Tom Gamble Michigan hire official - Denard Robinson to join him soon
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has officially hired Tom Gamble as the program’s Director of Player Personnel. Gamble brings 30-plus years of NFL experience to his position to Ann Arbor, his second stint at U-M.
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Gamble served as a senior advisor to Harbaugh for three seasons (2017-19). He was heavily involved with the team’s recruiting department and also a trusted evaluator of talent.
“Tom is a great evaluator and has an eye for the type of individuals we want associated with our program,” Harbaugh said. “Tom and I have a great track record together, and he is one of those trusted agents and known friends of the Harbaugh family. His counsel, expertise and knowledge in the player personnel area will be a benefit to our players and staff.
“It’s great to have Tom back on our team.”
Gamble returns to Michigan after spending the 2021 football season as the Senior Personnel Executive for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was the Assistant General Manager of the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes in 2020. He was also assistant general manager for the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 after serving as a senior personnel executive in 2015.
Gamble spent two years as the vice president of player personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles (2013-14) between his two stints in the Bay Area. The football veteran also oversaw the college and pro personnel efforts for the 49ers in 2012, working with Harbaugh.
Gamble expected to work with Denard Robinson again
Gamble helped assemble a 49ers roster that shared the NFL lead with nine Pro Bowl players and advanced to three straight NFC Championship games and Super Bowl XLVII. He was the director of pro personnel for the previous seven seasons in San Francisco (2005-11).
“I am excited to be working at Michigan again, helping this program in my role of player personnel director,” Gamble said. “It was an easy decision to make regarding leaving the NFL to come and work with Coach Harbaugh for the third time.
“Coach is an individual that I thoroughly enjoy working with. I look forward to partnering with Jim and the staff in the acquisition and retention of our players.”
Gamble spent seven seasons as a college scout for the Indianapolis Colts (1998-2004) prior to his time in San Francisco. He also worked as a defensive assistant with the New York Jets for two seasons. Prior to that, he had scouting roles with the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens. He earned his first scouting position in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1988.
Gamble attended High Point University and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 2020. He graduated in 1987 and earned a master’s degree from Glassboro State (now Rowan) in 1988.
Michigan will also be bringing former standout Denard Robinson (2009-12) back in an assistant director of player personnel role. That hire is expected to be announced soon. Robinson worked with Gamble in Jacksonville last year. The Wolverines lost recruiting staffer Aashon Larkins to the University of Mississippi last week, and Robinson is expected to help fill that void.
Robinson was a college scouting assistant in 2021 and offensive quality control coach for the Jaguars in 2020. He spent 2019 as an offensive analyst at Jacksonville University.
Robinson spent a few years in the NFL as a running back before moving into coaching.
