Ben VanSummeran claims to have a 42" vertical
Another "freak" athlete that maybe the new staff will figure out how to utilize and get the most out of his skills.
https://twitter.com/primetimedunkin/status/1358922889953705985?s=19
February 9th, 2021 at 8:59 AM ^
Please excuse my misspelling (VanSumeren)
February 9th, 2021 at 8:59 AM ^
thats not that impressive.. when i jump my waist is at least 45 inches from the ground
February 9th, 2021 at 9:01 AM ^
yeah, well my waist is at least 45 inches around
February 9th, 2021 at 10:37 AM ^
Can you play DT?
February 9th, 2021 at 11:14 AM ^
My buddy claims he still wears 32 waist jeans like he did in high school. He just pulls the front right down under his belly.
February 9th, 2021 at 4:00 PM ^
So you are saying that you have a 45 inch horizontal?
February 9th, 2021 at 6:27 PM ^
I think that would technically be a 45 circumferentially
February 9th, 2021 at 4:00 PM ^
So you are saying that you have a 45 inch horizontal?
February 9th, 2021 at 10:36 AM ^
Any eligibility left?
February 9th, 2021 at 9:00 AM ^
"Wanna bet I can jump over them mountains?"
February 9th, 2021 at 9:01 AM ^
It's one thing to be a freak athlete, It's another thing to transfer that to the football field. It's great when both come together to make a freak football player. He needs the football instincts to do that. I haven't seen that from him yet, let's hope it's coming.
February 9th, 2021 at 9:18 AM ^
Give the kid a little slack, he just converted to LB in a no spring football, Covid season. No real hands on instruction, if you believe everything they said about this past season. Not to mention our defense was very dysfunctional last year.
February 9th, 2021 at 9:58 AM ^
I hope he has a great year. I just don't see it happening. He didn't have the instincts as a RB/FB so he was moved to LB. Hopefully it all comes together. Right now he is just a workout warrior.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:31 AM ^
He didn't have the instincts as a RB/FB so he was moved to LB.
Really? Or maybe the FB isn’t the best utilization of his skills? Or maybe the FB isn’t going to be a thing in the M offense? Or maybe we’re thin at LB?
February 9th, 2021 at 10:33 AM ^
I think he didn't have the requisite size for TE, which based on his high school exploits, was his best position; if I remember correctly he was a phenomenal high school receiver. He made a lot of sense in the hammering Panda role but that is no longer a part of the offense so he was left adrift a bit. Chase Winovich took some time to find his best fit, no reason to think VanSumeren can't do the same. His athleticism fits in nicely with a 3-4 scheme.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:55 AM ^
To make a parallel with BVS to Chase Winovich...one of the best defensive players Michigan has had in the last 10-15 years is a stretch. Winovich, and his development into the player he bacame, is the exception. "Exceptions" are the exceptions for a reason, and its because they rarely rarely ever happen.
February 9th, 2021 at 12:53 PM ^
Richard Sherman arrived at Stanford as a WR. He is now a future hall of fame CB. It happens. My point was going with the theme that if BVS is the athlete the OP (and others say he is) it is not out of the realm of possibility that he becomes a major contributor for this defense.
February 9th, 2021 at 1:47 PM ^
LOL...dude...you're making my point again. "Hey let me tell you of a player that came to Stanford as a WR and turned into a HOF NFL Defensive Back". For every Richard Sherman and Chase Winovich, there are hundreds of other players that just can't make the transition.
The chances of BVS turning into a major impact player is almost zero. Could happen, but the odds are way stacked against him
February 9th, 2021 at 1:51 PM ^
I guess I don't see the point of being needlessly negative about guys on our team; time will tell. And he is a better fit in the 3-4 we are rumored to be playing this upcoming season. I am not saying BVS will be either Chase Winovich or Richard Sherman but there is a history of guys taking a while to find their groove, even a (select) few at new positions.
February 9th, 2021 at 4:21 PM ^
If you’re hearing me be “negative” that isn’t my intention at all.
if all you are trying to say is “It is possible for people to come in at one position and then switch to another” I of course agree with that. That is indisputable.
if what you are saying is “BVS is switching positions and he is going to be an impact player”. That is, In all reality and not negative at all, highly unlikely.
That being said, I hope BVS is “the exception” and becomes a stud at LB. We need him to be.
February 9th, 2021 at 2:52 PM ^
He not only didn't prove your point, he didn't help me understand what the fuck your point is, lol.
He says sometimes it takes players a while to find their "fit", like
Chase:
#299 ranked as LB, jumps to TE, ends up switching to DL in his junior year, avgs 2.3 tackles per game
Ben:
#624 as ATH, starts at FB, switches to LB when FB gets eliminated, avgs 2.0 tackles per game.
He never said Ben would end up as good.
Where you the same guy saying in '16: "Chances of Winovich turning into a major impact player is almost zero."
There were definitely a bunch of those idiots around then.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:42 AM ^
Yes on his high school achievements as a receiver. That's why I believe if he had gone to Iowa or Wisconsin, they would have turned him into an all conference TE, despite his lack of ideal size. With his hands, relative speed, and strength, he has a lot of potential as a receiver IMO. I hope he doesn't become another of the many players we failed to utilize in the best way based on their talents.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:35 AM ^
Is that why he got moved? I thought it was because they had a need at LB, and we didn't really use the FB we had, so why just let him sit there gathering dust.
The Wolverines return just six scholarship players at the position this fall, just two of which (Cam McGrone, Josh Ross) have significant experience playing the position in college. Other returners include Michael Barrett and Anthony Solomon, and redshirt freshmen Charles Thomas and Joey Velasquez. At least four more will join the team as part of Michigan’s 2020 recruiting class. VanSumeren gives defensive coordinator Don Brown and first-year linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary another option. His size suggests VanSumeren might be be best suited to fit in at the middle or weak-side linebacker spots, but that remains unclear at this point.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:40 AM ^
It seems like you've cut/pasted that last paragraph from somewhere else, but forgot to give it quotation marks. If not, you're ability to keep up with recent changes appears to be limited...
February 9th, 2021 at 11:53 AM ^
Just imagine his surprise when he finds out Keith Jackson died.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:58 AM ^
I think that depends on what he is up to weight-wise. I could see him playing the at-the-line SAM that Ravens defense has if he's in the 260 range. He is athletic as hell. There is just more to playing good football than that.
Hope he finds his niche.
February 9th, 2021 at 1:48 PM ^
McGrone is back? He declared, I was led to believe. Fing fake news.
February 9th, 2021 at 2:12 PM ^
McGrone is McGone
February 9th, 2021 at 11:40 PM ^
He was recruited as a linebacker by Iowa and they have a good record making guys like him into very effective linebackers. (In fact, he was going there until he got the Michigan offer.)
February 9th, 2021 at 10:32 AM ^
I think that speaks to some of the poor recruiting choices by Harbaugh. We have players like Ben Mason and BVS who are great young men, athletic, play really really hard, but aren't great fits at any specific position.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:19 AM ^
Disagree. Both were great fits at FB, but it seems we are transitioning away from the position. When you change offenses, you might have some players that aren't great fits in the new scheme. It happens, but it doesn't necessarily point to recruiting failures.
8.5.7February 9th, 2021 at 9:04 AM ^
*Bench* VanSummeran
February 9th, 2021 at 9:19 AM ^
I claim to have a 12'' inch...
February 9th, 2021 at 9:43 AM ^
... circumference head.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:42 AM ^
I also claim that but you have to count it twice.
February 9th, 2021 at 12:39 PM ^
There's a stop the count joke somewhere in there, but I'm too lazy to make it work
February 9th, 2021 at 9:27 AM ^
Vertical is usually a good indication of short-range explosiveness so that's always good to see. Devin Bush for comparison had a 41 inch vertical at the NFL combine.
Hope he has a great career for the Maize and Blue.
February 9th, 2021 at 9:36 AM ^
I have a 46" vertical leap. 4-6.....stupid spell check.
February 9th, 2021 at 9:37 AM ^
I'd love to see him flip back to fullback/h-back. Especially because McNamara seems to throw underneath quite a bit.
February 9th, 2021 at 10:11 AM ^
I’d rather that those underneath throws go to our RBs. With their talent level and quickness in space, they can make small throws into big yardage
February 9th, 2021 at 10:52 AM ^
Would be nice to see running backs actually utilized in the passing game. I'm just going off what was impressive in BVS' high school film.
February 9th, 2021 at 9:49 AM ^
I hope he does and converts that ability to make 8-10 tackles against MEANINGFUL opponents like Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan State, and certainly Ohio State. He has a good chance now as a LB as he will not be covering the slot receiver (who runs a 4.2 40 time) on a vertical route because the safety has been walked up to blitz A gap.
February 9th, 2021 at 9:57 AM ^
That seems impressive. Wonder if he is confusing vertical with box jump.
February 9th, 2021 at 9:59 AM ^
Can he play DT?
someone had to ask
February 9th, 2021 at 10:04 AM ^
His brother can. He's supposedly up to 300 lbs.
Slow feet don’t eat! #thegrindneverstops pic.twitter.com/SNuvuX6ZGZ
— Alex VanSumeren (@alexvansumeren) February 5, 2021
February 9th, 2021 at 10:29 AM ^
Watch this one. Alex is a beast that moves really well for his size. Seems like the VanSumeran boys are driven.
And if he chants like that during plays I think QBs might wet their pants.
February 10th, 2021 at 8:20 AM ^
I don't think that's chanting, at least like a Haka chant. Comes off more like Tourette's.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:01 AM ^
He is noticeably bigger than when i watched him against Frankenmuth and Freeland.
February 9th, 2021 at 11:11 AM ^
It doesn't look like very good weight in this video. He looks like he has a tire around his midsection.
February 9th, 2021 at 12:36 PM ^
Maason Smith asks: Do you even NT bro?
