November 8th, 2012 at 4:41 PM ^
November 8th, 2012 at 4:44 PM ^
unchanged, then it would be hard to believe that he doesn't go pro.
That's OK. I'd rather have guys on the team that are NFL material after their Jr year rather than CFL material or worse after their 5th year.
Let's us get used to reloading rather than rebuilding.
November 8th, 2012 at 4:53 PM ^
We don't have any "reloading" options ready for next year though. Losing Lewan means we lose 4 of 5 starting linemen. As mediocre as our interior line has been, having 2 or 3 RS freshmen starting next year is a scary proposition.
If I had to guess, our line if Lewan bolts is:
LT - Magnuson (RS fresh)
LG - Kalis (RS fresh)
C - Miller (RS soph)
RG - Burzynski (RS junior, walkon)
RT - Schofield (RS senior)
This could grow into a solid unit, but it's also completely unproven and very young.
November 8th, 2012 at 5:00 PM ^
Switch Schofield and Magnusun.
November 8th, 2012 at 5:19 PM ^
Switch Magnusun with Magnuson
heh heh
November 8th, 2012 at 6:15 PM ^
Braden starts next year.
November 8th, 2012 at 6:03 PM ^
You are assuming we have a right-handed QB. Just sayin'.
November 8th, 2012 at 6:18 PM ^
Devin Gardner is going to start throwing left handed?
November 8th, 2012 at 7:12 PM ^
To be fair...1 game. It is no shoe in that Gardner will be the starting qb. If he plays the rest of the year like he did in the spring game...MgoBlog panic will commence
November 8th, 2012 at 8:13 PM ^
To be really fair Gardner will be a senior or a redshirt junior with two full years with this coaching staff and 3.5 years at the collegiate level. People are questioning his path to starter because Shane Morris has great physical tools and completely ignoring the fact that Shane will be a true freshman who didn't even get to enroll early and missed a chunk of his senior year to mono. Devin may not be a shoe-in but if he doesn't start it will likely be due to injury or other extenuating circumstances not because he simply isn't as good as Morris.
November 8th, 2012 at 5:51 PM ^
Maybe Braden at RG? Definitely has the size for it
November 8th, 2012 at 7:12 PM ^
November 8th, 2012 at 6:21 PM ^
in 2014?
November 8th, 2012 at 4:45 PM ^
November 8th, 2012 at 4:47 PM ^
But if you heard it on M-Live radio, I'm sure it's true.
November 8th, 2012 at 4:56 PM ^
November 8th, 2012 at 5:01 PM ^
In content by the proprietor and his staff, fine. In the board or in the comments, eh, not quite as much.
November 8th, 2012 at 4:46 PM ^
Can we talk for a second about how the top three projected draft picks might go 1-2-3 in the Name of the Year draft as well?
Barkevious Mingo
Bjoern Werner (OK this one isn't that great)
Star Lotulelei
November 8th, 2012 at 4:52 PM ^
The last projection had him going #14 or so if I remember correctly. This one has him #5 and my guess is that, Lewan, being the best left tackle in college football will move up again before the actual draft takes place.
If the last few drafts are any indication he'll probably end up going in the top three. And then the boy will get PAID! Good for him - it's why we all went to college now isnt it?
November 8th, 2012 at 5:25 PM ^
2012 # 3 overall pick Trent Richardson got 4 years and 20.5 mil (13.5 guaranteed) whereas 2010 #3 overall pick Gerald McCoy got 5 years, 63.4 million with 35 million guaranteed
now, 13.5 mil is nothing to sneeze at, but I'm blindly holding on to the belief that the reduced money may make a run at a MNC with Team 134 a bit more appealing to Taylor.
/straws grasped
November 8th, 2012 at 5:53 PM ^
It even makes it financially worthwhile to stay in College 1 more year to move up that one spot in the draft board. Basically you will have to earn $42.9 Million (63.4 - 20.5) over 2 years for it to be financially smart to leave early this year (without taking into account time value of money). Of course this does not factor in the risk of injury and his "pleasure value" of another year in college, but still, WOW at the difference.
November 8th, 2012 at 6:01 PM ^
Tyrone Wheatley would argue that sometimes coming back for that last year CAN make difference and not always a positive one. He was generally considered a top 5 pick after his Jr year in 93 (yes back in the stone ages when RBs were still considered to be worthy of top 5 picks), came back for his Sr year, got injured and slid down the board dramatically eventually getting picked #17 in 94.
So remember, bird in the hand yadda yadda and all that sometimes is true.
November 8th, 2012 at 7:10 PM ^
November 8th, 2012 at 6:25 PM ^
but you are insane if you think we are making a run for the MNC next year, with or without Taylor.
November 8th, 2012 at 9:26 PM ^
I've had people telling me for years that I'm insane. Some only I can see
November 8th, 2012 at 7:22 PM ^
The prospect of Lewan (or any potential first round pick) going pro and getting taken high in the first round is interesting in part because of the rookie wage scale that came into place in the contract last year. I think there are limits now on first-year salary and over the maximum four-year deal, although I believe they are allowed a club option for a fifth year if they are a first round pick. The only types of salary allowed now, I believe, are base, workout bonuses and performance incentives as well. The huge bonuses are gone in this contract, so I understand, but I assume depending on how they apportion the pool, you could still make a nice salary (looks like $4 million or so was about average for the first round this year). I wonder if things like this would factor into the decision of anyone projected to go in the first round.
That being said, he is great in pass protection and a very good blocker who can definitely use his 6"7", 310 lb. self to his advantage on the line and has done so with flair. I can't imagine many NFL teams that wouldn't want at least one more guy like that on the line.
November 8th, 2012 at 8:44 PM ^
November 8th, 2012 at 11:16 PM ^
November 9th, 2012 at 12:47 AM ^
You mean that not everyone believes Joeckel is the best OT, then yes.
Did you look at the link? SI.com has Lewan as the #1 OT, the #5 player in the class, and puts him five spots ahead of Joeckel. Now, who knows how this will end-up on draft day, but Lewan is definitely in the hunt to be a top 10 pick, maybe even top five.
November 9th, 2012 at 11:56 AM ^
November 8th, 2012 at 5:06 PM ^
UNC year-in-year-out has a slew of 1st and 2nd round picks yet can't put a team on the field that is better than 8-4 (with or without paying them).
November 8th, 2012 at 6:02 PM ^
That sounds a lot like Clemson... Maybe the coaching in the ACC is just terrible.
November 8th, 2012 at 7:47 PM ^
for the last 10 years.
So yeah..it's the ACC
November 9th, 2012 at 1:36 PM ^
It's hard to run with their wallets dragging them down.
November 8th, 2012 at 5:55 PM ^
It is so depressing to see a few of the names on this list. Barkevious Mingo was offered and aggresively pursued by the previous coaching staff (actually it may have been Fred Jackson if he was the one recruting Lousiana at the time). We were in Sam Montgomery's final group too, both Roh and Lewan were trying to recruit him at the UA game. And well, we all know the story about Hankins. Not saying they all would have developed at the same level, but they all would have had at least 2-3 years with the current DL coaches. Sigh....what could have been
November 8th, 2012 at 6:04 PM ^
Yeah, but we got Chris Rock, Ken Wilkins, and Terry Talbott, so things worked out pretty well on our end.
November 8th, 2012 at 6:46 PM ^
November 8th, 2012 at 7:45 PM ^
that hankins hurts the most since we've been so thin at DT for so long now...
November 8th, 2012 at 6:23 PM ^
November 8th, 2012 at 6:39 PM ^
Any chance Gardner would leave after this year? Seeing what his OL is gonna look like next year, I don't know that I would blame him if he leaves. That's assuming he could even if he wanted to leave.
November 8th, 2012 at 8:15 PM ^
What has Gardner possibly done that would make anyone think he could leave after this year? Unless, of course, you're talking about a transer, which I don't think you are...
November 8th, 2012 at 9:31 PM ^
Mile High Wolverine, I think you need to come down from the mountains.
Too much thin air.
November 8th, 2012 at 10:30 PM ^
Recent referendum in full effect.
November 8th, 2012 at 7:42 PM ^
Jake Long stayed for his RS senior year when after 06 he was projected as a top 15 pick if I recall. Now I know what I'm about to say is a broad generalization but it does seem that top prospected OLmen tend to return to school more then similarly ranked skill position guys. or DLmen.
November 9th, 2012 at 12:27 PM ^
Long was returning to a team that had been highly ranked all the previous season due to starting 11-0, and was considered to be a heavy national championship contender thanks to the return for their senior years of Henne, Hart, & Long himself, amongst others. Obviously we all know how that season wound up going, but I think he was returning for a shot at the championship.
Lewan will be returning to a team with a new starting QB after 3 years of Denard, having 3 new linemen on the line with him, and not likely to be a championship contender, sad to say. If he's a top 10 pick, I don't see him coming back (but of course I hope I'm wrong).
November 8th, 2012 at 8:09 PM ^
Happy for him if he goes. He's a great team player and deserves a big NFL contract. The kid singlehandedly introduced the word "twosie" into the Michigan fan base lexicon. He's got a mustache tattoed on one finger and "Shhhh" on another. And he's blocked for one of the most exciting football players ever to wear the winged helmet.
So, I'll miss watching him on Saturdays but will cheer his team on Sundays. Either next year or the year after.
November 8th, 2012 at 9:32 PM ^
I would be happy if he stays, but it makes sense for him to leave after this year. Either way, he's had a great career at Michigan and he will make some NFL team happy when he shows up to practice in his twosie.
November 8th, 2012 at 9:55 PM ^
November 9th, 2012 at 12:51 AM ^
I certainly wish Taylor the best, but I do hope he stays. He's an amazing player, a great interview, and he would be a big help to our MANBALL transition. In fact, the offenses transition to MANBALL might be a selling point for him; he would learn more about blocking in a pro-style offense before heading off to the draft.
That said, I believe he's worthy of a top 15 pick, and I hope he makes whatever decision is best for him.