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2015 NFL Draft Prospect Preview: Michigan Wolverines

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Michigan junior Devin Funchess could emerge as the next big thing at receiver in 2014 (Photo: Andy Morrison-toledoblade.com)

DraftBrowns.com Staff Writer: Justin Higdon

On the surface, Michigan seemed to be headed in the right direction in Brady Hoke’s third season as the head coach. Despite close calls against Akron and Connecticut, the team started the 2013 season with a 5-0 record heading into a evening road game at Penn State. In one of the more exciting (albeit sloppy) games of the Big Ten season, the Wolverines squandered a 10-point fourth quarter lead and lost in four overtimes to the Nittany Lions. Michigan dropped six of the final eight games on it’s schedule. The team was routed by in-state rival Michigan State, and suffered a heartbreaking defeat at home to Ohio State. The Wolverines managed an invitation to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, but never competed in a loss to Kansas State. For all of his bravado, Hoke enters his fourth season with identical 1-2 records against Ohio State and in bowl games, and his 15-11 mark over the past two seasons (9-7 in Big Ten play) is hardly the stuff of legends. Still, Hoke has managed some solid recruiting classes, and no doubt hopes that a team now stocked with “his guys” will meet the expectations set by his early success. Here’s a look at some of Michigan’s draft-eligible players heading into the 2014 season. (Asterisks denote underclassmen)

Devin Gardner QB 6’4” 212

  • Four-star recruit out of Inkster High School in Detroit, MI in 2010
  • Received a medical redshirt for the 2010 season due to a back injury
  • Missed the bowl game loss to Kansas State with a foot injury
  • Holds the school, single-game record for passing yards (503 vs Indiana in 2013)
  • 2013 Stats: 208-345 (60.3%) 2960 YDS 21 TD 11 INT passing 483 YDS 2.9 AVG 11 TD rushing

Gardner has been a model of inconsistency since becoming the team’s starting quarterback midway through the 2012 season. While he lit up Ohio State and Indiana, he had some of his worst performances against the likes of Central Michigan, Akron and Connecticut. Even a solid showing against Notre Dame featured one of the most head-scratching pass attempts of the entire college football season. Gardner is an excellent athlete with plenty of arm strength, and perhaps that’s why he was getting top 50 buzz last summer. But now the redshirt senior seems to have legitimate competition for the starting job from sophomore Shane Morris. If Gardner can hang onto the gig and avoid the roller coaster he rode last season, his potential could still land him in the top 100 of the 2015 draft. On the other hand, if he loses to Morris, Gardner could wind up back at wide receiver, where he saw action as a sophomore in 2012.

Devin Funchess WR 6’5” 235*

  • Three-star recruit out of Harrison High School in Farmington Hills, MI in 2012
  • 15 starts in 26 games as a tight end through two college seasons
  • Split time between receiver and tight end during the 2013 season
  • 2013 Stats: 49 REC 748 YDS 15.3 AVG 6 TD

Despite being named the Big Ten’s tight end of the year, Funchess will remain primarily at receiver where he can play to his strengths. At tight end, Michigan coaches weren’t able to trust his blocking, but split out wide, Funchess creates matchup nightmares with his combination of size and athleticism. As a pro prospect, he’s somewhat of a “tweener”, and it remains to be seen if he has the speed to play outside at the NFL level. Still, his strong hands, expansive catch radius, and ability to shield defenders with his body make him an attractive target down the seam and in the red zone. Should he opt to leave school early, Funchess could be drafted within the first two rounds next spring.

Frank Clark DE 6’2” 276

  • Three-star recruit out of Glenville Academic Campus in Cleveland, OH in 2011
  • Suspended for the 2012 opener while facing a felony, home invasion charge
  • 2013 stats: 43 TKL 12.5 TFL 5 SCK 7 QBH 1 PBU 1 FR TD

Prior to the 2012 season, Clark faced charges for stealing a MacBook laptop from a Michigan dorm room. After serving a one-game suspension, he later entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to one year of probation. Clark recovered to have a solid 2012 season, and emerged as the team’s best defensive lineman last season. He views the arrest as the “turning point” in his college career, and appears to have put his off-field issues behind him. Recruited as a linebacker, Clark has added over 50 pounds of mass without sacrificing speed. He most likely projects as a 4-3 defensive end at the NFL level, though he will no doubt be worked out at linebacker as well. Provided he continues to avoid trouble, Clark should be one of the top defensive players in the Big Ten this coming season.

Jake Ryan ILB 6’2” 242

  • Three-star recruit out of St. Ignatius High School in Westlake, OH in 2010
  • Reshirted in 2010
  • Tied a school record with four forced fumbles in 2012
  • Missed the first half of 2013 with a torn ACL
  • 2013 Stats: 30 TKL 4.5 TFL 2 QBH 1 PBU

Ryan seemed poised for a breakthrough after an excellent redshirt sophomore season in 2012, but a March 2013 ACL injury cut his junior year in half. Ryan returned for the final eight games of the season, but was not the same player who had been so disruptive the year before when he tallied 16.5 tackles for loss and tied the Michigan school record for forced fumbles. Ryan will learn a new position this year, as he is expected to move to inside linebacker in the hopes of getting him more involved in the defense. A successful transition will prove his versatility and enhance his value to NFL franchises provided he remains healthy.

Blake Countess CB 5’10” 183*

  • Four-star recruit out of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Owings Mills, MD in 2011
  • Suffered a torn ACL in the 2012 season opener and missed the rest of the season
  • Recently had surgery to repair a “core injury
  • 2013 Stats: 46 TKL 2 TFL 1 QBH 6 INT 1 TD 4 PBU

Countess saw significant playing time as a true freshman, but an ACL tear in the 2012 opener against Alabama knocked him out for the season. He was granted a medical redshirt, and returned strong to tie for the Big Ten lead with six interceptions as a sophomore last season. Countess is expected to return from his most recent surgical procedure in time for the fall, but multiple operations will always raise the collective antennae of NFL personnel types. He can go a long way toward easing any of those concerns with a repeat of his strong 2013 performance. While he is probably best suited for slot coverage duties at the NFL level, Countess is the most talented member of Michigan’s defensive backfield. Now in his fourth year out of high school, he may opt for the NFL after another productive season.

 

Other Players to Watch:

Raymon Taylor CB 5’10” 183

  • Four-star recruit out of Highland Park High School in Detroit, MI in 2011
  • 2013 Stats: 85 TKL 1.5 TFL 0.5 SCK 1 QBH 4 INT 9 PBU

Kyle Kalis OT 6’5” 302*

Joe Bolden ILB 6’2” 225*

Desmond Morgan ILB 6’1” 228

Brennen Beyer OLB 6’3” 250


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