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It sounds like Michigan has a new Director of Player Personnel. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it’s someone Jim Harbaugh has worked with in the past — Tom Gamble.
Former Jaguars’ executive Tom Gamble is joining Jim Harbaugh’s staff for the third time and becoming Michigan’s director of player personnel, per league sources. Gamble is a respected personnel executive who spent over 30 years in the NFL.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 11, 2022
Gamble was the Director of Player Personnel for the San Francisco 49ers during Harbaugh’s first two years there as head coach. The 49ers drafted Colin Kaepernick with the 36th overall pick of the 2011 NFL draft with Gamble in the fold. Gamble also helped the 49ers draft All-Pro players such as Vernon Davis, Frank Gore, and Joe Staley.
Gamble then left to become the Philadelphia Eagles Vice President of Player Personnel in 2013 and ‘14 before returning to the 49ers in ‘15 and ‘16. Gamble then reunited with Harbaugh in 2017, being hired to the personnel department. From there Gamble was an assistant general manager for the Montreal Alouettes.
Finally, Gamble was with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 as a senior personnel executive. The year was a tumultuous one for the organization with all the distractions created by since fired Urban Meyer.
There was speculation that Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke would be fired, but he has since been retained. Ironically enough, Baalke was the GM for the 49ers when Harbaugh coached there, and is responsible for a lot of division that took place and why Harbaugh ultimately left the franchise despite going to the NFC Championship Game three times in four years. Schefter said that Gamble “wants to be around Harbaugh and chose to go back to Ann Arbor.”
Gamble’s bringing 30 years of NFL experience with him to Michigan. He’s someone well respected in the NFL and certainly knows talent.