UM gets 14 Combine Invites
The NFL has updated their list of invites to the 2017 Combine and published again. Fourteen UM players are on the list:
Ben Braden (OG)
Jake Butt (TE)
Taco Charlton (DE)
Jehu Chesson (WR)
Jeremy Clark (CB)
Amara Darboh (WR)
Ben Gedeon (LB)
Ryan Glasgow (DT)
Delano Hill (SS)
Jourdan Lewis (CB)
Jabrill Peppers (SS)
De'Veon Smith (RB)
Channing Stribling (CB)
Chris Wormley (DT)
Notable Wolverines who were left off the ivite list include Matt Godin, Kyle Kalis, Erik Magnusen, and Dymonte Thomas.
Schools with the most invites:
Rank | School | # of Players |
1 | Michigan | 14 |
2 | Alabama | 10 |
3 | LSU | 10 |
4 | Clemson | 9 |
5 | Miami | 9 |
6 | Texas A&M | 9 |
7 | Arkansas | 8 |
8 | Florida | 8 |
9 | Florida St. | 8 |
10 | Ohio St. | 8 |
Conferences with the most invites:
Rank | Conference | # of Players |
1 | SEC | 66 |
2 | ACC | 60 |
3 | Big Ten | 51 |
4 | Pac-12 | 46 |
5 | Big 12 | 19 |
February 15th, 2017 at 12:23 PM ^
That's one more than when this was posted yesterday...
February 15th, 2017 at 12:36 PM ^
February 16th, 2017 at 12:04 AM ^
snarky.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^
How do we get him in the combine he would probably benefit him the most and probably help his stock the most.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:58 PM ^
is how we do it.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:49 PM ^
Players can always be invited to individual team workouts. It's also a snowball effect. If he gets on the radar of 2-3 teams, another few are sure to perk up & notice.
February 15th, 2017 at 2:40 PM ^
for NFL teams. I'm sure Harbaugh will have as many kids as possible in front of NFL scouts.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:55 PM ^
aka Height/Weight/Arm Length and interviews more than workouts. Workouts are secondary to the evaluations. It shouldn't raise or lower prospect's stock by no more than half a round.
February 15th, 2017 at 1:01 PM ^
And some men are longer than others:
February 15th, 2017 at 1:48 PM ^
The SEC makes us train with rocks.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:30 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 1:23 PM ^
...that Braden gets an invite over Kalis and Magnuson. I thought they were pretty equivalent. Otherwise known as being OK collegians but unlikely pro players.
February 16th, 2017 at 6:55 AM ^
Of the three, for all his warts, Braden has the best chance of cutting it in the NFL, IF someone can work out his kinks. Kalis struggled with the mental aspects of the college game; he's not expected to grok an NFL offense. Magnuson was a fine college OL and our season would've been very different if we had five of him, but he projects to be consistently overmatched in the NFL where every DE was a college monster. That said, a lot of high-upside prospects bust because they can't handle the complexity or work demands, so if he works his tail off Mags might squeak into a roster as a depth guy via UDFA contract, practice squad and a little luck.
Back to Braden, he has the sort of physical trappings that an NFL team might spend a day 3 pick on to see if he pans out. None of this is weird or new. It's not really fair and Mags may prove his doubters wrong, but the NFL doesn't give two shits about being fair. It's not about being stupid as it is ruthless. Pretty much beyond the 3rd round, if someone doesn't pan out you just cut him, which isn't much more of a distinction than someone who wasn't drafted at all.
February 15th, 2017 at 1:27 PM ^
How exactly is the worst OL we had this year not getting an invite newsworthy? He was the weakest link on a middling, at best, OL.. this is the opposite of newsworthy. Mags getting left off while Braden got one is more newsworthy, if you will.
February 15th, 2017 at 2:11 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 1:39 PM ^
I believe NFL executives vote for which ones they want to invite. I'm not sure but there may be a limit on how many can get invited.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:31 PM ^
But if Butt can't participate, could someone advocate for Thomas to take his place? Or would that throw off the number of participants per position?
February 15th, 2017 at 12:57 PM ^
workouts.
February 15th, 2017 at 1:40 PM ^
He can also do some of the non-running/jumping drills like the bench press.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:31 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 12:34 PM ^
Thomas will still have an opportunity at Michigan's pro day, and I'm sure he'll get invited to work out for a couple of teams.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:35 PM ^
I am sure he will test well and will probably help his stock well. Then the person who will add millions more to his contract will either be Peppers or Taco
February 15th, 2017 at 12:43 PM ^
What about Gedeon? It will be interesting to see if "The Freak" can put up good combine numbers.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:58 PM ^
up a good combine numbers considering his struggle in coverage. He's kind of slow and lacks the COD to keep up with quicker players. He's much better going foward than side to side and backward.
February 15th, 2017 at 2:14 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 12:48 PM ^
No offense to Taco but I don't remember him taking over any big game and dominating this past year as a senior. Is he good? Yeah but should he be talked up as much as he is? Cant see it guys.
February 15th, 2017 at 1:02 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 1:08 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 3:14 PM ^
will be even better like a 4.7 40yard and 30 rep 225 bench at 280lbs. Which I hope it pushes him into the top 10. The difference between the 20th and 10th pick is around 9million dollars last year. So that is why I said he can make the money at the combine.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:42 PM ^
I'm shocked by Dymonte not being included
February 15th, 2017 at 12:50 PM ^
February 16th, 2017 at 7:03 AM ^
Here's where NFL scouts can get stupid; it's hard to get attention as a DB unless you break records or get a gazillion interceptions. Jourdan Lewis probably improved his draft stock more with his flying pick vs. Wiscy than he did by shutting down #1 receivers for half the season.
Some of it is even cyclical, which is indeed a cycle of dumb, but that's life. A team could be high on Thomas but if no other NFL team is going to draft him in the first 3 rounds, or even every other team is just convinced no other team is going to draft him early because Safeties Are Boring, why not just invite him to a team workout and keep your cards close?
February 15th, 2017 at 12:42 PM ^
Tough to hear for Thomas, Magnuson, Kalis, and Godin and pretty surprising.
At least Clark got his redshirt denied before the draft so he can participate in the combine instead of having to go in a supplemental draft.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:48 PM ^
I'm a little surprised about Magnuson and Thomas, but not so much by Kalis and Godin. Kalis never lived up to the hype, and Godin was mostly a role player (a good one, but not sure of NFL potential). They'll all get a look at pro day. Hopefully at least two of them make a squad somewhere. I think Kalis will make a practice squad, with opportunity to move up with improvement.
Still, this is poised to be the best draft class from Michigan in a long time. May there be many more to come.
February 15th, 2017 at 1:43 PM ^
Yeah, I am not surprised by their omission but Kalis was 2nd team All B1G (along with Braden) and Magnuson was first team and 3rd team last year.
February 15th, 2017 at 3:27 PM ^
making all conference speak more about how bad B1G OL has been this year. Dan Feeney is the only elite OL on the list. Pat Eflien struggled at C but showed out at OG the year before.
For comparsion sake, Taylor Mouton from WMU is projected to be a 2nd round pick and can start for both Michigan and MSU. How he fell through the crack, I don't know. Mouton has the NFL size at 6'5" 330 lbs and athleticism to stick at OG and OT. Mouton would've easily made all-B1G this season.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:53 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 1:19 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 1:26 PM ^
...but PAD LEVEL.
February 15th, 2017 at 1:34 PM ^
Surprised that Kalis isn't in there because he seems to have the physical tools. Magnuson seemed to have a better season than Braden as well. But I don't understand the NFL so meh.
February 15th, 2017 at 12:54 PM ^
Little surprised Kalis didn't get an invite, since i feel like I've heard some draft hype (relatively speaking) for him. Same with Magnuson.
February 15th, 2017 at 3:30 PM ^
How the hell did Rashan Gary and Chris Evans not get invited -- not to mention DPJ and Aubrey Solomon. This is fixed!
February 15th, 2017 at 1:12 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 1:16 PM ^
It's a rough crowd in here. You need to fix both Hoke errors or you'll be crucified.
February 15th, 2017 at 1:28 PM ^
...too bad he was a poor head coach who hired nonentities as assistants.
February 15th, 2017 at 1:14 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 1:18 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 1:21 PM ^
February 15th, 2017 at 1:45 PM ^
Yeah, the 2016 season is not going to age well. Not great when your best team in a decade that's absolutely littered with NFL talent can still only manage a 10-3 season.
Bad OLs man...they are a hell of a thing.