If You Could Add One Rodriguez/Hoke Player to This Team

Submitted by SF Wolverine on

Who would it be?  Who would most improve this team?  Brandon Graham was great, but we are loaded at that position.  I don't think Denard, b/c not clear how he fits.  I'd go for either Jake Ryan (big upgrade over big question marks) or Taylor Lewan, who is perhaps not as big an upgrade over who will play there, but certainly better and gives O-line better depth.  

Discuss.

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Crazy w Cheese Whiz

August 23rd, 2016 at 9:42 PM ^

Yeah, Chesson and Darboh may be better, but Hemingway bailed out Denard so many times.

Junior would be ideal for Wilton O'Korn, Shane Peters, or Magnuson or anyone else with limited experience, to go out and just chuck the ball up blindly.

Joined: 05/21/2013

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Adrian

August 23rd, 2016 at 9:47 PM ^

My vote would be devin gardner. That is one guy i feel we wasted his talent. If harbaugh could have coached him up he would have turned into a nice player

Joined: 08/12/2009

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StephenRKass

August 23rd, 2016 at 10:12 PM ^

There's a reason Harbaugh is the coach. I'd defer to him and to Drevno and Brown. There are many good suggestions out there. Lewan, Gardner, Jake Ryan are all guys that would be good. I guess I think we are pretty good at QB, believe it or not, but thinner still on the OL, and especially thin at LB, so flip a coin between Ryan and Lewan?

Joined: 07/15/2008

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Zarniwoop

August 23rd, 2016 at 10:15 PM ^

Left tackle is our biggest concern. Neither qb will be a world beater, so it has to be Lewan. Possible exception for Sione Houma as he was just a great fullback. I think we see a big drop off a FB this year.

Joined: 09/10/2013

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BoFlex

August 23rd, 2016 at 10:46 PM ^

Taylor Lewan would instantly make the O-line go from experienced to experiened AND talented. Not to mention a much more respectable 2-deep for that unit.

Joined: 05/30/2011

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Well...Well...Well

August 23rd, 2016 at 11:10 PM ^

Will Campbell maybe - it seems he switched back and forth between offense and defense which inhibited adequate development at any position. I think if he works with this staff - they would find a way for him to work at both and eventually focus on one.

Joined: 07/24/2012

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m51

August 23rd, 2016 at 11:26 PM ^

Devin Gardner could have been. The game he played against the suckeyes in 2013 was something i will never forget. It wasnt his fault they called a poor play for the two point conversion. I hope Devin has a wonderfull life, he always gave his best. He made some bad decisions but he didnt get alot of protection from the guys up front.

Joined: 12/02/2014

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JOHNNAVARREISMYHERO

August 24th, 2016 at 1:07 AM ^

He had too many issues to straighten out.    He wasn't interested attending classes.

The problem is the kid wasn't listening to anyone.    

He botched numerous plays and wins because he refused to follow a play design that when you watched the replays would have worked.  

Finally, he just wasn't that good in general.

Joined: 02/06/2015

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Mr. Elbel

August 24th, 2016 at 12:44 AM ^

as far as matching current team needs with the best players from that era, I think your options are JMFR, Gardner, Lewan, Molk, and Denard, in that order. And I think Jake and Devin are far and away the best options, with the other 3 pretty far behind them. I'd go with Jake, as he'd sure up arguably our only weakness on D and make us likely the GOAT college defense. Gardner makes our offense scary too, as he fills our biggest need there and negates potential holes in the OL with his legs. Also....sleeper pick: Zoltan Mesko. hell yeah.

Joined: 03/02/2014

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Mr. Elbel

August 24th, 2016 at 12:53 AM ^

Frank Clark could have avoided a lot of trouble for himself as well as reached his true potential under this coaching staff. Everyone mentioning anyone on DL is talking about Martin or others who proved to be elite already. I believe Clark could have surpassed them in productivity/being an absolute beast under the right direction and teaching.

Joined: 03/02/2014

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JOHNNAVARREISMYHERO

August 24th, 2016 at 1:14 AM ^

What do you think could have be done differently to keep this kid out of trouble though?

You can't babysit him 24 hours a day.

I don't necessarily disagree that he could have been more productive, but what exactly can you do when a kid doesn't understand common sense when it comes to behaving off the field.  

I personally though it was pretty stupid that during the bye week he was not on campus isntead at that waterpark or hotel over wherever where the alleged incident happened.  

Joined: 02/06/2015

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JOHNNAVARREISMYHERO

August 24th, 2016 at 1:25 AM ^

Harbaugh could have done well with Devin Gardner.

Yes he had numerous issues to fix, but he also had a bunch of skils that were elite.

It was really sad to compare highlights of 2012 v 2014 - his body looked totally shot in 2014 (because it probably was).    

I do appreciate him for all he gave us though.     I continue to be impressed with him off the field and how polished and professional he is as an Michigan alum.  

Joined: 02/06/2015

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BILG

August 24th, 2016 at 3:00 AM ^

Brandon Graham would be my choice if the D-line wasn't so filthy already.  Denard obviously would be fun to have as a change of pace RB, but wouldn't necessarily fit Harb-offense.

Molk was a really good, smart center that would not only solidify the line, but allow Mason Cole to stay at tackle for a second year instead of changing positions.

Joined: 08/31/2008

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