[jwplayer ijCrlIvI-XNcErKyb]
WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. — When Cornell Wheeler committed to Michigan back in Sept. 2018, he wasn’t a household name, nor was he high on fans’ wish lists. But if his playing time at West Bloomfield (MI) showed anything, the guy can play.
In 2019, his senior season with the Lakers, Wheeler posted 130 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3 sacks and two forced fumbles. Seeing him in camps, Wheeler made play after play, but it wasn’t of the obvious sort — that is, he just went about his business and just got the job done.
His head coach at West Bloomfield knows a little something about what it takes to succeed as a Wolverine. Ron Bellamy came to Ann Arbor in 1999, and played with a plethora of standouts. So when he got an opportunity to coach Wheeler for multiple years, he noted that his game is awfully similar to a prominent former Wolverine, one who had a solid professional career in the NFL once his time in the maize and blue was done.
“He reminds me a lot of Larry Foote,” Bellamy told WolverinesWire. “I played with Larry Foote for three years at Michigan. And Cornell – they’re both throwback-type of players. Not super flashy, they get the job done. Great leaders. And those kids will give 100% each time they set foot on the football field. And that’s Cornell in a nutshell.
“You’re not gonna get the glitz and glamour. He’s not gonna hype himself. He’s pretty much a quiet kid. I’m not gonna say too much but you get those pads on and they get to do the talking for him.”
[lawrence-related id=20838,20817,20809,20800]
According to Rivals, Wheeler is listed as the 245th-best player in the country, regardless of position. A four-star linebacker rated the 16th at his position and sixth-best player in the state.