Name: Andrew Sprague
Height: 6'8”
Weight: 315 lbs.
High school: Kansas City (MO) Rockhurst
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #54
Last year: I ranked Sprague #79 and said he would be a backup offensive tackle (LINK). He played in four games, including one start.
TTB Rating: 89
It's not often that any player, let alone a redshirt freshman, shoots up from #79 one year to #11 the next, but that's the case for Sprague.
And it was kind of the case for Sprague during the season last year, too.
In some ways, Michigan seemed super deep at offensive tackle in 2024 with upperclassman who just couldn't get on the field, like Jeff Persi (now at Pitt) and Andrew Gentry (now at BYU). Those two were boxed out by Myles Hinton and then redshirt freshman Evan Link. Unfortunately, most of Michigan's line played poorly in 2024. And by the time the bowl game rolled around, Hinton opted out to prepare for the draft and in stepped Sprague, then a true freshman.
Going into the 2025 season, there's been some chatter that Sprague might be Michigan's best lineman right now, and his right tackle starting spot seemed to have been solidified by the spring, if not before. Sprague hasn't been in a position battle like Link at left tackle or Brady Norton at right guard. He's been The Man, even though he's played fewer college snaps than any of the other projected starters.
It's still awkward to think of #54 starting at right tackle, because I'm used to the tackles at Michigan sporting numbers in the 70s. But unless he has a change of heart to want to be the next great #77 like Jake Long or Jon Jansen or Taylor Lewan, I'm going to have to get used to it. If Michigan's offense makes a big leap this season, we're probably going to see a lot of highlights of the 6'8" #54 caving down his side of the line.
Prediction: Starting right tackle
Big dude. When was the last time a RSFr was our best OL? 2oo9?
ReplyDeleteAgree with the analysis fully but if he's really the best OL shouldn't he probably be at LT rather than the open tryout between Frazier/Norton/Link?
ReplyDeleteI have hopes but I worry expectations might be a little inflated here. Great debut against bama but it's one game...
Anyway, I might be being overly optimistic but I keep harkening back to 2020 when the OL had to throw a bunch of new faces on the field. Things were rough but paid dividends for the youngsters who emerged in 2021. Fingers crossed that lessons learned in 2024 bear fruit for Link/Sprague/ElHadi/Crippen in 2025.