Michigan football: 5 takeaways from five rounds

Five rounds down, five Michigan football players off the board. Let’s take a look at the progress and five takeaways from the draft with five rounds complete.

As odd as this virtual draft has been, it’s been an exciting one. Over 750,000 people typically fill venues that host the NFL draft each year throughout the week that determines the future of NFL franchises. This year, executives from each team, with their job on the line, make split-second decisions that are conveyed by telephone or teleconference. Should they take this guy from Georgia? That Michigan football player? Or go with the safe option from that program? No in-person contact. No war rooms.

The processes and strategies differ from organization to organization no matter the situation. You’ll see the Patriots occasionally draft some guy you didn’t know existed, or the Lions draft a long snapper in the 6th round. In either case, the guy could be a superstar or a bust.

More significant decisions occur more often on the first and second day. General managers will live and die by the choices they make. Alabama’s head coach Nick Saban was interviewed about his quarterback, specifically, the durability of Tua Tagoviloa. Saban compared the situation to that of his own when he was the coach in Miami and they passed on Drew Brees. Brees had college injuries that Miami didn’t want to take a chance on, and they lost out big time.

Right now, GM’s aren’t willing to take a chance on Michigan’s Donovan Peoples-Jones, but they have selected three of his teammates. Here are five takeaways from the first four rounds.