Two-thirds of Michigan’s offensive NFL Draft picks since 2006 have been in the late rounds

Also, why Josh Gattis is the guy that might be able to reverse it.

By Anthony Broome@anthonytbroome Apr 27, 2020, 4:37pm CDT

The 2020 NFL Draft wrapped this weekend with ten Michigan Wolverines selected, half of which came on the offensive side of the ball. An ongoing plot thread with the program has to do with the stat that they have not put an offensive skill player into the draft since wide receiver Braylon Edwards went third overall to the Cleveland Browns in 2005 and this weekend did not do anything to change that.

With that in mind, I decided to go back and look at how the Wolverines have performed on the offensive side of the ball during draft weekend over the last fifteen years. There is a few predictable gaps in there given the Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke eras, but you will find a trend that goes way longer than what Jim Harbaugh has done at Michigan.

2006

Fourth round, No. 109 overall — Jason Avant, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Seventh round, No. No. 244 overall — Tim Massaquoi, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2007

Fifth round, No. 142 overall — Steve Breason, WR, Arizona Cardinals

Seventh round, No. 216 overall — Tyler Ecker, TE, Washington Redskins

2008

First round, No. 1 overall — Jake Long, OT, Miami Dolphins

Second round, No. 57 overall — Chad Henne, QB, Miami Dolphins

Third round, No. 95 overall — Mario Manningham, WR, New York Giants

Sixth round, No. 202 overall — Mike Hart, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Seventh round, No. 237 overall — Adrian Arrington, WR, New Orleans Saints

2009

None

2010

None

2011

Sixth round, No. 201 overall — Stephen Schilling, G, San Diego Chargers

2012

Seventh round, No. 226 overall — David Molk, C, San Diego Chargers

Seventh round, No. 238 overall — Junior Hemingway, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

2013

Fifth round, No. 135 overall — Denard Robinson, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Sixth round, No. 178 overall — William Campbell, G, New York Jets

2014

First round, No. 13 overall — Taylor Lewan, OT, Tennessee Titans

Third round, No. 95 overall — Michael Schofield, OT, Denver Broncos

Seventh round, No. 244 overall — Jeremy Gallon, WR, New England Patriots

2015

Second round, No. 41 overall — Devin Funchess, WR, Carolina Panthers

2016

Third round, No. 95 overall — Graham Glasgow, G, Detroit Lions

Sixth round, No. 191 overall — Jake Rudock, QB, Detroit Lions

2017

Third round, No. 106 overall — Amara Darboh, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Fourth round, No. 139 overall — Jehu Chesson, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Fifth round, No. 145 overall — Jake Butt, TE, Denver Broncos

2018

Third round, No. 97 overall — Mason Cole, C, Arizona Cardinals

2019

Fifth round, No. 141 overall — Zach Gentry, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers

2020

First round, No. 24 overall — Cesar Ruiz, C, New Orleans Saints

Fourth round, No. 143 overall — Ben Bredeson, G, Baltimore Ravens

Sixth round, No. 182 overall — Michael Onwenu, G, New England Patriots

Sixth round, No. 187 overall — Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Cleveland Browns

Sixth round, No. 192 overall — Jon Runyan Jr., T, Green Bay Packers

Final Tally: 30

For the heck of it, let’s take a quick look at the players coached by current offensive coordinator Josh Gattis in his career, as the receiver position is his bread and butter.

2011: Western Michigan (WRs coach) — Jordan White (2012 — Round 7, Pick No. 222)

2012-13: Vanderbilt (WRs/offensive recruiting coordinator) — Jordan Matthews (2014 — Round 2, Pick No. 42)

2014-17: Penn State (WRs/passing game coordinator/ORC) — TE Jesse James (2016 — Round 5, Pick No. 160), WR Chris Godwin (2017 — Round 3, Pick No. 84), TE Mike Gesicki (2018 — Round 2, Pick No. 42), WR DaeSean Hamilton (2018 — Round 4, Pick No. 113)

2018: Alabama (Co-offensive coordinator/WRs) — TE Irv Smith Jr. (2019 — Round 2, Pick No. 50)

2019: Michigan (OC/WRs) — WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (2020- Round 6, Pick No. 187)

This should be a trend we see improve the longer that Gattis is at Michigan and it is another reason why Harbaugh made the right hire when he brought him in. It was not just a modernization of the offensive attack; it’s an effort to reverse a trend that has gone on for almost two decades in Ann Arbor.