Jon Jansen Graded Michigan Football by Position
Jon Jansen on his podcast graded each position group on a scale of 1 to 10. Here is the Cliff Note Version:
QBs: 7.5
JJ is the clear starter, but needs to be able to connect with WRs better. Thinks Davis Warren is the #2, but likes how the backups have diverse talents and may see different QBs if JJ goes down or needs a rest based on those talents. For example, Orji may come in for a run option.
RBs: 9
Corum and Edwards are 2 of the top 4 or 5 best RBs in the country. Likes how they don't fumble. Loves Mike Hart as a coach. Thinks some potential at the 3rd and 4th string.
WRs: 6
Likes Corneilus Johnson as a deep threat to stretch the field, but needs to see more out of this group. Thinks the passing game will be tested as opposing defenses will stack the box to stop the run.
TEs: 7
Thinks Loveland could potentially be the best TE in Michigan history. Other TEs need to step up.
Oline: 9
Very high on the guards. Thinks the interior starters are already set with Zinter, Keegan, and the transfer Nugent. Thinks Crippen is a good back up at center. Thinks both Tackle positions are up in the air. Barnhart is very physical, but transfers Hinton and Henderson bring a lot. Don't count out Trente Jones. Loves coach Moore.
Dline: 9
Thinks we have 12 guys that could play just about anywhere, but we only play 4 at a time typically. Transfer Stewart brings a lot and can still play for 2 more years. Loves McGregor. Harrell and Mason Graham are very good.
LBs: 8.5
Thinks Colson might be the best in the country at his position. Loves Barrett and transfer Hausmann.
DBs: 8
Thinks Will Johnson is elite. Thinks Josh Wallace will win the other CB position, but it is a question mark how he will fit in the BigTen. Thinks Wallace will work out and thinks he is a great leader with good technique. Likes both starting safeties.
Special Teams: N/A
Did not grade. Lost everyone. Biggest question mark of the team. Important to do well to help out team.
Coaches: 8.5
Need to accomplish more at the end of the year. Love Harbaugh, Hart, Moore, Clinkscale, Ellston, and Minter.
Seems fair to me.
Maybe a little low at QB? JJ alone seems like an 8...but maybe the score accounts for the back-ups? Even with minimal individual improvement, you'd think that the QB-WR connection would get better with a full season and off-season of working together and getting the timing tightened up.
Reality is that you don't have to be an 8.5+ at every position to win championships.
Let our opponents stack the box. QB and WR might not be a 9, but they are good enough to win if the other team puts 7 or 8 in the box...especially if you count our TE and The Don as receivers.
Agreed. All we need is more reps in the passing game to build confidence and attract better WR recruits. Potential recruits have to believe they're going to get meaningful game reps to perfect their craft and demonstrate their skills to NFL scouts. Like Coach Harbaugh said, that improved balance will make our run game and overall offense even tougher to stop.
I believe we're going to be a juggernaut this year, on both sides of the ball.
Keep in mind that our two most-watched games of the year featured JJ bombing three long TDs against Ohio State, followed by him throwing for 343 yards against TCU (a game in which our top two WRs each went over 100 yards). I think recruits will see what we can do.
Think we all know that JJ has still got a little to prove; sure he knows that/feels that himself. I'd say that he has excelled in many crucial games--a certain kind of dominating performance, game in and game out, is--I feel--within his reach. He'd be my (maybe obvious) pick for the player you'd say will make the difference in whether this year's is an all-time Michigan.
I've been watching a little bit of 2024 NFL Draft content and JJ, while he has all the tools, absolutely needs to improve. Right now he's still very raw, which is pretty exciting if you ask me. He's got speed and a cannon for an arm, but he's still learning where to go with the ball and when. He needs to have a plan, not just wing it all the time. Also needs to clean up some accuracy issues but those can go away as he gets more confident with his decisions.
I'll take one of the quotes I heard about him and use it here: right now, JJ is more of a thrower than a true quarterback.
Also it wouldn't hurt him to put on some muscle. He's not short, but he's in something like the 20th percentile in terms of weight. He could get hurt if he doesn't bulk up.
I didn't notice your comment, just wrote roughly the same thing.
So if you have 2 of the top4 RB's in the nation, and you're a 9/10, what does it take to have a 10, and what historic team would have had a 10?
See no reason he coudn't give them a 10, but a couple that come to mind... Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson at Alabama, Reggie Bush and LenDale White at USC.
To get a 10, I'm thinking Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders.
A third guy in case one of them goes down would make it a 10 for me. I completely agree with Janson. If one of the backups emerges, I would say that 9 jumps to a 10.
Any teams third back is going to be a mystery. If they are any good they transfer like Charbonnet.
Mark Ingram/Trent Richardson - Alabama
Reggie Bush/LenDale White - USC
Ronnie Brown/Cadillac Williams - Auburn
Barry Sander/Thurman Thomas - Ok. St.
Blanchard/Davis - Army
Dickerson/CJK5H - SMU
I think prime Walter Payton and Barry Sanders are a 9.5.
Nadia proved a perfect 10 is possible.
QB 9, RB 10, WR 8, TE 8.5, Coaches 9
OL, DL, LB, DBs good.
Giving a 9 to the OLine and DLine is all I needed to see. We're never losing again
I love Jenkins and Graham, but I thought a 9 to the D-line was a little generous without a returning productive EDGE or proven interior rush. The run D will be elite.
I agree but I think the pass rush will be significantly improved this season. Against better teams they had to really work to get pressure on the QB last year. I think guys like McGregor, Stewart, and Moore getting another year of experience and time in the weight room will do wonders for the pass rush.
They won't have to be so creative and can get pressure just rushing 4 guys. Opens up so many things for the defense.
It would be nice if RB3 and RB4 were more settled, but that seems more like a problem for 2024. I mean, yes, I watched the Illinois game, but how can you not give Corum/Edwards a 10? Is there a health thing that I'm not aware of?
All of these position grades seem to include the backups and depth pieces. Starting RBs would be a 10 but we're not sure about RB3 or RB4 so the whole room grades out at a 9.
I get where you're coming from and don't really disagree with your premise. That said if this RB room isn't a 10 what group ever was, or will be? RB3 & RB4 aren't true freshman either. Both have had meaningful carries in big games already in their careers. Then your 1a & 1b options might be the two best backs in the entire country. If getting a 10 is possible in his ranking system then this group deserves a 10.
No fullback, -1 on the Jansen scale.
I think anyone whose coach was Lloyd Carr is conditioned to say that a scale of 1-10 really means a scale of 0-9.
"That said if this RB room isn't a 10 what group ever was, or will be? "
Arkansas 2007. Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, and Peyton Hillis.
Maybe the Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas backfield of Oklahoma St. gets a 10? Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams? Not sure how this isn't a 10.
If Jansen thinks the LB group is only .5 behind the RBs, colour me excited.
Don't forget that at the end of last season our #1 RB was injured and the #2 had a broken hand with cast. There were times we had to reluctantly rely on untested #3 and #4s.
A little surprised at the QB grade. Otherwise, the grades seem reasonable.
RB same grade as OL doesn't compute for me..the tackles are an unknown right now, and a new center. Vs our tip two rbs will be in NFL.
It's a stretch to say the tackles are unknown. Barnhart was the starting RT last season. I can't remember the last time we had players with that much experience fighting for one open position.
Yeah both Barnhart and Jones have started enough games for me to be more than comfortable with them. Adding Ladarius Henderson is icing on the cake.
Really the only question mark is at Center. Unfortunately that might be where they have the biggest shoes to fill and is probably the most important OL spot
Seems fair, and with should win every game this season. My only criticism of coach Hart is that he falls in love with starters and does not trust his bench. This results in not developing a bench.
He had the same approach at Indiana. I wonder if anyone remembers how he handed RBs at Eastern.
Agreed, kept the starters in way too long in many games. But it's more of a Harbaugh problem. What on Earth was Mike Morris playing for, up 34-3 against Nebraska in the 4th quarter? Results of this boneheaded approach = Mike Morris done for season on a play he shouldn't have been in on.
Wow, he loves the defense at every level. Very encouraging.
Especially since last year we were thinking that we'd be losing so much D talent that this year we/d need the O to carry us a bit.
Everybody sleeps on Rod Moore. NEVER misses tackles. Unsung hero.
He's a ball hawk also. Looks to jump the route.
but Jon, all our position groups go to 11... they are 1 louder
Hearing him say that he really didn't know who would start at tackle might have been my favorite part of the podcast.
Dam what do you need to get a 10 if Corum and Edwards are a 9. I would have given them an 11. QBs seems fair. Everything else seems bout right. Though if he thinks Colson is that good the L s should be about a 9 then.
Playing to their potential. Don needs to catch the ball more and they both need to be on the field at the same time in more plays.
Is John Jansen our very own EastGermanJudge? What does it take to get a ten at running back?
Thinks Davis Warren is the #2, but likes how the backups have diverse talents and may see different QBs if JJ goes down or needs a rest based on those talents. For example, Orji may come in for a run option.
--- This is scary. I don't want to see a repeat of Pepcat. Or jet-sweep/end-around with McDoom and Henning type of thing. Every QB should be "good" at least in two plays different enough that the D can't tee off on their signature play! Otherwise, downs will be put on fire and the chances of QB getting hurt increases.
The difference is that when we run them now it is up 42-3 Indiana and not down 7 at the Shoe
I will take "up 42-3 at the 'Shoe/East Lansing/..." please :)
sorry - what would our RBs need to do to be a 10? agree on WRs. lacking a little star power.
Depth. Developing a serviceable option at RB3 would make them a 10. We saw how devastating it was to not have a third option the Illinois game last year. Nobody was dependable beyond Corum and Edwards.
Still time to develop a number 3 and make that score a 10.
I think the only thing really missing is a hammering panda type who can go get you that 1 yard over a demoralized D line. Last year they ran Corum into the line over and over and over and over. Need a guy who can physically push with that line. Deveon Smith comes to mind.
But from what I read about Stokes, he's in it to win it. He learned from his mistakes - missed out on taking it to the house against OSU i think... and he wants it. Give him some carries and see if he has it.
Maybe Orji is that guy? can he carry the weight? I don't think Mullings is big enough for it.
I'm really curious to hear what he said about Colson. He's a good player but saying he might be the best in the country is certainly a bold take
I do like our depth at LB right now
Best in the country and 7 out of 10 is strange. Id like to borrow a .5 point from the d line and o line and add to the TEs and QBs. Im not totally convinced our pass blocking is at the level we hope. Dline looked challenged vs TCUs running game as well. We will see.
So a 10 is impossible then I'm asssuming. And 7.5 is way too low at QB.
The biggest question mark outside of special teams HAS to still be that second CB spot. Going into the season with that spot being unsettled and looking at the WR talent that OSU will bring to AA is a potentially massive delta. UM HAS to have VERY good play at that spot or they will get massively exposed. It can't be just B1G good play but top tier play at that position.
Feels a bit to me that too many are assuming that UM will be 'fine' there but 'fine' is not going to cut it in THE Game.
Comments