gmoney41

December 9th, 2014 at 4:44 PM ^

I don't think anyone is blaming him for 5-7, but we can all look at his game film and see that the kid isn't even close to ready.  1st round pick if you look at his frame and body compared to most, but if you look at his film and what he did/didn't do on the field, then he is undrafted free agent material.  Not ripping on the kid, just looking at him realistically.

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MGoPoints: 3938

Hannibal.

December 9th, 2014 at 3:48 PM ^

I would say that if it is a poor choice, then  you absolutely can blame him, for not having the humility and good judgement to realize that he is not a high value draft pick and the he has a lot of improvement to make.

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MGoPoints: 9051

Inflames

December 9th, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^

him well. I think one more year of coaching would have helped his skills and therfore his draft but its his choice.

Either way Michigans completion percentage just double for next year.

Joined: 03/06/2009

MGoPoints: 519

mGrowOld

December 9th, 2014 at 3:48 PM ^

I truly believe this will be a case of addition by subtraction and despite all his obvous talent Michigan will be a better football team without him.  He refused to block (and I mean like ever), seemed to drop more easy passes than anyone outside of Braylon while showing the ability to make a circus catch when he was focused.

I think this will be good for him and for the team.  I wish him no ill-will and hope he's drafted high but candidly think we'll be better off without him both on the field and in the locker room.

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Space Coyote

December 9th, 2014 at 3:54 PM ^

But I think scouts are going to be surprised at how raw he is at both TE and WR. I hope for his sake that he has an agent that will convince him to be open to moving back to TE and that he hires a personal coach to get him to work on his blocking from now until the day he is drafted.

As a receiver, he still runs some sloppy routes (though has shown flashes of running some nice routes, particularly on double moves in 2013, but his initial breaks have been sloppy in and out of breaks). He really struggles adjusting to the ball in the air, which is part of the reason for the drops and the lack of fades (and back shoulder fades) in his direction. Scouts will question his hands due to concentration, but ability to adjust to the ball in the air will be questioned as well, especially if he wants to remain at WR.

I think teams will be more open to a raw TE that is an all around plus athlete. If he can get to marginal as a TE, then he is a plus athlete and plus receiver at that position and teams can try to coach him up to be the multi-threat TE that is popular in the league. But his effort blocking his first two years, he reluctance to put the effort into blocking and wanting to be outside, and his lack of pure receiver ability limit some of the unknown that was previously viewed as upside for him.

With a flier like he is, he has a very wide range where he could be drafted. I doubt he would go in the 2nd round, but wouldn't be completely shocked either. Depending how open he is to TE or not, his range is probably 2nd Round to UFA, his realistic range is probably 4th-6th round (that drops if he isn't open to playing TE).

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Space Coyote

December 9th, 2014 at 4:19 PM ^

It's impossible to say without being there.

The situation that Hoke and Co walked into almost required him to play his True FR year when nominally he would have redshirted. He was a WR in high school, so he had a ton to learn as far as blocking, routes, etc at the TE position.

He actually progress a little as a blocker between his first and second year, but not really enough to be a viable blocking/catching threat as a true TE. Half way through the year they eventually flexed him out to WR as Jake Butt became a viable option.

At WR he needed to learn another set of routes for the playbook, different routes overall, including different route adjustments and all that good stuff.

Then Borges was fired and Nuss brought in. Nuss ran quite different route concepts. There was no Gallon to take attention off of him, and, in my opinion, the route concepts didn't do as much to get him open (I think his skill set at WR better fit with Borges's route concepts). Gardner continued to struggle with the new system as well.

So, admittedly, there was a lot going on here for Funchess. Could he have improved faster? Butt seemed to pick up blocking with the same staff much better than Funchess did. So I dunno. Maybe a mix of both. But he was really raw coming in, then was forced to play early, then switched positions. A year and a half at quite different positions for a guy that came in raw, you can understand why he's still raw.

FWIW, I think his upside is much, much higher as a TE. If he focuses on wanting to blocking and gets coaching between now and the draft, after a few seasons he has J. Thomas type upside (assuming he also works on some of the knocks I have against him in how he adjusts to the ball in the air). He has big, strong hands, and if he can make catching the ball easier for himself by better adjusting to it, he has a very multi-dimension threat potential. He could still flex out to WR as a match-up issue, but I don't think he fits nominally on the outside down to down, as I don't believe his running style and natural feel for the position is there to view him as highly there.

Joined: 06/18/2009

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funkywolve

December 9th, 2014 at 4:30 PM ^

This year is a mystery.  He had a pretty solid year in 2013, especially after they moved him to more of a wr role.  His final stats for 2013 were  47 catches, 727 yds, 6 TD's with a lot of that production coming after his move away from the TE position.

I think most people were expecting big things this year and after a solid game against an over matched Appy St, he really didn't do much.

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MGoPoints: 20263

CodeBlue82

December 9th, 2014 at 5:52 PM ^

Thanks for the good memories.  

I think some people are forgetting Funchess was playing with a leg injury since the second game this year, as well as adjusting to a new position, quarterback or OC every year. No doubt he has talked to the coaches and has a better handle on how the changes are likely to affect him than anyone else does.   

Sure, we'd like him to stay. But lets face it. Declaring now and hiring an agent gives him a head start on NFL prep with less uncertainty and fewer distractions than he'd have by staying.  

Joined: 08/27/2013

MGoPoints: 269

ryholly

December 9th, 2014 at 3:50 PM ^

Are you guys serious with this 5th round thing?  The guy is 6'5 and runs a 4.5 or 4.4 forty.  There are not many athletes like that out there.  He will get picked in the 2nd round based on potential alone.  

We are down on him because the entire offense struggled this year and he got 4-5 targets a game vs. then 8-10 he deserved.  

Joined: 11/11/2009

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charblue.

December 9th, 2014 at 3:50 PM ^

Always, it is about the future of the player. So, I support Funchess and wish him well. On the other hand, I think he could have improved himself by staying. But patience is not a virtue when you're stock is relatively high and you have the opportunity to not play school and make money.

The problem for Funchess is this: reality sets in on what he can be versus what he is and has shown. And what he is has greater potential than what he's shown, either through commission of skill and talent, and omission the lack of resolve in demonstrating his skillset on more than an irregular basis. He just doesn't possess the professional mindset to be professional. He is a college wannabe with the potential to possibly succeed as a pro. Big dfference.

 

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LSAClassOf2000

December 9th, 2014 at 3:53 PM ^

Dane Brugler had Funchess at #30 going to the Patriots in his latest first round mock draft actually (if you ask me, I would say lower than this definitely). He had been as high as #13 or so in some others dating back to late October, but has slipped some, of course. In any case, Brugler's two sentences on the subject:

"The Patriots' window with Tom Brady at quarterback is shrinking by the snap and the organization shouldn't hesitate to add more weapons around him. Funchess needs to be more consistent at the catch point, but his size/length/athleticism combination will draw comparisons to Alshon Jeffery."

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ChiBlueBoy

December 9th, 2014 at 3:59 PM ^

So much seems to depend on how they do at the combine. If Funch blows away the field (and I think he may, given his size and athleticism), he could wind up higher than we're giving him credit. A lot of that will depend on working on technique in the interim. It'll be interesting to see.

Joined: 10/11/2011

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bluesparkhitsy…

December 9th, 2014 at 3:59 PM ^

A new coach might have yanked the #1 jersey away from him, or he might have struggled under a new system at Michigan, or he might not have full confidence that Morris will make him look good.  In light of those unknowns, entering the draft now makes sense.  But truth be told, it looked like he checked out a long time ago.

Third round sounds about right.  

Joined: 10/16/2010

MGoPoints: 2441

DCGrad

December 9th, 2014 at 4:01 PM ^

but I'm glad he's gone.  I was tired watching him half ass his blocking and routes ever since the Appy State game.  Hopefully he displays a better work ethic in the league.

Joined: 09/20/2014

MGoPoints: 9261

goblue16

December 9th, 2014 at 4:04 PM ^

Meh he was a bit overrated played really well as a freshman and sophomore but never developed again due to coaching

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MGoPoints: 17468

cadillacjack333

December 9th, 2014 at 4:08 PM ^

Most receivers take 3 years and he is no Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans or Kelvin Benjamin so my guess is second round - talented but needs development.

The lack of his willingness to block is going to hurt him more than the drops.

Good luck.

Hopefully we get a coach soon so they can talk anyone else out of leaving early.

 

Joined: 10/27/2010

MGoPoints: 284

Perkis-Size Me

December 9th, 2014 at 4:06 PM ^

Extremely hard to blame him. He's got the size and potential NFL scouts drool over. I think one more year would've helped, but it's not my decision to make, and Funchess doesn't owe us anything.

His career here will be yet another one defined by what could've been, but I hope he makes it in the NFL.



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scottva1

December 9th, 2014 at 4:10 PM ^

Dumb. He could ve come back for one more year and worked on the drops and maybe earned himself another 20 mill. Didn t play that hand too well. Yeah you ll get paid but not as much as you would ve.



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Doughboy1917

December 9th, 2014 at 4:15 PM ^

He has a lot of potential and should have a strong combine.  He's a big WR with decent hands and speed, but that probably won't be enough to get him drafted in the first or second round. 

Good luck to him and a big thanks to him for his efforts at Michigan.

Joined: 10/31/2010

MGoPoints: 702

sleeper

December 9th, 2014 at 4:19 PM ^

this year left us underwhelmed, his success in the league will come down to who he is drafted by. I could see him being a above average player on a team like the Patriots, Colts etc.. If he can get drafted by a team with a veteran QB I think he can have a nice career. 

Joined: 11/02/2013

MGoPoints: 5721

Maizenblueball

December 9th, 2014 at 4:25 PM ^

I see him going in about the 3rd round.  He lacks top end separation speed, his hands are hit or miss, and his blocking lacks serious effort.  I do think he has the potential to be a great player if he works hard and is in the right system.  I wish he would come back to M for one more year.

Joined: 12/08/2011

MGoPoints: 12416

mackbru

December 9th, 2014 at 4:28 PM ^

This is no biggie. We've got a handful of promising and fast receivers on deck. I'm excited to see what Harris, Ways, and Canteen do next year.

Joined: 09/01/2009

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