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Wolverine's Season Ends in Day 3 at Omaha

5/29/2018

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Omaha, NE -- Michigan’s Big Ten season, and in all likelihood 2018 season, ended at the hands of a 5-3 loss to Ohio State. The Wolverine’s offensive woes continued, as they averaged just three runs per game and couldn’t get on the scoreboard until the fifth inning. While questionable decisions on the field were the storyline of Thursday’s game, the Wolverines might have a pitching change to blame for Friday’s disappointment. Regardless of personnel or strategic mistakes, the Wolverines needed to play better against the lowest seeded team they faced in the Big Ten Tourney if they wanted to improve their resume for the NCAA Regionals. For the second consecutive game, Michigan fell victim to a slow start and too little too late.
The flood gates opened for Ohio State in the bottom of the third. With one out and none on, Ohio State DH Dominic Canzone hit a double along the left foul line, followed by a Kobie Foppe single that put runners on the corners for the Buckeyes. Next at bat was Tyler Cowles, who doubled deep into left field, advancing Canzone to home and Foppe to third. Noah McGowan followed Cowles with a single that brought Foppe home and allowed Cowles to advance to third. Just as the damage was seeming to get out of hand, Michigan pitcher Ben Dragani participated in two putouts to end the inning. Dragani quickly fielded a bunt headed toward the mound and threw it to home quick enough that Harrison Salter easily tagged the runner. In the next at bat, Dragani picked a flyball out of the air to end the inning, only after two Ohio State runs were put on the scoreboard.
    Michigan’s offense came to life when Harrison Slater, a .243 batter, sent the first pitch of the fifth inning to the warning track and jogged to second base standing up. This gave the Wolverines a man in scoring position as the top of the line up came up to bat with no outs. Dominic Clementi skipped a single over second base to set up runners on the corners for Jonathan Engelmann, who flew out deep in to center field, allowing Salter to jog home for Michigan’s first run of the day. The rest of Michigan’s lineup was unable to tack any more runs on to what may have been their best opportunity of the day.
    Ohio State recaptured a two run lead when Bo Coolen bounced the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth off the yellow line lining the top of the right field wall. Dillon Dingler was next at bat, and sent a pitch to the warning track, which led to Jayce Vancena coming in relief for Jack Weisenburger, whose only hit allowed was the home run. Vancena would not record an out. Vancena walked his first batter and then allowed a Dominic Canzone single into left field, which put runners on the corners for the Buckeyes with one out. Next up was Kobie Foppe, who singled to left as well, bringing one runner home and advancing Canzone to third, with still only one out in the inning. Angelo Smith came in at pitcher to end Vancena’s day. With runner on the corners and one out, again, Tyler Cowles sent a fly ball deep to left field and advanced Kobie Foppe to home before Angelo Smith ended the inning after. Ohio State had scored its final runs of the night, taking a 5-1 lead.
Michigan scored two more runs in the eighth to keep the game interesting for all nine innings, but by the end of the sixth it sure seemed apparent that Michigan’s season was over. A team who lost to an NAIA opponent earlier in the year and whose best win is Iowa will have a hard time appeasing the selection committee. RPI isn’t favorable for the Wolverines either, as they entered this game at 56th and will only be moving downward. The Wolverines recovered from a truly awful start of the season, but it looks like this is the end of the road.
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Wolverines Lose a Heart-breaker in Day Two at Omaha

5/25/2018

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By Daniel Thompson

Omaha, NE -- The Wolverines entered day two of the Big Ten tournament looking to add a headliner to their NCAA Regionals resume: a victory against Purdue. Quality wins have eluded Michigan throughout the 2018 season, and have kept them on the bubble despite finishing third in the Big Ten in the regular season. On Thursday, the script did not change as the Wolverines fell victim to an Evan Warden walk-off single. Michigan fell to 0-4 against Purdue, and are now a loss away from ending their Big Ten play and possibly their season. The Boilermakers will get Friday off while the Wolverines have a date with Ohio State at 3:30 Central on Friday due in no small part to a couple of costly mental errors on the Wolverines part in the final three innings.

Michigan found themselves in trouble early, after surrendering a run in the bottom of the first and then two more in the fourth. Nevertheless, the Wolverines never seemed dejected, in part to the fact that they had been making solid contact but had simply not been able to string a few hits together in the same inning. Michigan caught its break in the top of the sixth, as with two out and Dominic Clementi on first, Jesse Franklin hit a double down left field. Once Franklin slid into second, the Wolverines had two runners in scoring position and Miles Lewis was walked on a full count, loading the bases. That ended the day for Purdue Pitcher Gareth Strowe who was substituted for Bo Hofstra. On the next at bat Jordan Nwogu struck out swinging, but the catcher could not handle the pitch, which allowed Nwogu to reach first and all runners to advance, resulting in Clementi scoring Michigan’s first run of the game. Next up to bat was Brock Keener, who singled to left field, resulted in a two run RBI and a tie game. Purdue responded in the bottom of the sixth with a Skyler Hunter double to start the inning. In the following at bat, teammate Jacson McGowan sent Hunter to home with an RBI single and was tagged out at second. The inning ended uneventfully resulting in a Purdue lead through six.
    The Wolverines tied up the game at four all in the top of the eighth when Jesse Franklin hit a single along the foul line in to left field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Franklin reached third following a sacrifice bunt from Miles Lewis. With Franklin on third and two outs, Brock Keener sailed a ball just over the Boilermaker second baseman’s glove that resulted in an RBI single bringing Franklin home. Tommy Henry put Michigan in position to take a lead that same inning with a single that advanced Keener to third, but Henry was tagged out while trying to turn his single into a double. Michigan could have added  some insurance had Henry stayed at first, given that the leading run would be at third. The Wolverine’s inability to add one, let alone two, runs proved costly.
    The bottom of the ninth began with both teams tied at four, and Jacson McGowan striking out swinging. After that, the game took a bizarre path to a walk-off single. Purdue’s Milo Beam was walked on a wild pitch that sent Michigan catcher Brock Keener chasing the ball while Beam advanced to second standing up. Beam reached to second quickly enough that Keener didn’t bother throwing the ball once he looked up, but then all players froze as if the play had ended. The stadium seemed paused as everyone’s attention was directed to the fact that there was no Michigan player remotely near third, and eventually Beam came to his senses first and sprinted to third, in no risk of getting tagged. With that peculiar sequence of events, the game was drastically changed, with a runner on third and one out for the Boilermakers. The Wolverines would deliberately walk the next two batters in order to load the bases in the hopes of forcing a double play. Purdue’s Evan Warden gave the Wolverines a glimmer of hope that their strategy would pay off, as he sent the ball hopping across the infield, but the ball floated above the reach of the Wolverine infielders and made it into the outfield and brought Beam home, winning the game for Purdue.
    In the 18 hours after suffering their fourth loss to Purdue this season, the Wolverines will have to forget their nail biting loss and move on to Ohio State. This will be no small task, given the way their best game against Purdue this season ended. It’s hard to say how much this game will impact their odds at being invited to Regionals, but in a conference with one team currently in the top 25, finishing third in the regular season and facing elimination before Sunday in Omaha probably won’t be enough to make it. Either way, the players have to learn from their mistakes on Thursday and be ready to fight for their postseason lives against rival Ohio State on friday.

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2018 NBA Mock Draft 1.0 Pre-NBA Combine

5/16/2018

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Picture
picture via sportingnews.com
By: Lucas Vargas

​1. Phoenix Suns: Deandre Ayton, Arizona Wildcats, Center, Age 19

Ayton averaged 20.1 PPG and 11.6 RPG in his lone season at Arizona. A man among boys that dominated on the offensive end of the floor, the former Wildcat shouldn’t have to travel far to find his NBA destination. The athletic center immediately fills the most glaring hole on Phoenix’s roster and will continue the infusion of young talent into the Suns’ organization.  

2. Sacramento Kings: Luka Doncic, Real Madrid, Guard, Age 19
The crafty Slovenian is 6’8” and can handle the ball like a guard and create his own shot. He is lighting up the Euroleague at age 19 and gives the Kings the offensive threat they have been longing to build around. Doncic will immediately slide in alongside De’Aaron Fox as the future of the organization.

3. Atlanta Hawks: Marvin Bagley III, Duke, Power Forward, Age 19  
Bagley averaged 21 PPG and 11 RPG at Duke with athleticism that jumped off the page. He compliments that athleticism with a high energy level on the offensive end. He has a solid repertoire of post moves. He needs serious development with his defensive skills, he looked lost at times especially against ball screens. The Hawks have nothing but time and take Bagley based on the potential.  

4. Memphis Grizzlies: Michael Porter Jr., Missouri, Small Forward, Age 19
Porter Jr. is the draft’s biggest mystery because of how little we got to see due to the back injury at Missouri. If he is at full health the Grizzlies get the wing talent they need to work alongside Conley and Gasol. Teams will do their best to ensure they are not receiving damaged goods with such a valuable pick, it will be interesting to follow his pre-draft process.

5. Dallas Mavericks: Mohamed Bamba, Texas, Center, Age 19
I think Bamba projects as a player similar to Clint Capela with the potential to develop some sort of catch and shoot jump shot. Bamba can be an elite shot blocker with 7’9” wingspan and could grab 10 rebounds a game simply because he is 7’0”. He has a slim frame and doesn’t have the strength to bang in the post so he could be susceptible to getting bullied by opposing bigs. Strength and engagement on the court are the two areas of need for Bamba, but he has the athleticism and potential to be a top 5 pick.

6. Orlando Magic: Wendell Carter Jr., Duke, Center, Age 19
Carter can hold his own physically on the low block at 260 pounds. He should have a long career as a capable starter thanks to a solid foundation of skill and talent. I think that Carter is better right now than both Bagley and Bamba but might not have the ceiling that either of those players possess. Carter is a safe pick for a franchise that continues to find themselves in the top half of the lottery.

7. Chicago Bulls: Jaren Jackson Jr., Michigan State, Power Forward/Center, Age 18
Jaren Jackson Jr. can stretch the floor to an extent and can protect the rim. He has a long way to go as a basketball player starting with mental engagement. Jackson failed to dominate like he was capable of maybe because he was disinterested with the college game. Chicago is collecting young talent and a Jackson/Markkanen duo of bigs could spread the floor for driving guards like Dunn and Lavine.  

8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Collin Sexton, Alabama, Point Guard, Age 19
The Cavs take Sexton over Young here because of his potential on the defensive side of the ball. He has the athleticism and size to hold his own with the elite point guards in the league and he can create his own shot in a variety of ways. If LeBron stays, Sexton is also not as ball dominant as Young and gives the Cavs two dribble drive threats. If LeBron leaves, Sexton becomes the future of Cleveland, a role he is familiar with after carrying the load at Alabama last season.

9. New York Knicks: Mikal Bridges, Villanova, Small Forward, Age 21
Bridges is an NBA ready 3 and D wing that could complete a young core along with Hardaway and Porzingis. Bridges knows what it takes to win games thanks to his time at Villanova and plays the game technically sound with a high level of effort.

10. Philadelphia 76ers: Robert Williams, Texas A&M, Center, Age 20
Williams is an above the rim athlete who looked like he didn’t care at times while he was at Texas A&M. He is NBA ready from a physical standpoint but teams will want to understand his thought process. He could slide in as a backup energy big for a 76ers team that continues to load up.

11. Charlotte Hornets: Miles Bridges, Michigan State, Small Forward, Age 20
Bridges is an athletic player that chose to go back to school for another year. He improved as a shooter but fell in love with his jump shot too much for a guy with the size to drive defenders and attack the rim. This is good value for Charlotte and they would be tasked with maximizing the potential that Bridges possess.

12. Los Angeles Clippers: Trae Young, Oklahoma, Point Guard, Age 19
An elite shot creator and shot maker, Trae Young is an excellent passer that could step into a rebuilding roster. He is undersized and extremely ball dominant but he has the offensive skills to be an NBA point guard.

13. Los Angeles Clippers: Lonnie Walker IV, Miami, Shooting Guard, Age 19
Austin Rivers is not the long term answer at shooting guard and Walker could slide in with Trae Young as more of a slashing guard. He is an explosive guard that may need time to pan out. Boom or bust.

14. Denver Nuggets: Kevin Knox, Kentucky, Small Forward/Power Forward, Age 18
The Nuggets are ready to compete in the West and could use Knox as a reserve combo forward right now. He is pretty raw as a basketball player but has tremendous upside. He will continue to improve and Denver doesn’t need a instant star.

15. Washington Wizards: Jontay Porter, Missouri, Center, Age 18
Washington has no cap flexibility and should start looking towards the future. Drafting Porter allows them to do that. Porter enrolled in college a year early and has solid skills for a young big. If Washington develops him well enough they may have a steal.

16. Phoenix Suns: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kentucky, Point Guard, Age 19
Once Phoenix addresses the need at center with Ayton, they will look to fill a glaring need at the point guard position.  Gilgeous-Alexander brings size to the position at 6’6” and can continue to improve on the developing Suns roster.

17. Milwaukee Bucks: Troy Brown, Oregon, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Age 18
Brown brings the versatility, size, and athleticism that the Bucks have made a culture out of in Milwaukee. He needs to work on his jump shot but the opportunity is there to play over Tony Snell.

18. San Antonio Spurs: Zhaire Smith, Texas Tech, Shooting Guard, Age 18
Smith flew under the radar at Texas Tech but has shot up draft boards with elite athleticism and defensive potential. His in game dunks are worth watching and he has a foundation for a catch and shoot 3 point shot. The Spurs have the ability to develop his raw skills and make him a two-way contributor. I think this would be a great match.

19. Atlanta Hawks: Anfernee Simons, IMG Academy, Point Guard, Age 18
Simmons is an unknown coming out of IMG academy but the Hawks are looking to compile young talent and have the time to take a chance.

20. Minnesota Timberwolves: Khyri Thomas, Creighton, Shooting Guard, Age 21
Thomas is a 3 and D guard that could help the Timberwolves capitalize on the roster they have right now. Thomas could be an NBA ready guard for the Timberwolves bench as they look to take another step in the right direction.

21. Utah Jazz: Dzanan Musa, KK Cedevita, Small Forward, Age 19
Utah does well with international players and Musa is a strong perimeter scorer that fits with good driving players Donovan Mitchell and Ricky Rubio. Quin Snyder could help him improve his defense.

22. Chicago Bulls: Gary Trent Jr., Duke, Small Forward, Age 19
Gary Trent is a natural scorer and has the size to play on the NBA wing at 6’6”. His shooting ability would be valued.

23. Indiana Pacers: Aaron Holiday, UCLA, Point Guard, Age 21
Another Holiday headed to the NBA, Aaron has the experience and scoring ability to provide instant backcourt depth for the Pacers who nearly took down the Cavs in the playoffs.

24. Portland Trail Blazers: Chandler Hutchison, Boise State, Small Forward, Age 22
Chandler Hutchison has inside and outside scoring ability and would be a nice fit on a team with salary cap constraints. The Blazers need depth that is ready to contribute right away and Hutchison may be a helpful addition thanks to his versatility as a combo forward.

25. Los Angeles Lakers: Mitchell Robinson, Center, Age 20
Robinson is in a bizarre situation after he left Western Kentucky shortly after arriving on campus. He was a McDonald’s All American out of high school and as an athletic 7-footer, the Lakers would take a shot at him with the 25th pick.

26. Philadelphia 76ers: Donte DiVincenzo, Villanova, Shooting Guard, Age 21
DiVincenzo is a Philly hero after dropping 31 points off the bench in the Wildcats’ championship-clinching win.  Philadelphia would value his shooting and basketball IQ as well as the displayed ability to create his own shot off the dribble. His stock won’t get any higher.

27. Boston Celtics: Jalen Brunson, Villanova, Point Guard, Age 21
Another Villanova guard that will be discounted by many, Brunson is still a point guard that led 2 national championship runs. He is a cerebral point guard that brings a physical style along with shotmaking ability. He can defend, distribute, and get his teammates involved. Brunson knows how to run an offense and play off the ball. The Celtics may not financially be able to keep Marcus Smart of Terry Rozier potentially leaving Brunson as the next reserve guard for Brad Stevens.

28. Golden State Warriors: De’Anthony Melton, USC, Point Guard, Age 19
The Warriors will be looking to draft a role player prepared to contribute. Melton fits that role as a distributor and defender.

29. Brooklyn Nets: Omari Spellman, Villanova, Power Forward, Age 20
Spellman was a matchup nightmare in college as a 6’9” 245 pound power forward that could shoot 3s, attack off the dribble, post up, and crash the glass. He is physical and strong enough to compete in the NBA plus he has already been in school for 2 years. He would give the Nets valuable and versatile size to end the first round.

30. Atlanta Hawks: Jerome Robinson, Boston College, Shooting Guard, Age 21
Jerome Robinson is a talented scorer coming off a season where he averaged 20.7 PPG at Boston College. Atlanta’s 3rd first round pick could improve their guard depth and provide them with a guy used to carrying the scoring load against premier ACC talent.

31. Phoenix Suns: Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State, Small Forward, Age 22
32. Memphis Grizzlies: Landry Shamet, Wichita State, Shooting Guard, Age 21
33. Dallas Mavericks: Melvin Frazier, Tulane, Shooting Guard, Age 21
34. Atlanta Hawks: Bruce Brown, Miami, Shooting Guard, Age 21
35. Orlando Magic: Shake Milton, SMU, Point Guard, Age 21
36. New York Knicks: Chimezie Metu, USC, Power Forward, Age 21
37. Sacramento Kings: Josh Okogie, Georgia Tech, Shooting Guard, Age 19
38. Philadelphia 76ers: Elie Okobo, France, Point Guard, Age 20
39. Philadelphia 76ers: Rodions Kurucs, Barcelona, Small Forward, Age 20
40. Brooklyn Nets: Jarred Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Small Forward, Age 19
41. Orlando Magic: Hamidou Diallo, Kentucky, Shooting Guard, Age 19
42. Detroit Pistons: Tyus Battle, Syracuse, Shooting Guard, Age 20
43. Denver Nuggets: Vince Edwards, Purdue, Power Forward, Age 22
44. Washington Wizards: Jacob Evans, Cincinnati, Shooting Guard, Age 20
45. Brooklyn Nets: Rawle Alkins, Arizona, Shooting Guard, Age 20
46. Houston Rockets: Justin Jackson, Maryland, Small Forward, Age 21
47. Los Angeles Lakers: Malik Newman, Kansas, Point Guard, Age 21
48. Minnesota Timberwolves: Tony Carr, Penn State, Point Guard, Age 20
49. San Antonio Spurs: Brandon McCoy, UNLV, Center, Age 19
50. Indiana Pacers: Svi Mykhailiuk, Kansas, Small Forward, Age 20
51. New Orleans Pelicans: PJ Washington, Kentucky, Small Forward, Age 19
52. Utah Jazz: Kevin Hervey, UT-Arlington, Power Forward, Age 21
53. Oklahoma City Thunder: Devonte Graham, Kansas, Point Guard, 23
54. Dallas Mavericks: Moritz Wagner, Michigan, Power Forward, Age 21
55. Charlotte Hornets: Mustapha Heron, Auburn, Shooting Guard, Age 20
56. Philadelphia 76ers: Allonzo Trier, Arizona, Point Guard, Age 22
57. Oklahoma City Thunder: Kenrich Williams, TCU. Small Forward, Age 23
58. Denver Nuggets: Billy Preston, Kansas, Center, Age 20
59. Phoenix Suns: Trevon Duval, Duke, Point Guard, Age 19
60. Philadelphia 76ers: Isaac Bonga, Germany, Small Forward, Age 19

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Michigan Football Opinions and Storylines Entering Summer

5/8/2018

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Summer is nearly upon us and with that we enter the most agonizing part of college football's long offseason: the long months of only rumors out of camp. But it's also a good time to take a look at where Michigan's football team stands entering the summer and what storylines to follow. With that I give you my unfiltered opinions, feelings, and things to watch:

Quarterback
Yeah, here we are. The QB Whisperer was anything but last year. Wilton Speight was bad and then got hurt, John O’Korn was abysmal, and Brandon Peters was very raw and then got hurt. Yes, all were put in bad situations with a bad offensive line and young receivers, but a good QB probably drags last year’s team to 11-2 (beat MSU and either Wisconsin/OSU + bowl game). The QB play was just so dang brutal all year and upon watching the Amazon documentary “All or Nothing”, it seems apparent that coaches knew the QB play was going to be bad back in the summer of 2017. Indeed, the murmuring that summer wasn’t terribly hopeful, especially with Harbaugh not announcing the QB until the first game of the season, and the spring game, with Speight’s awful showing, didn’t help.

Quite simply, if the 2018 team finally puts it all together, it will start with the quarterback. With Shea Patterson finally being cleared, he’s all but certain to be the guy. He’s still not a finished product, but even unfinished in 2017, he was light years ahead of what Michigan had last year. So this summer I will be following to see what the rumors are about, how his play is, and how he’s fitting in. If Harbaugh works the magic that he did with Jake Rudock, Colin Kaepernick, and Alex Smith on Patterson, it could be a terrifying result for opposing defenses. Patterson’s ability to extend plays with his feet will help the offense with a shaky offensive line and will give Michigan a dual threat, dynamic QB they haven’t had under Harbaugh. Can he keep the turnovers down? Harbaugh was all about limiting those with Speight, so I’m optimistic, but hopefully it won’t compromise Shea’s big play ability.

Running Back
Outside of defensive end and cornerback, this is the group I’m most sure about. Higdon emerged as the feature back in the Michigan State game and over those last 9 games, he rushed for 858 yards on 131 carries, including a pair of 200 yard games. He fell 6 yards short of being Michigan’s first 1,000 yard rusher since Fitzgerald Toussaint, but the senior will get there this year as long as he’s healthy. He’ll have a case for being the best back in the Big Ten, and with Chris Evans as the speed option, it’s a one-two punch I’m very satisfied with. No matter who wins the 3rd spot, either Kareem Walker or O’Maury Samuels should be fine in the Ty Isaac role. This will be a strength of the offense. Moving on.

Wide Receiver
If you’re looking for one group to make the most improvement outside of quarterback, this is it. Freshmen receivers suck because they’re raw and unrefined and the fact that a majority of Michigan’s wide receivers were freshmen last year was a problem. The injury to Tarik Black was also a killer, as he was the only college ready freshman WR Michigan had, which was even more crucial given that they’re only outside sophomore option, Kekoa Crawford, turned into a pumpkin. But Black will be back, and assuming growth from freak athlete Donovan Peoples-Jones, which we’re already hearing good things about, Michigan could have the best tandem of wide receivers on the outside in the conference. And that would be a huge upgrade from this generally terrible position group a year ago. With wily senior Grant Perry in the slot, and Nico Collins, Oliver Martin, and Eddie McDoom chipping in, this could go from one of Michigan’s worst groups a year ago to one of the best ones this fall. Look for continued good things out of summer camp, especially with new WR coach Jim McElwain.

Tight End
Michigan was replacing Jake Butt last year and he was an every down tight end. While we thought it was going to be Ian Bunting, it turned into a mix of Sean McKeon and Zach Gentry, who both showed flashes of brilliance. Both were new to the position and the word out of camp is they’ve both shown a lot of growth and are 1A/1B types at this moment. Nick Eubanks, who showed a brief glimpse of his potential before injury (skip to 4:17), is healthy and in the mix. Like the wideouts, this group was raw in 2017 but could be really good in 2018, and has the potential to give whoever the QB is a lot of weapons. I’m feeling pretty good with the tight ends, but will be watching to see if we have any word on how the depth chart will officially shakeout.

Fullback
The hammering panda is gone, but Ben Mason should be an excellent replacement. He has a meniscus issue, but will be back for summer camp. No worries and nothing really to follow here.

Offensive Line
In the offseason, Harbaugh made the long-needed switch and replaced Tim Drevno with Ed Warinner. Drevno was a catastrophe, both at putting together lines, but also at recruiting big name tackle talent. Ed Warinner built consistently excellent lines at Ohio State, including creating NFL talent like Taylor Decker, Billy Price, and Pat Elflein. He will be a boon to the program and a huge upgrade over Drevno in the long run. But will he alone be enough to put a competent unit out there in 2018? This is what I’m watching for in the summer.

In 2017, the offensive line was a total mess. They couldn’t pass protect if their lives depended on it, couldn’t recognize a stunt/twist, and had ugly coordination issues. Greg Frey and Tim Drevno working in unison was a dumpster fire. The schemes were bad and there was little improvement as the season went on. The 2018 line seems to have Cesar Ruiz and Ben Bredeson at C and LG, respectively. The word is that both of them are making a lot of growth to become potentially above average players, which would be a welcome sight. Mike Onwenu is still the favorite at RG, but Stephen Spanellis is supposedly having a good camp. All things considered, it will likely be Bredeson-Ruiz-Onwenu inside and I’m fine with that. That should be a competent interior that would likely be quite good in run-blocking, and hopefully one that can at least keep the QB upright, especially if Ruiz is as big of an upgrade at line calls over Pat Kugler as he’s made out to be. This is important since Kugler’s inability to lead the group even as a senior was what almost murdered Brandon Peters last year.

On the outside, it’s the wild west, with Michigan having both tackle positions open, yay! /s. Juwann Bushell-Beatty and Jon Runyan are returning and neither are too appetizing of options. I do think JBB can improve under Warinner to where he could be an okay RT who you shield with the TE, but that still leaves a question at LT. The redshirt freshmen options are James Hudson, Chuck Filiaga, and Andrew Stueber. Hudson is making a big push and supposedly has now closed the gap between himself and JBB. With lots of summer to grow, I’d probably bet that Hudson swipes the LT spot from Bushell-Beatty and that’s everyone’s best case scenario. But being better than JBB at LT is not a high bar to clear, so how well he can perform there is very crucial. Overall, the entire line, but specifically the tackles, are Michigan’s most crucial area. If this line becomes say, average, the team can win the Big Ten and play for a National Title. If it stays anywhere near where it was a year ago, yikes. So follow the living daylights out of the OL situation, especially about who wins the RG spot and then the tackles.

General Feelings about the offense
I think there’s a big potential for drastic improvement here, which isn’t saying a lot. 2017’s group was 85th in S&P+ offensively and that feels generous. The weapons at the skill positions will probably(?) be the best that Harbaugh has had in his Michigan tenure. You could go from having no WR weapons for much of last year to having 2 deadly ones, and from having no solid TE’s to having 2 or 3. And with Shea Patterson is eligible, Michigan will likely have its best QB (probably by far) in Harbaugh’s tenure. The offensive line is what’s holding everything back and there’s two ways to think about this. On one hand,

Defense

Defensive End
Michigan should have the best DE combo in the country. Chase Winovich and Rashan Gary were picked as All-Big Ten First Team by one group (media or coaches) and Second Team by the other. Winovich is probably close to a finished product, which is not an issue given those accolades, but Gary can get even better, which is terrifying. The only thing to follow is who will get to mix in as backups. Carlo Kemp will for sure, but who else? Tough to tell at the moment.

Defensive Tackle
Michigan loses a star in Mo Hurst, but they’ve got a talent here. Sophomore Michael Dwumfour is having the monster hype train spring and it will be interesting to watch if it continues into the summer. He’s likely a starter, next to a 1A/1B nose tackle situation of Bryan Mone and Aubrey Solomon. Lawrence Marshall will also get some snaps. Again, how the rotation figures out is worth watching, along with the Dwumfour thing. Even before the Dwumfour hype, I was pretty content here. If he lives up to the hype, the D-Line could become 2016-level suffocating.

Linebackers
Devin Bush is back and he’s still a monster. A First Team All-Big Ten player a year ago, Bush should be an All-American this year. Michigan loses Mike McCray, which hurts leadership but they will be replacing him with someone way more athletic. Much the way Ben Gedeon was a good player but Michigan didn’t miss him because Devin Bush is an athletic beast, the same thing should happen here with McCray’s replacement, whether it’s Devin Gil, John Ross, or Drew Singleton. All of those guys could be instant upgrades too, so follow who it is, and I will be delightfully following it. To round it out, Khaleke Hudson returns and he’s ferocious. He needs to improve in his pass coverage, and I have no doubt he will. This positional group will be loaded, so watch with glee as we found out what other heat seeking missile joins the club.

Cornerbacks
*giggles maniacally* This group might be the strongest of all. Yes, the defensive ends are terrific and the depth behind them is good. The depth here is mind-boggling. First off, Michigan returns David Long and LaVert Hill, who went from never playing in 2016 to being arguably the best corner tandem in the country in their first year. By the Ohio State game, teams just refused to throw at them. On a rank of the lowest passer rating allowed by corners in college football when targeted in the regular season, Long was #3 and Hill was #8. Yeah. But wait, there’s more! Ambry Thomas was a top 100 recruit in the class of 2017 and now he’s ready to make the same jump Long and Hill made last year, according to reports. Oh, and Michigan’s also returning pleasant surprise corner Brandon Watson, who was awfully good as a nickel a year ago. The depth is ridiculous and the starters are ridiculous. There’s really nothing to watch, just follow the stream of rumors if you want to get aroused.

Safety
The weak spot of the defense in the sense that it’s the only group that’s not murderous. Tyree Kinnel and Josh Metellus are back and they were both fine in 2017 *shrug*. Kinnel is like McCray was, a senior leader who has athletic limitations. That’s fine. Hopefully he gets a bit better in pass coverage. Metellus is also fine and he should show more improvement in his second year as a starter. J’Marrick Woods and Jaylen Kelly-Powell are also supposedly mixing in and it will be worth watching how many snaps they will end up in line to take. There have been rumors that one might steal a job but that doesn’t seem too likely right now. Not a ton to follow, also not a ton to cackle about. *shrug*

General Feelings about the defense
This group is going to be really freaking good. Last year’s group was #10 defensively in S&P+ and it had 10 new starters. This year’s group has 9 returning starters. I expect it to return to 2016ish levels, somewhere in the top 3 range. The defense will be good enough to win a National Title, no question (as it was in 2016, too). The pass rush will be fearsome, the linebackers will be assassins running sideline to sideline, the CB’s will form a No Fly Zone of their own. Yes, the safeties can improve, but they won’t be the reason Michigan doesn’t win a Big Ten/National Title if this team doesn’t. The one thing I would like to see the team work on is keeping quarterback contain. That was a killer against Ohio State, and all of their tough games this season besides Wisconsin have varying degrees of mobile QB’s: Michigan State (Lewerke), Notre Dame (Wimbush), PSU (McSorley), OSU (whoever wins the battle). It hurt them big time against MSU and PSU in 2017, too. And it makes sense, really. When you have a blitzing-heavy defense that is aggressive, the pockets will collapse and with the secondary’s ability to lock down receivers, if no one is open and the QB wasn’t sacked, a mobile one is going to take it on the run. But overall, follow the defensive rumor mill whenever you want to get excited and start foaming at the mouth.

Team Related Feelings
I don’t do preseason rankings and thus I can’t give you an idea of where this team should be ranked nationally. They have a really great defense and what should be a good offense. They do face a difficult schedule but I hate when people bring that up all the time. It’s such a loser’s mentality to look at a schedule and then start making excuses. If this team is a team of champions, they will be champions, period. Here’s what I do know: this team is more talented than every team on their schedule save for Ohio State where it’s pretty equivalent. Notre Dame is losing big chunks of their defense, their running back, their best WR, and their NFL caliber left side of the offensive line. That’s a game Michigan should win. Wisconsin is the same team every year: tough defense that keeps them in games, okay QB who makes a couple “huh?” plays (both good and bad), and a physical running game. Long story short, they don’t really scare me and that’s a home game. You need to win that one. Penn State lost the most dynamic player in college football, most of their defense, and their super important offensive coordinator. And you get them at home. That’s a game you need to win. Then there’s Michigan State. I was raised an MSU fan, I know how great of a coach Mark Dantonio is. But Michigan’s defense also dominated Michigan State’s offense last year. You’re also really motivated. It’s a game that quite frankly, you need to win for more reasons than one. Then there’s Ohio State and *shrug*. You’ve been close two straight years, maybe third time’s the charm. I don’t know. On the off chance Michigan is 11-0 going in, then we’ll talk. But all in all, this is a good team that will be playing lots of good teams. The expectation is double digit wins. Let’s see how it goes.
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Musings about the 2018 Detroit Lions Draft

5/3/2018

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By: Alex Drain

The 2018 NFL Draft is over and it’s time to take a look at the results for our beloved Detroit Lions. The picks for Detroit were as follows:


1) Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas
2.) Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn
3.) Tracy Walker, S, Louisiana
4.) Da’Shawn Hand, DT, Alabama
5.) Tyrell Crosby, OT Oregon
7.) Nick Bawden, FB, San Diego St.

On the initial glance, the first thought that comes to mind is that Bob Quinn loves himself some SEC/southern football players. The second thought that comes to mind is that the Lions are going all in on producing an elite offense to win shootouts and cover up the defense. The third thought is that these picks aren’t super surprising given that they reflect two trademarks of the Quinn era and the Patricia scheme: versatile/multi-positional players without character issues. Let’s dive in.

1st Round Pick: Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas
I was somewhat blindsided by the pick because DE Harold Landry was on the board. Landry has his downsides, that he can’t really play run defense and that he has injury issues, but he’s a great athlete and the Lions couldn’t rush the passer to save their lives last year, save for the two monster Ziggy Ansah games. Thus, I was pretty upset at the time, and also because I perceived this to be an overdrafting of Ragnow. However, upon further review, he certainly wasn’t overdrafted, given that Cincinnati was set to take him with the very next pick. And after learning more about him, it’s hard not to be impressed. He’s an elite athlete who graded out as one of Pro Football Focus’s best centers in college history, who failed to surrender a single sack his entire college career, while playing against elite talent like Alabama. The Lions were in need of an interior lineman after they let Travis Swanson walk following a dreadful 2017 campaign, so it was good fit and appropriate value for the top center in the draft. No major issues here.

2nd Round Pick: Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn
When the Lions traded up to get Johnson, many thought it was to nab Derrius Guice, the most talented RB in the draft. But the Lions have made it abundantly clear that they aren’t interested in players with character problems (look at how they didn’t pick Reuben Foster last year) and so it was Johnson instead. I don’t really have a preference on who was picked as the running back of the future/present and of course there are upsides and downsides to every player, including Johnson. The value wasn’t bad considering he was likely to be the next RB off the board, but trading up to get him was a hefty price. The one thing I like about Johnson is that one of his strengths is his vision and patience, being likened to a poor man’s Le’Veon Bell, and that’s something I can live with. Last season, even when the occasional hole opened, the Lions RB group couldn’t seem to find it. At the very least, that should change with Johnson.

3rd Round Pick: Tracy Walker, S, Louisiana
This was a rather strange pick and one that I’m probably the least happy with. Walker seems like a fine prospect and all, but it just didn’t seem like the Lions needed another DB. His ability to play multiple positions makes him a good fit for the Lions’ scheme, and I assume Detroit sees him as a successor to Quandre Diggs/Glover Quin, but it’s going to be a very crowded DB group with Slay, Shead, Lawson, Diggs, Tabor, Quin, Wilson, Killebrew, and Walker next season. I would be surprised if Walker does more than special teams in his rookie campaign, which just made it bizarre value.

4th Round Pick: Da’Shawn Hand, DT, Alabama
Hand is a fascinating prospect and a pick I really like regardless of how it turns out. In the first two rounds of the draft, it’s all about simply getting impact players. The prospects are much easier to project and just not swinging and missing is the most important part. But when you get in the late rounds, it becomes more about finding the diamond in the rough, the Richard Sherman types. Thus, in my opinion, ceiling/potential is the most important thing to be looking for in late round guys, and Hand is this. Hand was among the top recruits in the country and his ceiling remains sky high. At Alabama, he was just never able to reach it, but a 5 star recruit who graded out as a 2nd round pick before injury hit is a good use of a 4th round pick. He has the versatility to play inside and out, either at DT or DE, a perfect scheme fit with high upside.

5th Round Pick: Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon
This was the best value pick in the Lions draft, a guy who graded as a late 2nd rounder and then tumbled all the way to the 5th. The clear best player available, Crosby also fits the versatility mold. He should be able to compete immediately for a spot at guard, while being developed to be either the guard when TJ Lang’s contract is up, or the future RT when Rick Wagner leaves. Last season he was the PAC-12 Offensive Lineman of the Year and never gave up a sack, showing he produced big time at the collegiate level. Additionally his versatility is big for depth given how injury riddled Detroit’s offensive line was last year and how many unappetizing players were pushed into starting roles (remember Brian Mihalik? Greg Robinson? Dan Skipper?). Love this pick.

7th Round Pick: Nick Bawden, FB, San Diego St.
By the time the 7th round arrives, it’s anyone’s guess, and a fullback isn’t a bad use of a pick here. Bawden is likely to see time right away, given that the only guy on the Detroit roster who even saw snaps at fullback last year was actually a linebacker (Nick Bellore). I would also expect Bawden to see time on special teams. Admittedly I don’t know much about him and there aren’t a lot of accessible fullback stats. That said, he was a lead blocker for Rashaad Penny at San Diego State, a 2,000 yard rusher and a first round NFL pick this year, so he can’t be bad. I like that the Lions are bringing the fullback back and it seems like this is a better use of a 7th rounder than for some player who may never even make the 53-man roster.

General Thoughts
I’m going to issue an ultimatum: the Detroit Lions’ running game must become at least an average attack next year or else Bob Quinn has failed at building the offense. That’s just the facts. There is way, way, way too much talent and way too much capital invested in the OLine for it to be dreadful again. When Quinn took over, it was a really bad group, as this was the starting group:

Riley Reiff - Larry Warford - Travis Swanson - Laken Tomlinson - Cornelius Lucas

The new offensive line will be Decker-Glasgow-Ragnow-Lang-Wagner, with Crosby, Wesley Johnson, and Corey Robinson as backups. When Decker was healthy in 2016, he graded out at PFF as an above average LT, while as a rookie. Glasgow emerged as average to above average last year, while Lang is a Pro Bowl caliber player next to a rock in Wagner. Throw in Ragnow and then better depth, that group has got to be good. Really good. The running game alone cost the Lions 2-3 games last year, the difference between playoffs and no playoffs. It needs to be able to make defenses respect the play action, and punch it in on the goal line and on 3rd and short (remember the Pittsburgh game? Atlanta game?).

And so as a bigger picture, Quinn & Co. are going all-in on the offense. Last season the offense was 13th in YPG and 7th in PPG, while sporting a bottom 3 rushing attack. With an average running game and an offensive line that is good at pass protecting, it should be top 5, probably top 3. You need at least one elite unit to contend in the NFL, and this would give the Lions that, if it all works out.

In many ways, Quinn is building the Lions a lot like New England. The Patriots have been a top 3 offense in the NFL each of the last two years, with a not great defense with subpar talent. However, they’ve played for Super Bowls because Matt Patricia’s bend-not-break system, that would land the Patriots near the bottom in YPG (#29 last year), yet above-average in PPG allowed (#1 last year). Sometimes it would catch up to them (Super Bowl LII), but his system has been able to juice a lot of production out of not great talent, while the offense masks the deficiencies and wins in shootouts, including Super Bowl LI. That’s the mold the Lions are in. It worked for New England the last two years, for Atlanta in 2016. It just needs to work for Detroit. And if it does, watch out for the Leos, opposing defenses, because it could become an offensive juggernaut that the Motor City has never seen before.
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