The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 165 Breakout Candidates Devin Funchess, WR, Carolina Panthers When the Carolina Panthers traded up in the 2015 NFL Draft to select Devin Funchess, they had visions of establishing the gridiron version of the Twin Towers by installing the 6-4, 225-pound Michigan product opposite of Kelvin Benjamin, the 6-5, 245-pounder who eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in 2014 as a rookie. However, Benjamin was lost for the season in training camp, while Funchess battled through a hamstring injury. The rookie didn't miss any games, but the ailment did contribute to a slow start, while he also struggled with drops early on. In the first seven games, he notched more than one catch just once — a two-catch, 24-yard effort in week six — and totaled only seven grabs for 90 yards. Funchess broke out in week nine — a 37-29 win over the Packers — while helping the Panthers reach 8-0 for the first time in franchise history. He posted three catches for 71 yards in that one, including a fourth-quarter touchdown. He would have just two contests with less than two catches the rest of the way and concluded the regular season with a career-best seven catches at Tampa Bay, which gained 120 yards and a touchdown, while helping the Panthers finish 15-1. Carolina stayed hot in the playoffs and reached the Super Bowl, with Funchess notching five postseason catches for 73 yards and a score. Although those numbers don't go towards his annual statistics, the first-year receiver's 473 receiving yards stood as the fifth-most ever for a Panthers rookie, while his five touchdown grabs tied for second. With Benjamin back in the lineup this fall and Cam Newton continuing to stake his claim as one of the NFL's top quar - terbacks, the offense should be back to full strength. Defenses will have to split their focus between the Panthers' top two wide receivers (not to mention 6-5 tight end Greg Olsen), and after a rough adjustment period to open his career, Funchess should be a factor from week one this year. With the Panthers' Twin Tower vision finally coming to fruition, shut- ting down the duo on the outside will be a tall order for any secondary. Jake Ryan, LB, Green Bay Packers Ryan is another second-year pro who took a while to get going last year but ended the campaign with his most impres- sive performances. After totaling four tackles in his team's first seven games, he burst onto the scene with a team-leading 10 tackles against the Panthers Nov. 8. Perhaps most impressive was the fact that he played just 38 snaps in that game, according to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. However, the inside linebacker went quiet for the next three weeks, not recording a single statistic while playing just one defensive snap (although he continued to contribute heavily on special teams). When he broke into the starting lineup for the first time Dec. 3, Ryan made sure he would be there to stay by equaling his career best with 10 tackles. He started the rest of the year, including the Packers' two playoff games. The fourth-round draft pick posted 36 of his 50 regular-season tackles in his five starting nods, then added 11 more stops in the postseason tilts. Reaching the 50-tackle mark was notable because it put Ryan in elite company — Clay Matthews and A.J. Hawk are the only other linebackers drafted by Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson (who has been in that role since 2005) to notch 50 or more stops as rookies. Matthews, a six-time Pro Bowler and the 2010 NFC Defensive Player of the Year, posted 51 takedowns as a rookie — while playing in all 16 games with 13 starts, more than double Ryan's starting assignments. He might not be the next Matthews, but with the Packers mainstay expected to move back to outside linebacker next year, Ryan will have the chance to become Green Bay's main man in the middle. By The Numbers 7 Forced fumbles in the last two years for Eagles defen- sive end Brandon Graham; only two players in the NFL have more during that span. 12 AFC East titles for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots since realignment in 2002, which is the most in the NFL during that time period. The Pats have tied the NFL record by winning seven straight division crowns and reached the playoffs 12 times during that 14-year span (Brady was limited to one game in one of the years they missed the postseason). 79 Percent of the Broncos' regular-season offensive snaps taken with former Wolverine Michael Schofield lining up at right tackle, according to The Denver Post. He did not play in the first three games, but then started every remaining contest for the Super Bowl champions. 159 Yards from scrimmage recorded by Steelers running back Fitzgerald Toussaint in two playoff games. In nine regular-season appearances over the last two years with Baltimore and Pittsburgh, he totaled just 81 yards from scrimmage. He ranked fifth among 2015 postseason rushers with 97 yards on the ground. 711 Rushing yards recorded by the Seahawks' Thomas Rawls in his first six starts, setting a NFL record for an undrafted rookie. 110.2 Is the average number of tackles Jets linebacker DAVID HARRIS has posted in his nine-year career. He has paced the Jets in stops seven times and never finished lower than fourth on the squad (2008, when he was limited to 11 games). Funchess' five touchdown receptions tied for the second most in Carolina Panthers' history among rookies. PHOTO BY MELISSA MELVIN-RODRIGUEZ/COURTESY CAROLINA PANTHERS QUOTABLE • "He makes somebody miss to find somebody to hit." — Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll on running back Thomas Rawls (Associated Press) • "Three players I hold in the same esteem: Junior Seau, Tom Brady and Charles Woodson. To me, Charles is the best defensive back of all time." — Former All-Pro safety Rodney Harrison (TheMMQB.com) • "[Lions general manager Bob] Quinn wants big, strong, tough, durable and versatile linemen up front, which fits Glasgow to a T. He can play both guard or center and grades out equally at both. This should be a good competition to watch [at center] all offseason and into training camp." — DetroitLions.com senior writer Tim Twentyman on the club drafting offensive lineman Graham Glasgow in the third round PHOTO COURTESY NEW YORK JETS