The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/70101
2012 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE 6-6 • 319 • Offensive Lineman • Rockford High School • Rockford, Mich. BEN BRADEN ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ was born on March 9, 1994, in High- land Heights, Ky. … Moved to Lansing, Mich., at the age of 3, and to Rockford in third grade … Performed a max bench press of 375 pounds … Clocked an electronically timed 4.83 40-yard dash … Three-year varsity letter win- ner … Hails from the same high school that produced offensive lineman Joe Staley, the current starting left tackle for the San Francisco 49ers … Will be- come the first Rockford alumnus to ever suit up for Maize and Blue. Rankings: Rated as a three-star re- Personal: Benjamin Allen Braden 19 career tackles, with 2.5 tackles for loss, a quarterback hurry and a fumble recovery. Senior Season: Served as captain Munger, his coach, is one of the leg- endary coaches in the state of Michi- gan. Ben is another big-bodied guy who has got a lot of range. He's a guy we really think is going to be a good player, and who will play for Michigan. Tom Lemming of Prep Football Re- cruit, the No. 8 player in Michigan and the No. 41 offensive tackle nationally by Rivals.com … Awarded three stars by 247Sports.com, which ranked him as the No. 10 player in Michigan and the No. 44 offensive tackle in the coun- try … Ranked as a three-star recruit and the No. 50 offensive tackle nation- ally by ESPN.com … Tabbed as the No. 21 player in the Midwest, the No. 35 offensive lineman in the nation and an All-American by SuperPrep. Brady Hoke's Comments: "Ralph and started at left tackle for a Rockford team that went 11-2, advancing to the Division I semifinals before losing to Catholic Central 23-20 in overtime… Paved the way for an offense that av- eraged 221.8 yards rushing per game and scored 34 touchdowns on the ground … Offensive line allowed just six sacks … Saw action defensively in one game, recording three tackles … Voted Rockford's Most Valuable Line- man (offense) … Selected all-confer- ence and all-area first team … Named to the Dream Team for the Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News and the Grand Rapids Press, and was named first-team all-state by the Associated Press. Junior Season: Started at right tackle for a Rams team that went 11-2 and advanced to the state semifinals before falling to Plymouth 20-17 … Blocked for an offense that averaged 157.4 yards rushing per game and scored 29 touchdowns on the ground … O-line allowed just 13 sacks. Sophomore Season: Played defen- " port: "Michigan likes his length, his quick feet and his quick hands. He looks thin and he weighs 265-270. Braden played three seasons for the Rockford varsity, including two years as a starting offensive tackle, and he was a team captain in his senior campaign. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM Favorite Pro Player: San Francisco 49ers left tackle Joe Staley. Other Schools Considered: Michi- gan State and Wisconsin. Date Of Official Visit To Michigan: sive line for a Rockford team that went 11-1 and advanced to the Division I quarterfinals … Appeared in eight games, recording 16 tackles, with 2.5 tackles for loss (two sacks), a quarter- back hurry and a fumble recovery … One of only two sophomores to make the varsity team in 2009. Rockford head coach Ralph Munger on Braden "He's a kid that won't back down from the challenge of being a student-athlete at Michigan." They think he's got elite-type ability, once he gains weight and strength. He's got real good feet and that's what they're looking for in their offensive linemen now. for the Rockford varsity, including two years as a starting offensive tackle … Went 33-5 in his career, qualifying for the Division I state playoffs each year … Teams averaged 189.6 yards rush- ing per game and scored 63 rushing touchdowns during his two seasons along the offensive line … Racked up Career Totals: Played three seasons " tended Michigan summer camps in 2010 and 2011, and Central Michigan in 2010. Other Sports: Set to compete in All-Star Games And Camps: At- Dec. 9, 2011. Why Braden Chose Michigan: "I went to camp there and had a good relationship with the coaches, first with Coach [Rich] Rodriguez's staff and then with Coach Hoke's. I could just see myself playing for Coach Hoke. I get along with him in a way I didn't expect from a college coach. I know it'll be a little different because he's not always going to be your friend, but I just think he's going to make me a better player, and he'll be a good mentor all through college. track and field for the third time in his career this spring … Throws the discus and shot put … Placed seventh in the discus in the Division I 2011 outdoor state meet with a distance of 149-05. High School GPA: 3.1. Planned Major: Sociology and crimi- nal justice, with intentions to join the FBI or DEA. er's Comments: "He has an incred- ible work ethic and a strong desire to please, which means he's extremely coachable. He has excellent physical attributes — not just his size but his feet. He's agile. And he enjoys learning to become more of a technician. Ben is very competitive, and he relishes the opportunity to be part of a program like Michigan, to be part of an offen- sive line tradition, and is really excited to add to that. He's a kid that won't back down from the challenge of be- ing a student-athlete at Michigan." Rockford Head Coach Ralph Mung- " MARCH 2012 THE WOLVERINE 41