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today's pro sports links: Lions, former Wolverines gear up for NFL combine

The NFL combine begins in earnest today and four former Wolverines are invited.

Brandon Graham, the most notable of the group, is ranked the draft's No. 10 overall prospect by CBSSports.com. Graham doesn't get to Indianapolis until tomorrow and doesn't work out until Monday, but running back Brandon Minor and punter Zoltan Mesko are there now.

Minor, who's coming off surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff, won't work out but will go through medical tests - probably the most important part for him - and interviews.

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper ranks Michigan football draft prospects

Defensive end Brandon Graham is the only Michigan football player to crack ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft.

Graham, who led the nation with 26 tackles for loss last year, is projected to go No. 22 overall to the New England Patriots. With two months until the real draft and the NFL combine next week, the projections are fluid.

Brandon Graham among 3 Michigan players invited to NFL combine

Cornerback Donovan Warren is expected to join Graham, Mesko and Minor at the combine when invitations go out to underclassmen later this month.

Graham is projected as a first- or second-round pick, Warren is expected to go in Rounds 2-4, and Minor and Mesko are possible late-round choices.

Michigan running back Brandon Minor undergoes rotator cuff surgery

Michigan tailback Brandon Minor had rotator cuff surgery last Friday. It is unclear how the injury and recovery will affect his draft status.

(Photo: Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com)

Former Michigan running back Brandon Minor underwent surgery to repair a torn left rotator cuff last Friday and won't be able to participate in football-related activities for the next 3 to 4 months.

Minor suffered the injury, originally diagnosed as a shoulder sprain, in Michigan's 38-36 loss to Purdue in early November.

Brandon Minor will not play against Ohio State; Michigan names captains

Running back Brandon Minor will not play in Saturday's Michigan-Ohio State game.

Minor was listed as "out" on Michigan's official injury report released Thursday. Minor suffered a shoulder injury in the first half of the Wolverines' Nov. 7 loss to Purdue and played sparingly last week against Wisconsin.

"That's a tough blow," Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said on his radio show. "If there was anyway at all he could go, he would. But he can't. You got to protect the young man and he's got to protect himself, so he's not going to be able to go."

Brandon Minor doubtful to play against Ohio State

Brandon Minor’s senior season could end the way it started - with him sitting on the bench.

Minor is doubtful to play in Michigan’s final regular season game Saturday against Ohio State because of a left shoulder injury. Michigan's leading rusher with 502 yards, Minor missed the Wolverines' season opener with a high ankle sprain and has been hampered by ankle and shoulder injuries all year.

Michigan running back Brandon Minor's status uncertain for Ohio State

ANN ARBOR - Brandon Minor’s availability for Saturday’s Michigan-Ohio State game is uncertain because of a left shoulder injury.

Notebook: Brandon Smith starts at safety; another goal-line review

Brandon Smith has bounced around in his redshirt freshman season on the Michigan football team.

He went from safety to linebacker. He flirted with getting significant playing time and then ended up almost as a pure special teams player, making 10 tackles in the season’s first 10 games.

Injury report: Michigan football team running back Brandon Minor bothered by sprained ankle, bruised shoulder

Michigan running back Brandon Minor scores on a 29-yard touchdown run against Purdue on Saturday. Minor has a sore ankle and shoulder, and Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez isn't sure how much he'll get to use Minor against Wisconsin this week. (Photo: Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com)

The Michigan football team's best running back aggravated the high ankle sprain that’s bothered him all season in last week’s 38-36 loss to Purdue, and coach Rich Rodriguez said Monday he’s not sure how healthy Minor will be for Saturday’s game at Wisconsin.

“Last week, we knew he was going to be able to play a little bit because it was a good week,” Rodriguez said. “Really won’t know more about his ability (to play this week) until tomorrow’s practice.”

Minor, who also suffered a bruised shoulder against Purdue, ran for a season-high 154 yards and three touchdowns in defeat. Michigan (5-5, 1-5) needs his physical presence against a Wisconsin team that allows barely 100 yards rushing per game.

Michigan football team melts down again, loses to Purdue

Running back Ralph Bolden, right, scored three touchdowns Saturday as Purdue beat the Michigan football team 38-36. (Photo: Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com)

Another second-half meltdown, another slew of unforced errors, and maybe another December at home.

The Michigan football team lost its fifth straight Big Ten game Saturday, collapsing under a Tate Forcier fumble, a missed extra point and a surprise on-side kick to fall to Purdue, 38-36.

The Wolverines (5-5, 1-5) are in serious jeopardy of missing the postseason for a second straight year.

They need one more win to qualify for a bowl and they close the season at Wisconsin and home against Ohio State, two top-25 teams.

Grades: Michigan football offense passes, defense does not

Michigan tailback Brandon Minor ignores bad ankle, has his best game

Michigan running back Brandon Minor bolts through the Purdue line before heading upfield for a 55-yard touchdown run during the second quarter of Saturday, November 7th's clash between the two teams at Michigan Stadium. Minor rushed for 154-yards and three touchdowns on the day, but it wasn't enough as Purdue beat the Wolverines 38-36, their first win in Michigan Stadium since 1966. Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com

Whether it was shedding on-coming defender a high ankle sprain that has limited Brandon Minor productivity for much of the season, the Michigan senior tailback prefers to keep surging ahead.

With the Wolverines' bowl chances dangling on the verge of non-existent before Saturday's game against Purdue, Minor ignored the nagging pain that he's come to live with and tried to will Michigan to the win it needed to become bowl eligible.

With video: Brandon Minor healthy again and other Michigan football practice updates

Brandon Minor

“He may be tricking us and telling us he feels better, but I know he really wants to play,” Rodriguez said. “I know he’s fired up and hopefully if he doesn’t stub his toe again in the next couple days he’ll be ready to go Saturday.”

Minor has been limited by a nagging high ankle sprain all year. He had one carry in last week’s loss to Illinois, on fourth down when he was stopped inches short of the goal line, and was used sparingly in pass protection.

Opinion: While Rich Rodriguez rebuilds, he's leaning on not-so-young juniors and seniors

Rich Rodriguez is pleading for patience as his team spirals down the Big Ten Conference standings. The Wolverines have lost four in a row in the league - and each week look less competitive.

Meanwhile, the second-year Michigan head coach, the guy who admittedly is impatient when it comes to winning, seemingly expected this from the start.

Video: Rich Rodriguez on Brandon Minor, bouncing back from Illinois

Notebook: Michigan running back Brandon Minor barely plays, hardly talks

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Brandon Minor wasn’t in a talkative mood as he walked to the bus after Michigan’s stunning 38-13 loss to Illinois Saturday.

Why was he used only in pass protection early?

“I don’t know,” Minor said.

Whose decision was it that you would play so little?

No answer.

One play changed the entire tone of the Michigan-Illinois football game

It started with a replay, ended with a replay and the result changed the trajectory of the Michigan-Illinois football game Saturday.

Wide receiver Roy Roundtree thought he was in the end zone, the culmination of a 76-yard pass play from freshman quarterback Tate Forcier that would have given Michigan a two-possession lead in the third quarter.

Michigan football team stumbles on offense, defense in 38-13 loss to Illinois

Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier reacts after losing a fumble in the fourth quarter against Illinois, the third time in the game Michigan fumbled and lost the ball. (Photo: Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Going, going, almost gone.

Michigan’s sinking season took another turn for the worse Saturday as the Wolverines dropped their fourth straight Big Ten game, 38-13, to an Illinois team that had not beaten a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent in almost a year.

The defense was its usual shoddy self. Special teams weren’t much better. And Michigan’s once potent offense self-destructed on the goal line against the worst rushing defense in the Big Ten.

Opinion: Second-year turnaround? How about a U-Turn to last year for Michigan football?

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The fan stood in the front row at the 50-yard line behind Michigan’s bench, and his mouth wouldn’t stop.

He kept going. And going. And going. And if you were him in his white No. 7 Juice Williams jersey, why wouldn’t you heckle?

Associated Press: Capsule looks at Saturday's Big Ten football games

Here's a look at every Big Ten Conference football game this weekend, starting with the Michigan at Illinois game.