List of 2017 early enrollees

[Thunder]

Early enrollees for Michigan include:

WR Tarik Black
OT Ja’Raymond Hall
DT Donovan Jeter
S Jaylen Kelly-Powell
DE Corey Malone-Hatcher
LB Ben Mason
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
C Cesar Ruiz
CB Benjamin St-Juste
CB Ambry Thomas
S J’Marick Woods

[SinCityBlue]

If Ruiz come in and does well enough to start at Center does that kind of screw over Cole? I thought I read somewhere that he came back just to polish up his skills at the Center position before transitioning over to the NFL…

[Thunder]

I don’t think that really matters. If he’s better than Cole, he’ll play. But that probably won’t be the case. Either way, both guys can play C and OG, and Cole can play OT.

[crazyjoedavola]

Ruiz beating out Cole would be a good thing because Cole is our best lineman right now and can play anywhere. So Ruiz taking Cole’s spot and Cole taking JBB’s or Ulizio’s spot would be great. Plus if Cole can’t hold on to a spot against a true freshman, chances are he won’t be an NFL Center anyways.

[SinCityBlue]

Great point! Never even thought of it that way. I’m just kinda excited about Ruiz cuz his TTB ranking is so high.

[Lanknows]

Looks like you need an editor because you forgot to include Najee Harris.

[Lanknows]

This is great because OL, WR, DL, and DB are all positions where Michigan will have opportunities for freshman to make an impact.

The way I look at is is you need to have 7-8 DBs with the top 6 being most critical. In order of likelihood of being in that rotation I see:

1. Kinnel
2. Clark (assuming he’s back)
3. Hudson
4. Mettelus (assuming he isn’t a fulltime LB)
5. Hill
6. Watson

That leaves 1 or 2 more spots for returning players (Long, Washington) and freshman. As Thomas sounds like the most promising freshman for the moment, he’ll get a legit shot. He may not start right away but he’ll probably push for a role. EE should help a lot.

Looking at WR you really only need meaningful snaps from 4. In order of liklihood:

1. Perry (if he is back)
2. Crawford
3. McDoom
4. Harris

There’s only 2 other returning players (Johnson and Ways) and it’s likely there is more rotation than the last two years. So DPJ and Black will get a legit shot (and Hawkins too, though he seems further down the pecking order for now). At this point I’m doubtful Collins ends up in the class.

OL has been discussed a lot lately but my current top 6 is:

1. Cole
2. Bredeson
3. Onwenu
4. Newsome (if healthy)
5. Bushel-Beatty
6. Kugler

Again, for the freshman there is a very real opportunity. None of the other returning players have seen snaps (Ulizio, Runyan, Spanellis). Ruiz and (crossing my fingers) Filigia are getting all the attention and sound as ready to play as they can be (though so did Kalis and Kugler).

DL has some opportunity too, though it’ll be a little more competitive there. You need a rotation of 7-8.

1. Gary
2. Hurst
3. Mone
4. Winovich
5. R.Johnson
6. L.Marshall
7. Dwumfour

Obviously after the starters it’s wide open but there are a ton of options (Kemp, S.Johnson, Jones) and a whole lotta freshman. It’s clear that interior NT/DT is the biggest need to spell Mone. Jeter coming in early will give him a leg up on other options like Hudson & DIB.

Given the above I do wonder why Slaton isn’t giving more consideration to joining Hebert at Michigan. He has a clear opportunity at either position. I don’t expect either at this point, but both are very much needed.

——————

About the only EE who seems to have little chance of breaking into the rotation is Mason.

Don’t expect too many red-shirts beyond the OL.

[Thunder]

I wouldn’t even put it past Mason to play in the fall. When Mike Wroblewski is your backup MIKE and then you lose your starting MIKE, anything can happen. Personally, I think McCray will move to MIKE and Bush will step in at WILL. But you still need a couple guys playing backup roles. There will be a couple redshirt freshmen waiting in the wings, too, but Mason is already a big kid who might be able to hold up physically in the middle.

[Lanknows]

Yikes. That’s a bit scary now that you mention it.

[INTJohn]

I still have questions regarding S. Johnson as to whether he’s even on the Team. I’m only mentioning this because you’ve listed his name and while he’s still listed on the roster on MGoBlue I noticed some time back his name is ‘mysteriously’ absent from the Orange Bowl Game Guide part containning the Player Bios as also linked from MGoBlue site.

Curious if he’s quietly left? and no one has addressed it?

Thanx………..INTjohn

[Thunder]

I haven’t heard anything specific on Shelton Johnson beyond the suspension at the beginning of the year. You’re right that he wasn’t on the bowl game roster. I do not believe he’s on the team anymore, but I haven’t heard anything concrete.

FWIW, there were some other absences from the bowl game roster, too: Brandon Peters, David Long, Nick Eubanks, and Devin Gil.

[Klctlc]

Ummm.. That is a pretty scary list of people not dressed. Any scuttlebut on Peters or Long? Losing Peters would be horrible. I remember hearing he was homesick early or something to that effect.

Would hate to lose Eubanks too, but I remember your comments on him being very boom or bust.

We need Peters to pan out and if he can’t beat out Speight, push him hard. Not a fan of O’Korn.

McCaffrey looks solid, but he also has the body of a little boy. He needs 25 pounds before you can put him out there.

[Thunder]

The coaches like Peters. He just had some maturing to do physically, which you could see coming. He’s also a very quiet kid and needs to become more of a vocal leader.

Long had a nagging injury throughout the year, which stunted his development.

I haven’t heard anything about those guys leaving. They may have had illnesses, injuries, funerals, etc. that might have caused them to miss the trip. It doesn’t automatically mean they left the team.

[INTJohn]

I don’t think S. Johnson is on the Team anymore either but just an uneducated guess on my part. Seems like something would be heard, however, given there’s enough students in AA slapping stuff on social media/blogs etc regarding Mich. Football; that someone somehwhere would’ve snooped something…….

I’ll assume also that ‘BP Petro’ remains on the Team as the QB position will need some gas in the not too distant future; I don’t think Harbaugh wants to let the Ferrari out of the garage tho till the OL can keep from gettin’ it cracked up. Till then he’ll use the big truck out there knowing its going get banged up some……. 🙂

IMHO
Thanx………..INTJohn

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