Name: Nikhai Hill-Green
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 225 lbs.
High school: Baltimore (MD) St. Frances
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #41
Last year: I ranked Hill-Green #68 and said he would be a backup linebacker (LINK). He played in three games and made 1 tackle.
TTB Rating: 81
Hill-Green has seen a meteoric rise in his prospects over the past year or so. Michigan at one time seemed well stocked at linebacker, with a lot of moving parts between inside linebacker, Viper, and SAM. Here are a few things that happened at linebacker since Hill-Green signed:
- High school teammate Osman Savage transferred to Alabama A&M
- Charles Thomas entered the transfer portal
- Cam McGrone had an underwhelming 2020 but entered the draft, anyway
- Ben VanSumeren transferred to Michigan State
- William Mohan transferred to Tennessee
- Cornell Wheeler transferred to Kansas
Savage, Thomas, McGrone, and Wheeler were all inside linebackers like Hill-Green.
There are still obstacles in the way at inside linebacker, but practice reports have been good about Hill-Green. He seems to be in line for playing time, but last year's staff was higher on Kalel Mullings, and Anthony Solomon has an advantage on both in on-field experience. That's not to mention that Josh Ross and Michael Barrett are incumbent starters.
Prediction: Backup inside linebacker
I'm much more concerned about one of the edge guys rising up than who emerges as a backup ILB. We should be good here with Ross and Barrett and there probably doesn't need to be a lot of rotation.
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I'm a little concerned about Barrett since he's pretty small to play ILB.
DeleteBeen hearing concerns about "too small" LBs for years and years including some of the very best (Peppers, Bush, McGrone, Ross) and some of the brightest surprises (Glasgow). These days I'm more worried about guys who are "too big".
DeleteBut even if it's true - our DL is supposed to be beefed up so in theory there should be less emphasis on needing big LB?
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Starting with Mike Morrie your last few posts have really started to give me hope on defense. I forgot about the last 3 guys. While your TTB ratings are not always on you are correct most of the time. Really like seeing 4 guys in the 80's that really did not contribute much last year. If just two can match their ratings that will help on D. Andre Seldon and McBurrows need to step up and then D can be competent to good ( espcially again weaker teams)
ReplyDeleteI think people are underestimating the defense. I know last year was pretty bad, but there's still a ton of talent (a.k.a. 4-stars and 5-stars). Unless Michigan just happened to recruit all the 4-star and 5-star busts, some of these guys are going to be good to very good.
DeleteIt's not just how bad our D was last year, it's bringing in an entirely new D staff, none with. Coordinator experience. The two combined - and then throw in an Offense that hasn't been able to score in bunches - makes for a potential mess
DeleteI like the optimism and agree that the talent should be solid. I'm fairly optimistic about the secondary because I think we've seen enough from Green and Gray to think they'll be better and the safety situation is very strong.
DeleteBut up front - I have serious concerns about a young an inexperienced staff building up a solid defense with pretty much every position dealing with lots of change.
I hope you're right but it just seems like too many moving pieces to me.
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DeleteI'm still not sold on Gray being anything other than a stopgap, but there are other guys who are working, learning, etc. (Turner, Green-Warren, Seldon, etc.). I'm hoping someone can take his spot.
@Thunder
DeleteI think the fanbase has largely given up on him after last year. But he won the job and was ahead of a bunch of guys in 2019 too. Perhaps he just got exposed in 2020 and will get passed quickly but I do think he got better by season's end and has room to improve. Like you said elsewhere, the defensive scheme may end up benefiting him. I haven't given up hope in thinking he might be a quality starter and poor man's Clark or Stribling.
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I wasn't a big fan of him in 2019, either. I think if Michigan can't find someone better, then they've really whiffed on the likes of Turner, Seldon, Green-Warren, Perry, etc.
DeleteDid Grey get better? Or, was our defense so easy to run through, around & over, that he was spared in the last two games?
DeleteSo many people blamed Don Brown for last year's defense. But I don't think it was him that hired Shaun Nua and Brian Jean-Mary.
DeleteSheriff Clinkscale is in town. All DBs are going to be better!
DeleteIs there any update on Ka'Jobi Albert?
ReplyDeleteHe's announcing his commitment on August 4. It sounds like it's between Michigan and Auburn. I would give Auburn the edge with a kid from Alabama.
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