Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy 'excited' about four Michigan offensive players
Michigan Wolverines football has firepower returning on the offensive side of the ball. The Maize and Blue return 87 percent of their offensive production from last season, per ESPN.com, including several who are eligible for the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
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Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy tweeted Monday morning about four Michigan players who he’s excited to watch this fall — graduate wide receiver Ronnie Bell, who missed most of last season with an injury, senior wideout Cornelius Johnson, graduate tight end Luke Schoonmaker and graduate left tackle Ryan Hayes.
“[Michigan’s] offense will be fun to watch this fall,” Nagy posted. “[The Senior Bowl] is excited to see Ronnie Bell healthy, Cornelius Johnson has legit deep gear, Luke Schoonmaker’s blocking will make him favorite of NFL tight end coaches and left tackle Ryan Hayes is ascending.”
A notable name Nagy left off his list is Michigan senior tight end Erick All, who, along with Schoonmaker, is on the Mackey Award watch list entering the 2022 campaign. However, Nagy has already raved about All on his Twitter account and reminded folks of that after receiving a response about All’s absence.
“[I] posted a thread on [All] a few months ago,” Nagy said. “He’s one of our top-graded TEs for the senior bowl.”
All was one of Michigan’s top pass-catchers and blockers last season. He recorded 38 catches for 437 yards and two touchdowns. Schoonmaker was also a big part of the offense, especially in the red zone. He caught 17 passes for 165 yards and three touchdowns.
Former Michigan tight end Jake Butt, now an analyst for Big Ten Network, weighed in, replying to Nagy’s tweet regarding Schoonmaker.
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“Schoonmaker can move too,” Butt pointed out. “Watch his routes and speed on tape. Will play 10 years in the NFL. Speed, size, strength, and his insatiable desire for contact will make him a stud on special teams as well.”
Bell led Michigan in receiving yards in both 2019 and 2020, combining for 1,159 yards during those two campaigns. He started off the 2021 campaign with a bang, hauling in a 76-yard touchdown catch against Western Michigan, before tearing his ACL in the second quarter of the season-opener. He missed the remaining 13 outings but is back at full strength. Last week at Big Ten Media Days, head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed he’s hit personal records in miles per hour for sprints and times in the three-cone drill and plyometric stairs.
Johnson stepped up in Bell’s absence last season. The 6-3, 211-pounder grabbed 39 catches for a team-high 620 yards and three touchdowns. He has seven scores for his career.
Hayes is another NFL Draft and Senior Bowl prospect who is set to have a big season. He opened all 14 games on Michigan’s 2021 Joe Moore Award winning offensive line. The 6-7, 307-pounder, routinely facing the opponent’s top pass rushers, posted a 66.7 overall PFF grade — a couple points above average — and gave up 27 pressures and three sacks (both team highs) in 427 pass-blocking snaps.
