Name: Karsen Barnhart
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 316 lbs.
High school: Paw Paw (MI) Paw Paw
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #52
Last year: I ranked Barnhart #26 and said he would be a backup offensive lineman (LINK). He started nine games.
TTB Rating: 86
Through four seasons at Michigan, Barnhart has been the Jack-of-all-Trades-iest lineman on Michigan's roster. He has started at left tackle (5 games), left guard (2), and right tackle (8) over the past three seasons, and he has played in relief duty in thirteen games. He even started as the holder on the field goal unit and served as an usher in section 31R at Michigan Stadium.
So it's no surprise that he's guaranteed a starting position in year five.
Or is he?
PLOT TWIST.
Jim Harbaugh loves competition, so he brought in former Stanford starter Myles Hinton and former Arizona State starter La'Darius Henderson to a team brimming with talent already. Now Barnhart is in a battle with Hinton, Henderson, and fellow fifth year senior Trente Jones to start at tackle. Word has been that Henderson will be the likely starter at left tackle, leaving the other three to vie for the role on the right side. I'm giving the starting nod to Barnhart, who has more overall starts (15) than Jones (8). Barnhart seems to be the steadier player, while Jones has some impressive blocks but then some ugly whiffs. Barnhart has also put on about seven pounds since last year, so perhaps that will help him move people a little better.
Prediction: Starting right tackle
Barnhart is an interesting case. He's played since MTSU of his FR year, but can't lock down a spot. I'd pick him over Jones too, only because Jones costly mistakes stood out, whereas KB was okay
ReplyDeleteSpot on assessment. Normally a starting OT would rank way higher but our depth is out of this world on OL.
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