Film Room: New LB commit Jimmy Rolder projects as multi-year starter

Earlier this week, Michigan received a commitment from four-star Chicago (Ill.) Marist ILB Jimmy Rolder, who picked the Wolverines over Florida, Iowa, LSU, Ohio State, and other top programs who were fighting for his services.

A former Illinois baseball commit, Rolder’s football recruitment didn't pick up until midway through when some of the best programs in the midwest offered him a scholarship.

A big part of that is the impressive leap from his junior to senior year, evident in his senior year highlights. It’s not always easy to break down prospects solely through highlight film -- only the best moments make the cut -- but there is enough in Rolder’s film to see why he became one of the midwest’s most pursued prospects in 2022.

Rolder also looks every part of the 6-foot-2, 230 pounds that he’s listed at, looking more physically mature as a senior compared to his junior season. That added bulk allows him to be a very physical tackler in the run game. He finishes through the whistle and has that nastiness you want to see from someone who projects to the MIKE linebacker position.

Despite the added bulk, his athleticism is mightily improved over last season. When you watch his film, you feel the impact Rolder has in the run game. He is very instinctual, diagnosing plays in an instant and using his athleticism to meet the ball carrier at or behind the line of scrimmage. A majority of his highlights are tackles for loss, on both inside and outside runs.

Rolder is a plus-athlete and gets downhill in a hurry. His ability to diagnose plays is extremely impressive and he gets from point A to point B in a hurry. While Rolder is not as athletic as Michigan’s star freshman linebacker Junior Colson, he is certainly capable of getting to the ball carrier swiftly. He uses that athleticism sideline-to-sideline to cut off ball carriers before they get upfield on outside plays.

His senior film does not feature many plays featuring his ability to make plays in the passing game, but his junior film shows he is more than capable of dropping into coverage. He is an exceptionally smart player and had multiple interceptions while playing zone coverage, baiting poor throws from the quarterback.

While not exactly Devin Bush, Jr., Rolder’s athleticism will be a plus for him at the college level and will give him the chance to be a multi-year starter for Michigan.

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