Mel Kiper on Michigan prospects; Your 2017 draft predictions
In a teleconference on Tuesday Mel Kiper spoke about the 2016 Michigan draft prospects, even mentioning Mario Ojemudia as a sleeper. I won't link the article on Mario as it is from the Freep.
Kiper also got into the 2017 draft going as far as mentioning Jourdan Lewis the 2nd best corner behind Adoree Jackson at USC (remember him?).
What are your predictions, based on round, for the 2017 draft? How many players get drafted? Would love to have some fun with this. I'll post my prediction shortly.
@lilpenny1316 - I dispute the only thing missing for RR was a QB that first year. 9 out of 11 starters from 2007/8 on O were gone including our record setting RB, QB an NFL pro bowler at WR and the 1st pick of the 2008 draft in Jake Long. Then you add in Mallett leaving and the dropoff from 1's to 2's was massive.
RR still should have done better than he did but there was a significant roster turnover on O for him to deal with.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:31 AM ^
Here is my attempt
Jourdan Lewis - Mid 1st round pick. He's film is going to look very similar to Vernon Hargreaves but Lewis probably plays more physical while Hargreaves is better in zone coverage. They are also very similar in height but Hargreaves is near 200 pounds. Also if Jackson is the #1 corner Lewis will actually be bigger and that is really going to help.
Jake Butt - Late 1st/Early 2nd.
Dymonte Thomas - Early 2nd. This is probably a surprise but if the light has really gone on Thomas brings some things to the table that few safties do right now. At 6-2, near 200 pounds I expect Thomas to run sub 4.5 probably 4.45. To have the height and speed as a true deep safety is just not something you see often.
Jabrill Peppers - Mid 2nd round. Another surprise to most I am sure. Tons of size, speed, quickness and just a football player. The issue for Pepper is something I have said before, will he have a chance to prove he can cover? That's the only question about his game. He appears to be a little tight in the hips and hasn't shown he can track the ball yet or turn PBs into INTs. Playing SAM won't allow him to show the only question in his game. Still if Peppers can run say 4.35 things will change.
Jehu Chesson - Mid 2nd. I think Chesson is going to be a guy that teams fall in love with as long as whoever plays QB can hit the deep ball. But teams are going to love that he plays all the special teams, is an A+ blocker, has size at 6-3 200 pounds and lastly has speed. Expecting him to run 4.4-4.45.
Jeremy Clark - Mid 2nd. Most are split between Clark and Stribling. I am a Clark guy, in fact I could see Clark going even higher. There will not be another corner that is 6-3, 210 and is going to run 4.4 with a 40+ inch vert. He is a freak. He needs to improve on double moves and do a better job of attacking the ball in the air but no other player will look like him in the coming draft.
Chris Wormley - Mid 2nd
Taco Charlton - Mid 3rd. If his production doesn't pick up he could slide more but he should win the combine.
Ryan Glasgow- 4th round pick. Hard to figure this out. We know how special he is but I think teams will see him as a 2 down player and I think he will only fit into what a few teams want to do.
Channing Stribling - Late 4th. Size is a huge advantage but he has already put out a lot of bad tape. Still could be in line for a huge senior year.
Amara Darboh - 5th round pick.
Ben Gedeon has one year to prove he can play but at this point who knows. Don't see it for Kyle Kalis or Erik Magnuson but they have a shot still. Delano Hill is a wildcard. I'm not a fan but I know some like his game.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:09 PM ^
He doesn't need to be drafted as a cover corner. He could be Reggie Bush or Tyronne Mathieu in their respective roles. Too much upside with a player that athletic and versatile. While the NFL is indeed a league of specialization, Peppers is a once every 5 year athlete that can impact a game in all three phases. He won't slip to round 2.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:27 PM ^
Why compare him to Bush? I don't follow. Mathieu is a very good comp that I thought of but it only works in one part of their games... Tackling/playing the run. Peppers doesn't compare in coverage, play making or even as a returner. They both played nickel and both were in the box a lot in college but go watch what Mathieu did in college. Check the stats... in RS Fresh seasons.
Peppers - 5.5 TFL, 0 SCK, 0 INT, 0 FF, 0 FR.
Mathieu - 8.5 TFL, 4.5 SCK, 2 INT, 5 FF, 3 FR.
RS SOPH - Mathieu - 7.5 TFL, 1.5 SCK, 2 INT, 6 FF, 5 FR... Also had PR TD's.
To be fair Mathieu didn't play offense and Peppers has more size. For all the talent Peppers is he has to both prove he can make those levels of plays and that he can cover. I agree he has huge upside and a huge amount of talent to work with but at some point NFL teams want to see it on film to be a first round pick.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:25 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
I was refering to last season... Not the offseason where we can't see him. And still if you list to the mods here and other places who have seen them they still are split on Clark and Stribling. Stribling has put a lot of bad film out over this three years. Even if he gets it all right this year every scout will talk about how he is a one-year wonder. They might be wrong but it is still what people will say.
6-4 corners that run sub 4.5 do not go undrafted. Yes he had his struggles last year in his first year every playing corner... So did Stribbling and his has been playing the position his entire life. His height and pure measureables will get his drafted. If he can hold onto a starting spot this year he is no later than a 4th round pick.
Think like a scout... a tall long corner that plays for Jim Harbaugh. What do you think they are going to start seeing? People have talked about upside as it relates to Peppers, the same thing can be said about Clark. Frankly I'd like to see him drop down to around 200 pounds to make him quicker. Richard Sherman plays at 6-3, 195. Playing at 210 isn't needed. Clark is one of the best athletes on the team. If he puts it together he might have the highest potential of anyone.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:34 AM ^
Peppers - early/mid first round dependent on junior campaign
Lewis - late first/early second round (NFL can be irrational about measurables)
Butt - good value mid second-rounder
(Power Gap)
Chesson - could be much higher if he has a Manningham-like year, fourth round
Wormley - fourth round
Darboh - fourth/fifth
(Smaller Power Gap)
Taco - he could really shine this year; I'll optimistically guess mid-late rounder, could be undrafted
Glasgow - mid/late rounds
Thomas - late rounder
Overall, even despite homerish projections, it's the best crop of NFL talent Michigan has had in a long time. This season should be very entertaining.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:47 AM ^
April 20th, 2016 at 11:51 AM ^
I agree. He is a very good in the box although I haven't seen the pass rush ability some other have but I know we will see that this coming year. The questions about his game is coverage. Who does he compare to in the NFL? I'm not sure but I don't see a team drafting a pure nickel back in the 1st. He needs to prove he can cover.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:07 PM ^
April 20th, 2016 at 12:13 PM ^
Too much value to pass up.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:14 PM ^
How do you compare Peppers to Austin? I don't get where you are going with this one...
Peppers is a great talent. The problem is what hs will be drafte to do, he hasn't proved he can do. Give me an example of a first round player that was super talented on defense but was drafted to do something he didn't do in college. If Peppers was playing safety or corner this year I would feel different. I am saying that for NFL scouts, and I've been told this, he has to prove he can cover. Playing SAM won't allow him to do that.
April 20th, 2016 at 12:38 PM ^
Peppers is going to put up crazy combine numbers and we all know NFL guys love those. Yes he's listed as SAM but Brown and co. Have said he's going to play the whole field. Sure his coverage isn't great, but I think he's too good not to be a first round pick.
as an elite talent. Peppers hasn't done that yet. He hasn't established as of yet the ability to be elite at any one position.
Your logic is bad and you should feel bad.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
April 20th, 2016 at 12:19 PM ^
Really hope they reach their potential and QB and O-line play is sufficient for a run in the playoff.
Next year's team has the potential to send quite a lot of guys in the draft, maybe even a couple in the first round.
Lewis - Barring any injuries or significant drop in his game, he's a bona fide first rounder. Not sure if he's top-10 just due to his size, but I see him going in the 11-20 range. Needs to generate more turnovers, like the next guy on my list.
Peppers - I may get negged, but he needs to show me more before I'd say he's first round material. Right now I'd say 2nd-3rd round. He has boatloads of potential, most of anyone on the team, can line up anywhere on the field, and has great instincts, but I'd like to see him generate some turnovers or play real cover. Of course if he puts it all together, he's top-5 material.
Chesson - if he picks up where he left off at the end of last season, torching All-American cornerbacks, he could move up to a Day 2 kind of guy.
Butt - probably the first TE off the board next year, and if he continues to progress, I'd say he's a mid-to-late first round kind of guy. And everyone knows that Harbaugh knows him some TEs. Every team out there is looking for the next Gronkowski. Not saying Butt will be that guy, but he's the best TE in college football right now.
Wormley - Right now I'd say late Day 2, early Day 3 kind of guy.
Charlton - could move up to Day 2 if he puts it all together, or he could go undrafted. He's at both ends of the spectrum.
It was glorious watching Fuller pull away.