Brandon Graham
I know there have been a few people have said there's a 50/50 chance he comes back next year. I was looking through MLive today, and Ann Arbor News had an article about players moving on from the '08 season (http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/football/index.ssf/2008/11/university_o…). There was a very interesting quote from Graham, I just hope it leads to his return to the team...
"I'm going to eat it up right now and make sure it doesn't happen next year," Michigan junior defensive end Brandon Graham said. "This is motivation for next year to go out there and work even harder than we did this year."
Later in the article, it said that he declined to discuss the possibility of entering the NFL. I really hope and pray he returns. I hope this is a good sign for the direction of the team for next season.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:02 PM ^
Didn't Alan Branch say something similar?
November 24th, 2008 at 1:13 PM ^
In Branch's defense, he was rated quite highly by all of the draft experts, some even had him in the top 5 overall. I haven't seen a single thing projected BG in the first round, and most feel he's a third rounder at best. That helps make the decision easier.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:27 PM ^
Indeed, I haven't seen anything that suggests Graham in the first two rounds either. If he comes back next year and dominates consistently, I'd think he'd move up. I could see a 3-4 team drafting him and making him LaMarr Woodley 2.0
November 24th, 2008 at 1:26 PM ^
I work with his father so I'll see if he is willing to give up any scoop on the situation. He is usually pretty hush hush on it though.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:41 PM ^
Players arent gonna say ther goin to the nfl mid-season. I can appreciate your optimism, but i dont think that you can really get a good read on that situation until after the season ends. Im sure well hear some rumblings over the next few weeks.
As much as Id like him to stay, I think it would not be smart on his part to return. Hed be risking injury to gain very little (other than a college degree). He put up some monster numbers this yr, certainly good enough to be drafted in the first three rounds. Next yr he will be facing double teams on every play, so I woodnt expect his numbers to improve.
Iv been told that next yr's group of nfl-bound players has a lot fewer D-lineman so grahams draft stock could be greater next yr. Althou a lot have expected graham to be converted to a linebacker in a 3-4 defense (similar to woodley) so that may not even help.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:48 PM ^
Most kids don't leave early to have a chance to be drafted in the first THREE rounds. If you have a chance to be drafted in the first three rounds, that means you could slip to the 4th or the 5th or...
Most kids leave early when they have a chance to go in the 1st round. And often they do it because they come from a rough background. I get the feeling that Brandon is doing okay financially, doesn't need the money, and is not guaranteed of even going on the first day.
Branch was lazy and dropped to the 2nd round. He's made about 2 tackles this year.
Shazor was an idiot and didn't get drafted at all.
I don't think Graham will make the same mistake.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:51 PM ^
I've heard *very* strong indications that he currently intends to return. Can't say how, but they come on good authority. Then again, he hasn't gotten all the pitches yet, and who knows how he'll react when he's being offered $10 million? As for now, from what I hear, he wants to be a leader on next year's team.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:51 PM ^
Well manningham left early and went 3rd round. Arrington went early and went 4 or 5th round i think, so i dont no wut ur basing that on.
November 24th, 2008 at 2:37 PM ^
Manningham was initially projected to go higher, and then character (read: drug use) issues came up after he declared. His combine performance may have been less than stellar as well, but I could be wrong on that.
I think Arrington left primarily because of the coaching change.
November 24th, 2008 at 2:40 PM ^
Manningham had a first round draft grade. He was projected by lots of people to go in the first round. Then he a) admitted using weed and b) ran a 4.6 forty yard dash. That's what caused him to drop.
Arrington went in the 7th round, but the main reason he left (in my own estimation) is that he thought Michigan's quarterbacks would suck and/or he wouldn't get the ball during his senior year. Which, as we have all seen, was true. But that was a special circumstance, since we had a coaching change and Mallett was transferring.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:52 PM ^
I'd bet he isn't going to decide until he gets a read on his draft grade and meets with the coaches. That said, he could definitely gain by staying, and the Woodley analogy is a good one. I'd wager that even by being on a better team - let's go crazy and say we can win 7 or 8 next year - he would get more attention.
If he stays, a line of Graham, Martin, ????, and Van Bergen/Patterson wouldn't be totally awful by any means, though a major step back.
November 24th, 2008 at 2:01 PM ^
branch, who was projected early first round when he left, and got drafted in the 2nd. he would have been nice to have last season.