Jordan Whittley has Committed to Michigan
Michigan finally found some big help for the middle of the defensive line, as Oregon State DT Jordan Whittley announced this morning that he plans to grad transfer to Michigan.
Bottom boy surviving, hard time living, ima make sure you don’t forget it…. 100% committed #GOBLUE ??? pic.twitter.com/hGFm82UOh1
— Jordan Whittley ?? (@Thatjacka__) May 21, 2021
Whittley is a 358-pound Bryan Mone-like and Bryan Mone-aged (he was once a running back in the 2014 class) nose guard, the kind that will be crucial if new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is to recreate the 3-4 system the Ravens use in Ann Arbor. He originally signed with San Jose State but ended up instead at Laney College, where an injury led to a lot of weight gain and a positional move. He transferred to Oregon State in 2019 and served as primarily a 2nd string nose. He missed last season due to what he reported on Twitter was a tumor near his heart. If his injury history is finally behind him, the ceiling here is incredible--his 2019 film shows a lot more quickness than you'd expect from a guy anything near his size, and he was a running back after all. Michigan would be happy if he can just sit in the middle and suck up doubles behind Mazi Smith.
I'll have a more informative update soon.
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That is a huge beaver.
This is one time where a huge beaver is welcome.
EDIT: a beaver that big needs to be double teamed, for sure.
Ok that's it.
I think he was positioned together with Hue Janus.
Welcome to the fold. Hopefully his health issues are behind him and he can get back with conditioning.
I will add, as a bit of caution, that people shouldn't expect him to be a plug-and-play transfer. He missed all of last year due to recovery from health issues and was apparently also out this year during OSU's spring game because of COVID-19 concerns (though who knows if it was related to a positive infection or just precautions). Still, this is a large man who hasn't played football for over a year, and while I'd love to see him bounce back to his 2019 potential this also feels like a depth pickup you hope maybe helps raise your floor a small bit, not someone who slots right in and is a day 1 starter. Obviously would love to be wrong but I think expecting the same guy from 2019 film right off the bat may be setting people up for disappointment.
Agree. I see this as quality depth behind Mazi (and 2nd stringers play a lot at NT), but should also push Mazi in practice. This is a good pickup no matter how you look at it IMO.
Depth on d-line is so incredibly vital. The reason our line was monstrous in 2015 & 2016 was because we had almost 8-10 guys with NFL potential to rotate through so the entire line was fresh and rested even well into the 4th quarter when o-lines start to fatigue from having to play all game with no subs. A lack of depth is also how a mediocre line becomes a horrible one late in games. Doesn't matter if you have Rashan Gary and Mo Hurst if they have to play 100% of the snaps all game long because their backups aren't even good enough to sub in a for a play here or there. And that's not even taking into account the inevitable injuries that will accumulate among your d-line players.
Gimme all the quality depth you can.
We are in the part of the year where all weight gain is good, all position switches are ideal, all transfers out are team killers, and all transfers in are future all-Americans. Don’t you bring me down.
I'm glad to have him but I'm skeptical about how good he looked in 2019 considering he was 2nd string for Oregon State. Hopefully he's a viable backup.
I'm trying to recall if he made any Last Chance U appearances while at Laney. Not sure if the timing was right.
Michigan would be happy if he can just sit in the middle and suck up doubles behind Mazi Smith.
Does it seem odd that a backup at one place would sign on to be a backup at another? I feel like he's planning on a starting role. Are we projecting Hinton to play end in our new system (with Hutch on the other end) and Mazi, Whittley, & Jeter at nose? We definitely need help in the middle, but I'm hoping adding guys doesn't eventually signal a transfer for Hinton or Mazi.
He didn't play at all last season, so I think he'll be happy just getting on the field. UofM does attract more eyeballs than that OSU, so maybe he's hoping to get noticed and get a UDFA offer from some team.
I mean he left Oregon St. for here. So why not be a backup at a better school that will have more eyeballs on you. Think that’s the scenario we are looking at. Plus he has way more mass than most ppl on our DL
Von Lozon of Maizenbrew pointed to some concerns about him from a combination of academic issues at San Jose, a season ending injury at juco, adding weight and being forced to move from RB to DT at OSU, the heart issue last year, and opting out of spring practice for Covid this year. It seems like he does not have a ton of time that he's been healthy, eligible, and playing.
academic issues at San Jose
But he's going to be a graduate student at Michigan, I guess. We'll see.
Not meant to be snarky but why would teams need to double team him? Im not sure he would be the type of DT that would call for two blockers?
If his 'getoff' is as good as advertised, then his acceleration at 360 pounds would probably require 2 blockers a decent amount. Centers are usually 290 to 300 so that would be asking a lot from a single center to 1 v 1.
That and as the rotational guy, he can exert more since he does not need to pace himself. Sometimes guys that big simply wear down. I hope this translates into a useful addition.
Correct, after a couple plays of chasing a RB or WR screen down the field at 360 he would probably be inefficient and need to take plays off. So having he and Mazi rotate 60/40 would be optimal i would think.
Good info. Thank you, Hope he does have some good drive to him in more ways than one.
That's really the whole point of a NT in the 3-4. You're playing two-gap, the point is (a) jump into the playside A-gap and force the G and C to stay engaged without getting moved back (to keep the ILBs clean with a free run at the ball) and (b) if single-teamed, punish them by pushing the center backward (or at least controlling him and and blowing up the A and/or B gap), or at a minimum mucking up the pulling linemen to make them go around the center.
Can't wait until this defensive lineman transfers because we spelled his name wrong... once again.
/facepalm
Yep. How frikken hard is it to spell the man's name correctly?
To be fair..... we might have the only house big enough for the young man....
Welcome!
We found the beef! I'd be shocked if this guy makes any significant impact in the box score.. which is totally fine if he can just serve as a planetary sized critical mass in the middle of the defense and absorb double teams.
If this guy actually can move and apply pressure and add a little bit of pass rush, that opens up a completely new dynamic to the defense. I'm not holding my breath for that, but a man of his stature in the middle of the defense is sorely needed. Nice pick up and welcome aboard!
"no content after the jump" but I'm content.
GROAN
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