2012 Positional Breakdown: Wide Receiver

One of last year's biggest strengths for the Wolverines was at the wide receiver position, largely because of the depth and a stellar performer in Junior Hemmingway. Unfortunately, number 21 from last year is no longer at Michigan's disposal to consistently make big plays. It is now up to the lesser roles of last year to step up and make something happen out wide for the Wolverines.

Heavy weights will be rested upon the shoulders of players like Roy Roundtree, Jeremy Gallon, and Drew Dileo. Some of these guys have proven themselves in years past, but offensive coordinator Al Borges will be looking for someone to really step up and do as much as possible to replace the presence of Hemmingway for the Michigan offense.

Recapping 2012 WR Commit Jehu Chesson

One of the biggest needs in the 2012 class was wide receiver and Michigan snagged a good one in Jehu Chesson. Jehu Chesson hails out of Ladue, Missouri.  After the departure of guys like Junior Hemingway (NFL) and Darryl Stonum (transfer to Baylor) the wide receiver position was going to be a big time need for Michigan to fill and Jehu was one of the two pieces that went towards doing so.  Roy Roundtree is the obvious #1 guy but it's really a toss up as far as the rest of the depth chart will go.  Sure Michigan has good receivers in Drew Dileo and Jeremy Gallon but neither of these two guys have good size.  Good short, speedy slot receivers so Michigan went out there and got a guy in Jehu Chesson that's got good height in 6'3" and he can go up and get the ball.  Denard Robinson has a bit of a tendancy to throw up some jump balls so having another receiver that can go up and get it is definitely something the Michigan offense needed.

Jehu is a true freshman this year and these guys don't necessarily get on the field a whole lot at Michigan but I think wide receiver could be where you see some young guys get playing time.  He doesn't have that elite speed after the catch, but he has the ability to go for jump balls, as well as that "no fear" mentality when it comes to going across the middle and catching footballs in that intermediate distance.  With Michigan converting to the Al Borges "pro-style" offense, I think Jehu will be a great fit and was a pretty solid pick up.

Denard's Final Stride for the Heisman

Through the non-conference schedule two seasons ago, Denard Robinson wasn't the leading Heisman Trophy candidate; he was the only Heisman Trophy candidate. There wasn't a soul on Earth capable of stopping "Shoelace", and the hype getting built back up in Ann Arbor made for perfect winning conditions. Of course, Robinson did not go on to win the Heisman that year with heavy struggles in conference play, but he set the tone for what would become one of the most exciting careers of a football player in Michigan's extensive history.

As Denard Robinson prepares to strap up for his final season as a Wolverine, I wanted to take some time to look at some Heisman hopes for Shoelace. There's no doubt in anybody's mind it will be a very exciting season, but that could finally translate to some personal hardware for #16.

Roy Roundtree Gets The #21 Jersey

In a surprising move, Brady Hoke has announced that Roy Roundtree will be wearing the #21 jersey next season.  This is the number that Sugar Bowl MVP Junior Hemingway wore last season and that of famed Michigan Heisman winner Desmond Howard.  The jersey and Howard are most famous for his spectacular "Hello Heisman" play against Ohio State.

According to the athletic website, Roundtree was not aware of the decision and simply arrived in the locker room to learn that his jersey number had been changed.  Since the jersey number had been dedicated to Desmond Howard last season in the Under the Lights game, they asked him to comment and he only had positive things to say about Roundtree and the coaching staff's decision.

We actually broke down a similar topic earlier in the year when we discussed the possibility of Roundtree being awarded the #1 jersey, which belonged to famed Michigan receiver Anthony Carter.  Most seemed opposed to the idea and I tend to agree.  However, I'm less opposed to Roundtree receiving the #21 jersey.  Technically, the #1 has not been honored by the athletic department yet, but all Michigan fans know of its importance to the players, fans, and program.

The receiver that gets the #1 jersey is supposed to be the best the best receiver on the field and someone that can simply take over a game.  Roundtree, although talented, probably does not have that capability.  He certainly can make some big plays and impact the game significantly, but I don't see him having a game like Anthony Carter or Braylon Edwards.  These types of receivers were dominant at the position and controlled much of the offense and game.

However, the #21 jersey has its own distinct history.  Demond Howard obviously was a great player and won the Heisman because of his talents, but I have never viewed the #21 in the same way.  I like that they're keeping the jersey with somebody so dedicated to Michigan.  Desmond represents Michigan and college football on an almost daily basis and has a deep love for Michigan.  Junior Hemingway, the receiver that wore the #21 last season, obviously has a deep love for Michigan as well.  I'm sure everybody remembers his emotional speech after the team's Sugar Bowl victory.

I think Roundtree embodies much of this love for the school and program and I think that's probably one of the reasons they decided to give him the jersey.  Along with this, he seems to be set-up for a big season next year and I think he could play a significant role in Michigan's offense.  Now, the only remaining question is whether or not he will live up to the hype and tradition of the jersey.

Junior Hemingway To The Kansas City Chiefs

Photo Credit: Big Ten Network

With the 238th Pick of the 2012 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select Junior Hemingway, WR from the University of Michigan. Yes!! Another pick from Michigan, thank goodness. This pick made a lot of sense because the Chiefs needed another weapon on offense, some quarterback that just signed with Denver (haha) is known for gun slinging and putting up a lot of points. Junior will join Michigan alum Steve Breaston, as well as Dwayne Bowe in Kansas City.

He should definitely go a long way in improving the receiving numbers for the Chiefs. The Chiefs ranked 27th in the NFL in total offense and 25th in the league in passing. At the combine, Hemingway put up 21 reps at 225 which was among tops among all receivers. Also, he ran a 4.53 in the 40, which is decent and had a 35.5" jump. Not crazy impressive numbers, but still pretty good for a wide receiver. He's 6'0 tall and weighs 225 lbs, but has some great hands.  The biggest thing that probably hurt his draft stock is his height.

In his career at Michigan, Hemingway started 31 games at WR and appeared in 48 games overall. He ranks 17th in Michigan history with 1,638 yards receiving, he also amassed six 100-yard receiving games placing him 9th in school history.  Let's not forget about his 2 touchdowns in the Sugar Bowl this past year, which earned him Sugar Bowl MVP. Along with this, he earned All Big-Ten team honorable mention.

In 2011, he led the team in receiving with 34 catches for 699 yards averaging 20.6 yards per catch, and tied for the team lead with 4 touchdowns. His biggest game was against the Irish, where he grabbed 3 balls for 165 yards and 1 touchdown. In 2010, he caught 32 balls for 593 yards averaging 18.5 yards a catch and also had 4 touchdowns. 2009 he had 16 catches for 268 yards and 2 touchdowns. In 2007 and 2008, he didn't play much, but he did have 6 catches for 30.5 yards and 1 touchdown. Now, Hemingway wasn't just a receiver, he also did some work in the return game early on in his career.  He had 11 career returns for 120 yards, averaged 10.9 yards a return and a career long of 34 yards.  

This by no means is a Rich Rod bashing, but I definitely think that playing in his era hurt Hemingway. We all know it was a run heavy offense due to the spread. In a more traditional offense, or even the one that they ran this year, he would have had better numbers. If he had been in this offense, who knows how high he would have been taken in the draft.  Regardless, Hemingway should do some solid things in Kansas City in the future.

Devin Gardner...The Wide Receiver?

Right now, speculation is running wild that Al Borges and Brady Hoke are moving long-time Michigan backup quarterback Devin Gardner to wide receiver.  I admit, when I first heard the news I was a bit surprised.  However, upon further analysis, this may actually be a great fit for Gardner and Michigan.  With current projections, depth, and recruits, there are going to be a few spots where Michigan's roster is relatively weak.  The coaching staff seems aware of this problem and Gardner may be the solution.  Much of this shortage is likely due to Darryl Stonum's departure from the team, but either way the coaching staff has to address it for this team to be relevant.

First things first, fans need to realize that this isn't a permanent move.  Nobody on the coaching staff has even hinted that Gardner will not be playing quarterback in the future.  Having said that, it doesn't mean that their minds won't change and that Gardner won't "settle" as a wide receiver on the team.  For all we know, Gardner may turn out to be one of the elite wide receivers on the team or in the conference. I'm not saying he's going to be that guy, or at least not yet, but there is a chance that this move could eventually become permanent.  My gut feeling is that he will "split" time at quarterback and wide receiver.

He's already familiar with the system and has been given several years to "mature" as a college quarterback.  There have been a lot of concerns that he hasn't progressed enough, but there's no doubt that a player should have progressed through two full seasons and three years of spring camp.  At this point, he may not quite be ready to take over for All-Big Ten quarterback Denard Robinson, but I see no reason to believe that he wouldn't at least be manageable in a game scenario.

Working off that assumption, this move not only becomes obvious, but will probably become one of the best coaching decisions Borges and Hoke made over the off-season.  Let's be frank.  Michigan is returning some wide receivers that have had success in the past, but they certainly aren't as proven as guys like Hemingway or Stonum.  Along with that, there aren't very many of them.  The only wide receivers Michigan will be returning next season that fans probably feel comfortable with are Roy Roundtree and Jeremy Gallon.  Both receivers have proven themselves, but they are the only ones on the team with at least 10 receptions last season.

So, where does that leave us?  We have a great athlete that should be pretty experienced at quarterback and a severe lack of depth at wide receiver.  There's a simple solution to this problem and Borges hit it right on the head.  Take Devin Gardner and put him on the field as a wide receiver.  Sure, sitting behind Denard might make him slightly better as a quarterback, but there's no guarantee on that.  Why risk the potential for massive gains for the chance at slightly better play a few years from now?  Gardner would certainly never see the field as a quarterback this season (barring injury), so it makes no sense not to use him in this way.

Now, there is one down-side to this move that should be noted.  If Gardner becomes injured, he will obviously not be able to rotate in as quarterback for Denard.  He didn't have to do it a ton last year, but he did have to do it at times.  This would mean that redshirt freshman Russell Bellomy would have to come in to take Denard's place if he goes out with an injury.  This is obviously a concern.  Bellomy has been credited with developing pretty well, but he's never seen the field during real game-time and is an unknown.

Yes, there is a potential for a down-side, but I think the chance that both Gardner and Denard suffer injuries at the same time is pretty unlikely.  Along with this, Gardner is going to be giving Michigan a great advantage offensively that could take this team to the next level.  He's familiar with the system and losing practice time at quarterback is probably not going to hurt him very much.  Plus, like I said, Gardner may even end up being so good at wide receiver that he decides to stay at that position.  And with Shane Morris arriving next fall, the thought of Gardner moving to wide receiver isn't that frightening.

Obviously, this is a win-win situation for fans because it gives this year's team more potential and may work out best for Michigan in the long-run as well.  Only time will tell how this move works out, but I have high hopes for Gardner and Michigan at wide receiver next season.

For Michigan's Seniors, The Future Is Now

The NFL draft is coming up, but before that happens, there is a lot of work to do for the coaches and GMs. College pro days are in full swing, giving more athletes an opportunity to show their skills whether or not they were invited to the Scouting Combine back in February. Michigan's pro day has come and gone and I'm going to throw some ideas out there about our seniors. Michigan will not have an underclassmen that has declared for the draft, which I think that is more of a testament to the type of program Hoke is building.

First, I'm not a draft expert. Picking the draft correctly is like being perfect on your NCAA Tournament bracket. It's just not going to happen. However, I've tried not to attach myself to player stats. Everyone knows by know that Jerry Rice was criticized at college for being too slow. Are we going to argue about that now? I can tell you where I believe each player would be best suited to go. Then of course, this is all subject to opinion and any views expressed forthwith are just mine.

Mike Martin, DT--Martin was an absolute stud this past season. Martin has always been a talented player on the defensive line. It took Mattison's arrival to show just how special he can be. Some scouts believe his height is a detriment, but with his motor, there's nothing that can prevent him from being an important cog on the D-line. My guess: Vikings. Kevin and Pat Williams no longer anchor their stout line, and the entire defense has holes. I could see him going in the early to mid 3rd round area.

David Molk, C--This is a tricky one for NFL scouts. He repeated his numbers at the pro day from the Combine, but also had his right foot in a cast. Molk communicates wonderfully at the line of scrimmage, rarely gets called for penalties, and knows how to audible. When he came out due to an injury at the Sugar Bowl, the drop-off was considerable. Centers can come at a premium at the NFL level, but with time Molk could easily be a Pro Bowler. My guess: Packers. The Packers just lost their sturdy Pro Bowl center Scott Wells to free agency. I believe Molk would be an asset hiking the ball to Aaron Rodgers, and he should be gone in the late 2nd round.

Junior Hemingway, WR--The NFL is a quarterback driven league. This past season had a bounty of passing records broken. Every team looks for the next big thing, and Hemingway could be it. He surprised scouts at both the Combine and the pro day with his speed. Considering he's always able to run that long post route, or go over the middle, he is an ideal fit for any team. My guess: Broncos. With losing Eddie Royal to free agency, that leaves Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker at receiver. That wouldn't be too bad with Tebow at the helm, but now that Peyton Manning has signed on as starting quarterback, they're going to need at least one more receiver to catch his passes. Middle of 4th round.

Kevin Koger, TE-- Team captain Koger seemed to disappear at times last season, yet he always makes that spectacular catch or block on just the right play. Snubbed by not getting an invite to the combine, that might make him work harder for a roster spot. My guess: Cardinals. Tight ends are becoming the sexy position of the league. Koger could be one of the top 10 TEs taken, but I don't think that'll happen till the 5th or 6th rounds.

Martavious Odoms, WR--Always efficient and elusive. In the NFL, probably better suited as a return man and special teams player. My guess: Chargers. San Diego's special teams suffered last year by losing Darren Sproles to free agency. Odoms could be that guy to step in. I wouldn't go after him til the 6th to 7th rounds however.

Ryan Van Bergen, DL--Alongside Martin, they were a formidable team to try to run against. Some pro teams stockpile players on the D-line, and Van Bergen fits any defensive system. My guess: Browns. Cleveland seems to be perpetually bad on defense, and Van Bergen could end up as a starter. I'm guessing 6th round.

Troy Woolfolk, CB--Woolfolk is a true mystery. Will he be a shutdown corner that we've seen flashes of, or the oft-injured guy we pined for? One thing that might be going for him is his dad, Butch, was drafted by the Giants in 1982. My guess: Buccaneers. The defense is aging for the Bucs, a la Ronde Barber, and Woolfolk could be a stopgap measure to replace him. I'm figuring on 7th round.

Steve Watson, Mark Huyge, Brandon Herron, Kelvin Grady, Tony Anderson, Michael Shaw, J.B. Fitzgerald, Marell Evans, Jared Van Slyke, John McColgan, Zac Johnson, amd Will Heininger are all probably going to be undrafted, or undrafted free-agents.

The 7 listed players above, however, do signal a shift in players drafted out of Michigan. In recent years the numbers have dwindled to 3 or 4. Hopefully our outgoing seniors will show we're still here to contend with, because we're "Michigan for God's sake".

Photo Credit: Miami New Times