondering what things might look like if that move allows them to put the best five on the field. Thought I'd take a look at Ruiz since he factors into that heavily.
January 10th, 2017 at 1:38 PM ^
We need to develop those Freshman quickly.
January 10th, 2017 at 11:34 AM ^
He doesn't have to beat out Cole - just be the #2 center behind Cole, and have Cole far and away be the best LT.
January 10th, 2017 at 1:37 PM ^
The staff trusts his line calls and he is better suited inside. You are correct, he came back to improve his stock at Center. He was not NFL ready.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:53 AM ^
Ruiz needs to be really good. Excited to see what he can do in the Spring Game. He will play at some point in 2017 (talent wise or because someone gets hurt). We need him to be great and I think he will.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:58 AM ^
Filiaga at LT next year? Ummm, no. Not happening. At beginning of year I expect to see Ruiz at LG not C. As season progresses he could move to C once he learns line calls but I doubt it. Here is my opening day OL:
LT - Bredeson, JBB
LG - Ruiz, Kugler
C- Cole
RG - Onwenu, Runyan
RT - Ulizio, Spanellis or Filiaga
January 10th, 2017 at 11:52 AM ^
a little more realistic for next year and would have the possibility of being a pretty decent liine.
January 10th, 2017 at 12:16 PM ^
I agree with you on the most likely starters and Filiaga in consideration at RT but not at the front of the line. I believe Cole will be the center as Harbaugh wants his best player there and that is a natural position for Cole. I think Onwenu is a lock at RG (could be LG, I suppose). I believe Bredeson will be at tackle since we have no other obvious options, he started this year, and his 'Hello' post states he could play any position on the line. I agree Bredeson is most likely LT if Newsome is not ready.
Based on last year's performance, I don't buy JBB at LT, maybe RT and maybe guard, but I will be shocked if he is at LT. I think there is the most uncertainty over RT. Could be anyone listed below as well as Bredeson if he's not at LT.
LT - Bredeson/Newsome (I can hope), Ulizio
LG - Ruiz/Kugler
C - Cole
RG - Onwenu
RT - Ulizio, JBB, Filiaga, Spanellis/Hall/Stueber
January 10th, 2017 at 11:09 AM ^
If Ruiz is good enough to play he should be at guard. Cole is an average tackle, we know he can't deal with elite edge rushers. Its a bad sign if he is out there. I'd much rather see a line with some combination of Bredeson, JBB, Ulizio, Filiaga on the outside with Cole at C and Onwenu, Ruiz/Kugler on the inside.
January 10th, 2017 at 11:18 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 1:32 PM ^
2/3 of the way into the season he was really playing well in practice. That continued into the Bowl practices. He is actually projected to start the spring at LT.
January 10th, 2017 at 2:38 PM ^
"actually projected to start" by who?? If Ulizio is a starter, then our depth has struggled. BTW, what happened to Vastardis? That kid seemed to have a nasty streak that we need...
January 10th, 2017 at 11:54 AM ^
actually looked decent in limited time this past season. Also some of the departing OL mentioned him during bowl practices about how good he's looking and how much he has developed and they think he could be a contributor next year.
January 10th, 2017 at 1:56 PM ^
Unfortunately, Ulizio wont ever be a servicable starter.. He just didn't have enough starzz coming out of high school....
/S
January 10th, 2017 at 12:21 PM ^
I want a cart-before-horse-putter for my golf bag.
January 10th, 2017 at 1:01 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 1:54 PM ^
Litterally the exact same thought I had. Isn't Kuglers dad a former OL coach for the Steelers? The tape on Ruiz shows a road grader but I'm going to be cautiously optimistic.
January 10th, 2017 at 2:01 PM ^
As a freshman he weighed somewhere between 270 (per Hello Patrick Kugler) and 287 (per Bentley). He was not as ready as Ruiz, who also has played at the highest level of HS FB at IMG.
January 10th, 2017 at 2:25 PM ^
Yes, important distinction - Kugler was considered mentally prepared to play C; Ruiz is mentally AND physically prepared.
January 10th, 2017 at 1:27 PM ^
and Brandon Peters vs. Wilton Speight. Can't wait!
January 10th, 2017 at 2:34 PM ^
Sam Darnold has ruined me after that Rose Bowl. I cannot accept another year of mostly acceptable play from QB - we need to get elite!
Darnold released the ball so quickly psu couldn't get to him, and even under pressure he was just mind-boglingly accurate. I just checked Rivals and Peters was fairly substantially higher ranked coming out of HS.
Now rabble rabble starz blah blah, I do get that some players greatly outperform their rankings, just as some fail to meet them. But after that game I'm willing to take a chance on a QB that has a chance to be a STAR not just game manager.
I know which team I'll be pulling for in the Spring Game!
January 10th, 2017 at 2:47 PM ^
...Peters is the real deal. Speight is a good quarterback. What we really need is a great quarterback.
January 10th, 2017 at 3:02 PM ^
There are often differences in a player's performance in practice and when minutes actually count. We can expect that Peters will have opportunities to show what he can do in an actual game even if Speight or O'Korn win the starting position. After that, I think we both trust Harbaugh's ability to determine who should be the starter.
January 10th, 2017 at 4:20 PM ^
I trust JH's ability to mold & coach QBs, but as for the actual decision who to start? I'll remind you Sam Darnold didn't begin the season as Usc's starter - their coach went with a safer pick unitl they'd already lost 3 games.
Coaches are way over cautious by their very nature. That would be my worry:
Game manager Speight feels "safer" than gunslinger Peters. I'm done with safe, I want star power!
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