The following depth chart has removed the following players from the 2021 depth chart for various reasons:
- OL Chuck Filiaga (graduation)
- S Brad Hawkins (graduation)
- TE Joel Honigford (graduation)
- DE Aidan Hutchinson (graduation)
- DT Donovan Jeter (graduation)
- K Jake Moody (graduation)
- P Brad Robbins (graduation)
- LB Josh Ross (graduation)
- DT Jess Speight (graduation)
- OL Andrew Stueber (graduation)
- OL Andrew Vastardis (graduation)
It also assumes that every currently rostered player and every currently committed prospect will be here in 2022, which is obviously not true. I listed wide receiver Ronnie Bell on the below roster since he plans to return in 2022 after suffering an ACL tear this season.
Hit the jump for the depth chart.
QB: Cade McNamara (RS Jr.), J.J. McCarthy (So.), Alan Bowman (RS Sr.), Dan Villari (RS So.), Jayden Denegal (Fr.)
RB: Hassan Haskins (RS Sr.), Blake Corum (Jr.), Donovan Edwards (So.), Tavierre Dunlap (RS Fr.), C.J. Stokes (Fr.)
WR1: Cornelius Johnson (Sr.), Daylen Baldwin (RS Sr.), Cristian Dixon (RS Fr.)
WR2: Ronnie Bell (RS Sr.), Roman Wilson (Jr.), Andrel Anthony (So.), Tyler Morris (Fr.)
WR3: Mike Sainristil (Sr.), A.J. Henning (Jr.)
TE: Erick All (Sr.), Luke Schoonmaker (RS Sr.), Matt Hibner (RS So.), Louis Hansen (RS Fr.), Marlin Klein (Fr.), Colston Loveland (Fr.)
LT: Ryan Hayes (RS Sr.), Jeffrey Persi (RS So.), Tristan Bounds (RS Fr.)
LG: Trevor Keegan (RS Jr.), Giovanni El-Hadi (RS Fr.), Alessandro Lorenzetti (Fr.)
C: Greg Crippen (So.), Raheem Anderson II (RS Fr.)
RG: Zak Zinter (RS So.), Reece Atteberry (RS So.), Connor Jones (Fr.)
RT: Trente Jones (RS Jr.), Karsen Barnhart (RS Jr.),
SDE: Taylor Upshaw (RS Jr.), Braiden McGregor (Jr.), Michael Morris (RS Jr.), Gabe Newburg (RS Jr.), T.J. Guy (RS Fr.), Dominick Giudice (RS Fr.)
DT: Chris Hinton (Sr.), Kris Jenkins Jr. (RS So.), Julius Welschof (RS Sr.), George Rooks III (RS Fr.), Mason Graham (Fr.)
NT: Mazi Smith (RS Jr.), Jordan Whittley (RS Sr.), Jack Stewart (RS Jr.), Kenneth Grant (Fr.)
Rush LB: David Ojabo (RS Jr.), Jaylen Harrell (RS So.), Kechaun Bennett (RS Fr.), Kevonte Henry (Fr.)
OLB: ,Anthony Solomon (RS Jr.), Quinten Johnson (RS Jr.), Tyler McLaurin (RS Fr.), Micah Pollard (Fr.)
MIKE: Junior Colson (So.), Joey Velazquez (RS Jr.), Aaron Alexander (Fr.), Jimmy Rolder (Fr.)
WILL: Nikhai Hill-Green (RS So.), Michael Barrett (RS Sr.), Kalel Mullings (Jr.), Jaydon Hood (RS Fr.), Deuce Spurlock (Fr.)
CB: D.J. Turner II (RS Jr.), Gemon Green (RS Sr.), Will Johnson (Fr.), Andre Seldon (RS So.), George Johnson III (RS Jr.)
CB: Vincent Gray (RS Sr.), Jalen Perry (RS Jr.), Ja'Den McBurrows (So.), Darion Green-Warren (RS So.), Eamonn Dennis (RS So.), Myles Pollard (Fr.)
FS: Daxton Hill (Sr.), Rod Moore (So.), German Green (RS Sr.), Kody Jones (Fr.), Sammy Faustin (RS Sr.)*
SS: R.J. Moten (RS So.), Makari Paige (RS So.), Jordan Morant (RS So.), Damani Dent (Fr.)
K: Cole Hussung (RS Fr.)
P: Tommy Doman (RS Fr.)
*Faustin's status with the team is uncertain
Thanks for posting this. I was just going through a similar mental exercise earlier today.
ReplyDeleteNo Barnhart? I was thinking that while OL will lose 2.5 starters the unit should still be quite strong. The playing time that Jones and Barnhart got was substantial, and they should be strong complements to Zinter, Keegan and Hayes. If Crippen stays on course things will be real good again.
RB will probably lose Haskins but still be in great shape. Could they find a walk-on FB? Gotta trust Mike Hart to find quality replacements.
If All returns TE should be good.
DL will be the toughest to replace, with Ojabo a likely 1st rounder gone as well. Harrell looks like a player to me. Morris, Upshaw, McGregor - solid. Hinton and Smith, if they're back will be anchors (not that kind of anchor). Welshof could take a bigger role too. Jenkins promising. We'll be solid at worst.
LB will probably see some attrition beyond Ross, but Colson looks like a star. Just have to find one other guy.
Replacing Hawkins and Hill will be REAL tough but lots to like about the returning secondary and the recruiting class is looking quite strong as well. Moore, Moten, Turner are a start.
The kickers are probably the biggest worry besides trying to replace arguably the best player on offense (Steuber) and 3 best on defense (Hutchinson, Ojabo, Hill).
Barnhart is in there as RT #2. I just don't know how much he factors in. He seemed to play more in 2020 than in 2021. Maybe Moore doesn't favor him as much as Warinner did, maybe there were injury issues, I don't know. Of course it's possible that Zinter could move to center and Barnhart could step in at guard.
DeleteI think it's less likely that Michigan finds a walk-on fullback to play than it is they get a transfer or position-switcher who can be a FB/TE type of guy.
I really like what I've seen from Rod Moore. Moten played a ton this year, and Paige played a ton in 2020. That gives Michigan three fairly experienced safeties, if they all come back.
I don't see anyone replacing the production of Hutchinson/Ojabo as edge guys, but this defense is set up for success there. With the way Macdonald plays his edges, I think there's always going to be a threat of a pass rush. It might not be two guys getting double-digit sacks, but I think it's going to be effective.
Oops missed that. Barnhart got some run this year so I don't think he's fallen out of favor too far. I wonder if he or Jones saw more snaps in total. Seems likely to be a position battle in spring at least. Some younger guys may get themselves involved too but experience is a big deal at OL.
DeleteSaw some speculation that Moore might move into Hill's spot (mostly nickel corner, some safety) which opens things up for Paige as the 5th DB. Seems like that too could be a competition between some CBs (Johnson, McBurrows). Seldon keeps getting praise but not playing time. Anyway, we're in a good place in secondary which is to Clinksdale, Bellomy, and McDonald's credit.
Agree also on DEs. Zero chance we replace 2021 record-setting DE production. It's better even then the epic 2016 unit (Wormley, Gary, Charlton, Wino). I think you'll likely see more rotation and more dropping into coverage mixed with blitzes since we probably won't have guys who can just get after QB every down.
Don't sleep on Harrell though. Could have a star there. The guys returning will get better. Hutch and Ojabo set the precedent. 2 years ago Hutch was good but not great. Last year Ojabo was JAG and now he's a first rounder. Nua FTW! Welshof and McGregor could pop too. They know what greatness looks like now. They've seen the path. Hutch has elite talent of course but his work ethic will have been the example to follow.
Benny and Iwunnah?
ReplyDeleteI think you have Pollard in there twice for freshman. Great post. Really fun to think about. Want to keep momentum and hopefully need room for some unanticipated studs in 2022 class.
DeleteThere are 2 Pollards. Micah and Myles.
DeleteOops. Thanks for being kind Roanman.
DeleteWhy not spend a scholarship on a FB? I would love for Michigan to have a Khalid Hill and Ben Mason on our roster. Someone who can get us a first down on 3rd and short. With the current offensive strategy, I think there is a role for a FB and I think it is worth using a scholarship on him rather than just finding a walk-on FB. If we have Hill as a FB, I think he would make a good contribution to this current team. Especially against Iowa next week.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the best place to take it from?
DeleteMy answer would be LB. Some may say the secondary but how big of a deal was it that, for example, Green stepped up late in his career.
Mason got most of his carries as a RB. Do we need a moose back? Is the scholarship FB going to be appreciably better blocker than a walk-on or a TE? But a damn linemen in there if it's just short yardage - why not?
I think I'd rather take a shot on 3-star speed edge guy and hope you hit the Uche/Ojabo lottery than burning a scholarship on guy whose job it is to shrink from freshman to senior year. I'd also rather grab some athletes like Bell and Haskins that might play at a few different spots.
I'd make the FB spot a cornerstone of our walk-on program, which continues to be a strength for Michigan.
The other best/option is to find some shorter TEs, H-back types, that transfer more readily to FB than most of the taller pass-catching TEs we tend to recruit.
WR's are STACKED for next year! What are the chances that Cornelius Johnson or Daylen Baldwin transfer out?
ReplyDeleteshould be a decent group. they need to add more bodies though since that room will have light #s in a few years
DeleteI would not be surprised to see Baldwin transfer out. He doesn't do many of the little things right. I think what he really lacks is situational awareness (down and distance), settling in open spots, etc. He's kind of just a tall, fast guy. That's enough against MAC teams, but he disappeared during the Big Ten schedule.
Delete