Tag: Jordan Glasgow

Glasgow trifecta: Jordan goes from walk-on to scholarship to NFL draft pick

The youngest of 3 former walk-on brothers who earned scholarships at Michigan, Glasgow now shares another distinction as a drafted player.

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And, like that, every Glasgow brother has been drafted.

All three brothers were walk-ons at Michigan who earned scholarships. All three now have been selected in their respective NFL drafts.

While Graham went to the Lions in 2015 and Ryan went to the Bengals in 2017, now it’s Jordan Glasgow’s turn, having been selected in the sixth-round at No. 213 overall by the Indianapolis Colts.

Jordan came along a little slower than his brothers, however. He was a stalwart special teams player for several years, but only got to be a starter in 2019, replacing Devin Gil as the Wolverines starting WILL linebacker.

Glasgow also earned the distinction as the top tackler in the country, according to scouting website Pro Football Focus:

Pro Football Focus grades Michigan LB Jordan Glasgow as the top tackler in the 2019 season.

Glasgow (6’1/226) had a tackling grade of 90.4 according to Pro Football Focus, and that narrowly beat Alabama’s Shane Lee (90.1). The Wolverine was also a standout on special teams for Michigan, and he was one of the most improved players in Ann Arbor on the defensive side. Glasgow projects as a Day 3 pick, but he’s one that could be a sleeper thanks to his ability to cover kicks and ability to wrap up.

It’s excellent news for the youngest of the Glasgow brothers, as he didn’t get the same opportunity as many of his teammates. He was one of two eligible Wolverines to not earn an NFL Scouting Combine invite, and his pro day was canceled due to novel coronavirus concerns.

In his Michigan career, Glasgow had 139 tackles, 10 for loss and 7 sacks.

PFF: Jordan Glasgow nation’s best tackler in 2019

Pro Football Focus notes that the Wolverines linebacker is the best in the nation at completing the lost art of tackling.

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He might not have the accolades, but Jordan Glasgow has overachieving in his blood, and one site has taken notice.

The youngest of the Glasgow brother trio who all walked on at Michigan before earning a scholarship, Jordan has the biggest of the three in his uphill battle to join the other two in the NFL, as he didn’t receive an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this month, and he couldn’t show of his skills at Michigan’s planned March 13 Pro Day, as it was canceled due to coronavirus concerns. In the few seven-round NFL mock drafts that have circulated, Jordan Glasgow hasn’t been mentioned as one of the players selected.

But perhaps he should be.

They say tackling is a lost art in football, but it’s one that Glasgow has mastered. Scouting website Pro Football Focus charts just about everything in college and pro football, tackling included. And it turns out, there was no better player in the entire country in 2019 that was as good as Glasgow was.

In 2019, Glasgow earned a starting role at WILL linebacker, and posted his best season yet, playing in all 13 games with 89 tackles, 7 for a loss, 5 sacks and a fumble recovery.

Meet Jordan Glasgow, Michigan’s do-it-all LB prospect

Check out Draft Wire’s exclusive interview with Michigan linebacker prospect Jordan Glasgow

In order to stick in the NFL, some players have to be willing to do all the dirty work on special teams. One prospect in the 2020 NFL draft class who is used to working his way up the football ladder the hard way? Michigan linebacker Jordan Glasgow.

A former walk-on and special teams ace-turned starting linebacker, Glasgow recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his unique journey as part of a football family, why he’s not bothered by his NFL Scouting Combine snub, and why an NFL team should take a chance on him in this year’s draft.

JM: You grew up in a football family. Your brother, Ryan, plays for the Cincinnati Bengals. Your brother, Graham, plays for the Detroit Lions. What was life like growing up in that household?

JG: It was interesting. My oldest brother, Graham, who plays for the Lions didn’t start playing football seriously until high school. Ryan started playing seriously in the sixth grade and he plays for the Bengals now. I was about three years younger than Ryan, and I started playing around the third grade. As soon as he started playing seriously, I wanted to play, as well. I wanted to follow him around. I wanted to do everything my brothers were doing. I started playing at a much younger age than him.

Graham didn’t really see a future with football until much later in high school. We were always very competitive but we were just a sports household in general. I wouldn’t even say that we were a football household. We were big on all sports.

JM: You had a pretty big season as a fifth-year senior. You had 89 tackles, seven tackles for loss and five sacks. What is it about your game that lead to such production?

JG: I think that I’m a smart player. I study a lot of film and I work hard at understanding our defense and understanding what we’re going up against. I spend a lot of time studying the opposing offense. That allows me to play loose and fast.

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JM: You were a combine snub, but your brothers have similar success stories. They’re both playing in the NFL, and their paths didn’t come without adversity. What does that do to your motivation?

JG: Not getting invited to the combine didn’t really deter me or put me down in any way, shape or form. Both of my brothers and I were walk-ons at the University of Michigan. You don’t see that every day. We’ve been counted out at every level and at every step of the way. It’s nothing new to us. What I’ve been told is that 18 teams have to vote “yes” for you to get a combine invite. Maybe there are 17 teams that are interested in me. You just never know.

There may be 17 teams that see value in me. I’m gonna do my best to show that value at my pro day. If a team decides to invest in me, I’m gonna come in and work my butt off.

JM: What’s your favorite part about playing the linebacker position?

JG: I love being in the thick of it. You’re close to the line of scrimmage and closer to the action. You have to be smart. You have to process things quickly. You get tangled up, you get to engage with the offensive linemen. You have to be able to shed a block. You have to be tough and play fast. You’re playing in the trenches a little, you’re playing in coverage. You get your hands dirty. I love it.

JM: Why should a team use one of their draft picks on Jordan Glasgow?

JG: I think that no matter what team I get chosen by, I’m gonna come in there and be one of the hardest workers in the locker room. I’m gonna make the most of my opportunity from day one. I’m a team-first kinda guy. No matter what you think you’re getting in me, I have the pedigree to develop and become whatever you need me to be. I’ve played three different positions at the highest level of college football. I have some versatility to show at the next level as well. I will work as hard as I can until I morph into what you need me to be.

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Michigan football defense grades from the 2019 season

Michigan football ended its 2019 season 9-4. The defense wasn’t as good as year’s past but was better than most projected. How’d they do?

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2019 was a big year for Michigan’s defensive coordinator Don Brown. He has lost talented players before and simply reloaded, but this year was tougher. A lot of new players would start for him, and with two new defensive coaches underneath him, after both linebackers coach Al Washington and defensive line coach Greg Mattison left for Ohio State. Harbaugh would bring in Anthony Campanile from Boston College to coach the linebackers, and Shaun Nua from Arizona State to coach the defensive line.

The 2019 Michigan football defense was better than most people projected. Headed into the season Brown’s group wasn’t getting the respect they deserved. Even with new starters across the board and new coaches, they still had loads of talent and deserved to be a top-10 defense.

The defense would see new starters at every level. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson would get to start after waiting for his turn. Linebacker Khaleke Hudson sought out to redeem his poor 2018 season. Cornerback Lavert Hill would be the top cornerback alongside Ambry Thomas and Vincent Gray. Michigan would also get to see five-star freshman safety Daxton Hill debut.

Special Teams even had an interesting battle at kicker between Quinn Nordin and Jake Moody as last season ended with a debacle between who would start.

While the defense did better than expected, in the end, it just wasn’t enough as they couldn’t slow down the offenses of Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Alabama. They were given a tough challenge of Army early on in the season too and needed double overtime to take down the Black Knights

With that said, it’s time to review how each position, including head coach and coordinators, did in the 2019 season. I already broke down the offense earlier as it’s the defenses turn to get graded on their performance.

Defensive Line: C

Michigan’s defensive ends would see some new faces start for them. Aidan Hutchinson would be one of them and his sophomore season was a good one, finishing with 69 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, six pass deflections, three and a half sacks, and three forced fumbles. His partner in crime, and the other new starting defensive end, was Kwity Paye, who finished the season with 50 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and six and a half sacks.

While the ends were performing well, the defensive tackles are where Michigan had some trouble creating pressure. Carlo Kemp would be one of the starters and finished with 40 total tackles, four and a half tackles for loss, two sacks, and a fumble recovery. Michael Dwumfour would be playing through an injury for most of the season according to Dwumfour, and his play was affected greatly, finishing with just nine total tackles, two pass deflections, one and a half tackles for loss and just half a sack in the seven games he played in.

The depth behind the players wasn’t as rich as years past. Defensive tackle Chris Hinton would play in Dwumfours absence and didn’t have much production either, finishing with just 10 total tackles and half a tackle for loss. Defensive end Mike Danna, a transfer from Central Michigan, would play and help out with his veteran presence, finishing with 38 total tackles, three tackles for loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble. Defensive end Luiji Vilan would finally see the field after missing two seasons with injuries, and he had seven total tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, and a forced fumble this year.

Linebacker: B
Josh Uche would continue to build himself up for the NFL, finishing the season with 33 total tackles, 10.5 tackle for loss, team-high seven and a half sacks, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, and a pass deflection. Devin Gil saw a step back in playtime, only appearing in six games and finishing with nine total tackles and a half a tackle for loss.
The biggest thing about the group this year was the emergence of Cam McGrone. Josh Ross was starting before him and finished the year with 18 total tackles in just three games before getting injured. McGrone stepped in for Ross and ever since then Ross hasn’t seen the field, despite being healthy enough to play. McGrone finished the year with 65 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, two and a half sacks, one forced fumble, and a pass deflection.
Cornerback: B-

Michigan got a boost for its secondary this year with Lavert Hill deciding to return for his senior year last year, and it ended up being the right choice in the end. Hill finished the year with 16 total tackles, nine pass deflections, three interceptions, and a tackle for loss. While it wasn’t an eye-popping season, he still overall played well.

The real star was Ambry Thomas, who overcame colitis in August, after not knowing when he’d return, and had a huge sophomore season, finishing with 38 total tackles, three tackles for loss, three pass deflections, and three interceptions, along with two fumble recoveries. With Thomas moving up to second-string, Vincent Gray would be moved up to third and overall had a quiet season. He finished with 20 total tackles, five pass deflections, and a tackle and a half for loss.

Safety: B-

Safety Josh Metellus made the right choice in returning to Michigan in 2019 for his senior year also, as he had a career-high 74 total tackles this season, along with five pass deflections, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. Brad Hawkins was his original starting partner, finishing the season with 53 total tackles, and a pass deflection. An injury to Hawkins would force him to miss some time, but in the meantime, his playing time would get reduced due to five-star freshman Daxton Hill taking over in his absence.

Hill had an interesting year. While he would start the year on special teams, with Hawkins injury he moved towards defense and his role at safety. While Hill didn’t blow up the stat sheet like many were hoping for, along with showing signs of being a freshman, he was able to impress during his playtime. He had 36 total tackles, three pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, and an interception.

Now onto the special teams and coaching…
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Multiple Michigan players break down challenge Alabama presents

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – While all eyes will assuredly be on the College Football Playoff come Dec. 28, when Ohio State-Clemson and LSU-Oklahoma will take place, given the absence of Alabama – a team that’s been in every playoff since its 2014 inception – …

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. —  While all eyes will assuredly be on the College Football Playoff come Dec. 28, when Ohio State-Clemson and LSU-Oklahoma will take place, given the absence of Alabama — a team that’s been in every playoff since its 2014 inception — when Michigan and the Crimson Tide face off in the VRBO Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, it’ll assuredly draw just as much attention, or at least close to it.

Right now, Michigan looks like it will have its full complement of players in the game, which speaks not just to the bond of the team, but also the quality of opponent that Alabama is.

“It’s obviously not a team that we’re used to playing every year being a non-conference opponent,” senior team captain Ben Bredeson said. “We’re very excited about the challenge of playing them. Growing up and for the last 10 or so years, they’ve been a perennial power. Finally being able to play Alabama, it’s exciting, we’re looking forward to it. I believe it’s a good matchup for us.”

While most Michigan players or observers would have thought that getting a shot at Alabama meant that the Wolverines made it to the playoffs themselves, given some of the Crimson Tide’s injuries — namely to star QB Tua Tagovailoa — things didn’t quite work out that way, as the SEC powerhouse lost to playoff-bound LSU and rival Auburn in a closely contested game to end the season.

On Sunday, after the annual Schemmy Awards at Crisler Center, several Wolverines broke down the challenges that Alabama presents — and they’re numerous.

The SEC West and national power, despite the record and injuries, still has a cadre of likely first-round NFL Draft picks. Despite Tagovailoa being out for the season, the offense is still loaded, whether it be the four wideouts led by DeVonta Smith and Jerry Jeudy, or running back Najee Harris.

But the challenges start up front with a talented offensive line that boasts multiple high-end future NFL Draft first-rounders.

“I’m pretty sure they have a first-round guy at right tackle,” junior defensive end Kwity Paye said of Alabama RT Jedrick Wills. “I played against him in the All-American game in high school, so I know he’s a great tackle. The other one as well so. Playing against those guys will be huge.”

Given that Michigan’s defense has struggled against some of the top offenses it’s faced — Wisconsin and Ohio State bloodied the Wolverines, while Penn State made just enough damage to hold on for dear life after a quick start early — considering that Alabama has the nation’s 7th-ranked attack in yards-per-game, there’s a lot to cover.

It’s not just that the OL is solid — Alabama is fourth in the country in sacks allowed — but then there’s the aforementioned Harris, the nation’s 38th-best rusher — and the pass offense, ranked third in the nation, averaging 343.5 yards-per-game, the best Michigan will have seen to date.

“They have a very talented receiving corps, and they have a very talented O-line as well,” fifth-year senior linebacker Jordan Glasgow said. “I’ve seen their running back make a lot of plays. I’ve seen the running backs they’ve rotated in make a lot of plays. I’m pretty sure the quarterback they’ve rotated in (Mac Jones) has done very well. They put up a lot of points against Auburn in their loss. They’ve done well after Tua went down. I think we’re gonna be playing a great team. We’re going to be playing one of the best teams we’ve played all year, and we’ve gotta prepare for them.”

While the defense might have the biggest challenge, Alabama is no slouch still on its own defense, with the 17th-rated unit in the country coming in.

Michigan’s offense got rolling against Penn State and only slowed down at the half against the Buckeyes. But the Wolverines feel confident that they can keep the ball moving, especially given that offensive coordinator Josh Gattis was an assistant coach in Tuscaloosa a year ago.

But what are the challenges that the maize and blue will face going up against the Crimson Tide defense? Again, it’s multiple.

“They’re big, fast, strong and athletic, all along the board,” senior quarterback Shea Patterson said. “Incredible secondary. They’re very well-coached on defense and very explosive on offense. We’ll see if we can match that.”

All-in-all, it’ll be a tough game for the Wolverines, but should they be able to pull it out, it would be a huge statement for a program that’s trying to add its tenth win for the fourth time in five seasons.

Michigan and Alabama will kick off in the VRBO Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1 at 1PM EST at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

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Michigan not anticipating any players sitting out against Alabama

As far as the leaders of the Wolverines expect as of current, there’s no anticipation that anyone for the maize and blue won’t play vs. Bama

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. —  On Saturday, junior Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy shocked the world when he announced on Twitter that he would be playing in the VRBO Citrus Bowl against Michigan, as it’s been a trend in recent years that the top talent that isn’t in the College Football Playoff forgoes their final game as to avoid injury. This is the first year that the Crimson Tide haven’t been in the playoff since its inception in 2014, so the expectation was that a bevy of their draft eligible players wouldn’t suit up against the Wolverines in Orlando.

Even Michigan had several who didn’t play in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl a year ago, a New Year’s Six game that might not have the gravitas of the playoff, but certainly still has luster.

However this year, it doesn’t look that that will be the case — at least not in the minds of some of the leaders of this 2019 squad.

There’s plenty of speculation not just surrounding those who have exhausted their intercollegiate eligibility, but also around some of the draft eligible juniors. One such player, redshirt junior linebacker Josh Uche, has already declared his intentions to leave the program with a year on the table for the NFL Draft, but stated simultaneously that he’ll be playing in his final go-round against Alabama.

But what about the others? As far as the current players have noticed, there doesn’t seem to be any intentions by anyone to sit this game out. Everyone that can physically practice has done so, many noted on Sunday evening.

“I haven’t heard anything about it,” senior Ben Bredeson said when asked if he had or would address the team about playing in the VRBO Citrus Bowl. “There’s really nothing to address. I think everyone’s on the same page. Any chance you get to play for Michigan, everyone’s gonna do it.”

“I don’t think anyone’s gonna sit out,” junior defensive end Kwity Paye said. “We should end the season strong. I feel like a lot of our seniors didn’t end the season strong (against Ohio State). I feel like this is another way to do that.”

As far as those seniors who already are looking at their next steps, with some like quarterback Shea Patterson having already accepted a spot in the East-West Shrine Bowl — a showcase for outgoing college prospects for NFL scouts — they’re leading the way.

The word that kept getting bandied about on Sunday night was ‘opportunity,’ and that’s precisely how these players see going up against a perennial powerhouse in Alabama — even if it is in the VRBO Citrus Bowl, which is outside of both the playoffs and the New Year’s Six games.

And given how the final contest of the regular season went against Ohio State, many see it as a chance to wash the bad taste out of their mouths.

“Hopefully nobody’s sitting out,” Patterson said. “I talked to Josh Metellus, and we’re playing. I don’t think anybody has any room to sit out in this game. I think everybody, for anything, it’s an opportunity for the seniors. If they’re thinking about sitting out, it would only hurt them.”

“I wouldn’t expect anybody that can play to not play,” fifth-year senior linebacker Jordan Glasgow said. “We’re playing a very good Alabama team. You perform there, you create a very good situation for yourself going forward. So if anyone wants to sit out, I would say not to. I’d recommend not to because we’re playing a very good team. We have an opportunity to leave the team on a good note.”

Of course, it’s understandable that some might consider not playing, given the history even on this particular team.

In 2016, the Wolverines finished the season playing against Florida State in the Capital One Orange Bowl, a consolation prize given that the maize and blue were a questionable spot in Columbus away from being in the final four. Tight end Jake Butt, a team captain and projected early-round draft pick, had no considerations to not play in his final game in a winged helmet, and it ended up costing him.

Near the end of the first half, as a pass was launched Butt’s way down the sidelines, he came down awkwardly, and tore his ACL for the second-time in his Michigan career. He slid all the way from being a borderline first-to-second round pick to the first selection of the fifth-round in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Still, with a team like Alabama on the docket, which has either played in or won all but one of the College Football Playoff final games, regardless of the risk, it’s a chance to showcase your abilities more than any other, Patterson notes.

“I think it just depends on your situation,” Patterson said. “But anytime you have an opportunity to go out there and play and compete against the best in the country, it’s another opportunity to prove yourself.”

The VRBO Citrus Bowl is set to take place in Orlando on Jan. 1 at Camping World Stadium, with kickoff set for 1PM EST.

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