2022 Season Countdown: #78 Keshaun Harris

 

Keshaun Harris (image via Twitter)

Name: Keshaun Harris
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 186 lbs.
High school: Lansing (MI) Waverly
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #18
Last year: I ranked Harris #107 and said he would be a backup defensive back (LINK). He played in thirteen games on special teams and four games at cornerback.
TTB Rating: N/A

I underestimated Harris going into 2021. After sitting the bench as a walk-on for his first two years on campus, he suddenly became a contributor on special teams and even defense during his third year on campus. Granted, his defensive contributions came at the end of blowouts, but it's still significant for him that he was on the field during live game action.

Now we enter 2022, and I think competition to play corner is going to be a little stiffer. Yes, Michigan lost Vincent Gray to an attempt at the NFL (he went undrafted), but they brought in a couple freshmen, one of whom is a 5-star who is certainly going to see the field in Will Johnson. Add in some development time for the younger guys, and perhaps they'll see the field before Harris. Regardless, Harris should be a special teamer once again and somebody who can take some snaps in blowouts if necessary.

Prediction: Backup cornerback and special teamer

2022 Season Countdown: #79 Zeke Berry

 

Zeke Berry (image via 247 Sports)

Name: Zeke Berry
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Concord (CA) De La Salle
Position: Safety
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Berry was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 25 tackles, 3 sacks, and 1 interception.
TTB Rating: 82

Berry was a huge get for the Michigan program when he committed to the Wolverines in December. A solid 4-star prospect (he ended up at #171 in the 247 Composite), he was chosen for the All-American Bowl and the Polynesian Bowl. He also received offers from Oregon, UCLA, and USC, and frankly, I'm surprised he didn't get more national offers from SEC, ACC, and Big 12 offers. It's hard to say an All-American and top-200 player was flying under the radar, but his offer list doesn't match his considerable talent.

I've seen some talk that Berry could be a nickel/outside linebacker prospect - perhaps a Viper in Don Brown's defense - but I think that might be diminishing Berry's skill set. To me he's an every down player in the long run. He's simply too fast, too aggressive, and too physical to make him a sub package player. I think he will be good down the road, but he didn't enroll early and may take some time to adjust to college. Based on his film, he's a guy who should be in consideration to start by year two.

Prediction: Backup defensive back

Raylen Wilson, Ex-Wolverine

 

Tallahassee (FL) Lincoln linebacker Raylen Wilson

Tallahassee (FL) Lincoln linebacker Raylen Wilson decommitted from Michigan's class of 2023 on Tuesday. He had been committed to Michigan since December.

Wilson is a 247 Composite 4-star, the #5 linebacker, and #73 overall in the class. His decommitment brings Michigan down to #55 overall in the team recruiting rankings for the class.

Wilson's decommitment had been a long time coming, and he is much more likely to stay in the south. He took an official visit to Michigan earlier this month after visiting Florida and Georgia. Naturally, the hope was that the official visit would solidify his love for Michigan, but that was going to be a tough pull for a kid who just seems to want to play in the SEC.

Michigan now has zero linebackers in the 2023 class. They received an official visit from Perkasie (PA) Pennridge 3-star Phil Picciotti and Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep 4-star Semaj Bridgeman, the latter of whom has picked up some commitment buzz. News also recently came out that Lake City (FL) Columbia's Jaden Robinson has Michigan in his top four and wants to take an official during the season.

Wilson is the third decommitment of the class, joining tight end Andrew Rappleyea (Penn State) and defensive tackle Joel Starlings (North Carolina).

2022 Season Countdown: #80 Danny Hughes

 

Danny Hughes (image via Chicago Tribune)

Name: Danny Hughes
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Naperville (IL) Central
Position: Running back
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #24
Last year: I ranked Hughes #106 and said he would be a backup running back and special teamer (LINK). He played in thirteen games on special teams and had 1 carry for 5 yards on offense.
TTB Rating: N/A

Hughes is one of the top walk-on special teamers on the squad. He played in thirteen games last season on special teams, and in the blowout win over Maryland, he even got rewarded with 1 carry for 5 yards. Despite his contributions on special teams, I couldn't make it make sense to place him higher. There are some freshman and sophomore players who are superior athletes, and I think they could fill Hughes's role on special teams. Walk-ons provide an opportunity for young guys to retain redshirts, but at a time when kids can hit the transfer portal easily if they're not getting on the field, we may be entering an era when walk-on special teamers' importance starts to diminish.

Prediction: Backup running back and special teamer

Mason Curtis, Wolverine

 

Nashville (TN) Ensworth linebacker Mason Curtis

Nashville (TN) Ensworth linebacker Mason Curtis, a 2024 prospect, committed to Michigan on Monday. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Tennessee, among others.

Curtis is listed at 6'3" and 205 lbs.

RANKINGS
ESPN: N/A
On3: 4-star, 90 grade, #12 LB, #164 overall
Rivals: 4-star, 5.8 grade, #14 OLB, #219 overall
247 Sports: 4-star, 90 grade, #15 LB, #233 overall

Hit the jump for more.

2023 Recruiting Update: June 27, 2022

 

New Orleans (LA) Isidore Newman QB Arch Manning (image via USA Today)

Normally this type of post is a rundown of new offers and commitments, but this is going to be mostly the latter. It's commitment season, and boy oh boy, kids are committing left and right. Michigan landed a tight end in Deakon Tonielli (LINK), but there are a ton of guys who went off the board recently.

OFF THE BOARD

Houston (TX) Strake Jesuit tight end Chico Holt committed to Northwestern. The 3-star, the #32 tight end, and #620 player overall had been crystal balled to Michigan by some, but right around the time the Deakon Tonielli buzz started to grow, things seemed to turn in Northwestern's favor.

New Orleans (LA) Isidore Newman quarterback Arch Manning committed to Texas. He's considered to be the #1 recruit in the country in the 247 Composite. Michigan was not really in the picture here - though they did offer - but it may affect the Wolverines tangentially as they battle Texas for some other players. For example, would 4-star receiver Johntay Cook II rather play with Arch Manning or with whoever Michigan gets as a quarterback in 2023?

• 3-star Columbus (OH) St. Charles offensive tackle Ryan Carretta committed to Pitt
• 3-star Lynden (WA) Lynden Christian tight end Kade Eldridge committed to USC
• 4-star Tuscaloosa (AL) Northridge offensive tackle Wilkin Formby committed to Alabama
• 4-star Washington (DC) St. John's cornerback Collin Gill committed to Oregon
• 4-star Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy offensive guard Knijeah Harris committed to Florida
• 4-star Atlanta (GA) Woodward Academy defensive end A.J. Hoffler committed to Clemson
• 4-star Wylie (TX) East defensive tackle Anthony James II, a former Texas A&M commit, committed to Washington
• 4-star Orange Park (FL) Orange Park offensive tackle Roderick Kearney committed to Florida State
• 4-star Indianapolis (IN) Roncalli offensive tackle Trevor Lauck committed to Iowa
• 4-star Kehuku (HI) Kehuku linebacker Liona Lefau committed to Texas
• Woodberry Forest (VA) Woodberry Forest defensive tackle Rodney Lora committed to Virginia
• 5-star Alabaster (AL) Thompson cornerback Tony Mitchell committed to Alabama
• 4-star Selma (AL) Selma safety DaKaari Nelson committed to Penn State
• 5-star El Campo (TX) El Campo running back Rueben Owens II committed to Louisville
• 4-star Miami (FL) Christian cornerback Antonio Robinson committed to Wake Forest
• 4-star Rolesville (NC) Rolesville wide receiver Noah Rogers committed to Ohio State
• 5-star Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy wide receiver Carnell Tate committed to Ohio State

2022 Season Countdown: #81 Jimmy Rolder

 

Jimmy Rolder

Name: Jimmy Rolder
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school: Orland Park (IL) Marist
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Rolder was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 115 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles.
TTB Rating: 81

Rolder was a bit of a late bloomer. Originally planning to play baseball in college, his recruitment didn't really take off until he realized that hitting running backs is a whole lot easier to do than hitting baseballs. His first Power 5 offer didn't come until October of his senior season. He climbed in the rankings and eventually ended up as a 4-star, the #21 linebacker, and #222 overall in the 247 Composite, and Michigan bested Florida, Iowa, LSU, Ohio State, and Wisconsin for his services.

Rolder did not enroll at Michigan early and is just getting to campus this summer, so the chances of him playing much this fall are slim. Much like Deuce Spurlock (whom I profiled yesterday), if Rolder gets on the field, that means things have probably gone wrong with injuries and performance ahead of him. He also probably needs a year or two in the weight room. He could get some late game snaps to prepare him for 2023, when Michigan may need someone to take up snaps potentially vacated by Mike Barrett.

Prediction: Redshirt

2022 Season Countdown: #82 Deuce Spurlock

 

Deuce Spurlock (image via Madison Record)

Name: Deuce Spurlock
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school: Madison (AL) Madison Academy
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Spurlock was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 186 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 2 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 78

Spurlock is a good sized linebacker prospect who can run and somehow ended up ranked as the #994 overall prospect in the class and the #91 linebacker. I can't claim to have watched every linebacker ranked ahead of him, but I find it hard to believe that there are 90 linebackers in the country who are better. Then again, Auburn and South Carolina were Spurlock's two other best offers, so maybe I'm wrong.

Despite my evaluation that he's a pretty solid player, I rarely like placing freshman linebackers very high in the countdown. Linebacker is a difficult position to play from a mental standpoint, and naturally, making the transition from high school to college is a big task. However, the need at the position is pretty strong considering the lack of depth and experience. Nikhai Hill-Green and Junior Colson are pretty entrenched as two of the top three guys - with perhaps some Mike Barrett mixed in there - but after that, it's a roll of the dice to figure out which guy's next. I could see Spurlock redshirting, and I could also see him being a guy who runs downfield on kickoff and punt coverage in every single game.

Prediction: Backup linebacker

2022 Season Countdown: #83 C.J. Stokes

 

C.J. Stokes (image via SI)

Name: C.J. Stokes
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Columbia (SC) Hammond
Position: Running back
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Stokes was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 59 71

Michigan beat out Louisville, Minnesota, Missouri, Penn State, and South Carolina for South Carolina native C.J. Stokes. Stokes ended up ranked as a 3-star, the #63 running back, and #798 overall. Playing in a small school league, he dusted the competition on his way to 1,000+ yards in each of his final three seasons and a 13-0 record as a senior.

I have no real reason to distrust Michigan's running back evaluations. Jim Harbaugh has a track record of production there, even with guys whose talent I didn't love, such as Karan Higdon and De'Veon Smith. I think Stokes can be a solid college running back. He's built low to the ground, has some decent agility, and seems to have a good, hard-nosed attitude. Sometimes he seems a little slow to find holes and accelerate through them, and his top-end speed is a little questionable. But Hassan Haskins had some of the same issues, and he turned out just fine. Even so, Michigan has a great 1-2 punch at running back with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, and the big back role seems to be a battle between Tavierre Dunlap and Kalel Mullings. Add in walk-on Leon Franklin, who got a decent number of carries last year, and Stokes is going to be fighting for scraps or redshirting.

Prediction: Redshirt

2022 Season Countdown: #84 Kody Jones

 

Kody Jones (image via 247 Sports)

Name: Kody Jones
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 175 lbs.
High school: Memphis (TN) Germantown
Position: Cornerback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #12
Last year: Jones was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 80

There were some tense moments as Michigan tried to hold onto the 4-star, #13 athlete, and #311 overall player in the country, according to the 247 Composite. Despite a steady push from the home state Tennessee Volunteers, Jones chose the Wolverines and eventually decided to stick with the Wolverines. Despite being recruited as a defensive player, Jones played a lot of offense in 2021 as he stepped in to be a dynamic running back.

Jones could play a few positions in college. Originally thought to be a safety, Michigan employed him as a cornerback during the spring after he enrolled early. Jones held up fairly well, and unlike fellow freshman corner Myles Pollard, he did not look overmatched as an athlete. Jones will need to get bigger and work on his technique, but he looks like a young Blake Countess to me. Jones may need to wait a bit to get on the field, and he's probably not ready as a true freshman. I could see him getting his feet wet this season and maybe playing in just a few games to maintain his redshirt.

Prediction: Redshirt

2022 Season Countdown: #85 Dominick Giudice

 

Dominick Giudice

Name: Dominick Giudice
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 275 lbs.
High school: Freehold (NJ) Mater Dei
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #56
Last year: I ranked Giudice #122 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in two games.
TTB Rating: 58

Giudice has already exceeded my expectations in a way. Last year I did not expect him to see the field, and he did. Of course, the way Michigan was playing, a ton of players saw the field in blowouts. But still, Giudice could have remained on the bench all year long, and he played against Northern Illinois and Northwestern.

Coming into his second year on campus, it seems once again that Giudice will be languishing on the sideline most of the time. Along with a couple solid returning players, some of Giudice's classmates - Rayshaun Benny and George Rooks - have earned practice buzz from the spring. Add in a monster freshman nose tackle in Kenneth Grant and an early enrollee with some buzz in Mason Graham, and it's an uphill climb for Giudice to earn playing time. I do not expect him to factor much into the rotation in 2022.

Prediction: Backup defensive tackle

Visitors: June 24-26, 2022

 

Miami (FL) Gulliver Prep WR Jalen Brown (image via Miami Herald)

CLASS OF 2023 OFFICIAL VISITORS

Jaiden Ausberry - LB - Baton Rouge (LA) University Laboratory: Ausberry is a 6'2", 210 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Texas, among others. He has taken officials to Auburn, Notre Dame, and Texas A&M. Ausberry ranks as a 4-star, the #4 outside linebacker, and #80 overall. The FutureCast has him headed to LSU, but his older brother Austin signed with Auburn in the class of 2022.

Jalen Brown - WR - Miami (FL) Gulliver Prep: Brown is a 6'2", 178-pounder with offers from Georgia, LSU, Miami, and Michigan, among others. He's a 4-star, the #6 wide receiver, and #44 overall. Brown has a connection to former Michigan great Desmond Howard, but he also has connections elsewhere. LSU and Miami are also considered to be strong contenders for his services.

Malachi Coleman - DE - Lincoln (NE) East: Coleman is a 6'5", 196 lb. athlete with offers from Georgia, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Oregon, among others. He's a 4-star, the #2 athlete, and #96 overall. Coleman took an official visit to Nebraska earlier this month and the FutureCast has him as a future Cornhusker.

Hit the jump for more.

Deakon Tonielli, Wolverine

 

Oswego (IL) Oswego tight end Deakon Tonielli (image via Hudl)

Oswego (IL) Oswego tight end Deakon Tonielli committed to Michigan on Sunday afternoon. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Illinois, Purdue, Tennessee, and West Virginia, among others.

Tonielli is listed at 6'6" and 215 lbs. As a sophomore in 2020, he caught 25 passes for 440 yards and 3 touchdowns.

RANKINGS
ESPN: 3-star, 79 grade, #14 TE
On3: 4-star, 90 grade, #17 TE
Rivals: 3-star, 5.6 grade, #44 TE
247 Sports: 4-star, 90 grade, #17 TE

Hit the jump for more on Tonielli's commitment.

Best Father-Son Duos Since 1980

 

Chris Hutchinson (left) and Aidan Hutchinson (center) make up the best father-son duo at Michigan in the past 40 years

Happy Father's Day to all you Michigan fan dads out there!

I'm no Michigan football historian. If you asked me what the team's record was back in 1929 or who the starting running back was in 1954, I would stare at you blankly and then walk away. They barely kept stats back then, so did it really happen if there were no TFLs?

I'm here to say it didn't.

But I can make an argument for the best father-son duos to play for Michigan football since the beginning of the 1980s. If you disagree, you're wrong. But it's your prerogative to argue in the comments, anyway.

1. Chris Hutchinson (1989-1992) and Aidan Hutchinson (2018-2021)
Chris wore #97 and was an All-American at defensive tackle in 1992. He was a three-year starter and a captain who set the school record with 11 sacks in 1992, and he had 24 sacks for his career. Aidan also donned #97 and started for three seasons at defensive end, topping his dad with 14 sacks in 2021. He finished his career with 16.5 career sacks and was the #2 overall draft pick by the Detroit Lions in 2022.

Hit the jump for more.

2022 Season Countdown: #86 Max Bredeson

 

Max Bredeson (image via Twitter)

Name: Max Bredeson
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 222 lbs.
High school: Hartland (WI) Arrowhead
Position: Tight end
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #82
Last year: I ranked Bredeson #127 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: N/A

Bredeson is the younger brother of former Michigan offensive guard Ben Bredeson, who was a 4th round draft pick of the Ravens and is now with the Giants. Max came to Michigan as a preferred walk-on, and to get on the field as a true freshman walk-on - even though it was in a blowout against Northern Illinois - is a pretty cool feat.

Max caught a couple passes in the spring game, and he looks like a decent athlete. The tough part for him is that Michigan has a bunch of quality tight ends, including three seniors (Erick All, Joel Honigford, Luke Schoonmaker) who are going to get a ton of reps. Perhaps the roster will shake out over the next couple years where Bredeson might get more of an opportunity, for right now, he will probably have to just accept the leftover snaps in blowouts.

Prediction: Backup tight end

Visitors: June 17-19, 2022

 

DeSoto (TX) DeSoto WR Johntay Cook II (image via SI)

Note: All rankings below are based on Rivals' rankings. I usually use 247 Composite rankings, but since I'm posting this list on multiple sites, it's probably not the most time efficient to go through and rewrite everyone's rankings.

CLASS OF 2023 OFFICIAL VISITORS

Brooks Bahr - DE - Chicago (IL) Loyola: Bahr is a 6'6", 250 lb. prospect who committed to Michigan in March. He's a 3-star and the #45 strongside defensive end in the class.

Johntay Cook II - WR - DeSoto (TX) DeSoto: Cook is a 6'0", 170 lb. wideout with offers from Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, and Texas, among others. He's a 4-star, the #7 wide receiver, and #52 in the class. His official visit will actually be Monday through Wednesday (June 20-22). Michigan has landed a couple DeSoto products in recent years when they signed Gemon and German Green in the class of 2018.

Enow Etta - DE - Colleyville (TX) Covenant Christian: Etta is a 6'5", 260-pounder with offers from Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Stanford, among others. He's a 4-star, the #18 weakside end, and #239 overall in the Rivals 250.

Hit the jump for more.

2022 Season Countdown: #87 Kenneth Grant

 

Kenneth Grant

Name: Kenneth Grant
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 335 lbs.
High school: Merrillville (IN) Merrillville
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Grant was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 38 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 12 quarterback hurries, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and 8 blocked kicks (4 field goals, 2 extra points, 2 punts).
TTB Rating: 85

Grant is a high quality prospect. He moves with a lot of fluidity for a guy who's 335 lbs. I'm surprised that he only ended up ranked as a 3-star, the #59 defensive lineman, and #444 overall in the 247 Composite. While he didn't have a great offer list, some schools with pretty good pedigrees were after him, like Ohio State and Wisconsin.

My biggest concern with guys who enter college at 330+ pounds is their conditioning. You can no longer take any plays off in college like you did in high school. Furthermore, Michigan has a few guys they can plug into the middle of the defense, such as Mazi Smith, Cam Goode, and Rayshaun Benny. I wouldn't be surprised to see Grant play some as a freshman - in fact, I fully expect him to appear in some games - but it takes a lot of big guys at least one year before they can adjust to the speed of the college game.

Prediction: Redshirt

2023 Recruiting Update: June 13, 2022

 

Columbus (OH) St. Charles offensive tackle Ryan Carretta (image via Hudl)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2023

Columbus (OH) St. Charles offensive tackle Ryan Carretta was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'5", 310 lb. prospect with offers from Iowa State, Kentucky, Pitt, and Tennessee, among others. He's a 3-star, the #80 offensive tackle, and #921 overall.

Memphis (TN) Briarcrest Christian linebacker Maxwell Carroll was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'3", 205 lb. prospect with offers from Tennessee and Texas A&M. He's a 3-star, the #35 athlete, and #444 overall.

Concord (NC) Robinson defensive tackle Daevin Hobbs picked up an offer from Michigan. He's a 6'4", 250-pounder with offers from North Carolina, Ole Miss, and Penn State, among others. He's a 4-star, the #29 defensive lineman, and #197 overall.

Hit the jump for more.

2022 Season Countdown: #88 Myles Pollard

 

Myles Pollard (image via 247 Sports)

Name: Myles Pollard
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 185 lbs.
High school: Brentwood (TN) Ravenwood
Position: Cornerback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #24
Last year: Pollard was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 83

Pollard, a former high school teammate of Michigan linebacker Junior Colson, was on the fringe of Michigan's radar until Steve Clinkscale was hired, swooped in, and convinced the young corner to come to Ann Arbor. It was a big recruiting win for Michigan, since he had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Miami, Oregon, Penn State, and numerous others. Pollard ended up as a 3-star, the #54 cornerback, and #602 overall.

It's hard to reconcile that offer list with the ranking, but Pollard enrolled early in January and participated in Michigan's spring game. I have to say that he didn't flash much in the spring game. Not only is he still pretty skinny, but his speed looked just so-so. That being said, his physicality and length are a couple of his strong suits, and those won't be an advantage in the college game until he has a year or two in the S&C program. So I don't expect much from Pollard in 2022. He should be firmly entrenched as a backup with a good chance to redshirt.

Prediction: Redshirt

2022 Season Countdown: #89 Marlin Klein

 

Rabun Gap (NC) Nacoochee TE Marlin Klein (image via 247 Sports)

Name: Marlin Klein
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 215 lbs.
High school: Rabun Gap (GA) Nacoochee
Position: Tight end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #17
Last year: Klein was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 22 catches for 303 yards and 3 touchdowns.
TTB Rating: 81

Klein is an impressive athlete who comes from a little way off the beaten path. A native of Germany, he ended up at a private school on the border of Georgia and North Carolina. The competition isn't great and Klein didn't even put up great numbers, but he claims 4.5 speed at 6'6" and 215+ pounds. He certainly looks the part of a quality tight end, but he will have to adjust to significantly better competition, and he will need to get in the weight room.

Tight end is a difficult position to play as a true freshman, at least with any proficiency. Michigan has recruited more physically advanced tight ends who haven't seen the field much as true freshmen. On top of several quality tight ends already available (Erick All, Joel Honigford, Luke Schoonmaker), Michigan has a fairly experienced walk-on in Carter Selzer and some inexperienced guys with a year or two in the weight room already. I don't expect to see Klein on the field in 2022 unless it's at the end of a blowout victory.

Prediction: Redshirt

Visitors: June 10-12, 2022

 

St. Louis (MO) Christian Brothers running back Jeremiyah Love (image via Twitter)

2023

Collins Acheampong - DE - Anaheim (CA) Fairmont: Acheampong is a 6'7", 230-pounder with offers from LSU, Miami, Michigan, UCLA, and USC, among others. He's a 4-star, the #22 athlete, and #318 overall. Acheampong took an unofficial visit to Michigan this spring and is a bit of a late bloomer, since he was mostly focused on basketball earlier in his teenage years. This is an unofficial visit.

Semaj Bridgeman - LB - Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep: Bridgeman isa 6'2", 230 lb. inside linebacker with offers from Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Oregon, among others. He's a 4-star, the #18 linebacker, and #281 overall. This is an official visit.

My'Keil Gardner - DT - Peoria (AZ) Liberty: Gardner is a 6'2", 275-pounder with offers from Michigan, Oregon, Texas, and Wisconsin, among others. He's a 3-star, the #52 defensive lineman, and #379 overall. He visited Wisconsin last weekend and still have official visits planned for Oregon and Texas after his official to Michigan.

Hit the jump for more.

2022 Season Countdown: #90 Damani Dent

 

Damani Dent

Name: Damani Dent
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Jacksonville (FL) Terry Parker
Position: Safety
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #9
Last year: Dent was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 82

Dent was a little known prospect to Michigan fans before he was on the verge of committing. That type of thing can tend to happen when you're from Florida and your other two best offers are from Oregon and Pitt. Not that there's anything wrong with those schools, of course, but they're not traditional recruiting powerhouses.

I do like Dent and his potential. He's supposedly a student of the game, and he's an aggressive and intelligent player. I think if he sticks around long enough at Michigan, he could be a good player. I had a hard time placing him in the countdown, because another undersized safety, Rod Moore, played quite a bit as a freshman in 2021. Dent could follow in his footsteps. Or the safety depth chart could be full enough with Moore, R.J. Moten, Makari Paige, and others to leave Dent redshirting.

Safety is traditionally not a spot where freshmen get a lot of run, so I'm betting against the chances of finding lightning in a bottle two years in a row. I'm guessing Dent will play in a game or two as a backup and preserve his redshirt.

Prediction: Redshirt

Site News: TTB is joining Rivals!

 

(image via Solid Digital)

Good morning, and happy Monday!

This is a special post, and the title above says a lot. I was recently approached by The Maize and Blue Review editor Josh Henschke to join the Rivals gang, and after a little consideration, I decided to accept. I have occasionally deliberated attempting to join up with one of the recruiting sites, but I was just never sure it fit what I have to offer.

One hang-up I had was that I did not want to give up Touch the Banner, something that I take pride in for having built up over more than a decade. Luckily, Josh said I would not have to give up the site. Therefore, you will see me still posting here at www.touch-the-banner.com and www.touchthebanner.blogspot.com while working part-time for Rivals. Josh and I think that will be mutually beneficial, as perhaps some traffic here will filter over to Rivals, and some Rivals traffic may filter over here to TTB.

Is it a win-win? I hope so!

As for what to expect from a content perspective, I plan to continue the 2022 Season Countdown and maintain team-oriented posts here. Josh wants me to focus mostly on recruiting content for TMBR. Of course, team and recruiting news often are inextricably linked, so there will be some crossover on both sites.

You can follow me on Twitter @TouchtheBanner, where I will be sharing content from both sites moving forward. And of course you can always find me in the comments, as I appreciate the back-and-forth with readers.

Thanks for reading, and I hope I can continue to bring you worthwhile content, regardless of the site on which you encounter my work! Go Blue!

2022 Season Countdown: #91 Alessandro Lorenzetti

 

Alessandro Lorenzetti (image via Hudl)

Name: Alessandro Lorenzetti
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 285 lbs.
High school: Windsor (CT) Loomis Chaffee
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Lorenzetti was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 85

Lorenzetti is a native Canadian who transferred to Loomis Chaffee in Connecticut to boost his football and recruiting opportunities. Baylor, Georgia, and Penn State all offered. Michigan State was rumored to be the leader until Michigan stepped in with an offer, and a little publicized visit turned into a commitment. When I turned on his film, I was expecting the Canadian to be a huge project. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find out he has outstanding footwork and finishes his blocks really well.

Like almost every lineman entering college, Lorenzetti needs to continue getting stronger. He's still pretty light at 285 lbs. His technique is solid, but for size/strength reasons, I think Lorenzetti is practically a shoo-in for a redshirt.

Prediction: Redshirt

2022 Season Countdown: #92 Kraig Correll

 

Kraig Correll

Name: Kraig Correll
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 311 lbs.
High school: Easton (PA) Blair Academy
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #54
Last year: I ranked Correll #91 and said he would be a backup offensive guard (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: N/A

Correll was a fairly highly touted walk-on a few years ago. Now that he's been on campus for four seasons, that has turned into exactly one game played. The truth is that Michigan's offensive line (and offensive line recruiting) has been pretty good, so they haven't needed to reach deep down the depth chart to try to find other contributors.

Correll is unlikely to move up the depth chart too much in 2022. Even with a small offensive line class in 2022, Michigan should have a pretty solid two-deep. But it's certainly nice to have a stout fifth year senior on the scout team to give decent reps to the guys who are higher on the depth chart.

Prediction: Backup offensive guard

2022 Season Countdown: #93 Tyler Morris

 

Tyler Morris (image via Twitter)

Name: Tyler Morris
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 175 lbs.
High school: La Grange Park (IL) Nazareth Academy
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #13
Last year: Morris was a senior in high school (LINK). He sat out the season with a torn ACL.
TTB Rating: 83

Morris had a disappointing end to his high school career. Instead of going out with a bang, he went out with what was likely a literal whimper as he tore his ACL in the spring of 2021. Yes, as if the COVID year wasn't already bad enough, he had to pop his ACL while making an interception and then sit out his entire senior season while recovering. I can't think of many worse ways to finish up.

On the plus side, Morris ended up transferring to Plainedge (IL) East for his final semester of high school in the fall of 2021, graduate, and then enroll early at Michigan in January 2022. He spent the spring at Michigan wearing a non-contact jersey and just running drills. Now a full year out from suffering the injury, Morris should be well on his way to a full recovery. However, the shortened 2020 (a.k.a. spring 2021) season and then a totally missed fall 2021 season probably leaves him a little bit rusty. I think Morris has high upside as a receiver, but with Michigan's returning players and a supposed freak in Darrius Clemons as a fellow freshman, I don't think Morris will be counted on much in 2022.

Prediction: Redshirt

2022 Season Countdown: #94 Amorion Walker

 

Maybe I'm colorblind, but Amorion Walker looks like he's wearing a red shirt to me (image via 247 Sports)

Name: Amorion Walker
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Ponchatoula (LA) Ponchatoula
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #4
Last year: Walker was a senior in high school (LINK). He caught 8 touchdown passes.
TTB Rating: 81

Walker was committed to Notre Dame for a long time, but one of the worst kept secrets in recruiting last year was his impending flip to Michigan. Insiders were hinting or flat-out saying he was going to flip, but that it was just a matter of time. And it's totally understandable why he would ditch the Fighting Irish for the Wolverines, because Notre Dame people are nincompoops.

As for Walker's accomplishments on the field, he earned offers from Alabama and LSU and was selected for the Under Armour All-America Game. He was a 247 Composite 3-star, the #72 wide receiver, and #526 overall, which all seem to be low rankings for a guy with offers from several powerhouse programs.

The only reasonable explanation for the low rankings is the fact that Walker is only 180 pounds, which is tiny for someone who is 6'4". Walker enrolled early at Michigan, and Jim Harbaugh raved about him as a football player. I think Harbaugh loves this kid. His high school film makes him look like a greyhound being covered by a bunch of Dachshunds. But with as skinny as he is, I think 2022 will be a year for him to redshirt and get in the weight room. Michigan has plenty of depth at receiver right now to keep him safely on the sideline.

Prediction: Redshirt

2022 Season Countdown: #95 Micah Pollard

 

Micah Pollard (image via Detroit News)

Name: Micah Pollard
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Jacksonville (FL) Bartram Trail
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Pollard was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 74

Pollard committed to Michigan in July of last year. Unrelated to cornerback signee Myles Pollard, Micah is, however, related to a much more famous Pollard: former Indianapolis Colts tight end Marcus Pollard. Marcus is Micah's father and played with Jim Harbaugh for the Colts back in ye olden days. Micah fielded offers from Auburn, Ole Miss, Penn State, and South Carolina, among others, before committed to the Wolverines. He ended up ranked as a 3-star, the #71 linebacker, and #719 overall.

I think Pollard is a high-floor, low-ceiling prospect. He has the pedigree, technique, and athleticism to be a decent player, but he lacks that quick-twitch ability to be a high-level performer, in my opinion. The biggest thing lacking as a freshman will be a shortage of bulk and strength. He's listed at 200 pounds and he does not have the ability to overpower linemen as a senior in high school. That will need to come in the weight room and at the dinner table. For now I think Pollard is likely to redshirt with an outside chance at playing on some special teams.

Prediction: Redshirt

2022 Season Countdown: #96 Isaiah Gash

 

Isaiah Gash (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Isaiah Gash
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 178 lbs.
High school: Green Bay (WI) Bay Port
Position: Running back
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #41
Last year: I ranked Gash #99 and said he would be a backup running back (LINK). He played in two games and had 6 carries for 17 yards.
TTB Rating: N/A

Gash, whom I feel compelled to point out again is the son of former NFL fullback Sam Gash, continues to be a little light for running back at the Big Ten level. I keep expecting to open up an updated roster with him suddenly around 195 or 200 pounds, but that doesn't seem to be likely at this point. It's rare to see a Big Ten running back hovering in the 170-180 pound range, but that's where Gash has been. Perhaps it has something to do with his fledgling amateur boxing career.

Regardless, Gash is going to chill here in the 90s. Considering his pedigree, I thought he would move up this list at some point in his career, but that seems unlikely right now. If he can't or won't put on weight, then he will probably never factor into the running back depth chart much other than getting a chance to carry the ball late in blowouts, like he did against Northern Illinois and Maryland last year.

Prediction: Backup running back

2022 Season Countdown: #97 Jayden Denegal

 

Jayden Denegal (image via Twitter)

Name: Jayden Denegal
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 215 lbs.
High school: Apple Valley (CA) Apple Valley
Position: Quarterback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #16
Last year: Denegal was a senior in high school. He completed 121/175 passes (69.1%) for 1,545 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions; he also ran 47 times for 281 yards and 8 touchdowns.
TTB Rating: 61

Michigan seemed to have a tough time gaining footing with quarterbacks in the class of 2022. Perhaps it was because it was on the heels of landing J.J. McCarthy, a star of the 2021 class. Perhaps it was due to Michigan's poor play on the field in 2020. Regardless, Michigan threw out some offers to guys they really seemed to like and didn't get much mutual interest. Then at the beginning of summer, they extended an offer to Denegal, which he accepted immediately.

Denegal ended up as a 3-star, the #29 quarterback, and #455 overall in the 247 Composite. Considered by many to be the superior quarterback of the two Michigan landed in 2022, accounts from the spring had Alex Orji as the better thrower - which is saying something, because some people think Orji will end up playing a different position by the time his college career is over. Denegal did not see any action in the spring game, while Orji showed some nice running skills and threw the ball poorly. With that knowledge, I'm expecting Denegal to take a redshirt in 2022 behind Cade McNamara, McCarthy, Davis Warren, and Alan Bowman, if not Orji and others.

Prediction: Redshirt

2022 Season Countdown: #98 Nolan Knight

 

Nolan Knight (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Nolan Knight
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 215 lbs.
High school: Northville (MI) Northville
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #32
Last year: I ranked Knight #104 and said he would be a backup linebacker (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: N/A

As we inch closer to exhausting the list of walk-ons in the countdown, Knight is someone who appears fairly high on the list. Having watched him a little bit from when he was in high school, I think Knight could be one of those players who steps into some playing time late in his career, at least on special teams. He has good length and decent athleticism, and he's going into his fourth year on the roster. Defensive playing time is going to be hard to come by because of what's needed from the inside linebacker position and the depth, but Knight is a guy who could find a role on some special teams, such as the kickoff or kickoff return unit.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer