Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez: Kelvin Grady a perfect fit for the slot

"We’re not in full pads yet, but what I’ve seen in three days, Kelvin Grady’s going to play for us this year," Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said Wednesday. "He’s a very quick learner, he’s very coachable, he’s got ball skills. And I think we have a position that fits him perfectly in that slot."

Grady played two seasons for the Michigan basketball team, but left the program this spring buried on the depth chart. After originally considering a transfer, the brother of Michigan running back Kevin Grady decided to switch sports and remain a Wolverine.

Rodriguez said Grady "looks like he’s going to be able to help this football team this year" even though Michigan is deep at the slot receiver position.

In individual drills open to the media earlier this week, Grady worked fourth at the position behind Martavious Odoms, Roy Roundtree and Terrence Robinson. Odoms led Michigan with 49 catches last year as a sophomore, Roundtree redshirted but had a strong spring, and Rodriguez said Robinson would have played last year as a true freshman if not for the leg injury he suffered in fall camp.

"Sometimes when you come off an injury and I’ve seen it with a bunch of players, they are apprehensive until they just all of a sudden let it loose and see I’m going to be OK," Rodriguez said. "I think Terrence and a couple other guys are like that. He’s just got to let it loose and see he’s going to be OK. And once he does that, he’ll get that confidence back that we need to have."

One player no longer in the mix for playing time in the slot is true freshman Teric Jones. Rodriguez said Jones will play defensive back this year.