Central Michigan DE Mike Danna visits Michigan as potential transfer
Danna, a 6-foot-2, 257-pound star, made 65 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and two touchdowns for the Chippewas in 2018. He was a member of the All-Mid-American Conference First Team defense.
Since Danna is graduating at the end of the semester, he will be eligible to leave CMU as a graduate transfer and granted immediate eligibility.
February 4th, 2019 at 5:35 PM ^
We need Defensive Tackles, not D ends. Run Stoppers. Am I wrong? But, I'll take him!
February 4th, 2019 at 5:38 PM ^
I thought we needed both, but I really have no idea. I just like Danna and think he seemed to be able to make a lot of big plays for an otherwise crappy team.
February 4th, 2019 at 6:44 PM ^
Actually CMU had a really good defense and a completely inept offense. Think MSU but worse.
We just lost two starters at DE and we can add immediate depth with a 1st team All MAC player? That is probably a good move.
February 4th, 2019 at 9:55 PM ^
This is fun. The athleticism is impressive
https://mobile.twitter.com/ChippewaStrong/status/890264852182294528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
February 4th, 2019 at 7:03 PM ^
February 4th, 2019 at 7:04 PM ^
The staff thinks we need both and I agree
February 5th, 2019 at 5:18 AM ^
Obviously you’re wrong. The staff is pursuing him. They feel we need him.
Fact is, we just lost two NFL players at DE. Their replacements may have impressed you, but behind them is a huge unknown. Even Josh Uche who showed promise, hasn’t shown the ability to be any more than a pass rush specialist to this point.
So adding an all-MAC player to the rotation helps the depth tremendously and does a lot to answer some of those question marks.
February 5th, 2019 at 9:17 AM ^
Hey WolverineDevotee...cheer up, we have new throwback jerseys! And they're maaaaaize...oh la la! New maize jersey for your maize hangers?
February 4th, 2019 at 5:36 PM ^
Danna, along with the Rice grade transfer, would be really nice to bolster DL depth
February 4th, 2019 at 6:02 PM ^
Would he instantly make the rotation? Cuz seems like a hard sell to me? "Transfer here to help our dline depth"
I'm sure there's more to it than just that, but if I were transferring, I'd want to play.
February 4th, 2019 at 6:15 PM ^
If he is guaranteed a chance to start, he feels that he is better than our current options than why not? I would be willing to bet he feels he can easily make the 2 deep rotation, and from the unproven players we have I would have to say he would have a solid chance.
February 4th, 2019 at 6:24 PM ^
Yes, I think he would make the rotation instantly. Michigan doesn't have much at DE, and Kwity Paye can play (and has played) a good amount of time at defensive tackle. Without much DT depth, this frees up Paye and potentially lets someone like Aidan Hutchinson play on the strong side.
February 4th, 2019 at 6:43 PM ^
Thank you Magnus.
February 4th, 2019 at 6:30 PM ^
If he just wanted to play, he'd stay at CMU. If he wants to make the NFL, he should believe that he's good enough to play at Michigan. It's not like he's a QB. He's at a position that rotates heavily, has no returning starter and only one player with much experience. It's a good opportunity for someone who wants to move up a level or two and show what he can do.
February 4th, 2019 at 6:50 PM ^
And that's what I was getting at, or attempting to. If he wants to play in the NFL, he isn't going to transfer somewhere to come in only play if someone gets hurt.
I understood depth to mean... 2nd string depth(rotation/playing) or depth where you aren't getting reps.
It was an honest question 'will he instantly make the rotation', cuz if not, I'd go somewhere to get playing time for the NFL scouts.
Anyway... thanks for the reply.
February 4th, 2019 at 7:28 PM ^
Scouts would see him at CMU. They saw Eric Fisher. It’s a roll of the dice for him—if he came to Michigan and was ‘just a guy’, his stock would drop. If he stays at CMU and dominates, he’ll still have intrigue. Just to be safe, he should come to Michigan and dominate. Haha.
February 4th, 2019 at 10:28 PM ^
NFL don't care about which team you play for as long as you can play. Carson Wentz played at NDSU and got drafted at 2 overall. Eric Fisher played at CMU and got drafted at 1 overall. Marcus Davenport played at UTSA and got drafted 14 overall which includes the Saints giving up 2 1st round picks to get him.
February 4th, 2019 at 5:39 PM ^
Amuari Peskon-Hickson trade-off.
February 4th, 2019 at 5:41 PM ^
Yes, very negative for HIckson, but very positive for UM and Danna. Plus, he's a kid who may find our coaches genuine! (from State of Michigan)
February 4th, 2019 at 5:42 PM ^
I will gladly take this trade.
February 4th, 2019 at 5:43 PM ^
danna danna danna....aye aye aye
February 4th, 2019 at 6:20 PM ^
Where are we with the Rice transfer?
February 5th, 2019 at 12:06 AM ^
They should have taken APH and just had him put on a 100 lbs to play DL.
February 4th, 2019 at 5:42 PM ^
We've sent a few transfers to CMU. Time to get at least one good one back, I guess.
February 4th, 2019 at 5:47 PM ^
Looks like a solid end, and honestly Michigan can always use depth there if nothing else. They really don't have a ton of proven guys at either end (it's basically Paye and then a bunch of unknowns/young guys).
At the same time, Peskon-Hickson getting ghosted so Michigan can go after a 1-year rental on a guy from CMU isn't a great look.
February 4th, 2019 at 5:59 PM ^
https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/college-2018-pff-all-americans
EDGE DEFENDER – MIKE DANNA, CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Danna may not be as flashy as others on this list, or even in his conference, but he constantly changed games for the Chippewas this season. He recorded 54 total QB pressures and 53 total tackles while missing only four attempts this year.
Second Team: Zach Allen, Boston College
Honorable Mention: Jachai Polite, Florida
February 4th, 2019 at 6:32 PM ^
Honest question. If he’s that good why isnt he getting drafted?
February 5th, 2019 at 10:49 AM ^
He's 6'2, 257. As an edge rusher, that's undersized, and he'd probably be a very late round pick-undrafted free agent. A season at Michigan against better talent and bigger, more athletic tackles could help boost him anywhere from the 2nd round to the 4th round with a quality season. Players from the MAC have to be physical freaks to be able to get drafted highly. Antonio Brown was a star at Central Michigan, but because of his size and stature, he was a 6th round pick.
February 4th, 2019 at 8:22 PM ^
I'm not knocking the kid, and I've not watched a really any CMU football outside of background MACtion, but I've seen enough guys struggle to make the leap from mid-level G5 to P5 to question what a 1-year rental turns out to be.
It also doesn't change the fact that UM messed up with Hickson.
February 5th, 2019 at 12:17 PM ^
Michigan had a class of 27 commits headed into early signing day in mid-December.
26 of them signed letters of intent. One was told not to.
I know you're going to be permanently pissed about this, but you don't think there's more to this? You think he was just told to sit tight and he just blindly agreed to wait until February without any discussion or though as to WHY he was the only one that didn't get to sign?
That writing was all over the wall, likely more explicitly that Pesek-Hickson is willing to admit. Michigan can't comment until he's signed somewhere, but I guarantee the discussions went much differently from Michigan's end than they were received and interpreted by APH and his family. Any miscommunication is too much and it's unfortunate he feels slighted, but if you think he had the rug pulled out from underneath him last week, you're....um... impressionable? Is that polite?
Anyway, the ones whining about this are probably the first guys who would be calling for him to transfer out as a Sophomore to make room for Super Recruit 2021. Some borderline football player isn't going to get a free ride to the friggin' University of Michigan to play scout linebacker for 4 years. What a travesty. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.
February 4th, 2019 at 6:27 PM ^
The other benefit of a grad transfer to a fringe 4-year player is it frees up an additional scholarship for next year.
February 4th, 2019 at 5:59 PM ^
Apparently he is a PFF All American
https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/college-2018-pff-all-americans
February 4th, 2019 at 5:59 PM ^
Apparently he is a PFF All American
https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/college-2018-pff-all-americans
February 4th, 2019 at 9:01 PM ^
That is a joke. Played against 3 P5 teams, Kansas, Sparty, and Kentucky, and had ZERO sacks in 69 opportunities. 4 sacks against FCS Maine and 4 more against teams with a combined record of 11-29. 1.5 sacks against FBS teams with winning records (Buffalo and Eastern). As a side note, both CMU corners declared early for the draft.
February 5th, 2019 at 8:51 AM ^
I don’t know if it’s a joke as the kid is obviously pretty good but it’s a great point. I also wondered who they played while he compiled those stats.
February 5th, 2019 at 10:36 AM ^
I don't think it is a joke at all. You have to recognize that a P5 team has much more talent and has the resources to mitigate te few top level players on a CMU level team.. It doesn't mean he is not a talented player but doesn't have the support around him to keep his game match ups reasonable. A MSU could easily double team him and totally negate his effectiveness.
February 4th, 2019 at 6:06 PM ^
Getting another bullet on the DL is always a good thing.
February 4th, 2019 at 6:17 PM ^
Transfer portals, grad transfers, slow playing 3 star recruits, reclassifying...
Well, Jane, it just goes to show you, it's always something. If it's not one thing it's another.
February 4th, 2019 at 6:20 PM ^
So we’re trading a guy who committed to Michigan and would have 4-5 years to develop for someone from a MAC school who will be here 1 year?
February 4th, 2019 at 6:22 PM ^
You can twist that any way you want. Here, let me try:
Michigan is trading a guy whose only other offer comes from Missouri State for a Pro Football Focus All-American.
February 4th, 2019 at 6:25 PM ^
Well said Magnus. Peskon-Hickson will probably end up at Kansas with Les Miles.
February 4th, 2019 at 6:52 PM ^
....at a position of need.
February 4th, 2019 at 7:34 PM ^
All-American against MAC competition doesn't move the needle for me. I'd rather honor the offer and develop.
February 4th, 2019 at 7:40 PM ^
A 3-star recruit with no offers doesn't move the needle for many people.
I guess we'll find out in a few years whether Pesek-Hickson would have been worth keeping around. Maybe he'll be good. Maybe he'll disappear.
February 5th, 2019 at 7:39 AM ^
It's not the quality of the trade that is the problem... it's the very concept of "trading" being acceptable that is the problem.
February 5th, 2019 at 9:55 AM ^
Michigan isn't the same team it was in November. People have declared for the NFL, transferred, etc. Right now they want defensive linemen, but DL guys that have offers right now might not be wanted by June. Things change.
February 5th, 2019 at 10:13 AM ^
As Magnus pointed out in another thread, Michigan offered 300 prospects this cycle. Do you really believe those were always committable offers throughout the entire process?
February 4th, 2019 at 8:21 PM ^
I would not be so quick to discount MAC talent. Here is a list of NFL players from
https://getsomemaction.com/news/2018/4/25/football-mac-history-in-the-nfl-draft.asp
I respect your position to honor the offer but I would bet this is better for the program. I am interested to know if we have room for both Abercrombie and Danna?
February 5th, 2019 at 2:09 AM ^
Agreed. And by the way, the Superbowl MVP was a MAC guy... the mighty Golden Flashes of Kent State. Mike Danna. Come on down!
February 4th, 2019 at 10:13 PM ^
It's not just a MAC DE...
You have to account for the player we get with the additional scholarship in NEXT year's class as well.
That's obviously impossible, but this debate is silly.
It's 4-5 years of this 3-star vs. CMU DE + 3-4 years of a 2020 recruit.