nico collins

the "mom's retiring" leap [Patrick Barron]

The NFL Draft is a nice weekend because no matter how the football team did the previous season, Michigan fans can be assured they'll see a Wolverine achieve a professional dream every single year since 1938, a streak unmatched by any school except USC. That run continued in last weekend's 2021 edition, though Michigan State's 80-year streak was snapped. Tragic.

Michigan had eight players drafted, tied for the fifth-most of any college with Florida—Alabama and (sigh) Ohio State had the most with ten, followed by Georgia and Notre Dame. Other Big Ten programs with at least three selections were Penn State (6), Iowa (4), Northwestern (3, including two first-rounders), and Wisconsin (3). That number is a bit misleading in terms of how much talent the Wolverines fielded last season, though:

Sorry, sorry, this was supposed to be fun. Let's take a look at where the former Wolverines were picked and the roles they project to play at the next level.

DE Kwity Paye, Indianapolis Colts, Round 1, 21st overall

This is why the draft is worth watching:

Paye was the second defensive end off the board in what's considered a down year for edge rushers. He joins a solid Indianapolis front four that could use some pass-rushing pop from strongside end, where he'll be in competition to start right away—as a first-round pick he'll get every opportunity to take hold of the job.

His disciplined run defense and high-level athleticism should translate right away, and the expectation is his pass-rushing production will improve with development (and not playing in front of M's 2020 secondary). He'll at least be a consistent rotation player.

No matter what, Paye's estimated $7.3 million signing bonus will afford his mom plenty of leisure time.

[Hit THE JUMP]

strange that someone who last played for M in 1891 is going to be drafted soon [Patrick Barron]

Now it's time to talk about football. Here are Nico Collins draft comps from PFF:

Nico-Collins-1-768x481

Do not look up target counts for Boykin, Malone, and Metcalf.

A new defense. Richard Johnson is in 538 talking with Maurice Linguist about what's going on with the Michigan D:

There are, broadly speaking, two spectrums that defenses can fall: too simple or too complex. With coverages, Michigan was certainly more of the former, especially early in Brown’s tenure, as the team played man-to-man defense almost exclusively. Though his tendencies eventually became more balanced, Michigan remained one of the most man-heavy teams in college football. Even as Brown tweaked his squad’s identity, its play only got worse. So as is often the case when you get beat up on one end of the spectrum, Michigan could flip to the other.

Is it worth building an inflexible defense made to shut out the Michigan States at the expense of being ill-equipped to respond to what Ohio State can throw at you? That’s the existential question facing the Wolverines.

“They had a system down that they felt strong about and playing a lot more man-oriented, and that’s definitely going to be a part of what we do,” Linguist said. “But there’s layers to having a great defense and just the perspective that we’re going to be bringing in. You don’t have to just live in one thing to be successful.”

The kind of things they're importing from the NFL are going to be difficult for college players, period, and it is likely to be particularly rough in year one. I wonder if they'll have the time to actually get something going. Warde Manuel is almost certainly going to be in a difficult spot next offseason.

[After THE JUMP: as the portal turns]

[Marc-Gregor Campredon]

About last niiiiiiiight. Lights out for MSU:

The Spartans lost 67-37 to Rutgers last night, putting up their worst points per possession in the Kenpom era. Notable statistics:

  • With more TOs than buckets, Michigan State suffered a basketball rutger against Rutgers!
  • MSU turned the ball over on 32% of their possessions!
  • Rutgers rebounded 43% of their misses!
  • Rocket Watts is shooting 29/24 in Big Ten play!
  • Rutgers had more blocked shots than FTAs allowed!
  • It was Rutgers's best defensive performance in a conference game since 1982! Their opponent in that game was St Bonaventure!
  • MSU is dead last in conference play in: 2P%, steals allowed, TO%, and offensive efficiency!
  • There are 12 Big Ten teams in the top 100 of the NET rankings. MSU is not one!
  • MSU has lost games in which their opponents shot 26%, 24%, and 13% from 3!

2021 bringing heat.

[After THE JUMP: Jeb! the AD]

it's quiet... too quiet 

looking forward to hockey

Wherein I credit receivers for getting interfered, as is just.

this time the man shouting THROW IT TO NICO has a thin veneer to justify it with 

losing the press conference 

This was hard.

Markelle Fultz and Matisse Thybulle! 9-22! 

Someone create a Drake Johnson/Stephen Spanellis podcast next year please 

ah crap now i have hope 

bombs over bloomington