Saturday, April 30, 2022

2022 NFL Draft Results

 

Hassan Haskins (image via Twitter)

The 2022 NFL Draft has wrapped, and here are the Michigan-related results:

Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was taken in the 1st round (#2 overall) by the Detroit Lions.

Safety Daxton Hill was taken in the 1st round (#31 overall) by the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals.

Outside linebacker David Ojabo was picked in the 2nd round (#45 overall) by John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens. Ojabo would almost certainly have been a 1st round pick if not for a torn Achilles suffered at Michigan's pro day.

Running back Hassan Haskins was drafted in the 4th round (#131 overall) by the Tennessee Titans, where he will have a chance to run behind former Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan.

Offensive tackle Andrew Stueber went to the New England Patriots in the 7th round (#245 overall), joining former Wolverine Michael Onwenu on the offensive line. Outside linebacker Joshua Uche and inside linebacker Cam McGrone are also with the Patriots.

Undrafted free agent signings include:

  • DT Chris Hinton to the New York Giants
  • DT Donovan Jeter to the Pittsburgh Steelers
  • LB Josh Ross to the Baltimore Ravens
  • DE Luiji Vilain, who transferred to Wake Forest, to the Minnesota Vikings

Friday, April 29, 2022

Michigan's NFL Draft History

Probably like many of you, I occasionally have a hankering for some Michigan NFL Draft history. Below you will find (as far as I'm aware) every pro draft pick in the history of Michigan's football program going all the way back to 1937.

A few little factoids:

  • Michigan's only two #1 overall NFL Draft picks are Jake Long in 2008 and Tom Harmon in 1941.
  • Michigan set a record in 2017 with 11 total draft picks.
  • Michigan's record number of 1st round NFL draft picks is a tie with 3 each in 1995 (Tyrone Wheatley, Ty Law, Trezelle Jenkins) and 2001 (David Terrell, Steve Hutchinson, Jeff Backus).

2022
1st round: Aidan Hutchinson - DE - Detroit Lions (#2 overall)
1st round: Daxton Hill - S - Cincinnati Bengals (#31 overall)

2021
1st round: Kwity Paye - DE - Indianapolis Colts (#21 overall)
3rd round: Jalen Mayfield - OT - Atlanta Falcons (#68 overall)
3rd round: Nico Collins - WR - Houston Texans (#89 overall)
3rd round: Ambry Thomas - CB - San Francisco 49ers (#102 overall)
5th round: Cam McGrone - LB - New England Patriots (#177 overall)
5th round: Ben Mason - FB - Baltimore Ravens (#184 overall)
6th round: Chris Evans - RB - Cincinnati Bengals (#202 overall)
7th round: Camaron Cheeseman - LS - Washington Football Team (#225 overall)

2020
1st round: Cesar Ruiz - C - New Orleans Saints (#24 overall)
2nd round: Josh Uche - OLB - New England Patriots (#60 overall)
4th round: Ben Bredeson - OG - Baltimore Ravens (#143 overall)
5th round: Khaleke Hudson - LB - Washington Redskins (#162 overall)
5th round: Mike Danna - DE - Kansas City Chiefs (#177 overall)
6th round: Michael Onwenu - OG - New England Patriots (#182 overall)
6th round: Donovan Peoples-Jones - WR - Cleveland Browns (#187 overall)
6th round: Jon Runyan, Jr. - OG - Green Bay Packers (#192 overall)
6th round: Josh Metellus - S - Minnesota Vikings (#205 overall)
6th round: Jordan Glasgow - LB - Indianapolis Colts (#213 overall)

2019
1st round: Devin Bush, Jr. - LB - Pittsburgh Steelers (#10 overall)
1st round: Rashan Gary - DE - Green Bay Packers (#12 overall)
3rd round: Chase Winovich - OLB - New England Patriots (#77 overall)
3rd round: David Long, Jr. - CB - Los Angeles Rams (#79 overall)
5th round: Zach Gentry - TE - Pittsburgh Steelers (#141 overall)

2018
3rd round: Mason Cole - C - Arizona Cardinals (#97)
5th round: Maurice Hurst, Jr. - DT - Oakland Raiders (#140)

2017
1st round: Jabrill Peppers - S - Cleveland Browns (#25)
1st round: Taco Charlton - DE - Dallas Cowboys (#28)
3rd round: Chris Wormley - DT - Baltimore Ravens (#74)
3rd round: Jourdan Lewis - CB - Dallas Cowboys (#92)
3rd round: Delano Hill - S - Seattle Seahawks (#95)
3rd round: Amara Darboh - WR - Seattle Seahawks (#106)
4th round: Ben Gedeon - LB - Minnesota Vikings (#120)
4th round: Ryan Glasgow - DT - Cincinnati Bengals (#138)
4th round: Jehu Chesson - WR - Kansas City Chiefs (#139)
5th round: Jake Butt - TE - Denver Broncos (#145)
6th round: Jeremy Clark - CB - New York Jets (#197)

2016
3rd round: Graham Glasgow - C - Detroit Lions (#95)
4th round: Willie Henry - DT - Baltimore Ravens (#132)
6th round: Jake Rudock - QB - Detroit Lions (#191)

2015
2nd round: Devin Funchess - WR - Carolina Panthers (#41)
2nd round: Frank Clark - DE - Seattle Seahawks (#63)
4th round: Jake Ryan - LB - Green Bay Packers (#129)

2014
1st round: Taylor Lewan - OT - Tennessee Titans (#11)
3rd round: Michael Schofield - OT - Denver Broncos (#95)
7th round: Jeremy Gallon - WR - New England Patriots (#244)

2013
5th round: Denard Robinson - RB - Jacksonville Jaguars (#135)
6th round: William Campbell - DT - New York Jets (#178)

Hit the jump for the remainder of Michigan's historical draft picks.

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

2022 NFL Draft Preview: Michigan

 

Will we see Aidan Hutchinson in a Lions uniform? (image via Revived Graphics)

It's NFL Draft time! The draft starts tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. EST. Here is a look at the various Michigan players eligible for the draft.

Aidan Hutchinson, DE
Captain and all-time season sacks leader Aidan Hutchinson will be the first Wolverine off the board. At 6'7" and 260 pounds, Hutchinson showed off good (not great) speed with a 4.75 forty at the Combine and also has elite quickness with a 4.15-second 20-yard shuttle. His arms are considered to be a little short (32 1/8"), but that doesn't seem to be limiting his draft stock. In general, he's considered to be nearly a lock to go in the top two to the Jaguars or Lions.
Projected round: 1st

Daxton Hill, S
At 6'0" and 191 pounds, Hill is a little bit small for a traditional safety role. However, his speed (4.38 in the forty) and athleticism (10'1" broad jump) are tantalizing and he's a willing and able tackler in the open field. He could be a starter from day one, especially as a nickel corner. Scouts seem to like his man coverage abilities, and he could also be a major asset on special teams. Most projections seem to have in the bottom half of the first round, and he's battling with Notre Dame's Kyle Hamilton to be the first safety off the board.
Projected round: 1st

Hit the jump for more.

Sunday, April 24, 2022

Goodbye, Daxton Hill

 

Daxton Hill (image via ClickOnDetroit)

HIGH SCHOOL
Hill came to Michigan in the class of 2019 out of Tulsa (OK) Booker T. Washington. He was a 247 Composite 5-star, the #1 safety, and #14 overall. He committed to Michigan in September 2019, flipped to Alabama in early December 2019, and then flipped back on National Signing Day. I gave him a TTB Rating of 100 (LINK) and gave the following quote:

Things I dislike about Hill: *crickets*

COLLEGE
Hill started three games as a freshman and made 36 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 2 fumble recoveries, and 4 pass breakups; he also caught a pass on a fake punt to gain a first down against Army. I thought that would be foreshadowing for him being a two-way player or a returner at some point in his career, but that didn't happen. He became a full-time starter in 2020 when he made 46 tackles, 1 interception, and 5 pass breakups. We finally saw him spend a full, real season as a starter in 2021, when he was somewhat unleashed as a safety/slot corner who made 69 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and 11 pass breakups. For his efforts he was named a 1st Team All-Big Ten player by the conference's coaches.

Hit the jump for more.

2022 Season Countdown: #117 Hunter Neff

 

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Paul Sancya/AP/Shutterstock (10405418f) Michigan wide receiver Hunter Neff runs during warmups before an NCAA college football game against Army in Ann Arbor, Mich Army Michigan Football, Ann Arbor, USA - 07 Sep 2019

Name: Hunter Neff
Height:
6'2"
Weight:
237 lbs.
High school:
Chelsea (MI) Chelsea
Position:
Tight end
Class:
Redshirt junior
Jersey number:
#80
Last year:
I ranked Neff #116 and said he would be a backup tight end (LINK). He did not play in any games.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Neff is an undersized tight end at 6'2" and 237 lbs. So chances for him to get on the field are pretty slim. Michigan has also stacked up a pretty talented tight end room with a couple starter-quality seniors and several 4-star backups. Perhaps Neff can help replicate a fullback on the scout team or play on special teams, but as for playing time on offense, I wouldn't expect to see #80 out there much at all.

Prediction: Backup tight end

Saturday, April 23, 2022

2022 Season Countdown: #118 Joshua Luther

 

Joshua Luther (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Joshua Luther
Height:
5'9"
Weight:
184 lbs.
High school:
Clarkston (MI) Clarkston
Position:
Cornerback
Class:
Redshirt junior
Jersey number:
#44
Last year:
I ranked Luther #117 and said he would be a backup defensive back (LINK). He did not play in a game.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Luther is an undersized walk-on corner who was an all-state player at Clarkston, but he didn't join the football program at Michigan until his third year on campus. The last time you saw him - if you recognized him - was probably when freshman wide receiver Darrius Clemons beat him for a long touchdown pass in the spring game. At his size he's probably a career scout team player.

Prediction: Backup defensive back

2022 Season Countdown: #119 Alexander Lidback

 

Alexander Lidback

Name: Alexander Lidback
Height:
6'3"
Weight:
223 lbs.
High school:
Alpharetta (GA) Alpharetta
Position:
Linebacker
Class:
Redshirt freshman
Jersey number:
#46
Last year:
I ranked Lidback #128 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Lidback is a player who, as I mentioned last year, could be a program guy who works his way up the depth chart throughout the years. He has good size overall (though he probably needs to add bulk since 223 lbs. is a tad light when you're a 6'3" linebacker) and some talent. Despite Michigan's lack of proven depth at linebacker, Lidback is probably still on the outside looking in. If he sticks around for another two or three years, he might be able to get on special teams and perhaps play as a backup.

Prediction: Backup linebacker

Friday, April 22, 2022

Cam Goode, Wolverine

 

UCF transfer DT Cam Goode

University of Central Florida grad transfer defensive tackle Cam Goode committed to Michigan on Friday evening. Goode was reportedly also considering Syracuse and Vanderbilt.

Goode was listed on UCF's roster at 6'2" and 315 lbs. He was a part-time starter for the Golden Knights in 2021, playing in all thirteen games and making 24 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 interception, 3 pass breakups, and 4 forced fumbles.

Hit the jump for more.

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Visitors: April 22-24, 2022

 

Provo (UT) Timpview OT Spencer Fano (image via 247 Sports)

2023

Spencer Fano - OT - Provo (UT) Timpview: Fano is a 6'5", 270 lb. prospect with offers from LSU, Michigan, Oregon, and USC, among others. He's a 247 Sports 4-star, the #4 offensive tackle, and #40 overall.

Sidikiba Kaba - DT - Columbus (OH) KIPP: Kaba is a 6'4", 260 lb. prospect who was recently offered by Michigan; he also has offers from Duke, West Virginia, and several MAC schools. He's a 247 Sports 3-star and the #150 defensive lineman. His teammate Cameron Frazier was also offered by Michigan but did not visit with Kaba.

2024

Luca Puccinelli - TE - Richmond (VA) Benedictine: Puccinelli is a 6'7", 225-pounder with offers from Duke, East Carolina, and Virginia Tech. He came on his visit and left without an offer, but there's still time for Michigan to extend an offer since he's a 2024 recruit. Puccinelli is a 247 Sports 3-star and the #17 tight end in his class.

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

2022 Season Countdown: #120 Peter Simmons III

 

Peter Simmons (image via Twitter)

Name: Peter Simmons III
Height:
6'3"
Weight:
291 lbs.
High school:
Bonita Springs (FL) Bishop Verot
Position:
Offensive guard
Class:
Redshirt freshman
Jersey number:
#75
Last year:
I ranked Simmons #129 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Simmons moves up a little bit from last year, largely based on the departure of guys ahead of him. I mentioned in last year's introduction to him that he is limited athletically, and he doesn't have overwhelming size at 6'3". Of course former starting center Andrew Vastardis was also 6'3", but I don't think Simmons is on the same level athletically. Simmons is probably a career backup, but those guys can be valuable on the scout team.

Prediction: Backup offensive lineman

Monday, April 18, 2022

2022 Season Countdown: #121 Josh Nichols

 

Josh Nichols (image via Hudl)

Name: Josh Nichols
Height:
5'10"
Weight:
165 lbs.
High school:
Detroit (MI) Loyola
Position:
Safety
Class:
Freshman
Jersey number:
N/A
Last year:
Nichols was a senior in high school.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Air Force and Navy both gave Nichols opportunities to play for them, but he decided to stay home and play for the Wolverines. He was a 247 Sports 2-star and the #255 athlete in the country. I really do think Nichols is one of the top few walk-ons Michigan has brought in over the past several years. The only limiting factor for him is a lack of size if he is indeed only 5'10" (or perhaps even shorter if 5'10" is a stretch). Otherwise, Nichols would be a 3-star recruit or higher.

He's a heat-seeking missile who's not afraid of contact despite his lack of bulk, and he's not slow, either. At the very least, he should be a very good special teams player. I think he's a better player than Caden Kolesar, who's a special teams stalwart and has worked himself up to the periphery of the safety depth chart. Nichols has to add some size and has a bunch of players ahead of him, so he will have to bide his time. I expect him to redshirt this fall.

Prediction: Redshirt

2022 Season Countdown: #122 Noah Howes

 

Noah Howes (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Noah Howes
Height:
6'5"
Weight:
234 lbs.
High school:
Rochester (MI) Rochester
Position:
Tight end
Class:
Redshirt freshman
Jersey number:
#45
Last year:
I ranked Howes #131 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Howes was listed at 6'4" and 250 lbs. when he entered Michigan a year ago, which is borderline freshman offensive lineman size - especially if you're headed to a military academy to play football, which was an option. Now an inch taller and down 16 pounds - at least according to published measurements - he looks more like a viable tight end.

I like Howes and think he might have a future as a blocking tight end down the road, but Michigan's tight end room is pretty solid with a full complement of scholarship tight ends and even a playable walk-on in Carter Selzer. If Howes continues to add size and strength, he may become the Carter Selzer of the future. For now he's probably just a scout team guy.

Prediction: Backup tight end

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Channing Stribling

 

Channing Stribling (image via Fox Sports)

The USFL started its regular season this past weekend, and there are some noteworthy items for former Wolverines.

Former Michigan cornerback Channing Stribling, playing for the Philadelphia Stars, made 2 tackles, 1 interception (returned for 32 yards), and a league-leading 3 pass breakups in a 23-17 loss to the New Orleans Breakers.

OTHERS OF NOTE

  • QB Shea Patterson (Michigan Panthers): Patterson completed 17/25 passes (68.0%) for 192 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions in a 17-12 loss. However, he was sacked 3 times and fumbled 2 times in his first game action since playing at Michigan in 2019; one of the fumbles was returned for a touchdown.

Video also came out where former Michigan running back De'Veon Smith was apparently cut from the Pittsburgh Maulers because he wanted pizza instead of chicken salad and did not respond in a satisfactory way to the person offering the food:

Saturday, April 16, 2022

Jordan Morant, Ex-Wolverine

 

Jordan Morant

Rising junior safety Jordan Morant has entered the transfer portal. Morant played eight games in 2021 and made 1 tackle on special teams.

Morant committed to Michigan in the 2020 class out of Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic. At the time he was coming off of a stellar junior season where he made 60 tackles and 4 interceptions. He was an Under Armour All-American and seemed headed for stardom. Unfortunately, he suffered a lower body injury early in his senior year that was rumored at the time to be potentially career-ending and led him to redshirt as a freshman.

By the time Morant got on the field in 2021, he was behind in his development, having been passed up by classmates (R.J. Moten, Makari Paige) and at least one younger player (Rod Moore). He has a lot of physical talent at 6'0" and 210 lbs., but competition is stiff for playing time at Michigan. It's unfortunate for him - and for someone like defensive end Braiden McGregor - that injuries during their senior year have hampered their development here at the next level.

Michigan has plenty of safeties left on the depth chart, so this is not a huge factor for the program. It also frees up a scholarship for Michigan, as the Wolverines currently have 88 scholarship guys slotted to be on the roster in the fall and need a few guys to disappear before then.

Eight players from the 2020 class have entered the transfer portal, where Morant joins Andre Seldon (New Mexico State), Darion Green-Warren (Nevada), Cornell Wheeler (Kansas), Dan Villari (Syracuse), Osman Savage (Alabama A&M), William Mohan (Tennessee), and Aaron Lewis (Rutgers). 

Friday, April 15, 2022

2022 Season Countdown: #123 Jesse Madden

 

Jesse Madden (image via Twitter)

Name: Jesse Madden
Height:
6'2"
Weight:
198 lbs.
High school:
Oakland (CA) Bishop O'Dowd
Position:
Quarterback
Class:
Redshirt freshman
Jersey number:
#18
Last year:
I did not rank Madden. He played in one game.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Madden, who is the grandson of the late John Madden, joined Michigan's program in 2021 with relatively little fanfare. One would think a bigger deal would have been made about the grandson of a Hall of Fame coach joining the team, but I guess everyone was so excited about 5-star freshman quarterback J.J. McCarthy that they forgot about Madden.

Madden got a bit of playing time last season in the blowout win over Northern Illinois, but it was just a chance to hand off the ball during a 53-point win. I remember watching his high school highlights and thinking he would be unlikely to threaten the depth chart at quarterback very much. Now during the spring, we know that he has been passed up by freshman Alex Orji and redshirt freshman Davis Warren at the very least, not to mention Cade McNamara, McCarthy, and Alan Bowman.

Prediction: Backup quarterback

Thursday, April 14, 2022

2022 Season Countdown: #124 Trevor Andrews

 

Trevor Andrews (image via Ravenwood Athletics)

Name: Trevor Andrews
Height:
6'2"
Weight:
218 lbs.
High school:
Brentwood (TN) Ravenwood
Position:
Linebacker
Class:
Redshirt freshman
Jersey number:
#42
Last year:
I did not rank Andrews. He redshirted.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Andrews was a solid high school quarterback who threw for 28 touchdowns as a senior. Of course, it didn't hurt that he was playing with talent around him, including Michigan linebacker Junior Colson and cornerback Myles Pollard. Instead of continuing on offense, Andrews has made the transition to the other side of the ball, where he's undersized and inexperienced at linebacker. He's unlikely to get on the field this fall.

Prediction: Backup linebacker

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Visitors: April 15-17, 2022

 

Detroit (MI) King QB Dante Moore

This is a light visit week/weekend considering a little thing called Easter, but there are still a few players making their way to campus.

2023

Dante Moore - QB - Detroit (MI) King: Moore is a 6'3", 195 lb. prospect with offers from Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, and others. He's a 5-star, the #3 quarterback, and #5 overall. Michigan is not really pursuing any other quarterbacks in the 2023 class, so they have all their eggs in the Moore basket, so this is an important visit for the Wolverines. Right now the crystal ball leader is Notre Dame.

2024

Drew Miller - P - Mediapolis (IA) Mediapolis: Miller is a 6'2", 200 lb. prospect who's the #10 kicker and the #2 punter in the country, according to Kohl's Kicking.

2022 Season Countdown: #125 Paul Jokisch III

 

Paul Jokisch (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Paul Jokisch III
Height:
6'3"
Weight:
230 lbs.
High school:
Birmingham (MI) Seaholm
Position:
Defensive end/outside linebacker
Class:
Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number:
#44
Last year:
Jokisch was not on the roster.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Jokisch is joining the football team for the first time. If his name sounds familiar, it's because he's the son of former Michigan wide receiver Paul Jokisch, who played in the mid-1980s before being a fifth round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers. He's also the nephew of former Wolverine Dan Jokisch and the cousin of former walk-on lineman Dan Jokisch, Jr. So there are a lot of Michigan connections.

For whatever reason, Jokisch III did not play football for his first two years on campus and joined the team this spring. I assume he will have to knock off some rust following the hiatus. You can see below that he played some wingback in high school - where he was a little bit of an awkward fit - and listed at 6'3" and 230 lbs., he's undersized to play an edge position at Michigan right now. Perhaps a year or two in the weight room might change that, but he's very likely just a scout team guy right now.

Prediction: Backup defensive end/outside linebacker

Monday, April 11, 2022

2022 Season Countdown: #126 William McBride

 

William McBride (image via MGoBlue)

Name: William McBride
Height:
5'9"
Weight:
202 lbs.
High school:
Birmingham (MI) Seaholm
Position:
Running back
Class:
Redshirt freshman
Jersey number:
#31
Last year:
McBride was not on the roster.
TTB Rating:
N/A

McBride is an unknown at this level. He was not on Michigan's fall roster in 2021, but he joined the team as a student body walk-on this winter. He was a very productive runner at Seaholm in high school, largely playing the fullback position on a triple option team. With a couple high-profile backs at the top of the depth chart and some more experienced walk-ons like Leon Franklin and Danny Hughes ahead of him, playing time is going to be tough to find. If McBride sticks around for a few years, he may find himself in the Leon Franklin role of being the #3 or #4 guy who can get some carries once game outcomes are already decided.

Prediction: Backup running back

Sunday, April 10, 2022

2022 Season Countdown: #127 Daniel Taraboi

 

Daniel Taraboi (image via 247 Sports)

Name: Daniel Taraboi
Height:
6'6"
Weight:
295 lbs.
High school:
Cedarburg (WI) Cedarburg
Position:
Offensive tackle
Class:
Freshman
Jersey number:
N/A
Last year:
Taraboi was a senior in high school.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Taraboi is coming to Michigan as a preferred walk-on after spurning offers from San Diego and Valparaiso. He's a massive high schooler (listed at 6'7" and 310 lbs. on Hudl) who is a little bit stiff and plays upright. Because of the lack of flexibility, he is probably looking at a career of being a scout team and backup player, but those guys are valuable to have on your roster.

Prediction: Redshirt

Friday, April 8, 2022

2023 Recruiting Update: April 8, 2022

 

Olney (MD) Good Counsel defensive end Neeo Avery (image via On3)

COMMITMENT

Kennesaw (GA) North Cobb running back Benjamin Hall committed to Michigan (LINK).

DECOMMITMENT

Milton (MA) Milton Academy tight end Andrew Rappleyea flipped from Michigan to Penn State.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2023

Olney (MD) Good Counsel defensive end Neeo Avery decommitted from Penn State. Avery is a 6'5", 230-pounder who's a 4-star, the #17 edge, and #192 overall. Georgia, Maryland, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and others have also offered.

Lynden (WA) Lynden Christian tight end Kade Eldridge was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'4", 235 lb. prospect with offers from Oregon, USC, and Washington, among others. He's a 247 Sports 3-star and the #84 athlete in the class.

Hit the jump for more.

Thursday, April 7, 2022

Way Too Early 2022 Depth Chart: April 2022

 

Donovan Edwards

The following depth chart has removed a variety of players due to graduation, departures for the NFL, and transfers. I have made some updates/changes based upon the spring game and chatter surrounding practices.

It also assumes that every currently rostered player and every signed prospect will be here in the fall of 2022, which is obviously not true.

Hit the jump for the depth chart.

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Visitors: April 8-10, 2022

 

UCF defensive tackle Cam Goode (image via Orlando Sentinel)

Here is a look at who's visiting Michigan. These visitors are actually trickling in throughout the week, not just this coming weekend.

GRAD TRANSFER

Cam Goode - DT - UCF: Originally from Washington (DC) St. John's, Goode signed with Virginia Tech in 2018 and then ended up at UCF. Listed at 6'2" and 315 lbs., he started three games in 2021 and made 24 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 interception, 4 forced fumbles, 3 pass breakups, and 4 quarterback hurries. This is an official visit.

Hit the jump for more.

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

2022 Season Countdown: #130 Joey Klunder

 

Joey Klunder (image via Twitter)

Name: Joey Klunder
Height:
6'4"
Weight:
230 lbs.
High school:
Grosse Pointe (MI) South
Position:
Defensive end
Class:
Freshman
Jersey number:
N/A
Last year:
Klunder was a senior in high school.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Klunder eschewed offers from Air Force, Army, and a variety of FCS schools in order to become a preferred walk-on at Michigan. He ended up ranked as a 247 Composite 3-star, the #209 defensive lineman, and #1772 overall.

Klunder is most likely just a practice squad player for this season, and he will have considerable talent to compete with for the remainder of his career at Michigan. But it's nice to get a walk-on who had other FCS offers.

Monday, April 4, 2022

Site News: Thank You!

 

I want to say thank you to all who donated via Paypal over the past week or so! I was amazed at the response. I thought it might take a few months to make it happen, and I was even slightly worried that we wouldn't be able to pull it off this year. I wanted to hit $3,400 and we made it to about $3,450 as of today.

So thank you to the following people (first names only):

  • Ashley
  • Ashley
  • Brian
  • Carl
  • David
  • David
  • David
  • David
  • Ed
  • Eric
  • Erik
  • Javier
  • Jean
  • Jim
  • Joel
  • John
  • Justin
  • Karl
  • Kevin
  • Lisa
  • Mat
  • Matthew
  • Matthew
  • Michael
  • Michael
  • Michael
  • Moser
  • Patrick
  • Peter
  • RealWideApparel
  • Richard
  • Robert
  • Roy
  • Sean
  • Spencer
  • Stephen
  • Steve
  • Todd
  • Tony
  • Tony

My next step will be to take it to people more technically advanced than me who can make the thingamajiggers work. It won't be fixed overnight, but we'll get the process started.

Thank you!

Sunday, April 3, 2022

5 Quick Hitter Spring Game Thoughts

 

Mason Graham

I have about 10 minutes before I have to go somewhere, so here are a few quick thoughts:

  1. DT Mason Graham looks college ready. I was late to really evaluate Graham because he committed during football season. (Here's my commitment post link.) But I really liked what I saw from him on Saturday. He already looks physically ready to play, and he has some heavy hands for a freshman.
  2. OT Trente Jones looks like the guy at right tackle. There were times where Jones made it look easy at right tackle. Maybe that was just a matter of who he was facing off against, but he anchors really well and uses his leverage. He also has quick feet, which is probably why he was used as an extra TE last season.
  3. Most improved from last year: DE Braiden McGregor. Braiden McGregor looks more physically ready to go this spring than he did in the fall. Last year he had a brace on his leg as he recovered from a nasty knee injury, and maybe these extra few months have helped him rehab it more and get more comfortable. He had a better get-off in the spring game than I've seen from him since he got to Michigan.
  4. WR Darrius Clemons looks like a future star. This has been a big takeaway from a lot of people, so I couldn't avoid it. He still needs to get better at some of the nuances of route running and releases, but he's big and fast and knows how to track the ball in the air. Route running often comes with age and experience. I think he's going to be better than Nico Collins.
  5. QB Alex Orji might not have a future at QB. I hate to judge an early enrollee freshman in his first spring game, but his passes were all over the place and somewhat wobbly. I think he completed 1/9 passes. He does have some running ability, but he's not a truly dynamic runner because he lacks breakaway speed. Maybe he could be a RB and get some Wildcat-type snaps down the road (like Hassan Haskins did a lot in 2019-2020), or perhaps he should move to H-back or linebacker.
  6. Bonus because I have one minute: QB Davis Warren. I mentioned in the 2021 season countdown (LINK) that I thought Michigan got a steal in walk-on quarterback Davis Warren. He looked good and was the second-best QB to play on Saturday. I would put him in before Alan Bowman, who has a weak arm and makes some questionable decisions.

2022 Season Countdown: #131 Chibi Anwunah

 

Chibi Anwunah (image via Hometown Life)

Name: Chibi Anwunah
Height:
6'7"
Weight:
220 lbs.
High school:
Westland (MI) Lutheran
Position:
Defensive end
Class:
Freshman
Jersey number:
N/A
Last year:
Anwunah was a senior in high school.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Anwunah has a very unorthodox back story. The son of Nigerian immigrants, he even spent some time living in Nigeria before moving back to the United States. He was also a cross country runner when he was younger (LINK). So he's just growing into his body and is very raw right now, but Michigan has had success with some of these types of players in the past.

Anwunah bounced around a little bit in the front seven and doesn't have much in his repertoire besides see ball, get ball. So he's almost guaranteed to redshirt. He's almost the type of guy who I could see running down on special teams in a few years like German mogul skier Julius Welschof. Of course, that might be a couple years down the road when he's added another 30+ pounds of muscle. Overall, this is a nice preferred walk-on pickup for the Wolverines.

Prediction: Redshirt

Friday, April 1, 2022

What to Watch in the Spring Game

 

Will Johnson

The spring game will be shown on the Big Ten Network on Saturday, April 2, at 12:00 p.m.

Here are a few things I'll be curious to watch:

WHO TAKES OVER FOR HASSAN HASKINS?
Michigan needs to replace its leading rusher and toughest back in Hassan Haskins, a 6'1", 220-pounder who is off to the NFL after rushing for 1,327 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2021. The Wolverines have two very talented running backs left, Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, but neither one has proven to be a bruiser or short yardage back. They have home run speed but were listed at 200 and 202 pounds, respectively, last season. Redshirt freshman Tavierre Dunlap (6'0", 222) might be able to step into the role as a big back, but does he have the instincts and power that Haskins showed? Michigan doesn't need a leading rusher - that will be Corum or Edwards - but they need someone who can pound the ball inside.

Hit the jump for more.