What if I told you that one of the most athletic and enticing NFL Draft prospects in 2023 was from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan? Wild, right? What if I then told you that he had virtually abandoned organized activities in 2019? Does this sound like a Disney film? Well, it’s not actually a movie premise, but maybe one day if everything falls into place.
Jake Witt, a former basketball player at Michigan Tech and offensive lineman for Northern Michigan, is receiving a great deal of attention from NFL teams and will likely hear his name called during draft weekend.
A little more than a month ago, Dane Brugler of the Athletic wrote about Witt’s rapid ascent toward the NFL draft, and on Wednesday, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press elaborated on Witt’s abrupt rise to prominence.
Jake Witt played basketball for Michigan Tech recently. He awaits his NFL Draft selection.
Witt transferred to Northern Michigan University with the intention of enrolling as a regular student after his basketball aspirations came to an end. However, a series of events led to Witt’s return to the football field as a tight end. The Wildcats suffered injuries in 2021, and at halftime of the Division II National Championship, Witt switched to offensive tackle, where he did not allow a single pressure for the remainder of the contest.
Now, Witt is a 6-foot-7, 306-pound defensive tackle who just posted ridiculous numbers at Central Michigan’s pro day, gaining even more attention for his athleticism.
This week, Witt told the Free Press, “It’s been crazy.” “It has certainly exceeded my expectations. I am genuinely surprised by how many teams have sought out. I anticipated that we would perform well at the pro day, but I did not anticipate that it would garner this much attention.”
Witt has a long way to go in terms of his maturation once he’s drafted, and according to a scout who spoke with Brugler, “he’s getting drafted”; however, given his track record over the past few years, I wouldn’t count him out.
Here you can read the totality of Birkett’s story.
And now, the remainder of the day’s notes:
C.J. Stroud, a quarterback prospect, is unconcerned about his revealed S2 test scores.
Interesting observation about Will Anderson Jr.’s draft score in comparison to Chase Young and Aidan Hutchinson.
Before the weekend, appreciate some Amon-Ra St. Brown highlights from his time at USC to generate positive feelings.
Another collection of photographs from the Lions’ preseason practices
And some Barry Sanders nostalgia because it is therapeutic.