Position changes in 2013 class
Any thoughts out there on possible position switches in this class? There seems to be a lot of commits that could have the "ATH" label. Dymonte shows great RB skills in his highlight films, Jourdan Lewis as a WR, and Wyatt Shallaman seems like a possibility too.
Thoughts?
November 29th, 2012 at 11:46 AM ^
I think Dymonte Thomas stays at S. But Jourdan Lewis and Wyatt Shallman could both get looks on the opposite sides of the ball, even though Shallman has been told that he will be a running back. Those two are probably the only ones that get serious looks elsewhere position wise.
November 29th, 2012 at 2:21 PM ^
I want to see Maurice Hurst, just for my own amusement. Not sure how much more manball you can get than a DT playing RB.
November 29th, 2012 at 2:36 PM ^
You mean, sort of like how we used WIlliam Carr on a few occasions in the mid-90s as a situational (goal line or short yardage perhaps) fullback? I believe Hurst has some time in as an RB on his high school team despite being a DT. It's an interesting possibility to be sure, and he has the size to do it, I think.
November 29th, 2012 at 3:35 PM ^
I imagined you saying that in Jemaine's voice. It made it funny.
November 29th, 2012 at 11:49 AM ^
In my mind, I've always seen Shallman as a defensive end. I think he moves to that side of the ball due to his athleticism and already having Hopkins and Houma on scholarship and especially the emergence of Kerridge which gives the FB position depth next year.
November 29th, 2012 at 11:50 AM ^
Hasn't everyone involved been pretty insistent that Shallman will get a look at RB rather than FB? We sort of see him as having more FB size but I thought the plan was him at RB.
November 29th, 2012 at 2:23 PM ^
Magnus, what's your view of Shallman as a RB. He is huge for the position, but there have been big RBs that have had a ton of college success (think Brandon Jacobs, every Wisconson RB). Can he be an every down back?
November 29th, 2012 at 2:24 PM ^
http://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2012/02/wyatt-shallman-wolverine.html
I am not enthused about him as a RB, and no, I don't think he can be an every-down back.
November 29th, 2012 at 2:40 PM ^
If he is as athletic as every seems to say he is, with his versatility, could he move to be a slant running wide receiver, kind of a Wes Welker type?
November 29th, 2012 at 3:09 PM ^
It seems to me at first blush that Wes Welker is the precise opposite of Shallman.
November 29th, 2012 at 3:10 PM ^
Shallman is like 6'3", 240. What about that says "slot receiver?"
I mean, I realize that you have yet to post a comment that contributes to this blog in a positive way, but you've started to dig after hitting bottom, man.
November 29th, 2012 at 3:13 PM ^
Absolutely not.
November 29th, 2012 at 3:25 PM ^
Wes Welker was 5'9" 180 lbs his senior year of COLLEGE. Shallman is 6'3" 245 lbs his senior year of HIGH SCHOOL. I don't see the comparison....
November 29th, 2012 at 4:39 PM ^
Wes Welker is still growing. There's a possibility, guys.
November 29th, 2012 at 7:30 PM ^
Yes. All white football players can be compared to Wes Welker. Jake Ryan? Wes Welker. Jake Long? Wes Welker. K.C. Lopata? For sure Wes Welker.
November 29th, 2012 at 3:22 PM ^
Why listen to this fool Magnus? Shallman could very well end up at RB, in a pro style set. Maybe not early but if he can catch and block he could play RB and H-Back every down. We know he is a damn good down hill runner and these coaches would be happy with 4 yards a carry head down, hard running. Our QB and skill position players will have to make the big plays. All this is lessened if D. Green joins the good squad. Dude will be beast
November 29th, 2012 at 4:13 PM ^
So basically you are saying he is no Mike Cox?
November 29th, 2012 at 4:25 PM ^
Mike Cox is one of a kind.
November 29th, 2012 at 3:46 PM ^
I kind of think the whole huge RB idea is a little overrated. Not to say big backs aren't good or can't be, but everyone gets excited and makes Brandon Jacobs comparisons whenever a big guy is potentially going to play RB, but Jacobs isn't that good. He never really seemed a huge difference maker for the Giants (I know he is with San Francisco now). He has had some decent years but overall he runs really upright and is not fast or even particularly agile. He is slow getting to the hole and if he doesn't have a full head of steam he really doesn't run over a whole lot of guys. When it has come to the playoffs, Ahmad Bradshaw has been far more productive for the Giants. All in all, I think this large RB theme is overplayed. I like larger RB's (6'0ish and 210-230) but I like guys who have some speed and agility so he can get to the hole before the play happens. I think Shallman might be fine but if not then maybe a position change could be in order. We shall see.
November 29th, 2012 at 4:02 PM ^
Agreed. There haven't been a great number of huge running backs. Everyone wants to find the next Ron Dayne or Mike Alstott, but Alstott was more of a complementary player. And Dayne did a lot of good things in college, but he's just one guy. In general, I think those guys fill a role (short yardage) and that's about it.
November 29th, 2012 at 4:53 PM ^
Obviously, Alstott's complement at TB was Dunn, but I can't remember who that would be at Purdue. Do you know? Also, do you think there are any players on the M roster who could perhaps play that role if we were to try the Thunder and Lightning approach with Shallman? Or would that just be a crappy idea to even consider?
Thanks in advance.
(Too lazy for Google)
November 29th, 2012 at 5:03 PM ^
I'm not sure if he had a "Lightning" partner at Purdue. It was pretty much just Alstott, IIRC.
November 29th, 2012 at 2:17 PM ^
Toby Gerhart 2.0
November 29th, 2012 at 2:25 PM ^
Brandon Jacobs
November 29th, 2012 at 4:29 PM ^
I hope so. Man was he fun to watch.
November 29th, 2012 at 11:53 AM ^
It seems froms shallmans comments he really wants to stick at RB- and it seems like he was told he'd get a shot.
A big part of position changes and who plays what is honesty. Lots of coaches will promise shots to play prefered positions and then not follow through. It seems like Hoke and co. are honest about where they see players. Obviously some people will ultimately switch but my bet is that for the freshman year all recruits pretty much know where they will play. It will only change if they don't pan out, change physically, or the next recruiting class changes priorities.
November 29th, 2012 at 11:59 AM ^
November 29th, 2012 at 12:56 PM ^
there was a recent interview at Scout IIRC where he seemed a lot less adamant about RB, FWIW. I assume he ends up on defense as well. If he sticks on offense it will be as a Shea-like H-back.
November 29th, 2012 at 11:54 AM ^
I'm very intrigued by him in the backfield. Maybe this is just me reading into stuff, but it seems that the average pure fullback recruit is a lowly 3 star who will learn to block and get about 5 touches per season. I don't really see that in Shallman. He's pretty highly ranked and, if he says that he wants to play FB, I'm assuming it isn't because he likes blocking more than he likes tackling. On offense he will get the ball with more frequency than the average FB which makes me wonder what is in store for this offense.
November 29th, 2012 at 2:42 PM ^
Exactly, now instead of seeing 10 HB off center dives on 3rd and 4, we'll get to see 10 FB off center dives a game!
November 29th, 2012 at 4:13 PM ^
November 29th, 2012 at 11:52 AM ^
Would be a perfect H back...I think that is where they want him, unless he continues to grow.
November 29th, 2012 at 11:55 AM ^
They've told him that he's going to be a tailback. That's much different than H-back (aka U-back), which is currently being played by Devin Funchess.
November 29th, 2012 at 12:06 PM ^
My mistake...not H back. Had a brain fart.
November 29th, 2012 at 12:59 PM ^
Couldn’t have forgotten, as an elephant never… /s
November 29th, 2012 at 11:53 AM ^
projecting to S or CB?
November 29th, 2012 at 11:54 AM ^
FS and/or slot corner.
November 29th, 2012 at 11:56 AM ^
I thought that I saw that he was projected as a CB. I think that he will have the best shot there as Dymonte and Wilson should be manning both safety positions for a few years. He will have the opportunity to step right into the CB position.
November 29th, 2012 at 11:57 AM ^
I've said this before, but I wish we could clone Dymonte Thomas and play the other one at RB. However, I don't really see him moving away from defense, because nobody's really proven at safety and I think he could be starting by 2014.
November 29th, 2012 at 12:00 PM ^
Have there been any side changes at skill positions that have really worked out? I hear a lot about how we should try certain people like Dymonte or Furman at RB, but given what we see this year I don't know how that can be possible. There are, now obviously, a lot of intangibles that a RB has to possess. Maybe these guys have them, but I would just as soon chalk it up to them being amazing athletes vs high school competition. If there have been steller skill position side switches then I'm curious who they are.
November 29th, 2012 at 12:06 PM ^
Charles Woodson. Switched from RB in high school to CB in college. I'd say that worked out alright.
November 29th, 2012 at 12:10 PM ^
Was CW recruited as a RB or CB? I'm wondering about those who were recruited as, say, a RB and switched to CB after enrolling and starred/were good. I don't think that Furman, for example, was ever recruited as a RB even though he was in HS.
November 29th, 2012 at 12:25 PM ^
Woodson was a CB from day one at M, much to the delight of the defensive coaches.
I can recall reading to commit piece on Woodson in the freep. It talked about what a great RB he was at Sandusky HS but he was going to be a CB at M.
November 29th, 2012 at 1:46 PM ^
where they had Carr and Woodson himself talking about his recruitment. This is going off memory from at least a few months back, but both said that Carr convincing him to play defense was a big part of why he ended up at Michigan. Woodson knew he'd be an underweight RB and wouldn't have the impact he wanted playing WR, but Carr saw the potential he had at CB and made some vague mention about playing a bit on offense and special teams. It wasn't until after his freshman season that Carr pulled him into his office and told him he'd be getting WR/RB/returner looks the following season.
November 29th, 2012 at 2:28 PM ^
Fremont Ross HS
November 29th, 2012 at 2:49 PM ^
Good catch. My bad. I knew that; Rob Lytle as well. I was close geographically
November 29th, 2012 at 7:06 PM ^
Recruited as a running back,but ended up at cornerback. He wasn't great,but he made a key play that stopped an osu touchdown and made them settle for a field goal back in 95 or 96 helped win the game.Barry Switzer, when he was at Oklahoma used to do it all the time, recruit running backs and switch them to linebacker, Carr did it with Ian Gold, many turned out to be excellent college players.
November 30th, 2012 at 8:55 AM ^
I believe that Hoke has said something with similar effect. Essentially saying that RB's are usually the most "athletic" guys on the team, and can usually make position switches and special team duty better than other players (in general).
November 29th, 2012 at 7:06 PM ^
Recruited as a running back,but ended up at cornerback. He wasn't great,but he made a key play that stopped an osu touchdown and made them settle for a field goal back in 95 or 96 helped win the game.Barry Switzer, when he was at Oklahoma used to do it all the time, recruit running backs and switch them to linebacker, Carr did it with Ian Gold, many turned out to be excellent college players.