Taylor Lewan ranked #2 senior prospect in the country by NFL.com's Gil Brandt
2. Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
Lewan (6-7 1/2, 315) is another player who opted to stay in school rather than leave for the NFL a season early. Lewan runs the 40-yard dash in 5.2 seconds, and while he doesn't have real long arms (33 1/2 inches), he is very smart and athletic. When Lewan fell on a fumble in the end zone in a game against Massachusetts last season, he became the first Wolverine lineman to score a touchdown since 1948.
August 14th, 2013 at 2:18 PM ^
there hasn't been another O lineman that hasn't scored since then. No tackle eligibles? QB blindside fumbles? None in almost 70 years?
August 14th, 2013 at 2:26 PM ^
Close, but no cigar.
August 14th, 2013 at 2:38 PM ^
Jake Long had caught that pass in the Capital One Bowl....
August 14th, 2013 at 3:31 PM ^
It's amazing that It worked just like they drew it up. smh
August 14th, 2013 at 2:26 PM ^
A Michigan Man does not turn the ball over, so that removes the fumble option. A Michigan Man also only grudgingly resorts to the forward pass and would never stoop so low as to employ a perfectly capable run blocker as a reciever.
August 14th, 2013 at 7:33 PM ^
There's no such thing as tackle-eligible in the NCAA, which might partly explain the infrequency of linemen scoring.
August 15th, 2013 at 12:10 AM ^
Has this always been the case? I could have sworn the ref announced Jake Long as an eligible receiver in the 08 Capital One Bowl right before he dropped a would be TD pass. Though I suppose I could be melting multiple memories together.
August 14th, 2013 at 2:27 PM ^
Could someone remind me what game was it when Lewan picked up a V. Smith fumble and ran forward for another ten yard or so? Thanks.
August 14th, 2013 at 3:03 PM ^
That happened in our 2010 matchup against Purdue. Thanks to Wolverine Historian, we can relive that moment at 3:08 of his highlight reel of that game (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTtGYCCIaFw).
A fun fact about Lewan's experiences carrying the ball - while twice in his carry he has accrued rushing yards, he has yet to be credited with a carry. So he has something like 11 yards and 1 TD on zero carries. His YPC is undefined.
August 14th, 2013 at 3:16 PM ^
Infinity, bro
August 14th, 2013 at 4:13 PM ^
Technically, 11/0 is NaN, or Not a Number.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transreal_arithmetic#Transreal_arithmetic
August 14th, 2013 at 3:25 PM ^
August 14th, 2013 at 11:23 PM ^
August 14th, 2013 at 2:30 PM ^
My memory is telling me that Lewan got credit for the touchdown, but he wasn't the one that actually recovered the fumble. There were two lineman at the bottom of the pile and Lewan was the latter one in. Not that it matters.
August 14th, 2013 at 2:49 PM ^
If I remember the box score correctly, Taylor Lewan got credit for a rushing TD, but Paul Gyarmati got credit for a fumble recovery in that game, I think. It might have been someone else who initially fell on the ball though.
August 14th, 2013 at 2:52 PM ^
August 14th, 2013 at 2:35 PM ^
lewan would donkey matthews.
August 14th, 2013 at 2:36 PM ^
Pretty sweet that we basically have last year's #1 overall NFL draft pick playing left tackle for us this season.
August 14th, 2013 at 2:38 PM ^
99. Jeff Janis, WR, Saginaw Valley State
August 14th, 2013 at 2:46 PM ^
Sparty's Dennard:
"He has very good ball skills and will become a big-time player."
Then why did you put him at #42?
August 14th, 2013 at 2:54 PM ^
Read AJ McCarron's entry. I mean, what the fuck.
August 14th, 2013 at 3:00 PM ^
Major typo, Lewan should be #1.
August 14th, 2013 at 8:10 PM ^
The NFLdraft is 60/40 game film/measurables. Lewan has short arms for his position . It does not matter if he dominates every game he is in, those "short arms" will hold him back, in terms of draft positon.
August 14th, 2013 at 4:50 PM ^
Why would you rank an offensive lineman who is changing jobs this year and playing the same position that Lewan has manned for four years, and taken on the best and held his ground, and place him ahead of Lewan? I'm sure that Jake Matthews has the NFL pedigree of experience based on his family background and DNA, but you put him ahead of Lewan who has already proved himself at the most important Oline spot on most offensive lines and who blocked for the most productive quarterback rusher in NCAA history.
It's crap. Lewan is the best, period. He will go down in the pantheon of Michigan Olinemen and will be taken within the first five picks of the NFL Draft next spring. This is without a doubt. His future is set. He is what he is, the best offensive tackle in college football.
August 14th, 2013 at 5:11 PM ^
A lot of notable misses... Correct me if I am wrong but Louis Nix is not on that list. He is a senior and if his play continues this year like last year he will be a #1, probably top10.
August 14th, 2013 at 6:05 PM ^
Louis Nix III is pretty good, but touchdown-scoring offensive linemen don't come around very often.
August 15th, 2013 at 12:02 AM ^
Well that is true. Neither is touchdown scoring NGs.
August 14th, 2013 at 8:10 PM ^
How does he know that Lewan does not have long arms? Taylor never participated in any NFL workout and UM does not report that figure.
August 15th, 2013 at 9:43 AM ^
...Let me know when the Lions "win" the Clowney Sweepstakes.