Donovan Jeter, Michigan Football News: Draft Scout Player News

11/27/20 - DT Donovan Jeter, rSr/2022, Michigan

Donovan Jeter saw action in 10 games last season, but one stands out above the rest. The redshirt junior tackle was part of a Michigan defensive line that gave up 359 rushing yards in a lopsided loss to Wisconsin in 2019, a game that helped dash the Wolverines' Big Ten title hopes and prompted self-reflection from coaches and players. Jeter included, who candidly told reporters on Tuesday that he "played horribly" in that game. "That kind of affected my mindset throughout the rest of the year," Jeter said. "I didn't really get back into myself until right around the bowl game, Alabama, honestly. I told myself after that game, 'I'm never going to have that feeling last year." That feeling, Jeter said, that he could have done more. It was the most rushing yards allowed by a Michigan team in three years - and set the stage for what became a season of disappointment, with the Wolverines going 9-4 despite having an experienced team, playmakers on both sides of the ball and 10 future NFL draft picks.

"Lack of physicality," Jeter said. "Left a lot of plays out there. My technique was horrible. It was a multitude of things. After the season, I went back and just worked." Which might explain Jeter's offseason transformation. He spent most of the spring and summer at home in Beaver Falls, Pa., where be benefitted during the COVID-19 pandemic with regular home-cooked meals from his mother, workout equipment in the basement and a track down the street. The result? A more dedicated, and bulkier, Jeter. He's listed at 6-foot-3 and 318 pounds this year, up 28 pounds from last season, and earned rave reviews from coaches and teammates for his work ethic in camp. "It was definitely different training at home, training in the basement," Jeter said. "It felt like I was back in high school again. "But I think it was a huge plus for me to get back to the basics and just work hard." - Ann Arbor News

rSr/2022