U-M TE Jake Butt's Orange Bowl injury likely why he slid to Round 5
Butt fell to the Broncos on Day 3, likely due to his ACL tear in the Orange Bowl
Jake Butt rolled the dice by returning for his senior year at Michigan.
As the tight end fell in the NFL draft today, finally selected No. 145 by the Denver Broncos to open the fifth round, the result of his decision was clear: His ACL tear in the Dec. 30 Orange Bowl had an obvious impact, and he had to accept that.
“You’re competing against the other tight ends in this draft, so obviously it hurt a little bit, but I understand the nature of the business here and coming off a knee injury and everything," he said in a conference call with Denver reporters. "It really couldn’t have worked out better in the end and I couldn’t be more happier than to see a phone call from Denver, Colo. That was one of the best moments of my life to this day, so that was special.”
The Broncos were glad to have him, as general manager John Elway tweeted: "We were holding our breath these last few picks hoping to get Michigan TE Jake Butt. A top-notch TE we're fortunate to select in the 5th."
“It felt like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders," Butt said. "It was tough to breathe there. I was just waiting and waiting for that phone to ring. Any time my phone vibrated, I’m just waiting to see where I’m going to end up, and I got on the phone with a couple of people. I talked with John Elway and it was like a dream come true.”
By the time the former U-M captain was picked, he was Michigan's 10th player chosen in the draft, tying the school record.
Butt's solace was his insurance policy, obtained after he returned to school that protected against injury that affected his draft stock.
ESPN's Darren Rovell tweeted that the loss of value policy was paying him more as he fell and ended up at $543,000. But he added later that Butt likely lost $2.8 million due to his fall in draft slot following the injury.
“I’ve been following that insurance policy (reports), and it’s really not completely accurate," Butt said. "There’s a lot more that’s going into that than what’s being tweeted today. I really don’t know. It could be X amount of dollars. It could be Y amount of dollars. ... I’m really not thinking about that right now. I really mean it when I say it’s not about the money."
Butt has shown the ability to return from a knee injury before — between his freshman and sophomore seasons at Michigan — and has the potential to be a reliable, steady option even though he may not be ready for training camp. Butt has a different plan.
"Last time when I tore my ACL the first time around, they told me, ‘You’re probably going to get redshirted or you won’t play until Big Ten season,’ " he recalled. "I said, ‘You know what, you guys can think that.’ I ended up playing in week two, so I’ve always been ambitious. I think that’s what helps me unlock my full potential."
Denver may need him sooner, though as ESPN's Todd McShay said on the broadcast, "Denver needs a player like this" because it finished 31st in the league in tight end catches last year.
A two-time All-America, Butt spent much of 2016 improving his game. Already an accomplished pass catcher, he improved his blocking enough to make him one of the more well-rounded tight ends in the class, improving his stock until the injury.
"He's recovering and by all accounts, things are going well," ESPN analyst Todd McShay said on the broadcast. "He can be a Tyler Eifert-type in the NFL. The comparison works from a size standpoint, mobility. He's 6-5, 256 pounds. He does not have elite speed, but he's a really good route runner and I think he has outstanding ball skills."
Butt was one of the most accomplished tight ends in program history, leaving with the most career receptions (138), receiving yards (1,646) and second in touchdowns (11). Butt is the first Michigan tight end drafted since Tyler Ecker in 2007 and the highest picked since Bennie Joppru went No. 41 overall in 2003.
Unwittingly, he may become a flash point in the discussion about NFL prospects playing in their bowl games. Tailbacks Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey sat out their bowl games and were drafted in the top 10. Butt wasn't going to be picked that high, but he chose to play and his draft position plummeted because he got injured.
"I’ll never regret playing in a football game in my life," he said. "I don’t play football because of the money or the fame or the hype or anything. I play football because it’s what I love to do."
Contact Mark Snyder: msnyder@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark__snyder. Download our Wolverines Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!