Various Football Exits
Michigan's 2019 roster got lighter by three yesterday as Josh Uche officially entered the draft…
Forever Go Blue pic.twitter.com/PtZxSrYuFm
— Josh Uche (@_Uche35) December 4, 2019
…Sean McKeon was announced as a Senior Bowl participant…
Welcome to the Best-of-the-Best, TE Sean McKeon (@Mckeon_Sean) from @UMichFootball to the 2020 @Reeses Senior Bowl! #GoBlue #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/WQDdfIdiK6
— Reese's Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) December 5, 2019
…and Jordan Anthony hit the transfer portal:
Michigan linebacker Jordan Anthony is in the transfer portal.
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) December 4, 2019
[After THE JUMP: analysis of these exits]
Uche had already been announced as a Senior Bowl participant so his departure does not come as a surprise. He played in four early-season games as a freshman before disappearing so there was some chance Michigan could get him a fifth year. He's certain to be drafted; he is playing in the bowl. The bowl could significantly improve his stock if Michigan draws an SEC team with some touted tackles, as it look like they might.
Uche probably won't be replaced on next year's roster. Michigan doesn't have a SAM heir apparent. They do have some fast linebackers who might fill in his rush role, but none of them are likely to line up as standup ends and win on pure edge rushes. That'll dent Michigan's rush.
McKeon is a weirder departure; he, too, could probably get a fifth year if he applied for it. I haven't seen any draft buzz for him, although this Draft Network site that has credible scouting does have a profile for him with middling enthusiasm. His departure means Nick Eubanks—a more athletic receiver but to-date a worse blocker—will replace him as TE1, with Luke Schoonmaker and Erick All getting snaps behind him. That seems like it'll be fine.
Anthony now joins the legion of departed guys from Michigan's 2017 class, but at least in this case it seems clear that he was facing an uphill battle for playing time. After starting the year as the backup to Josh Ross, Cam McGrone slid by him and established himself a budding star. Meanwhile Ross redshirted, so not only was Anthony blocked for the duration of his career at MLB it looks like WLB is off the table as well.
Anthony's departure does mean ILB depth will be questionable next year. They'll have a senior Devin Gil, but the only other ILB on the roster is freshman Charles Thomas. Thomas was sleeper of the year after this site surveyed the recruiting class but it's a little uncomfortable when he's the only option for a two-deep spot at MLB. Michigan does have four ILBs in their recruiting class.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:01 PM ^
Devin Gil feels like the Robbie Hummel of Michigan football; this guy has been around forever.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:21 PM ^
Like Doug Dutch of Michigan yore.
December 5th, 2019 at 2:46 PM ^
Except Robbie Hummel was LEGIT until his knees gave out
December 5th, 2019 at 12:01 PM ^
Uche leaving never came as a surprise, and while I'm a little surprised McKeon is gone I do wonder if that injury during the Wisconsin (?) game maybe scared him into giving it a go in the pros and get some money; it's unlikely he'd be demonstrably more appealing with another year. Anthony leaving just seems like normal roster turnover where a guy who struggles to see the field reads younger guys coming in and wants to find a better fit. And it's tough to get playing time on a top-10 defense like Michigan has; Don Brown doesn't play a ton of a backups but not being able to beat out a Devin Bush or Cam McGrone isn't a sign of a bad player by any stretch.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:13 PM ^
I'm curious if McKeon will be invited to the combine and if so, what his numbers will be. I faintly remember him having a high Sparq score for his position coming out of high school. If he runs a fast 40 while being solid to good in the other drills it will be interesting to see where he lands in the draft. Right now he's probably a 6th or 7th rounder at best.
December 5th, 2019 at 1:23 PM ^
I think he could be a little higher than that if he tests at the combine. If he's high enough, a decent blocking tight end with elite athleticism could be a late 4th rounder.
December 5th, 2019 at 1:48 PM ^
Yeah, that's my thinking as well. He had great numbers and the big weaknesses for him (blocking, mostly) were addressed during college. Even with Gattis being more inclined to throw the ball a good deal, it's unlikely he'd have an amazing senior year where he'd catch 75 balls and score 8 TDs, so might as well see what the NFL offers. I do think a good showing at the combine gets him into one of the middle rounds.
December 5th, 2019 at 3:07 PM ^
Lions with the #4 overall pick. They have a keen eye for impact tight ends.
December 5th, 2019 at 8:19 PM ^
Shut your whore mouth.
December 5th, 2019 at 3:12 PM ^
McKeon played well this year.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:05 PM ^
anthony would have been a decent viper. i'm surprised he never got any run there or even considered it. also, he surely would have rotated at MLB and WLB, making his departure all the more surprising.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:12 PM ^
He didn't see meaningful time in 3 years and is firmly behind a guy younger than him and a returning Ross who was already a starter. Plus, the LBs don't really rotate under Brown. The only time LBs have rotated was last year with Gil/Ross and this year after Ross got hurt. Previous to that it was the same 2 guys until very late in garbage time or if there was an injury/targeting situation.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:25 PM ^
the two times you mentioned that LBs rotated are significant. Brown wants to rotate at LB if he can, which he has in the past. it doesn't help our analysis that Bush, a generational talent, didn't rotate. absent that kind of "can't take him off the field" kind of skill, DCs want to rotate, even if just a little. the failure to do so is not a lack of desire, but a lack of players. my point is that anthony could have been one of those players with another year's experience, as evidenced by the meaningful time he got this year when Ross first went out.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:58 PM ^
Bush, the generational talent, didn't get any run when McCray and Gedeon were starting after years of riding the bench behind the likes of Bolden and Morgan
Singleton didn't get any run as an almost 5 star and transferred last year.
Anthony didn't get any run over a walk-on Glasgow this year. He got run after Ross' injury and then immediately played 0 after that.
Hell, McGrone wouldn't have seen the field this year had Ross not gotten hurt at Wisconsin. He had played 0 meaningful snaps before that game and then turned into a missile. So if McGrone got 0 playing team before the injury, how is Anthony expected to get any without a significant injury next year?
My point is, he wasn't going to be a starter next year and didn't have a clear path to significant playing time over Ross or McGrone. It's not a talent thing. Michigan has continually been stomping on teams left and right and waited until the late 4th quarter to rotate LBs. His departure isn't surprising given that.
December 5th, 2019 at 2:04 PM ^
I think a lot of people expect too much of true freshmen in Don Brown's system. Bush got some run in 2016 but McCray and Gedeon were fine as LBs and were both seniors; I can see a preference for wanting them out there especially with a new system (and Bush was quite small coming in from HS). And Gedeon is still in the NFL and was drafted in the 4th round; McCray was more puzzling but probably would have caught onto an NFL roster had he not retired. Same for McGrone not getting playing time last year, as he was a true freshman behind Bush and Ross. He got on the field against Nebraska (I assume) so that he'd get a varsity letter but could still retain a redshirt if they wanted to. But I find it hard to believe that him seeing the field for a couple of meaningless snaps against, I don't know, Maryland or PSU would have moved the needle much in his development. I do think the coaches were higher on Ross because he had shown quite a bit last year in shared minutes, and I'm sure there's an inclination to let a guy work through some stuff early on. I'm not saying that's always the best decision, but coaches at every program have those biases and it isn't particularly unique to UM or Brown.
December 5th, 2019 at 7:00 PM ^
Gil went from rotating with Ross to not rotating behind Glasgow. That to me shows that Brown does not want to rotate LBs when there is a clear starter. Credit to Gil for becoming a special teams star.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
The reason I don't get the Jordan Anthony transfer is he is going to be a redshirt junior. He is at risk of losing a year of eligibility next year unless he can successfully petition for a waiver or graduate early. That is the only scenario where this makes sense to me or he will be lighting one of his playing years on fire like James Hudson this past year. And at least Hudson will still have two more years after burning this year.
One alternative for Anthony would have been to play out 2020 at Michigan and then grad transfer for his final year.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:13 PM ^
Time to hit the transfer portal for LB, DE depth. Danna worked out well.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:18 PM ^
DT Michael Williams from Stanford could be a nice addition
https://247sports.com/Article/Stanford-football-Michael-Williams-transfer-portal-graduate-139840076/
December 5th, 2019 at 12:42 PM ^
There's a couple 4* DT types that don't look like they were just planetoids in there along with him, as well as some 4* CBs leaving Bama, LSU, Arkansas.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:41 PM ^
I do hope Danna's extensive use this year will be a nice recruiting pitch for some grad transfers going forward. (No one pay attention to the fact that almost never subbed otherwise)
December 5th, 2019 at 12:20 PM ^
Uche was projected as a 1st round pick by Dane Kugler in The Athletic yesterday
December 5th, 2019 at 1:26 PM ^
As opposed to McShay that had hit at #105 which would put him the early 4th rd. I think he will be picked closer to the 1st rd than the 4th.
December 5th, 2019 at 2:06 PM ^
Uche's draft status depends on whether he sheds that "pass rushing specialist" label that he currently wears, despite some improvement. And I love Uche, fwiw.
December 5th, 2019 at 2:14 PM ^
I don't see why, seems like a good pitch for a 3-4 OLB, but then I don't follow the NFL.
December 8th, 2019 at 11:17 AM ^
Pass rusher is one of the things NFL teams actually pony up big contracts for. Uche was better against the run this year, and his testing numbers at the combine are going to look good (along with his pressure rate, one of the best in college football this year). If he lasts to late 3/early 4 someone's gonna get a steal
December 5th, 2019 at 12:28 PM ^
A coach could probably build a pretty decent program taking 10 transfers a year in... These guys already have a few years of S&C training and college film study. From what I understand Rutgers new ball coach is making it his top priority...knows he can go head to head for these kids out of high school but knows he could increase the talent level on his team by taking power programs cast offs.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:47 PM ^
I don't think it is a long term model for success at the Power 5 level. Most of the kids transferring out from Power 5 schools are leaving because they can't crack the depth chart so I am not sure how much they will add to another Power 5 school. The good ones are going to be hard to acquire as they will be recruited as hard as high school 4-stars. The NCAA also supposedly tightened the rules on waivers for immediate eligibility this past year so I don't know if it will be as profitable as you may have to carry some on scholarship while they redshirt.
I think the Rutgers example is different as I think Schiano (or any newly hired coach) is looking for a one-time immediate influx of players to make over his initial roster.
I could see sprinkling in a transfer or two every year, but I think 10 per year is a bit much as that is around 12% of your total available scholarships and would eat into your high school recruiting significantly. And I could see schools negatively recruiting others for taking so many transfers as it could be a barrier for high school prospects to see the field or evaluate the depth chart accurately.
December 5th, 2019 at 1:35 PM ^
Just claim that someone called you a racial slur and dare the NCAA to not grant you immediate eligibility.
December 5th, 2019 at 1:47 PM ^
That was not the basis for Fields' waiver. Both he and his lawyer have publicly said so. His lawyer makes a great living working with the NCAA, there is less than zero reason to believe that he publicly lied about something the NCAA knows the truth about, and which could easily be proven if a single person decided to leak a document. What's more, it's hard to see why he would have any incentive to lie about it, even if the thought the NCAA wouldn't care.
December 5th, 2019 at 2:18 PM ^
"That was not the basis for Fields' waiver."
So you are saying the reporting surrounding Fields waiver is wrong? Can you source reporting where Field's and/or Mar's claim that is not the basis for the waiver?
Quoting Wikipedia which is referencing SI, USA Today, and BleacherReport:
"Mars and Fields argued that Fields should be granted a waiver for immediate eligibility due to an NCAA guideline that waives the waiting period for athletes with "documented mitigating circumstances that are outside the student-athlete’s control and directly impact the health, safety and well-being of the student-athlete."[14] Fields was subject to an incident at Georgia in which a Bulldogs baseball player used a racial slur against Fields.[15] This was believed to be the main incident constituting Fields' claim of "mitigating circumstances", although the full contents of the waiver request were never made public.[16]"
December 6th, 2019 at 11:29 AM ^
What was it, then?
December 5th, 2019 at 2:20 PM ^
replying only because of profile pic
December 5th, 2019 at 12:49 PM ^
Depth always seems like an issue right now. Guys always emerge as sophomores. Also Ross McGrone is basically the two deep at MLB next year.
December 5th, 2019 at 12:58 PM ^
To be clear, does going to the Senior Bowl mean you're definitely declaring for the draft? Or could McKeon play in it and then come back?
December 5th, 2019 at 1:28 PM ^
They do get paid some nominal amount to play which makes them professionals, even if you refused the money, you'd still be playing in a "professional game."
December 5th, 2019 at 1:25 PM ^
Uche feels like he will either be the Steelers or the Ravens 2nd round pick.
December 5th, 2019 at 9:45 PM ^
I don't think he'll last that long.
December 6th, 2019 at 1:42 PM ^
100%. And he’ll be impressing in a heavy rotation before having 8 sacks in his third year and finally breaking out.
December 5th, 2019 at 2:16 PM ^
McKeon played in games 1, 2, 4 and 6 in 2016 (his freshman year). So he wouldn't be eligible to apply for a redshirt. The new rule where you can play in 4 games at any time in the season and still redshirt doesn't apply to seasons before it was enacted.
December 6th, 2019 at 1:41 PM ^
Then why did Uche “declare”? Doesn’t add up. They probably could have gotten him another year.
December 6th, 2019 at 4:32 PM ^
Because Uche played in games 1, 2, 3, and 4 - thus was eligible for a redshirt with injury documentation.
December 5th, 2019 at 2:22 PM ^
is luigi villain a possible uche replacement? he was a highly touted recruit, but has been injured most of his time here. iirc he did get some play this year. i dont remember how good he looked though.
December 5th, 2019 at 4:29 PM ^
No Luigi is just a regular weakside defensive end. We don’t really have anybody else like Uche on the roster. Don Brown basically changed a bunch of personnel just to get Uche on the field for half the snaps. It’s going to be hard to replace Uches pass rush production but in terms of his position we don’t need to replace him. McGrone and Ross will be the backers. Barrett will be the Viper. Hopefully Luiji can take Dannas spot as the #3 DE and give us some pass rush because we basically start 2 strong side DEs.
December 6th, 2019 at 4:31 PM ^
But the question remains whether Vilain can replace his pass rush even if it's coming from a WDE spot rather than SAM.
Without Uche, Michigan has a serious lack of ability to generate pass rush from the DL (if you consider him a stand up DE on passing downs).
Would be nice if Vilain can be a poor man's Chase Winovich type DE.
That obviously means you'd have to do something with Paye or Hutchinson. I wonder if one of them could bulk up and slide down to 3T.
December 5th, 2019 at 7:24 PM ^
Boutta put my dingle in the the ole transfer portal.
December 5th, 2019 at 8:23 PM ^
Not sure I understand McKeon...does going to the senior bowl necessarily mean you’re leaving? I honestly don’t know what the ramifications are of doing the senior bowl.
edit: never mind, I see the answer just above mine.
December 6th, 2019 at 1:36 PM ^
McKeon leaving early is weird as fuck. I have to imagine we’d want him for another year and I’ve seen 0 draft talk about him.
December 6th, 2019 at 3:54 PM ^
I guess when a class is 30 large, you expect a lot of attrition but man, so many departures on the defensive side (no Solomon, Singleton, Anthony, DIB, CMH, etc).
That defensive class is shaping up like the Hoke 2013 offensive class. So many highly touted guys that didn't pan out for various reasons.
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