2013 Season Countdown List

Whew. Ninety-five player profiles over 95 days. It is finished. I think I'll go nap until 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

I had some people ask me to link each profile, but that's a crap ton of linking and time I don't have. I apologize, and while it does take some scrolling, you can click on "2013 Season Countdown" at the bottom of this post to read all the profiles.

1. Devin Gardner
2. Taylor Lewan
3. Jeremy Gallon
4. Thomas Gordon
5. Michael Schofield
6. James Ross III
7. Frank Clark
8. Fitzgerald Toussaint
9. Blake Countess
10. Devin Funchess
11. Quinton Washington
12. Cameron Gordon
13. Desmond Morgan
14. Raymon Taylor
15. Matt Wile
16. Derrick Green
17. Jack Miller
18. Jibreel Black
19. Drew Dileo
20. Jarrod Wilson
21. Dennis Norfleet, #23
22. Brendan Gibbons
23. Ben Braden
24. Jake Ryan
25. Amara Darboh
26. Keith Heitzman
27. Jareth Glanda
28. A.J. Williams
29. Kyle Kalis
30. Joe Bolden
31. Ondre Pipkins
32. Mario Ojemudia
33. Dymonte Thomas
34. Courtney Avery
35. Jehu Chesson
36. Willie Henry
37. Matt Godin
38. Brennen Beyer
39. Delonte Hollowell
40. Jake Butt
41. Royce Jenkins-Stone
42. Joe Kerridge
43. Jeremy Jackson
44. Shane Morris
45. Graham Glasgow
46. Taco Charlton
47. Chris Wormley
48. Josh Furman
49. Joe Reynolds
50. Jeremy Clark
51. Thomas Rawls
52. Sione Houma
53. Joe Burzynski
54. Richard Ash
55. Justice Hayes
56. Chris Bryant
57. Brian Cleary
58. Mike McCray II
59. Dylan Esterline
60. Antonio Poole
61. Terry Richardson
62. Drake Johnson, #20
63. Allen Gant
64. Tom Strobel
65. Da'Mario Jones
66. Ross Douglas, #29
67. Erik Gunderson
68. Ben Gedeon
69. Mark Lawson
70. Russell Bellomy
71. Jourdan Lewis
72. Delano Hill
73. Khalid Hill
74. Kristian Mateus
75. Jordan Paskorz
76. Erik Magnuson
77. Blake Bars
78. Kyle Bosch
79. Kenneth Allen
80. Jaron Dukes
81. Alex Swieca
82. Maurice Hurst, Jr.
83. Channing Stribling
84. Henry Poggi
85. Wyatt Shallman
86. DeVeon Smith
87. Patrick Kugler
88. Reon Dawson
89. Csont'e York
90. Logan Tuley-Tillman
91. David Dawson
92. Chris Fox
93. Dan Samuelson
94. Scott Sypniewski
95. Will Hagerup

2013 Season Countdown: #1 Devin Gardner

Devin Gardner

Name: Devin Gardner
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 210 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Inkster
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #12
Last year: I ranked Gardner #25 and said he would be a backup quarterback and wide receiver with 25 catches for 425 yards and 3 touchdowns. He started games at wide receiver and quarterback, finishing with 16 catches for 266 yards and 4 touchdowns; 75/126 passing for 1,219 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions; and 47 carries for 101 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Last year was a very odd year for quarterbacks at the University of Michigan. The starter, of course, was Denard Robinson, a better runner than passer. Robinson hit Gardner on a 44-yard touchdown pass in the season opener against Alabama. A week later Gardner caught 5 passes for 63 yards and 1 touchdown against Air Force. Then 2 catches for 48 yards and 1 touchdown against UMass. So on and so forth. He was putting up decent numbers as a receiver, despite looking like a quarterback playing receiver - sloppy routes, some awkward catch attempts, poor body positioning. He was perhaps the best Michigan had at the position, yet he was out of his element. Then Robinson hurt his elbow in the first half of the Nebraska game, and Russell Bellomy entered with a thud. The following week, Gardner - who had apparently stopped taking snaps at quarterback during his WR tenure - started against Minnesota, where he went 12/18 for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns, plus a rushing score. That was followed by the Northwestern game, in which he went went 16/29 for 288 yards and 2 touchdowns, plus 47 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground; that earned him Co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. He earned that honor again the following week with an 18/23 performance for 314 yards and 3 touchdowns, plus 37 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground. The Ohio State and South Carolina games weren't quite as productive, but he still performed adequately for being inexperienced when thrust into the position. Expectations skyrocketed, and this spring and summer, observers started to talk about how good he looked and how much he had grown at the position. People even started to suggest that he could leave early for the NFL after the 2013 season.

Here comes that 2013 season, and people around the country are looking at Gardner as a potential breakout star. His favorite target last year was Jeremy Gallon, who returns primed for a big year and wearing the #21 Legends jersey. Unfortunately, the guy expected to start across from Gallon (Amara Darboh) is out for the season after foot surgery. There aren't many other proven targets on the roster, aside from senior slot receiver Drew Dileo and sophomore tight end Devin Funchess. One potential breakout receiver is redshirt freshman wideout Jehu Chesson, who should soak up some of Darboh's vacated targets. Good quarterbacks can sometimes make mediocre receivers look good, too, and hopefully that's the case this season. Gardner was on pace last season for well over 3,000 yards passing and to be an elite passer nationally. If he can find another consistent target, Gardner could race Ohio State's Braxton Miller and Northwestern's Kain Colter for Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year; he could also make a case to be the top quarterback in the nation if things fall just right. I don't think Michigan has the talent at wideout to earn him national accolades, but I'm guessing NFL scouts will like what they see.

Prediction: Starting quarterback; 63% completions, 3200 yards passing, 29 touchdowns, 11 interceptions; Second Team All-Big Ten

2013 Season Countdown: #2 Taylor Lewan

Taylor Lewan

Name: Taylor Lewan
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 315 lbs.
High school: Cave Creek (AZ) Chaparral
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #77
Last year: I ranked Lewan #3 and said he would be All-Big Ten First Team. He started all thirteen games and was named a First Team All-American and First Team All-Big Ten.

Lewan has been growing as a football player for the last few years, and last year he finally started to earn the national recognition that he deserved. A devastating drive blocker and adept pass blocker, he allowed just one sack (coming against Ohio State, unfortunately). He dominated regularly in Big Ten play, and against perhaps the best player in the nation, South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney, Lewan held his own. He was named a First Team All-American, First Team All-Big Ten, and the Big Ten's Rimington-Pace Award winner, which is given to the conference's best offensive lineman. He could have left for the NFL after last season to be a first round pick, but he surprised a lot of people by announcing his return.

Lewan will once again be the starter at left tackle, and he's been named a Pre-Season First Team All-American by various outlets. With a brand new interior line that includes a redshirt sophomore walk-on, a redshirt sophomore, and a redshirt freshman, Michigan will lean heavily on Lewan to win football games. As the program returns to more power blocking, I expect to see a lot of him blocking down with the backside guard (Kyle Kalis) pulling to the left side. The Wolverines will not be a dominant running team this season because of that youth inside, but Lewan should be dominant at his position. If he goes down with an injury, we would likely see right tackle Michael Schofield flip to the left and redshirt freshman Ben Braden or Erik Magnuson step in on the right. I don't think Schofield is a true left tackle, and redshirt freshmen usually scare me on the line, so hopefully Lewan eats his vitamins and stays healthy.

Prediction: Starting left tackle; First Team All-American, First Team All-Big Ten

2013 Season Countdown: #3 Jeremy Gallon

Jeremy Gallon

Name: Jeremy Gallon
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 184 lbs.
High school: Apopka (FL) Apopka
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #10
Last year: I ranked Gallon #19 and said he would be a starting wide receiver with 40 catches for 540 yards and 5 touchdowns, along with a punt return touchdown. He started at wideout and made 49 receptions for 829 yards and 4 touchdowns; he also had 11 carries for 67 yards, 2 kickoff returns for 23 yards, and 12 punt returns for 66 yards.

Gallon was arguably Michigan's breakout offensive player last year when his production exploded with Devin Gardner at quarterback. He was okay with Denard Robinson throwing the ball (107 yards against Alabama), but the Gardner-to-Gallon combination was on pace for 1,331 yards, including 133 yards against Iowa and 145 against South Carolina. Sometimes guys have signature plays or playing styles, but it's hard to pin down Gallon's. Is it the slip screen that he takes to the house? Is it the leaping catches to outjump taller defensive backs? It's not often that 5'8" receivers are known for their jump ball skills, but Gallon is basically Junior Hemingway with speed.

With Gardner as the full-time quarterback going into 2012, the connection with Gallon is supposed to take off from the start. They should start where they left off, and if that's the case, it will be a pretty sight for Michigan. I expect to see Gallon play a little more flanker this season to increase his targets, but offensive coordinator Al Borges will probably move him around to get him open in different ways. Gallon has been relieved of his punt return duties to keep him fresh and healthy (along with the fact that sophomore Dennis Norfleet might be a flat-out better option there). Gallon is ranked this highly because he has zero proven production behind him, and Michigan is severely lacking depth at receiver. There are a couple seniors who are backup material (Jeremy Jackson, Joe Reynolds), a quality slot guy (Drew Dileo), and then a bunch of youngsters with zero experience. If Gallon goes down, well . . . those young offensive linemen had better be able to run block.

Prediction: Starting wide receiver; 75 receptions, 1,200 yards, 10 touchdowns; First Team All-Big Ten

2013 Season Countdown: #4 Thomas Gordon

Thomas Gordon with Brady Hoke and Jordan Kovacs

Name: Thomas Gordon
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 210 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #30
Last year: I ranked Gordon #10 and said he would start at free safety with 70 tackles and 2 interceptions. He started at free safety and had 81 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble.

Gordon has been starting in some capacity since his redshirt freshman season, and entered last season as a steady hand at free safety after posting 67 tackles and 4(!) fumble recoveries in 2011. He did not disappoint, although he wasn't quite the turnover machine he was two seasons ago. He managed to pick off Purdue and Nebraska, but he was taken advantage of a little bit in the passing game at times. Not blessed with blazing speed or great size, Michigan's safeties (along with the now departed Jordan Kovacs) were a little lacking in ideal physical traits. Both probably project best to strong safety, but it was necessary to put the two best safeties on the field; Gordon just happened to be the one playing more out of position. He did fine, as you can see from the statistics above, but he wasn't the standout one might expect from a long-time starter.

Going into his fifth year, Gordon has taken on a leadership role and is likely to be named the defensive captain. He is one of the most indispensable members of the unit with depth somewhat lacking at safety. The backup could be anyone from redshirt junior Josh Furman - who has not been impressive at anything except punt coverage - to true freshman Delano Hill. If Gordon were to go down, we might see a safety combination of senior Courtney Avery and sophomore Jarrod Wilson at safety, two somewhat talented guys who are pretty inexperienced at playing safety. Gordon might be the glue that holds the defense together, and losing him for any stretch in Big Ten play could be quite detrimental. He may not be an all-conference player when everything is said and done because he doesn't make the big hits or highlight-reel returns, but we could see him on the Honorable Mention list and winning some team awards after the season.

Prediction: Starting strong safety; 85 tackles, 2 interceptions

2013 Season Countdown: #5 Michael Schofield

Michael Schofield

Name: Michael Schofield
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 304 lbs.
High school: Orland Park (IL) Carl Sandburg
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #75
Last year: I ranked Schofield #11 and said he would be the starting right tackle. He started all thirteen games at right tackle.

Schofield played left guard for most of the 2011 season, so last year he was somewhat of a position switcher and playing right tackle for the first time. Things went okay for him at right tackle, where he was a solid blocker but not a standout. Overshadowed by all-everything left tackle Taylor Lewan, Schofield managed to start every game on the right side and not earn a single conference or team accolade. He did turn out to be the team's second-best lineman, but the trio of interior guys last year left a lot to be desired.

This off-season he's getting quite a bit of hype, although he's still in the shadow of Lewan. There have been various articles about this being the best tackle tandem in the Big Ten and perhaps the entire nation. Schofield has good length and is a plus pass blocker, but he's not the overpowering drive blocker you might want in an ideal right tackle. For Michigan I think he's the fifth-most indispensable player, because the backup options are potentially very questionable. The third tackle into the game would probably be redshirt freshman Erik Magnuson, who has not earned much practice buzz and is hovering around 285 lbs. Otherwise, there's fifth year senior walk-on Erik Gunderson and part-time guard Ben Braden, who no longer seems to be in the mix for the left guard job but hasn't been practicing a ton at tackle as a result of his battle for the LG job. Schofield is also the backup left tackle, so any injury to Lewan would force a reshuffling in at least two offensive line spots. He's the unquestioned starter at right tackle and could be All-Big Ten by the end of the year.

Prediction: Starting right tackle; All-Big Ten Second Team

2013 Season Countdown: #6 James Ross III

James Ross III

Name: James Ross III
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school: Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's
Position: Linebacker
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #15
Last year: I ranked Ross #62 and said he would be a backup linebacker and special teams contributor. He started two games and played in all thirteen, making 36 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and .5 sacks.

Ross was one of my favorite and highest rated players coming into 2012, and he didn't disappoint. Early practice buzz suggested he was going to be hard to keep off the field, and that held true once the season began. When starting WILL linebacker Desmond Morgan missed the Iowa game due to injury, Ross stepped in and made a career-high 12 tackles. This spring when Desmond Morgan moved from WILL to MIKE to replace the graduated Kenny Demens, Ross was inserted into the starting lineup.

I expect good things from Ross this year. He's excellent at diagnosing plays and he can cover a lot of ground. He struggled a little bit with pass drops last season, but that's a problem for many young linebackers. Ross's primary backup on the depth chart is sophomore Royce Jenkins-Stone, whom I don't really trust yet as a football player. I suspect that if Ross were to miss any length of time, Morgan might slide back over to WILL to make room for sophomore Joe Bolden, who's a superior player to Jenkins-Stone. Morgan, Bolden, and Ross are three starter-quality inside linebackers, but then there's a drop-off to Jenkins-Stone and a freshman like Ben Gedeon. If Michigan's defensive line can keep offensive linemen off of the linebackers, I think Ross could be in the discussion for all-conference honors by the end of the year.

Prediction: Starting weakside linebacker; 90 tackles, 2 sacks

2013 Season Countdown: #7 Frank Clark

Frank Clark (#57)

Name: Frank Clark
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 273 lbs.
High school: Cleveland (OH) Glenville
Position: Defensive end
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #57
Last year: I ranked Clark #32, but I wasn't confident since he was facing charges at the time. He started four games at weakside end and made 25 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery.

Going into the 2012 season, I thought Clark was the most talented option at weakside end, but he was also the most troubled, since he was being charged with stealing a laptop. Michigan suspended him for the season opener against Alabama, but he turned into a part-time starter. His main competition came from Brennen Beyer, who is supposedly solid against the run but doesn't provide much in the way of big plays. For a backup end, Clark's 9 tackles for loss were pretty good. His season highlight was a free run to destroy Braxton Miller like Charlie Weis destroys a Golden Corral. In the off-season, Clark added some weight and was supposedly up to 277 lbs. this spring; he claims to be 268 now, but the roster lists him at 273.

Regardless of his actual weight, Clark is very powerfully built at only 6'2". Taylor Lewan has talked about the epic battles between himself and Clark, and other players have talked about Clark's speed to track down ball carriers from the opposite side of the field. He has shown flashes of explosiveness and playmaking, but this is the year to show it full-time with Beyer playing SAM linebacker. Clark might end up as one of the top three or four best players on the team, but sophomore Mario Ojemudia was occasionally impressive last year, and true freshman Taco Charlton has wowed observers with his frame and athleticism; there's also a chance that Beyer could move back to weakside end late in the season once Jake Ryan returns from injury. It seems to be quite a deep position when there are people to rotate, but losing Clark for any length of time would be quite a blow to the pass rush. If Clark's as good as people say - and I think he might be - he could be all-conference by the end of the year.

Prediction: Starting weakside end; 50 tackles, 8 sacks

2013 Season Countdown: #8 Fitzgerald Toussaint

Fitzgerald Toussaint

Name: Fitzgerald Toussaint
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 210 lbs.
High school: Youngstown (OH) Liberty
Position: Running back
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #28
Last year: I ranked Toussaint #4 and said he would be the starting running back with 1,020 yards and 10 touchdowns. He had 130 carries for 514 yards and 5 touchdowns, plus 6 catches for 62 yards and 1 touchdown.

Last year was supposed to be a dominant year for Michigan's running game with Denard Robinson, Toussaint, three redshirt senior interior linemen, and two solid bookend tackles. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way. Robinson ran the ball well, as always, but injured his elbow against Nebraska; Toussaint struggled mightily and then suffered a gruesome broken ankle against Iowa; and that interior offensive line was less than stellar. That last item, along with what looked like a loss of a little quickness on Toussaint's part, dropped him from 5.6 yards/carry in 2011 to just 4.0 in 2012. Between being suspended for the season opener against Alabama, struggling on the field, and then the nasty injury, it was a pretty forgettable season for him. Then he missed spring practices while recovering.

This August, practice reports are saying that Toussaint looks like the 2011 version. Reports from practice are often lies, but he has looked good in the limited number of practice clips posted on the internet. The interior of the offensive line will probably struggle once again, since it's bound to be some combination of redshirt sophomores and redshirt freshmen who haven't played much before. I don't know what to expect from Toussaint this year, coming off the injury and running behind a mostly inexperienced line. He's been injured for large chunks of every season except 2011, and he has a number of backups vying for playing time. I think Toussaint is the best of the bunch right now, but with last year's primary backups combined with a couple touted true freshmen, Michigan should be able to roll out a decent alternative or two.

Prediction: Starting running back; 200 carries, 900 yards, 10 touchdowns

2013 Season Countdown: #9 Blake Countess

Blake Countess

Name: Blake Countess
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 182 lbs.
High school: Olney (MD) Good Counsel
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #18
Last year: I ranked Countess #9 and said he would be the starting field corner with 55 tackles and 2 interceptions. He tore his ACL in the first quarter of the season opener and missed the rest of the year.

I was pretty hyped about Countess coming into the 2012 season, and I thought he would be one of the Big Ten's best corners. But on punt coverage in the season opener against Alabama, he came limping off the field, and things didn't look good. A torn ACL kept him out for the year, and he was replaced by Raymon Taylor (who coincidentally had very similar numbers - 45 tackles, 2 picks - to what I predicted for Countess). He was running by the spring, but the coaching staff held him out of all game-like activities to prevent re-injury.

Countess is full go now and has been practicing with the team this August. Observers say that he looks like the old Blake Countess, and the old Blake Countess was a 4-star recruit who picked off Devin Gardner in the 2012 spring game. Talent-wise, he might deserve to be higher on the list, but Michigan returns Taylor and Courtney Avery; additionally, junior Delonte Hollowell has received some practice buzz, and there are some other talented young guys. Countess is the best of the bunch right now, but corner is a position where young guys can contribute (as Countess did in 2011). If he stays healthy, I think the baseline for Countess will be honorable mention all-conference. There are a few other good corners to compete with for those all-conference honors (Purdue's Ricardo Allen, Michigan State's Darqueze Dennard, etc.), but Countess should give it a run.

Prediction: Starting cornerback; 55 tackles, 2 interceptions

2013 Season Countdown: #10 Devin Funchess

Devin Funchess

Name: Devin Funchess
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 235 lbs.
High school: Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison
Position: Tight end
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #19
Last year: I ranked Funchess #53 and said he would be the backup U-back. He caught 15 passes for 234 yards (15.6 yards/catch) and 5 touchdowns.

Funchess came into his freshman season at approximately 225 lbs., and as one might expect from a tight end that size, he was bound to struggle a little bit physically. At one point this summer, he admitted to having been a "pretty boy" who didn't like to be physical. That combination of size and pretty boy-ishness kept him from some early playing time and the ability to play as an in-line blocker, but Denard Robinson liked using him as a passing target early in the year. In week two against Air Force, Funchess had 106 receiving yards and his first career touchdown. Things were going well early in the season, but Robinson's elbow injury and Devin Gardner's subsequent insertion at quarterback curtailed Funchess's production; Robinson was adept at hitting tight ends and inside receivers, whereas Gardner liked to look outside a little more. Still, his season was good enough to warrant Honorable Mention All-Big Ten and several Freshman All-American nods.

I expect Gardner to look in Funchess's direction more often this season. You can't ignore a 6'5", swift guy like Funchess for too long. He's a matchup problem for linebackers because of his speed and defensive backs because of his size. If the quarterback can put the ball in the right place, Funchess will basically be open on every single pass play. Michigan doesn't have another significant receiving threat at the position, so losing Funchess for any length of time would possibly alter the offense in a big way. Freshman Khalid Hill is a 6'2", 258 lb. option at the position, and fellow freshman Jake Butt is a big target but perhaps not quite as athletic. Senior wide receiver Jeremy Gallon will almost certainly lead the team in receiving, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Funchess in second place by the end of the year.

Prediction: Starting U-back; 35 receptions, 500 yards, 6 touchdowns

2013 Season Countdown: #11 Quinton Washington

Quinton Washington (#76)

Name: Quinton Washington
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 301 lbs.
High school: Timberland (SC) St. Stephen
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #76
Last year: I ranked Washington #41 and said he would be a backup defensive tackle. He started ten games and had 32 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble.

Going into last season, Washington had 3 career tackles and looked like a backup. That turned out to be a poor assumption. He made his first career start in week three against Notre Dame and held onto the job from there. He became a pretty solid nose tackle for the Wolverines, doing a good job of holding the point of attack and allowing the linebackers to flow freely; the three starting linebackers each had between 81 and 88 tackles. Saving the best for last, he made his first career sack and first career blocked field goal against his home state South Carolina Gamecocks in the Outback Bowl. Washington is a different style of nose tackle than previous starter Mike Martin, who was a quick and explosive penetrator, but effective nonetheless.

This year Washington seems to have a pretty firm grip on the nose tackle job. His backup is the wide-bodied sophomore Ondre Pipkins, who was overweight last year and lacked some of the explosiveness that he showed as a high schooler. Greg Mattison likes to rotate defensive lineman, so losing Washington for a lengthy period of time means the third-string nose tackle (either Richard Ash or Willie Henry) would have to get significant reps. Ash has barely played throughout his career, and Henry has garnered practice buzz but redshirted as a freshman last season. Washington won't be the nose tackle who busts through the line on every play and ends up with a bunch of TFLs and sacks. He will likely become a forgotten man in a few years because of his position, but I'm sure Desmond Morgan and James Ross will remember him for a long time as a guy who kept them clean and allowed them to rack up tackles.

Prediction: Starting nose tackle; 40 tackles, 2 sacks

2013 Season Countdown: #12 Cameron Gordon

Cameron Gordon

Name: Cameron Gordon
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 237 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Inkster
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #4
Last year: I ranked Gordon #28 and said he would be the backup SAM with 30 tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 interception. He had 17 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 pass breakup.

Gordon has been quite an interesting player throughout his career. From wide receiver in 2009 to free safety in 2010 to 3-3-5 strongside linebacker in the second half of 2010 to SAM under Brady Hoke, he's played everywhere. His best statistical season came as a redshirt freshman when he had 77 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, and 2 fumble recoveries; since then he has totaled 21 tackles and 3 tackles for loss. He was nominally the backup SAM in 2012, but starter Jake Ryan rarely came off the field. And if the team went to a nickel package, they would sometimes put Ryan at defensive end, remove the SAM linebacker spot, and insert a slot corner. This spring, after Ryan tore his ACL, junior Brennen Beyer moved to SAM from weakside end and started at his new position in the spring game; Gordon was relegated to backup duty once again.

Beyer also played ahead of Gordon back in 2011 (although Gordon was suffering from a minor back injury at the time), so evidence suggests that Beyer will be the starter in 2013. He's been ahead of Gordon every step of the way. But Beyer's next big play will be his first, and I think he's just an average player. Gordon appears to be slightly inconsistent, but he's a much better athlete and has more big-play potential. I think Gordon should be the starting SAM until Ryan recovers, and I'm going to hope that the coaches agree with me.

Prediction: Starting SAM linebacker; 40 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 interception

2013 Season Countdown: #13 Desmond Morgan

Desmond Morgan

Name: Desmond Morgan
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 228 lbs.
High school: Holland (MI) West Ottawa
Position: Linebacker
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #48
Last year: I ranked Morgan #20 and said he would be the starting weakside linebacker with 80 tackles and 3 sacks. He had 81 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, and 2 pass breakups.

Morgan was a pretty consistent player as a second-year starter in 2012. He didn't make many flashy plays, but he was dependable and the coaches could usually count on him being in the right position. He finished the season tied for third on the team in tackles (Jake Ryan was first with 88, Kenny Demens had 82, Thomas Gordon also had 81) and was awarded the #48 jersey in honor of former Wolverine and President of the United States of America Gerald Ford. Morgan was also Academic All-Big Ten. With the graduation of Demens, Morgan bumped over to middle linebacker in the spring to make room for rising sophomore James Ross at WILL.

This year the coaches seem to be counting on Morgan to be a leader of the defense. He's a little bit light for the MIKE spot, but he moves well and should be a bit of an upgrade over Demens, in my opinion. I have always had a fairly high opinion of Morgan, and I think he fits better at MIKE than WILL, where he was a little less athletic than desired; for the past couple years, he has been playing slightly out of position to get the best eleven on the field. His backup should be sophomore Joe Bolden, a quality player in his own right, albeit somewhat inexperienced. Jake Ryan is the star on the outside, and Ross is an up-and-comer on the weakside, but I believe Michigan fans will be very satisfied with the play from the middle linebacker position.

Prediction: Starting middle linebacker; 85 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception

2013 Season Countdown: #14 Raymon Taylor

Raymon Taylor

Name: Raymon Taylor
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 183 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Highland Park
Position: Cornerback
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #6
Last year: I ranked Taylor #48 and said he would be a backup cornerback. He started 11 games and made 45 tackles, 2 interceptions (1 returned for a touchdown), and 1 fumble recovery.

Taylor entered the 2012 season as the fourth cornerback, behind J.T. Floyd (since graduated), Blake Countess, and Courtney Avery. In the first quarter of the season opener against Alabama, Countess tore his ACL. Avery entered in his place and struggled mightily. Taylor stepped in opposite Floyd the next week against UMass and became the starter. He picked off a pass the following week against Notre Dame and then again the next game against Purdue, returning the latter for a 63-yard touchdown. Taylor, who had recovered a fumble against Alabama, didn't force another turnover after game four. He was fairly physical and showed pretty good speed, but struggled with zone coverage.

When I ranked the players, I expected Taylor and Countess to be the starting corners; Avery has been the starting slot corner for the past couple seasons, and he struggled on the outside last year. However, recent indications suggest that Countess and Avery appear to be the top duo, and Taylor will be backing them up. I think Michigan is in pretty solid shape at corner with essentially three starters returning, but cornerbacks have been dainty in recent years (Countess's ACL, Floyd's broken leg, Troy Woolfolk's broken ankle, etc.). I still think Taylor - or whoever the backup is - will get plenty of playing time, but this is likely too high for Taylor if he is indeed behind Avery. Mulligan? Anyway, I've never thought Taylor had superstar potential, but he was decent last season and should only improve in 2013 and 2014.

Prediction: Backup cornerback;

2013 Season Countdown: #15 Matt Wile

Matt Wile

Name: Matt Wile
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 216 lbs.
High school: San Diego (CA) Francis Parker
Position: Kicker/punter
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #45
Last year: I ranked Wile #52 and said he would be the kickoff specialist and a backup punter. He averaged 35.9 yards/punt on 12 punts, with 9 landing inside the 20-yard line. He also was 2/3 on field goals. And he averaged 60.5 yards/kickoff on 77 attempts with 28 touchbacks.

Starting punter Will Hagerup has a yearly tradition of getting himself suspended (including for the entire 2013 season), so Wile has become a jack of all trades. He punts, kicks off, and kicks long field goals. While his punting average looks bad, that's because he was the pooch punter. And as the long-range field goal specialist, he hit a career-long 52-yarder against South Carolina in the Outback Bowl. Yes, it was a pretty good year for the backup punter. (How often does that previous sentence get uttered throughout history?)

Now Wile looks to be the starting punter with Hagerup out of the picture. And in a very weird situation, he might never be the  starting punter at Michigan, because Hagerup could return in 2014 when both guys would run out of eligibility. Fifth year senior Brendan Gibbons has locked down the short kicking job and did okay on some longer kicks, so perhaps Wile will kick some more field goals this year . . . and perhaps he won't. I hesitated to place Wile this high on the list, but what if he got hurt? Gibbons would likely take on the longer field goal duties as well, Michigan would have to use essentially a third-string punter (perhaps redshirt freshman walk-on Kenny Allen), and they would need to find a new kickoff guy. That's a lot of tinkering and potentially quite a few lost yards in the process. Wile isn't spectacular, but he's a very solid all-around kicker.

Prediction: Starting punter and kickoff specialist; backup placekicker

2013 Season Countdown: #16 Derrick Green

Derrick Green (image via The Wolverine)

Name: Derrick Green
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 240 lbs.
High school: Richmond (VA) Hermitage
Position: Running back
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #27
Last year: Green was a senior in high school. He had 1,350 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns.

The battle for Derrick Green came down to Auburn, Tennessee, and Michigan after also strongly considering Ohio State, Oregon, and Virginia Tech, among others. He made his final decision late in the process, and there was much rejoicing! In January I did a study of Rivals' top-ranked tailbacks since the inception of the site in 2002, and the results were generally pleasing. The average top-rated back gets 429 carries, gains 2,442 yards, and scores 22 touchdowns. Green arrived on campus this summer and was immediately listed at 240 lbs., and there was much hand wringing! He was listed at 220 lbs. as a high schooler, but that was probably a lowball figure. He's barrel chested with some bulk in his lower body, so my guess is he was probably 230-235 lbs. as a senior and when he played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Redshirt senior Fitzgerald Toussaint is the favorite to win the starting job, which is expected since he has two years of starting under his belt. The battle for the backup job is the interesting one, because no returning player has established himself as a potential feature back. Junior Thomas Rawls has received the bulk of the backup carries, so it comes down to Rawls, Green, and possibly true freshman De'Veon Smith. My pick for the top backup is Green, and I think he'll be the heir apparent. Most backups wouldn't be ranked this high in the countdown, but Toussaint has been injured every year except his breakout 2011 season and was suspended for game one of 2012. Odds are that Green - or whoever is the #2 guy - gets at least a start or two. He also should get some looks in short yardage and on the goal line due to his size.

Prediction: Backup tailback; 100 carries, 500 yards, 6 touchdowns

2013 Season Countdown: #17 Jack Miller

Jack Miller

Name: Jack Miller
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 290 lbs.
High school: Perrysburg (OH) St. John's
Position: Center
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #60
Last year: I ranked Miller #42 and said he would be the backup center. He played in six games as the backup center.

Ricky Barnum was supposed to be Michigan's center going into the 2012 season, but the coaches made a last-minute switch in August practice and put Elliott Mealer there; the reason was reported to have been Mealer's snapping ability. That snapping ability was significant, because I don't remember a single bad snap all season. Unfortunately, the blocking was subpar. Miller played tackle in high school, but he's been almost exclusively playing center since he got to campus in 2011. As the starting center in the spring game, Miller had some trouble identifying who to block, but he did a solid job when indecision didn't get in his way.

The competition for the center position appears to be pretty close between Miller and redshirt sophomore Graham Glasgow. Brady Hoke and Al Borges consistently mention the battle, and a Media Day picture of the starting offensive line included two offensive tackles, two offensive guards, and . . . the two centers. It's unclear how the position will play itself out. Glasgow is 6'6", 303 lbs. and somewhat immobile. Snapping ability aside (because what outside observer really knows?), it looks like a battle between mobility and size. Usually, a guy with Glasgow's size is too big to be a legitimate option at center, but we'll see. I have expected Miller to win the job, but either way, I have a feeling the center position is going to be a little bit of an adventure this season.

Prediction: Starting center

2013 Season Countdown: #18 Jibreel Black

Jibreel Black

Name: Jibreel Black
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 278 lbs.
High school: Cincinnati (OH) Wyoming
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #55
Last year: I ranked Black #17 and said he would be the starting 3-tech, with 25 tackles and 3 sacks. He was the backup 3-tech and had 20 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble.

Black mostly played behind Will Campbell last year, but getting 5 TFL's and 3 sacks for a backup defensive tackle is pretty good. That was his first year on the inside after having played weak- and strongside end in his first two years on campus. He was more effective on the interior in 2012 than playing off the edge as an underclassman, so it makes sense to keep him at the 3-tech spot instead of bumping him out to strongside end now that Craig Roh has departed. Black started the spring game at the 3-tech position.

I have seen some suggestions that Black has been resistant to adding weight, and that seems plausible considering he's the exact same size as last season. Normally, the coaches would probably want their 3-tech tackle to be 290-310 lbs. or so, but Black weighs approximately the same as Roh did. This could pose a problem against some teams with huge offensive lines, but he should mostly be able to hold his own; furthermore, the position often puts him one-on-one against offensive guards in the pass rush, and the former defensive end usually has the advantage there. I think Black will have a pretty good season as the nominal starter, but I imagine a couple other guys will get some run there, too; he won't dominate but he won't be a liability, either.

Prediction: Starting 3-tech defensive tackle; 30 tackles, 4 sacks

2013 Season Countdown: #19 Drew Dileo

Drew Dileo

Name: Drew Dileo
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Greenwell Springs (LA) Parkview Baptist
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #9
Last year: I ranked Dileo #36 and said he would make 12 receptions for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with being the holder, a backup receiver, and a part-time returner. He had 20 receptions for 331 yards (16.6 yards/catch) and 2 touchdowns, 1 carry for 7 yards, 2 punt returns for 22 yards, and 4 kickoff returns for 67 yards.

This Dileo kid is one of those guys that's fun to have on the football team, not because he's great but just because he's a football player. Look at those statistics up above. Receiver, runner, holder, punt returner, kickoff returner . . . .  You get the sense that you're in parks and recreation football, and Dileo's just the best all-around athlete, so you give him the football all the time just because you know good things will happen. Except this isn't parks and rec. Those statistics aren't flashy, and yet 16.6 yards a catch ain't half bad.

This year Dileo will likely reprise his role as the holder and jack of all trades, and it would be nice to see him play some defensive back so I can label him the Shane Halter of Michigan football. There's a wide receiver spot left open by the graduated Roy Roundtree, but Dileo - Michigan's second leading returning receiver - probably won't take that vacated spot. He'll work from the slot and be a backup, but he could improve on those receiving totals with Devin Gardner throwing the ball for the entire year; both of his touchdown receptions last year came from Gardner. There will also probably be a trick play or two for Dileo as the holder, and the coaches will throw him a bone once in a while with a punt or kickoff return. He even has a chance to win the punt return duties if the coaches relieve Jeremy Gallon of those duties and want a sure-handed replacement. I think the battle will be determined by how well Dennis Norfleet - a faster and more electric returner - can make decisions and catch the ball.

Prediction: Starting holder; backup receiver and returner; 25 receptions, 375 yards, 4 touchdowns