mgoblogging

Let's Harbaugh.

He will call it a win, and I guess it is.  For the most part the NFL draft is a snooze.  Let's face it though, they want to go pro.

Some people said Devin Bush was the second best player in the draft.  That is a win because Harbaugh spotted him, felt strongly enough to recruit his father as well, and he got the kid a pro payday without being arrested, expelled, or a having to endure a fourth year of college.  At Michigan he was a very good player but he was not the prototypical student athlete or program representative.  His Michigan career started with several targeting penalties; he was always very aggressive.

Rashan Gary, the 1.0 out of a .99 scale recruit was similar in a way at Michigan in that he made it through quickly and without major incident.  No. 12 in the draft and a payday, again, in the eyes, is a success.  There is no other way to put it, he is very good but he is not a dominating player.  Given that everyone else is better in the NFL, his future appears to be "normal."

My own personal viewpoint?  Karan Higdon is a loser.  It doesn't make sense to get bashed in the head if you are not a star.  But I digress.

Zach Gentry has to be a winner too.  Harbaugh put him at tight end and he came out of nowhere to get drafted.  He could learn more and stick.  Why not?

Two more obvious winners are Chase Winovich and David Long.

Chase at Michigan was a Brady Hoke recruit.  Along with a few others he was part of a big--in size--linebacker haul.  They were all good (high 3- or 4-star recruits) but not stars.  They redshirted and took forever to develop.  World Wrestling aside, Chase developed into a class act, a unique personality, and a legit NFL player.

Finally, there is David Long, he of the never on camera cornerback position.  He was a very high recruit who Harbaugh won over with the tree-climbing stunt in L.A.  He was always a star athlete, but he did it in 3 years and went home to the Rams.  That is a happy-all-around story too.

Another personal viewpoint:  The bowl fiasco did not have to happen.  They still could have and should have played.  The happy-all-around guys did play.