Hello: TE Deakon Tonielli
Ranked as a 3 star on composite and 4 star on 247
Welcome Deakon!
A Deacon Jones reference! What a player. Just look looked it up. Dude had 103 sacks for the five years 1964-68. Basically invented the edge rush position. Nicknamed the Secretary of Defense. Reportedly coined the term "sack."
Deacon Jones was also responsible for utilizing and perfecting the head slap, which was subsequently banned by the NFL.
Also was in the band Nightshift which became the famous rock band War after he left and Eric Burdon came aboard.
Deacon use to speak of a rival offensive lineman that put a nail in his cast so that when Deacon went for a head slap he put his cast up and the nail punctured Deacons hand.
Dick Butkus as a rookie upset BIG Doug Atkins (Atkins played Defensive End for the Bears under Papa bear Halas and per Butkus the only person he was ever afraid of) and to split up a fight Butkus felt two large hands take him by the shoulders, lift him off his feet and just pull him away like a bag of groceries.
Atkins hailed from Tennessee and was mostly mild mannered and only limitedly motivated. Opposing players would go out of their way to be polite to Doug and not upset him or get on his bad side as Doug could change the entire game when mad like Mongo.
Different NFL and very fun to hear from these guys from NFL films and Doug Sable.
Have been waiting patiently for some bbq updates. Welcome Deacon!
I don’t think the BBQ has happened yet. This is Victor’s Weekend
Well I guess that explains why I haven’t heard any updates from the bbq then. Hahahaha
I don’t know the dates this year, but the last few years they’ve done it it’s been in late July I believe.
It’s almost ready. Are you still coming over? Can you pick up some ice on your way?
Hahaha, I’m on it.
Nice! Welcome to Michigan nation Deakon!!! And a paesano to boot 😀
Beginning of a run this weekend?
Twitter is saying the pictures of the tweet include potentially sensitive content. Does a Buckeye run twitter?
Welcome Deakon.
I noticed that the other day on some other recruits wearing Michigan gear.
Thought it was weird I was expecting him to be taking a shi** on a buckeye or pis**** on a Sparty.
They call Alabama the Crimson Tide.
Call him Deakon Blue.
Nailed it
That must mean he's wearing number nineteen, hey?
Deakon don't lose Jim's number.
Put him on the Wolverine up to Ann(Arbor)andale.
Could this be this long-anticipated start of some of that Dirty Work on the recruiting trail leading to Grant Newsome saying, "Michigan's Reelin' in the Year's better recruits to My Old School"?
First of many to come. Way to go Grant. Welcome Deakon
Wow! He wasn’t even on the commit radar!
Welcome!
Was surprised as well, no real mention of him heading into this weekend. Highlight film looks like he can break some tackles and catch a ball in traffic
Except the recruiting round up from two days ago?
Right? Tonielli has been mentioned as a possible member of the class since like early february at least
Looks to have some really good hands based off of the soph footage.
Welcome Deakon, way to GoBlue!
What is this “Hello” post that you speak of?!?😂 #HAIL
Nice to see that Deakon will be wearing his Blues in just over a year!
(yes, I'm just here for the Steely Dan jokes)
Welcome to the family and to the “Greatest Names Hall of Fame” Deakon!
Tonielli just rolls off the tongue
Go Blue!
This was seemingly out of no where but I’ll take 247 4* 6’6” grow a TE for sure
Tall, IL tight end who plays some WR.
Time to revive Ol’ Skillet Hands?
Old timey prospector names may have died with Draftaggedon. Only Seth knows for sure.
I bbqd today
Steve Lorenz put a ballz pick in for another TE Chico Holt to Michigan today.
Translation, the son of...
I'm looking forward to Lorenzetti and Tonielli being on the field at the same time. Definitely need to get the pizza going for that!
Don't forget Roman Wilson.
If this was said about two black players and African food, it'd be considered racist.
If the basketball team lands Youssef Khayat, I'm also definitely having a shawarma night.
I can only hope that we get a kid from Mozambique. That will likely lead to an epic piri piri chicken meal.
If some find it offensive that an athlete's heritage makes me think about food I like, then I can live with that.
Hell Yeah!!!
Welcome!
I am very confused by all the posters saying Tonielli came out of nowhere. What? He's been mentioned as pretty much the top TE target/most likely TE in the class basically since Rappleyea decommitted
No crystal ball predictions and essentially no mention of him since he last visited in November is pretty out of nowhere. I follow recruiting somewhat closely and barely remembered his name
Here's a post from Steve Lorenz from mid-March when he said he was close to putting in a crystal ball (LINK).
Deacon KING KONG. A book my buddy told me to read...