2021 Season Countdown: #78 Kris Jenkins, Jr.

 

Kris Jenkins, Jr. (image via Detroit News)

Name: Kris Jenkins, Jr.
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 265 lbs.
High school: Olney (MD) Our Lady of Good Counsel
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #94
Last year: I ranked Jenkins #101 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: 77

Jenkins is the son of former Central Michigan and NFL defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, so the bloodline is there. Brought in to be bulked up into an interior defensive lineman, he was not ready last season. That didn't stop him from getting thrown in there against Wisconsin when the Badgers were running all over the starters, the backups, the ushers, and the concession stand workers. But that was Jenkins's only appearance of the season.

This year I don't expect Jenkins to play much more than last year. For one thing, he's still too light at 265 lbs. to play inside. For another thing, the coaching staff's switch to more of a 3-4 look should prioritize size with the linemen, which might require Jenkins to spend a prolonged period eating and lifting before he sees the field. And those things don't take into the equation that the Wolverines brought in 358-pound transfer nose tackle in Jordan Whittley to take at least some of the snaps inside. This should be another developmental year for Jenkins.

Prediction: Backup defensive tackle

2021 Season Countdown: #79 Jack Stewart

 

Jack Stewart (image via Twitter)

Name: Jack Stewart
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 318 lbs.
High school: New Canaan (CT) New Canaan
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #70
Last year: I ranked Stewart #82 and said he would be a backup offensive lineman (LINK). He did not play.
TTB Rating: 74

Stewart enters his third year on campus having yet to see the field. When he entered school in 2019, he was considered to be an offensive tackle or offensive guard. After two years of not seeing the field - and being passed by classmates - this spring he moved to the defensive line. It's rare that a guy switches sides of the ball and finds success, much less immediately. Michigan does need bulk on the defensive line, which Stewart has at 318 pounds; but I don't think he has the athleticism to be very effective on defense. He's likely looking at another year spent mostly on the bench, though perhaps he can play on the extra points/field goal unit.

Prediction: Backup defensive tackle

2021 Season Countdown: #80 Greg Tarr

 

Greg Tarr

Name: Greg Tarr
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Washington (MI) Romeo
Position: Long snapper
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #36
Last year: I did not rank Tarr. He redshirted.
TTB Rating: N/A

Michigan has just two long snappers on the roster, Tarr and last year's starter, William Wagner. It's not often that the backup guy matters, but it's also not often that the #80 player in the countdown matters, either. (Last year it was the great Carl Myers!) So we're still in the mostly irrelevant portion of the countdown, and at 6'2" and 200 lbs., Tarr is pretty light to get on the field. They're not supposed to be hit, but they still get bumped sometimes and they have to be able to tackle, too. So Tarr is probably a little ways away from playing unless Wagner gets hurt.

Prediction: Backup long snapper

2021 Season Countdown: #81 Greg Crippen

 

Greg Crippen (image via the Telegram)

Name: Greg Crippen
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 285 lbs.
High school: Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy
Position: Center
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Crippen was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 65

Crippen is a native of the northeast, which seemed to give Michigan the edge early in his recruitment, considering the Don Brown respect in that part of the country. But he spent some time committed to Notre Dame. When he decommitted, there were rumors that the Fighting Irish were okay with losing him. But either way, Michigan was there to pick up the pieces.

There was a little bit of buzz in the spring that Crippen had moved into the two-deep, but from what I can gather, that was more due to injuries and absences than outplaying other guys on the roster. It's tough to play interior line as a freshman, and Michigan has recruited well along the offensive line over the past few cycles. I expect Crippen to redshirt this fall.

Prediction: Redshirt

Alessandro Lorenzetti, Wolverine

 

Alessandro Lorenzetti (image via SI)

Windsor (CT) Loomis Chaffee offensive tackle Alessandro Lorenzetti committed to Michigan on Friday night. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Georgia, Michigan State, and Penn State, among others.

Lorenzetti is listed at 6'6" and between 275-285 lbs., depending on the source.

RATINGS
ESPN: Unranked
Rivals: 3-star OT, 5.6 grade
247 Sports: 3-star, 88 grade, #94 OT

Hit the jump for more on Lorenzetti's commitment.

Kevonte Henry, Wolverine

 

Kevonte Henry (image via Twitter)

Lawndale (CA) Leuzinger outside linebacker/defensive end Kevonte Henry committed to Michigan on Friday afternoon. He picked the Wolverines over Arizona, Oregon, and USC, among others.

Henry is listed at 6'4" and 225 lbs.

RATINGS
ESPN: N/A
Rivals: 3-star WDE, 5.6 grade
247 Sports: 3-star, 88 grade, #60 LB

Hit the jump for more.

2021 Season Countdown: #82 Jeffrey Persi

 

Jeffrey Persi (image via SI)

Name: Jeffrey Persi
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 302 lbs.
High school: Mission Viejo (CA) Junipero Serra
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #79
Last year: I ranked Persi #96 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: 82

I labeled Persi last year as a giant boom-or-bust prospect, and the jury is still out on him. There was very little buzz about him last season and during the off-season, even when Michigan suffered a bunch of offensive line injuries last fall. Persi was a tight end early in his high school career, so it makes sense that he was not ready to play in the Big Ten as a true freshman.

Persi presumably remains unready going into 2021. Michigan returns starter Ryan Hayes at left tackle. The right tackle position is a little uncertain, but Persi does not appear to be in the mix to replace Jalen Mayfield. It could be Andrew Stueber, Trente Jones, or Karsen Barnhart, but no one seems to think it will be Persi out there at right tackle on September 4 against Western Michigan.

Prediction: Backup offensive tackle

Jayden Denegal, Wolverine

 

Apple Valley (CA) Apple Valley QB Jayden Denegal (image via 247 Sports)

Apple Valley (CA) Apple Valley quarterback Jayden Denegal committed to Michigan on Wednesday evening. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Auburn, Georgia, Michigan State, and Utah, among others.

Denegal is listed at 6'4" and 215 lbs.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 83 grade, #9 pocket passer, #163 overall
Rivals: 3-star, 5.7 grade, #19 pro-style QB
247 Sports: 3-star, 89 grade, #17 QB

Hit the jump for more.

2021 Season Countdown: #84 George Rooks

 

George Rooks

Name: George Rooks
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 270 lbs.
High school: Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter's Prep
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Rooks was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 41 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 8 sacks.
TTB Rating: 80

Rooks was one of the big fish the Wolverines were trying to reel in at the end of the 2021 class, since they needed defensive tackles - especially athletic ones. Rooks comes from an athletic family: his dad played defensive line for Syracuse and got drafted by the Giants, and his sister played college basketball, including one season at Michigan. More of the athletic type than a space-eater, Rooks played quite a bit of defensive end in high school.

At the next level, Rooks will probably move into the interior, probably to more of a 4i or 5-tech position. I could also see him being used at the nose tackle position in certain pass rush situations. But all of that will probably come sometime down the road, since he is still a little bit light and probably needs to adjust his technique to handle combo blocks a little better. He is athletic enough to possibly get on the field toward the end of games in non-critical situations, but a redshirt is also a strong possibility.

Prediction: Redshirt

2021 Season Countdown: #85 Ikechukwu Iwunnah

 

Ike Iwunnah (image via 247 Sports)

Name: Ikechukwu Iwunnah
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 281 lbs.
High school: Garland (TX) Lakeview Centennial
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Iwunnah was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 75

Iwunnah was a late addition to the 2021 class, and a much needed one at the time. It's not easy to pull kids out of Texas to come to Michigan, but the Wolverines needed an influx of size on the defensive line. They ended up signing four defensive tackles (Iwunnah, George Rooks, Dominick Giudice, and Rayshaun Benny), and two of those commitments came on National Signing Day: Iwunnah and Benny.

At 281 pounds Iwunnah is a little bit light to handle the interior defensive line as a freshman, and he also has some technical things to clean up before he plays in the Big Ten. He has some decent quickness and good strength, but he needs to get better at defeating blocks and finding the ball. His future could be a bright one, but he needs this season to develop.

Prediction: Redshirt

Aaron Alexander, Wolverine

 

Belleville (MI) Belleville LB Aaron Alexander (image via 247 Sports)

Belleville (MI) Belleville linebacker Aaron Alexander committed to Michigan on Saturday afternoon. He picked the Wolverines over an offer from Marshall.

Alexander is listed at 6'2" and 205 lbs. He reportedly ran in the 4.4's at a couple camps recently.

RATINGS
ESPN: N/A
Rivals: 2-star, 5.4 grade
247 Sports: 3-star, 86 grade, #78 ATH

Hit the jump for more.

C.J. Stokes, Wolverine

 

C.J. Stokes (image via Columbia Star)

Columbia (SC) Hammond running back C.J. Stokes committed to Michigan on Saturday. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Penn State, South Carolina, and West Virginia, among others.

Stokes is listed at 5'11" and 190 lbs.

RATINGS
ESPN: Unranked
Rivals: 3-star, 5.6 grade, #50 RB
247 Sports: 3-star, 87 grade, #42 RB

Hit the jump for more.

2021 Season Countdown: #86 T.J. Guy

 

T.J. Guy (image via The Wolverine)

Name: T.J. Guy
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 240 lbs.
High school: Mansfield (MA) Mansfield
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Guy was a senior in high school. His season was canceled due to COVID.
TTB Rating: 65

My take on Guy when he committed in April 2020 has not changed a great deal since then. That is at least in part due to the fact that his senior season was wiped out by COVID, so I'm still working off of his junior film. Guy was a relatively lightly recruited defensive lineman from Don Brown's stomping grounds, and the Wolverines held onto him even though Brown departed for the greener pastures of Arizona.

Guy plays too high, and he lacks technique. How much better did that technique get when he couldn't play for the past year? I do like Guy and think he could be a good jumbo track and field athlete, a guy who could probably run pretty well, do the hurdles, and throw discus. But as a football player, he's still a very large project. Unless he has undergone a mental/technical overhaul in the past year, I fully expect him to redshirt while he continues to learn the game.

Prediction: Redshirt

2021 Season Countdown: #87 Rod Moore

 

Rod Moore

Name: Rod Moore
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Clayton (OH) Northmont
Position: Safety
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Moore was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 68 tackles, 1 interception, and 6 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 72

Moore committed to Michigan in the winter of 2020, just before everything got shut down for COVID. Coming from the same high school as defensive end Gabe Newburg and former wide receiver commit Markus Allen, Moore was a somewhat small-ish safety with cornerback skills. There was some fear that Moore would not stick in the class after Allen decommitted in favor of Wisconsin, but the two will play as opponents rather than teammates.

Freshman safeties can play a role on special teams as a freshman, but they're usually liabilities if they play defense. Not only is Moore inexperienced, but he is very small for an FBS safety. He might be one of those guys who plays on kickoff coverage in a few games, but not enough to burn his redshirt.

Prediction: Redshirt

Daylen Baldwin, Wolverine

 

Daylen Baldwin

Jackson State transfer Daylen Baldwin committed to Michigan on Monday afternoon. He picked the Wolverines over an offer from Ohio State (and others).

Baldwin is listed at 6'3" and 210 lbs. During the shortened spring 2021 season, he caught 27 passes for 540 yards (20.0 yards/catch) and 7 touchdowns.

Hit the jump for more.

On Ace Leaving MGoBlog

 

(image via Podbean)

Recently, Ace Anbender announced on Twitter that he was resigning from MGoBlog. While he did not go into much detail about the reasons for his resignation, I have some assumptions. (I will keep those assumptions to myself.)

I feel compelled to post about Ace since he was such an integral part of MGoBlog, a place that has provided a platform for Touch the Banner and my Michigan fandom in general.

You can hit the jump for more.

Visitors: June 11-13, 2021

 

Clovis (CA) Clovis QB Nate Johnson (image via Clovis Roundup)

Please consider supporting the site by using the Amazon links (LINK).

TRANSFER

Daylen Baldwin - WR - Jackson State: Baldwin is a 6'3", 210 lb. receiver who played high school ball in Michigan at Farmington and Waterford Mott. He made 27 catches for 540 yards (20.0 yards/catch) and 7 touchdowns this spring for Jackson State. He was offered on the visit.

2022

Beau Atkinson - DE - Raleigh (NC) Leesville Road: Atkinson is a 6'6", 240 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Penn Stat,e and Virginia Tech, among others. He's a 3-star, the #19 weakside end, and #386 overall. This is an official visit.

Tyler Banks - LB - Crewe (VA) Nottoway: Banks is a 6'1", 215-pounder with offers from Kentucky, Michigan, Virginia, and Virginia Tech, among others. He's a 3-star, the #88 athlete, and #1033 overall. This is an official visit.

Jacob Bostick - WR - Palatine (IL) Palatine: Bostick is a 6'3", 170 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois, Iowa, and Pitt, among others. He's a 3-star, the #81 wide receiver, and #602 overall.

Jayden Denegal - QB - Apple Valley (CA) Apple Valley: Denegal is a 6'4", 215 lb. prospect with offers from Auburn, Michigan State, and Utah, among others. He's a 4-star, the #19 quarterback, and #264 overall. He is taking an unofficial visit on June 9 and will out for the coaching staff in hopes of earning an offer.

Hit the jump for more.

2021 Season Countdown: #92 Giovanni El-Hadi

 

Giovanni El-Hadi (image via Wolverines Wire)

Name: Giovanni El-Hadi
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 305 lbs.
High school: Sterling Heights (MI) Stevenson
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #58
Last year: El-Hadi was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 84

El-Hadi committed to Michigan over two years ago now, and he's finally wearing a Michigan uniform. He was selected for the Under Armour All-American Game (even though it was never played due to COVID) and finished as a top-100 player (#87 overall) in the 247 Composite rankings. I did not give him a TTB Rating because he committed so early, but after watching him as a senior, I gave him an 84.

El-Hadi has a good frame, is powerful, and finishes blocks. I think he is most likely to play offensive guard at the next level because he lacks a little bit of length and can get his feet crossed up while trying to move laterally. He also needs to work on his hand placement. All of these things can be improved, but they show that he's probably not ready to play immediately. I like him as a prospect but he needs to clean some things up with more reps and some college-level coaching.

Prediction: Redshirt

2021 Season Countdown: #94 Karl Kerska

 

Karl Kerska (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Karl Kerska
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 198 lbs.
High school: Dexter (MI) Dexter
Position: K/P
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #92
Last year: I did not rank Kerska. He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

Kerska enters the 2021 season likely battling for a backup job at any of three positions: punter, kicker, or holder. He held for one snap in 2019 against Rutgers, which is his only college appearance so far. The graduation of kicker Quinn Nordin puts him one step closer to the kicking job, while the transfer of Will Hart moves him perhaps one step closer to punter. Those jobs are still presumably held by Jake Moody and Brad Robbins, respectively, and that's not to mention true freshman specialist Tommy Doman. It's pretty common for walk-on specialists to earn starting jobs, so it wouldn't be unheard of for Kerska to take over a job at some point, but he's likely a backup.

Prediction: Backup specialist

2021 Season Countdown: #96 Peyton Smith

 

Peyton Smith (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Peyton Smith
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Traverse City (MI) Central
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #7
Last year: I ranked Smith #104 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: N/A

Smith is another pretty solid walk-on quarterback. Michigan has a few guys with potential, including Max Witter (profiled yesterday). He was pretty skinny coming out of high school, and he hasn't filled out to an ideal size yet. He also doesn't have the number of snaps you really want to see in a quarterback, as he played wide receiver until midway through his junior year. But given a few years in college, I think Smith could be a pretty decent player. This year isn't that time, though, and he has a few more talented players ahead of him.

Prediction: Backup quarterback

2021 Season Countdown: #97 Max Wittwer

 

Max Wittwer (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Max Wittwer
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 205 lbs.
High school: Utica (MI) Eisenhower
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #18
Last year: I ranked Wittwer #102 and said he would be a backup quarterback (LINK). He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

Wittwer enters his fourth season as a walk-on quarterback at Michigan, and he has yet to see time on the field. Despite the revolving door during a shortened season in 2020, he was not in the conversation to play and found himself behind the likes of Dan Villari and fellow walk-on Ren Hefley. I think Wittwer could have been a starter at a lower level - and had an offer from Air Force coming out of high school - but it's a major uphill battle for playing time at Michigan.

Prediction: Backup quarterback

Cornell Wheeler, Ex-Wolverine

 

Cornell Wheeler

Redshirt freshman linebacker Cornell Wheeler put his name into the transfer portal. Wheeler was a 3-star, the #22 inside linebacker, and #471 overall in the class of 2020.

Wheeler played for Ron Bellamy at West Bloomfield High School, so it surprises me a little bit that he would transfer before even spending one full season with Bellamy on the coaching staff. However, Bellamy coaches safeties, so their contact might be a bit limited. Regardless, this seems like a slightly odd development.

On the other hand, I always thought Wheeler was a bit of a project and would have his best chance to succeed only if he stuck around for a few years. Athletically, he did not jump off the screen on his highlights. I do think he has a chance to be a hard-hitting, solid inside linebacker at the college level, but I would not expect that from him until he's been in school for three to five years.

Michigan signed five linebackers in the 2020 class, and the only two remaining on the roster are Nikhai Hill-Green and Kalel Mullings. Wheeler, William Mohan (Tennessee), and Osman Savage (Alabama A&M) have all decided to find greener pastures elsewhere.