Chris Evans (image via 247 Sports)
Back in August of 2016, I took a look at how the depth chart might look in 2017 (LINK), and then I updated it in September (LINK), November (LINK), January (LINK), February (LINK), March (LINK), April (LINK), and May (LINK). Of course, things are always fluid, there will be early departures, there will be injuries, etc. Fall camp begins on Monday, and we are excited.
Hit the jump for a look at 2017.
QB: Wilton Speight (RS Jr.), Brandon Peters (RS Fr.), John O’Korn (5th), Alex Malzone (RS So.), Dylan McCaffrey (Fr.)
RB: Chris Evans (So.), Karan Higdon (Jr.), Ty Isaac (5th), Kareem Walker (RS Fr.), O’Maury Samuels (Fr.), Tru Wilson (So.), Kurt Taylor (Fr.)
FB: Khalid Hill (5th), Henry Poggi (5th), Ben Mason (Fr.), Michael Hirsch (RS Jr.)
WR1: Kekoa Crawford (So.), Donovan Peoples-Jones (Fr.), Nate Schoenle (So.)
WR2: Tarik Black (Fr.), Maurice Ways (RS Jr.), Nico Collins (Fr.)
WR3: Eddie McDoom (So.), Grant Perry (Jr.), Nate Johnson (So.), Oliver Martin (Fr.)
TE: Ian Bunting (RS Jr.), Tyrone Wheatley (RS So.), Zach Gentry (RS So.), Sean McKeon (RS Fr.), Nick Eubanks (RS Fr.)
LT: Mason Cole (Sr.), Nolan Ulizio (RS So.), Joel Honigford (Fr.), Grant Newsome (Jr.)*
LG: Ben Bredeson (So.), Ja’Raymond Hall (Fr.)
C: Patrick Kugler (5th), Cesar Ruiz (Fr.), Andrew Vastardis (RS Fr.)
RG: Michael Onwenu (So.), Stephen Spanellis (RS Fr.)
RT: Jon Runyan, Jr. (RS So.), Juwann Bushell-Beatty (RS Jr.), Chuck Filiaga (Fr.), Andrew Stueber (Fr.)
SDE: Rashan Gary (So.), Carlo Kemp (RS Fr.), Deron Irving-Bey (Fr.)
DT: Maurice Hurst Jr. (5th), Michael Dwumfour (RS Fr.), Donovan Jeter (Fr.), Lawrence Marshall (RS Jr.), Carl Myers (So.), James Hudson III (Fr.), Phillip Paea (Fr.)
NT: Bryan Mone (RS Jr.), Aubrey Solomon (Fr.)
WDE: Chase Winovich (RS Jr.), Luiji Vilain (Fr.), Ron Johnson (RS Fr.), Reuben Jones (RS So.), Kwity Paye (Fr.)
Viper/SAM: Khaleke Hudson (So.), Jordan Glasgow (RS So.), Noah Furbush (RS Jr.), Joshua Uche (So.), Drew Singleton (Fr.)
MIKE: Devin Bush (So.), Michael Wroblewski (5th), Elysee Mbem-Bosse (So.)
WILL: Mike McCray (5th), Jordan Anthony (Fr.), Devin Gil (So.), Joshua Ross (Fr.), Jared Wangler (RS Jr.)
CB: Keith Washington (RS So.), David Long (RS Fr.), Ambry Thomas (Fr.)
CB: Lavert Hill (So.), Brandon Watson (RS Jr.), Drake Harris (RS Jr.), Benjamin St-Juste (Fr.)
FS: Tyree Kinnel (Jr.), Jaylen Kelly-Powell (Fr.), Brad Hawkins (Fr.)
SS: Joshua Metellus (So.), Jordan Glasgow (RS So.), J’Marick Woods (Fr.)
K: Quinn Nordin (RS Fr.), Ryan Tice (RS So.)
P: Brad Robbins (Fr.), Will Hart (RS Fr.), Quinn Nordin (RS Fr.)
LS: Andrew Robinson (RS Jr.), Camaron Cheeseman (RS Fr.)
NOTABLE CHANGES SINCE LAST TIME
- Moved Ben Mason from LB to FB.
- Removed Corey Malone-Hatcher.
- Re-inserted Alex Malzone, since it sounds like he will return in the fall.
- Moved Lavert Hill to #1 at CB, and dropped David Long, Jr. to #2.
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Most to least likely to change (barring any injuries):
1st: OL
2nd (Tie): CB
2nd (Tie): WR
4th: RB
5th: QB
6th: LB
7th: FB
8th: DL
9th: Safeties
10th: K/P/LS
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QB is going to be a battle but I think O’Korn will ultimately keep the backup job.
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You think Peters is battling O’Korn for the backup job? I don’t know if you watched last season, or this spring game, but Peters is battling for the starting job.
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depends on your definition of battling…
Speight will be your starter. Backup will be interesting maybe.
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Punter might actually be the most important camp competition in terms of making an impact on the season. That’s a projected starter who hasn’t arrived at campus yet.
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backed by a walk-on
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other than 1 major play we wont mention and a few minor misses here or there, harbaughs squads have greatly benefited from rock solid punting and resulting wins in field position. no peppers to save yards and an untested frosh punter are huge questions. hopefully they find guys to produce and safely field punts while still offering some big play ability and competent kickers to flip fields and put the D and team in general in best possible situations. that stuffs underrated but can be massive so im with you re that camp battle and its significance on the season
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I’m guess you’re not referring to Glasgow’s blown tackle on Keith Gavin that led to the losing TD against FSU?
Michigan’s special teams have been pretty good under Harbaugh, except when they’ve been awful.
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Probably the only interesting competitions for starting spots with be at WR and CB (maybe RT). Everything else is pretty well settled, protestations from the coaching staff about every job being open notwithstanding, although we may see some “ORs ” at positions like TE. Injuries may shake things up, of course, but there are pretty clear leaders at most positions at this point.
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I would def include RT.
Not sure WR will be as big of a deal as some think. They’ll probably keep a heavy rotation going into conference play.
Your opening day starters might just be: Crawford and a super sexy 2nd TE or Poggi.
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How come you have WR1,2,3, CB is just CB, CB, and TE is all lumped together?
Also weird that Glasgow and Nordin are listed at 2 positions but nobody else is. There’s a lot more positional flexibility of course but maybe these are the two biggest (?). I’d probably include Gary, Dwumfour, Ruiz, and Runyan amongst notable flex guys.
My stab at WR:
Kekoa Crawford (So.), Eddie McDoom (So.), Grant Perry (Jr.), Donovan Peoples-Jones (Fr.), Tarik Black (Fr.), Maurice Ways (RS Jr.), Nate Johnson (So.), Nate Schoenle (So.), Oliver Martin (Fr.)*, Nico Collins (Fr.)*
*Assumed red-shirt
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Because I don’t feel like creating 47 different positions.
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I don’t think you should. Dropping the 3 WR positions and numbering would help.
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I have read plenty of articles in regards to the young guys on this defense, as well as the vets such as Hurst. Fluff articles from the mainstream and insightful insider information (UMbig11) in regards to progress during spring practice, summer workouts, 40 times etc.. I have yet to see anything mentioned about Mone, except that he is penciled in as a starter. If i recall correctly, he wasn’t mentioned by any of the coaches during there respective interviews either. Am I missing something here or is it just a coincidence that he has basically not received any hype ?
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I haven’t heard much, either. To be honest, I think Mone just is who he is at this point. He’s decent, not great. Personally, I think he has become too big. We need him at nose tackle now, but I liked him better when he was about 280 lbs., and maybe he should be playing around 290-295 lbs. at 3-tech. I’m not saying he needs to change positions at this point, but I just don’t think his body is performing at its peak at the weight we’ve seen him play (310-330 lbs.). Maybe I’ll be proven wrong, and maybe it’s the injuries that have set him back.
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The concerns expressed about Mone this spring are worrying. He should be drawing mention alongside Hurst and Gary as breakouts.
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I thought Mone closed out well against ohio & FlSt; not a stud, but contributed about as much a HUGE man coming off a leg injury can be expected. If he loses some weight, he’ll be fine
I don’t care too much for the right side of our OL. Kugler will be at best Jack Miller, 2014; Onwenu may be too big for his own good, and a year away from being ready; JBB may not be great, but I have a better feeling about him on a young OL than Runyan (who I think would be a better fit at RG)
Thunder, thanks for this (and the Countdown). It’s always one of my favorites, and definitely tops in late spring/summer UM reading. This year is probably toughest, with so many open positions and having lost so much experience. In case you don’t hear it enough in the next couple weeks: well done and GO BLUE!
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I do think McKeon will make some decent contributions this year because he is the purest of the receiving TE’s. I see him coming on the field in 3rd and long passing plays.
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