The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/137378
Top Five Pro Prospects 1. Fifth-year senior left tackle Taylor Lewan: Five offensive tackles were taken in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft — including Central Michigan's Eric Fisher (Kansas City Chiefs) and Texas A&M's Luke Joeckel (Jacksonville Jaguars), who were picked with the first two overall selections. Had he chosen to forego his fifth-year senior season at Michigan, Lewan would have almost certainly been among those first-rounders. At 6-8 and 308 pounds, Lewan is an NFL-ready prospect. He proved that in last season's Outback Bowl, when he battled — and often got the better of — South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who many project will be the No. 1 overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft. If Lewan continues to progress and stays healthy through 2013, expect to hear his name called early on the first night of next spring's NFL Draft. 2. Redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner: The quarterback position is changing, and the NFL is starting to catch up. Quarterbacks like San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick and Seattle's Russell Wilson are blending traditional pocket passing with new-age spread-option packages to confuse defenses across the league. Of the 11 quarterbacks selected in the 2013 NFL Draft, four of them are not only gifted passers but also exceptional athletes who can create with their feet. The only two quarterbacks selected in the first two rounds, Florida State's EJ Manuel (Bills) and West Virginia's Geno Smith (Jets), fit that mold. If, over the next two seasons, Gardner builds on what he accomplished in five games last year (1,219 passing yards and 11 touchdowns), NFL teams will clamor for his blend of size (6-4, 210), passing ability and sheer athleticism. 3. Junior defensive end Frank Clark: Big, athletic pass rushers are always at a premium for NFL teams, and Clark certainly looks the part. Three pass-rushing defensive ends were taken in the first six picks of the 2013 NFL Draft: Oregon's Dion Jordan (Miami Dolphins), BYU's Ziggy Ansah (Detroit Lions) and LSU's Barkevious Mingo (Cleveland Browns). At the NFL Combine, Jordan ran a 4.60 40-yard dash, Ansah ran a 4.63 and Mingo clocked in at 4.58. Clark, at 6-2 and 277 pounds, reportedly ran a 4.54 this spring. With that size and speed, NFL teams will be eager to give him a look. Clark totaled nine tackles for loss and two sacks last year and should improve on those numbers in 2013. 4. Fifth-year senior right tackle Michael Schofield: Schofield may not have the athletic profile or intangibles of Lewan, but he is a reliable offensive tackle with the versatility to move to the interior, if an NFL team likes him better down there (Schofield made 10 starts at left guard in 2011). Starting all 13 games at right tackle last season, Schofield was a solid blocker with good pass-protection technique. He stands 6-7 and 303 pounds, and another impressive season could raise his draft stock. As of right now, it's feasible that some NFL team takes him off the board with a late-round selection. 5. Redshirt junior outside linebacker Jake Ryan: Ryan unfortunately tore his ACL during spring practices and will miss — at the very least — a large chunk of the 2013 season. If he had stayed healthy, he would have come into the year as one of the best defensive players in the Big Ten. But his rehab is ahead of schedule, and he still has two years of eligibility to get back to the level he was at last season. And if he does, he would intrigue NFL teams. Ryan (6-3, 241) can do a little bit of everything: he has the lateral quickness to get to the edge; he's an accomplished pass defender; and he's a disruptive force behind the line of scrimmage (16 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2012). Junior defensive end Frank Clark has both the size (standing 6-2, 277 pounds) and the speed (a reported 4.54 40 time this spring) to be a very appealing pro prospect to NFL teams. photo by lon horwedel 66 ■ The Wolverine 2013 Football Preview