Tag: Michigan Wolverines football

Detroit Lions All-University of Michigan mock draft

With mock drafts coming in left and right, ever curious to see what if the Detroit Lions drafted from just the University of Michigan? It may not be as crazy as you might think.

Mock drafts are everywhere right now and the majority of them have the Detroit Lions taking either Jeffery Okudah, Chase Young, Derrick Brown, or Isaiah Simmons with their first pick.

After a while, the mundanity can set in seeing the same few players getting slated to the Lions, so we at Lions Wire decided to add a twist to traditional mock drafts by introducing a series of mock drafts that select prospects exclusively from one school.

To kick off the series, we are staying in-state and beginning with the University of Michigan.

Round 1

Pre-combine there may be only one Wolverine that might receive first-round consideration, interior offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz.

Ruiz has been gaining steam as of late to a point being regarded as the top interior lineman in the draft. He a versatile chess piece having played both center and guard while at Michigan and can fit into any scheme. With his strong mobility in space and heavy anchor, he was the highest-graded pass blocking center in 2019 through PFF. With it looking more likely Graham Glasgow leaves in free agency, the Lions could look to dip their toes in another versatile Michigan lineman to help the offensive line.

The Lions are too far up in the draft to take Ruiz, but if the Lions make a trade and acquire the 26th pick from the Dolphins, the Lions could theoretically take Ruiz to shore up the gaps that plaque the offensive line at the bottom of the first round. If Ruiz has a strong showing at the combine, he could boost his draft stock and go from a fringe first-round prospect to a sure one.

The Lions have a need at Ruiz’s position and he could anchor the vacant guard spot for years to come.

Round 2

I feel like there are two Michigan products the Lions could tag as their second-round pick, JACK linebacker Joshua Uche or receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. Uche enjoyed a major rise to his draft stock after a dominant showing at the Senior bowl and Lions fans instantly fell in love with the local product.

He was able to show he can handle not only edge rushing, but play sticky coverage on tight ends and running backs. With his versatility as a JACK/SAM linebacker, he screams fit for the Lions.

People-Jones production in Michigan was something left to be desired considering how much of big-bodied receiver he was but with the low level of targets, it’s hard to lay the blame solely on him. With his size, speed, and ball skills, he could easily be a productive receiver at the next level. Even though his route running could improve, he has the look of receiver coaches who would love to get their hands on.

Even though the Lions have another high second-round pick, one could make an argument for either player to be the Lions’ selection. Uche will help shore up a disappointing pass rush and People-Jones could become a versatile piece in the receiving corps. It would be tempting to give Matthew Stafford another weapon, but the Lions need to look at improving their defense and Uche will help in not only edge pressure, but strong coverage abilities where the Lions lack in their linebackers.

Round 3

The Wolverines had one of the more impressive offensive interior lines this past season and the Lions could look to double-dip into that talent by selecting guard Ben Bredeson in the third round after selecting Ruiz in the first round.

Bredeson might not be as athletic as his counterpart, Ruiz, but he makes up for it with strength and power. He will plant you in the ground and have a smile on his face doing it because he loves setting the tone early. With his strong physicality, he is a great fit in a man heavy scheme perfect for what the Lions what to do in the trenches.

Even though the Lions tagged Ruiz as their first-round pick, the guard spot is in a flux and could use more bodies and they could do worse than Bredeson manning one of those spots or provide a quality backup.

 Round 4/5

The Lions’ secondary could use some help and thankfully for them the Wolverines offer a couple of intriguing options Day 3 of the draft, cornerback Lavert Hill and linebacker/safety Khaleke Hudson.

Hill’s skill set allows him to play outside, but because of his size, he is more favored to play in the slot. Having only one season of starter experience his production is minimal, but between his sticky man coverage, strength, and ball skills, he could be a diamond in the rough in the later round. The Lions could use him a potential prodigy to Coleman and provide depth on the outside in case of injuries.

Hudson is going to be one of the player’s teams might not know how to use him having played the VIPER position during his Michigan tenure. Essentially think of Hudson as a poor man’s Isiah Simmions, a free-roaming defensive chess piece, having logged snaps at off-ball linebacker, edge defender, slot corner, box safety, and deep safety. If a smart team can get ahold of him and figure out the best way to use the versatile defender they could have a player who can match up well against offenses. Since the Lions love versatile players, Hudson could match up well, starting on special teams, but could work his way to defensive snaps.

With their second fifth-round pick, the Lions might have to reach a little bit to grab a Michigan player, but tight end Sean McKeon could match up well in the Lions offense. McKeon is of those versatile tight ends who could be a three-down player with strong skills at catching and blocking. He is a technical, smart player who understands how to use leverage to his advantage and either seal off defenders or find the open spot for the catch.

The Lions likely aren’t looking for a top tight end after taking T.J Hockenson in the first round last year and signing Jesse James to a big contract, but McKeon could be one of those players who can sneak in and provide quality play as a TE3 for the Lions.

Round 6

Late in this draft, you aren’t looking for someone to contribute immediately, but the Lions could select this once highly regarded prospect who they got a first-hand look at the Senior Bowl, quarterback Shea Patterson.

Even though Patterson showed good mobility and arm strength, accuracy has plagued him constantly. He has the ability to extend plays but might tend to panic quickly and take off if his first read isn’t available or take the check down option. Patterson does have the tangibles to slide into a backup role and maybe, with some good coaching, groom into something bigger. Since the Lions were able to coach Patterson at the Senior Bowl, they know what they are getting with him and possibly vision a role for him.

Summary

Here is how the Lions draft could shape up with all Michigan players:

Late 1st- Cesar Ruiz, C
2nd- Joshua Uche, JACK
3rd- Ben Bredeson, G
4th- Lavert Hall, CB
5th- Khaleke Hudson, LB/S
5th- Sean McKeon, TE
6th- Shea Patterson, QB

Now some of the players may be reaches at this time, but with the Combine still to go, it is hard to tell how the draft will play out. Uche, Bredeson, Hudson, McKeon, and previously mentioned Patterson all participated at the Senior Bowl, so the Lions got a personal look at the majority of these players and General Manager Bob Quinn love drafting from the Senior bowl.

The University of Michigan will be well represented with the second most participating players giving the Lions another opportunity to get a first-hand look at the players. So it’s not out of the realm of possibilities to see some of these players finding their way on the Lions roster come draft day.

Wisconsin decade in review: Badgers vs Michigan

Wisconsin vs Michigan

As the 2019 season brings to a close another decade of college football, Badgers Wire has been engaged in a series of reflective pieces. “Record Review” is another series examining how the Badgers have fared against the rest of the Big Ten conference. Next up is an examination of the Badgers’ record against one of the NCAA’s most successful football programs of all time, Michigan. Unlike their rivalry with the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Wisconsin Badgers have actually thrived against the Wolverines this decade. If they can continue that success into the next decade, it bodes well for Wisconsin’s hopes of being a national title contender. 

Using Stassen, Badgers Wire pulled up every result against Michigan this past decade. The Badgers finished 4-2 in the 2010s against the Wolverines. Bucky was 3-0 against the Wolverines at home and 1-2 on the road, with their only road victory coming back in 2010, which also happens to be the only year they beat Ohio State in the same decade. 

The strange part about this rivalry over the past decade is the margins. When the Badgers got Michigan at home, they typically pummeled them. The average margin of victory was 35-17 (rounded to the nearest whole number), but once they traveled to the Big House, that margin of victory disappeared and the average score was 27-23 in favor of Michigan. 

It’s tough to pick out a “toughest loss” in this series because the games aren’t particularly close. One could arguably make the case that 2016 was the toughest, given the level of play of both teams. Wisconsin wouldn’t have necessarily improved its position for anything beyond its bowl assignment (Western Michigan in the Cotton) — it once again made the conference championship game that season. Yet, a win would have given the Badgers at least a decent showing against the conference’s best. As it stands, they lost to Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State that season. Their only victory over a conference bellcow came against Michigan State, which was highly ranked when it played Wisconsin, but finished the year at 3-9.

Wisconsin’s best win against Michigan? Either 2019 or 2017 against Jim Harbaugh would have to rate at the top. The 2017 win probably gets the nod partly because Michigan was dangerous in the first half of that game, and partly because Wisconsin completed a 12-0 run through its regularly scheduled games that year. The 2019 win certainly wasn’t bad — it was delicious to romp all over Harbaugh in that game — but 2017 carried more significance and resonance. 

As previously stated, Wisconsin needs to maintain a consistent level of play against the conference elite. Regular wins over Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State, and Penn State are how UW can establish a winning base that allows the school to recruit to a region which is not particularly easy to navigate. Wisconsin is on the right path; the Badgers have shown that they can win against the conference’s top teams. Going into 2020 and beyond, Wisconsin simply needs to find a way to take its success on the road, and the Badgers will gain even greater leverage over Michigan.

Big Ten, big ’20s: Michigan football

Michigan football in the 2020s

Adam Biggers used to work with me at a college sports site which got shuttered a few years ago. He has covered Michigan and Michigan State sports for multiple outlets over the past several years as a beat reporter. He has been in the room for much of the past decade, when Michigan struggled to regain a foothold in the Big Ten Conference and create a new Ten-Year War with Ohio State.

If anyone wants to know what’s really going on inside the walls of the Michigan program, I turn to Adam Biggers. I asked him for perspective on some of the biggest questions facing Michigan Wolverines football in the new decade.

This is what Adam Biggers said:

The biggest storyline: Jim Harbaugh was once known as a QB whisperer… when will one of his own be a star, the kind of player for which Michigan desperately searches?

All his QBs have been transfers or NOT his own recruits.

Wilton Speight was the closest one, given that he came up within the Michigan program, but he was still a Brady Hoke kid.

Jake Rudock was from Iowa. Shea Patterson was from Ole Miss.

Brandon Peters, the one who was supposed to be the successful home-grown Michigan quarterback, transferred to Illinois.

John O’Korn was from Houston. That fell flat.

Joe Milton is part of a pile of upcoming talent. Will he get washed aside? Dylan McCaffrey is injury-prone.

When will Harbaugh complete the homegrown QB process?

From recruiting the kid, to the kid being star, to the three-year starter, etc.

Or is that QB no longer in style, given the transfer portal and the new normal in player movement?

Point back to Andrew Luck at Stanford. Everyone said Harbaugh was genius.

In the NFL, he developed Colin Kaepernick with the San Francisco 49ers.

Now what? Rent-a-QB?

Wilton Speight was THE closest to a home-grown Harbaugh QB at Michigan. Three years, two as a starter. It never quite panned out. Harbaugh is still looking for the Michigan man who can lead Michigan to greatness at quarterback.

– Adam Biggers

Wisconsin is one part of a sexy Big Ten bowl season

Big Ten bowl thoughts

I’m not going to tell you that the full Big Ten Conference bowl season is great. Michigan State-Wake Forest? ZZZZZZ. Illinois-California? Nap time. Indiana-Tennessee? That’s nice. Penn State, thanks to Wisconsin making the Rose Bowl, gets pushed into the corner to play Memphis, getting the Group of Five assignment Power Five schools hate at bowl season.

However, five of the Big Ten’s nine bowl games are really sexy and very important. The Wisconsin Badgers are just one part of a five-part story. This year, the Big Ten’s better teams all drew high-profile opponents, which lends some snap, crackle and pop to the 2019 bowl season. One could very easily make the argument that in a generally lackluster lineup of 39 bowl games (UCF-Marshall! Appalachian State-UAB! Pittsburgh-Eastern Michigan!), the Big Ten has the best and most interesting matchups, the games a lot of casual sports fans will watch at bowl season.

Oregon. Clemson. Alabama. Auburn. USC. Those five schools have all played for national championships this century. More specifically, they have all played for national titles in the past 15 years. Four of the five (USC being the exception) played for the national title THIS DECADE. Three of those four schools (Oregon being the exception) won a national title this decade.

These are the five opponents for Big Ten teams in the upper-tier bowl games.

Oregon is Wisconsin’s opponent in Pasadena. Clemson faces Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl playoff semifinal. Alabama returns to the Citrus Bowl — where it began this decade against Michigan State — to play the other Michigan school, Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines. Auburn gets P.J. Fleck and Minnesota in the Outback Bowl.

A hilarious aspect of the Outback Bowl:

USC is Iowa’s opponent in the Holiday Bowl. A trip to San Diego and a marquee opponent give Hawkeye fans a good reward for their team’s season. We can power-rank these games later on (you can bet that we will), but for now, simply realize that the five best Big Ten bowl games are all showcase events. None of the matchups are dull. Bama might blow out Michigan, but the matchup isn’t a snoozer. Harbaugh versus Saban demands attention… at least the first one and a half quarters.

The Big Ten isn’t going low-profile this bowl season. This is an attractive, dressed-up, high-end football fashion show to close out the 2010s and ring in the new year… and the new decade.

CFB 150: The best stadiums in college football

SportsPulse: Paul Myerberg puts his opinion hat on and gives his three favorite college football stadiums. Watch to see if your team made the list!

SportsPulse: Paul Myerberg puts his opinion hat on and gives his three favorite college football stadiums. Watch to see if your team made the list!

College Football Playoff Rankings: Notre Dame, And the Three Other 7-2 Teams

No. 16 Notre Dame and three other college football teams in the College Football Playoff top-25 have seven wins and two losses.

With losses to Georgia and Michigan, the Notre Dame college football team is looking down the barrel in this year’s College Football Playoff.

Considering the circumstances that surrounded the countless departures on defense and then the injuries leading up to Week 1 of the 2019 season, sitting at No. 16 doesn’t happen often for Brian Kelly. The first time the Fighting Irish have occupied such real estate was back in 1952. Since then, only eleven times (excluding preseason polls) has the program experienced a college football’s poll bottom percentile. Because of this, Notre Dame is expected to play in the Camping World Bowl against a conference who has had twists and turns almost all season long, the Big 12.

The two losses may have hurt Notre Dame’s chances of being on the inside-looking-out, but it’s not the only 7-2 team in the College Football Playoff Top 25.

No. 15 Wisconsin

Running back Jonathan Taylor and kicker Collin Larsh both have been the backbone of Wisconsin’s offense. The Badgers two losses come at the expense of Illinois and Ohio State – the latter’s defense who kept Taylor to only 52 yards rushing and forced Wisconsin’s pass game with Jack Coan. For the most part, its defense itself has remained in tact, blanking four opponents. Over the past three games specifically, it has given up over 21 points per contest. Remaining on Paul Chryst’s schedule is Nebraska, Mizzou and the eighth-ranked, row-the-boat-coach Fleck Minnesota Gophers.

No. 14 Michigan

Prior to playing Notre Dame, Michigan didn’t have the same swag against Wisconsin and Penn State. Both away games, Michigan coughed up the ball four times against the Badgers and were held scoreless for almost two full quarters against the Nittany Lions. At this point, it’s really Ohio State’s conference, but Michigan has somewhat regained its footing and lies only a couple of spots ahead of Notre Dame. The Wolverines haven’t played a game since Nov. 2 and that couldn’t come a moment too soon. Going forward, there lies a surprisingly trippy home stretch ahead with Michigan State, Indiana and The Game to round off the season.

No. 12 Auburn

Of the three teams on this list, Auburn has the toughest end-of-season schedule against No. 4 Georgia and No. 5 Alabama, who recently forfeited its No. 1 spot to LSU. Most significantly to Gus Malzahn’s team this year was a season opener win against then-No. 11 Oregon, followed by an eight point win against Texas A&M. Losses to Florida and LSU within three weeks of each other was likely the red flag for the committee, though no one hardly ever understands their deliberations and final decisions. On Nov. 23, there is a rehearsal game for Auburn before the Iron Bowl. Quarterback Bo Nix has been up and down with incompletions and a lack of targets. It’s a team that’s much like the SEC version of Wisconsin – depend on the run and a defense that’s just as effective against the run as well.

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