Chris Evans (image via 247 Sports)
Back in August 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), and February (LINK). Of course, things are always fluid, there will be early departures, there will be injuries, etc. But now that we have the 2017 class signed or enrolled early, things are perhaps a little bit clearer.
Hit the jump for another early look at 2017.
QB: Wilton Speight (RS Jr.), John O’Korn (5th), Brandon Peters (RS Fr.), Alex Malzone (RS So.), Dylan McCaffrey (Fr.)
RB: Chris Evans (So.), Kareem Walker (RS Fr.), Karan Higdon (Jr.), Ty Isaac (5th), O’Maury Samuels (Fr.), Kingston Davis (So.), Kurt Taylor (Fr.)
FB: Khalid Hill (5th), Henry Poggi (5th)
WR1: Eddie McDoom (So.), Donovan Peoples-Jones (Fr.), Maurice Ways (RS Jr.), Nate Schoenle (So.), Brad Hawkins (Fr.)
WR2: Kekoa Crawford (So.), Drake Harris (RS Jr.), Tarik Black (Fr.), Nico Collins (Fr.)
WR3: 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: Grant Newsome (Jr.), Juwann Bushell-Beatty (RS Jr.), Joel Honigford (Fr.)
LG: Ben Bredeson (So.), Patrick Kugler (5th), Ja’Raymond Hall (Fr.)
C: Mason Cole (Sr.), Cesar Ruiz (Fr.)
RG: Michael Onwenu (So.), Jon Runyan Jr. (RS So.), Stephen Spanellis (RS Fr.)
RT: Nolan Ulizio (RS So.), Chuck Filiaga (Fr.), Andrew Stueber (Fr.)
SDE: Rashan Gary (So.), Ron Johnson (RS Fr.), Deron Irving-Bey (Fr.)
DT: Bryan Mone (RS Jr.), Lawrence Marshall (RS Jr.), James Hudson III (Fr.), Donovan Jeter (Fr.), Phillip Paea (Fr.)
NT: Maurice Hurst (5th), Aubrey Solomon (Fr.), Michael Dwumfour (RS Fr.)
WDE: Chase Winovich (RS Jr.), Carlo Kemp (RS Fr.), Luiji Vilain (Fr.), Shelton Johnson (RS So.), Corey Malone-Hatcher (Fr.), Kwity Paye (Fr.)
Viper/SAM: Josh Metellus (So.), Noah Furbush (RS Jr.), Joshua Uche (So.), Jordan Glasgow (RS So.)
MIKE: Devin Bush (So.), Reuben Jones (RS So.), Elysee Mbem-Bosse (So.), Ben Mason (Fr.)
WILL: Mike McCray (5th), Devin Gil (So.), Jordan Anthony (Fr.), Drew Singleton (Fr.), Joshua Ross (Fr.), Jared Wangler (RS Jr.)
CB: Lavert Hill (So.), Ambry Thomas (Fr.), Keith Washington (RS So.)
CB: David Long (So.), Brandon Watson (RS Jr.), Benjamin St-Juste (Fr.)
FS: Tyree Kinnel (Jr.), Jaylen Kelly-Powell (Fr.), Tru Wilson (So.)
SS: Khaleke Hudson (So.), J’Marick Woods (Fr.)
K: Quinn Nordin (RS Fr.), Ryan Tice (RS So.)
P: Brad Robbins (Fr.), Ryan Tice (RS So.), Will Hart (RS Fr.), Quinn Nordin (RS Fr.)
LS: Andrew Robinson (RS Jr.)
Also, there are some players on here whom I do not expect to return to Michigan in the fall of 2017.
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I’m still hoping Grant Newsome plays again. You have him starting in 2017. Yours is the heart of a true optimist, Thunder.
I’m also hoping that Vastardis’ name starts getting batted around … if only to make me look smart.
So thin at Safety. Especially when you start running your Safeties up to Viper.
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Newsome will be back and eventually have a nice career in the NFL.
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From your lips …
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Newsome is there by default. I don’t really know his situation. I wouldn’t really expect him to be back myself, but Jim Harbaugh and others are publicly saying positive things about the timetable for his return. We’ll probably have a better idea when August rolls around whether he’s a viable option to begin the season or not.
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Wow. Didn’t realize the dearth of bodies at the FB position.
Could this be the harbinger and contributor to the (supposed) shift to a spread?
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Any significant changes from the last one?
I thought DPJ impressing everyone with his athleticism was encouraging. No shock but you like to hear hype where you can get it from freshman at this stage.
Higdon seems to be getting some buzz too. A faster fitter Higdon would be great. To me, the Higdon/Evans combo is a strong leader for the majority of RB carries.
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I moved Marshall to DT from DE, Bush to MIKE from WILL, McCray to WILL from MIKE, and Gentry from WR to TE. Those are the most significant ones.
Higdon has reportedly bumped up from 189 to 200 lbs. If he can break some tackles, then I think he has a better chance of playing more. Like I’ve said before, I don’t think Jim Harbaugh will run out there a top two of running backs who can’t break tackles (Evans, Higdon), which is why I think/thought Walker would have a good chance of taking on a sizable role.
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Nice, I hadn’t heard about Bush/McCray moves. I could see that concerning people because MIKEs are generally bigger but I see the ILB spots as all but interchangeable.
Gentry is no surprise. Not sure I really buy the Marshall move for the same reasons I didn’t buy the Gentry move. It’s probably more about motivation and or technique, like when they moved Brandon Graham (a LB in high school) to DT.
As for RB – I thought Higdon did fine with tackle-breaking last year. If he really added that much weight while maintaining speed it’s time to get excited. I saw no evidence that Walker was a tackle-breaker in the Deveon Smith mold. I do agree we will have a between-the-tackles complement to Evans. Higdon seems like the best option to me, pending new info.
This is a good series. It would be cool if you summarized changes if you update it again.
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its obviously been discussed and i believe both the player and coach / coaches mentioned the possibility of hawkins playing DB (despite being regarded as WR throughout recruiting process) – i think it has to happen. theyre incredibly thin at DB and the staff no doubt looking for capable bodies to throw at DB depth problem. if hawkins can compete at S, its tough to see him fighting for scraps at WR among returning players / early enrollees when theres a glaring hole at S. 1 injury (or other issue) at CB or S could be trouble, 2 would be…
metellus may be great fit at viper but hes likely needed at S. unless the frosh are lights out (and theyll absolutely play, its just a matter of how well and how much) or walkons step up more than expected, they need versatile, experienced ballers at safety and metellus fits the bill. i think i even recall don brown commenting during bowl prep that they liked metellus and glasgow at viper but werent sure theyd be able to sacrifice metellus to viper given what he could add to a thin, inexperienced S position in 17. so yeah, i predict metellus and kinnel starting S (unless the frosh or watson or hudson or walkon or whatever really ball out during camp and earn the staffs trust but S isnt easy) and also see hawkins getting a long look at S. just tough to see them trusting depth chart thru a long, violent season with only 1 proven S (kinnel) and the rest mostly unknowns (if metellus plays viper). shoot, a few significant injuries (fingers crossed) to the wrong players and they could need dudes like peoples-jones to add DB depth.
plenty of interesting position battles and roster moves, etc this fall (they may be small or resolved easily or early enough but theres at least some question at virtually every spot), its gonna be fun. they push for competition in all aspects which i love – well there could be even more than usual under harbaugh given the current roster. OL (and QB) obviously determines good portion of this teams fate but im psyched to see the young D (theres plenty of O talent im interested to see too like evans, bunting, peoples-jones, crawford, ruiz, etc, maybe im just more of D guy since thats where i played, who knows). coaches will earn their money this year, thats for sure.
hopefully they batted pretty high % on recruiting trail (and i think they did at some spots, especially lately – most of major roster holes likely result of 2014 and 2015 classes) and they can start cycling talented players through bc thats what it takes. obviously its all about finding and developing prospects to impact the game as quickly and as significantly as possible. and its not easy to do what michigan used to do and what bama, osu, clemson, etc have been doing, consistently cycling through talented classes without much if any major or extended dropoffs (bama loses draft picks at RB, S, etc yet roll out the next all conference guy whether its incoming frosh or rising senior – clemson loses like 7 defenders to the draft and rolls out another dominant front 7 and capable back end on a title run – osu loses all american CB, DL, S etc and swiftly replaces that production / role).
bottom line, interesting piece here – itll be fun to see how it all shakes out. and it officially begins like next week or whatever when spring ball commences – when guys like ruiz, kelly-powell, people-jones, thomas, etc will get a chance to show what they can do and start the process of earning roles on field this fall (also think theres a great chance ruiz is 1 of the best 5 come fall and forces the staffs hand)
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Youth vs. Numbers
Not worried about the youth in the backfield.
Mildly worried about the numbers in the backfield.
Not worried about the youth on offensive skill positions.
Not worried about the numbers for offensive skill positions.
A little worried about the youth at linebacker.
Not worried about the numbers at linebacker.
A bit worried about the youth in rotation on the DL.
No longer worried about the numbers on the DL.
Most worried about youth on the OL.
Mildly worried about the numbers on the OL. Hopefully upperclassmen can develop quickly.
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