Name: Kalel Mullings
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 233 lbs.
High school: West Roxbury (MA) Milton Academy
Position: Linebacker
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #26
Last year: I ranked Mullings #61 and said he would be a backup inside linebacker (LINK). He made 1 tackle and 1 pass breakup.
TTB Rating: 78
Mullings was an Army All-American who played both running back and linebacker in high school. A good athlete whose linebacker skills were perhaps a little in question, he was not expected to be an immediate impact player. He played in all six games, mostly on special teams. Michigan did not rotate inside linebacker very much under former defensive coordinator Don Brown, and when Cam McGrone got hurt, it was walk-on Adam Shibley who stepped in to play rather than some of the younger players.
Now Shibley is gone to Notre Dame, and some of the other young players have transferred. The two inside linebacker positions seem to be pretty well solidified with Josh Ross and Michael Barrett, and Mullings is the next most experienced guy. If that were the whole story, I would probably have ranked the #3 inside 'backer higher in the countdown. But word out of practice makes it sound like classmate Nikhai Hill-Green has been earning more buzz this off-season. Hopefully Ross and Barrett stay healthy, but it will be interesting to see whether it's Mullings or Hill-Green who steps in as the main backup. Regardless, I think Mullings is a better athlete and can help more on special teams.
Prediction: Backup inside linebacker
No comments:
Post a Comment