Posts by: Thunder

2020 Season Countdown: #73 Jaylen Harrell

Thanks to Ashley, Moser, and Stephen for the Paypal donations! If anyone else would like to donate, it would be much appreciated.

Name: Jaylen Harrell
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 235 lbs.
High school: Tampa (FL) Berkeley Prep
Position: Defensive end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Harrell was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 58 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks.
TTB Rating: 84

Harrell was a big pickup for Michigan late in the recruiting cycle. He was an early big-time recruit who seemed to slide in the rankings, and other teams seemed to fall off in their recruitment of him. But Michigan kept plugging away and finally reeled him in.

There’s a legitimate opportunity for a talented pass rusher to step in and play this fall. Outside linebacker Josh Uche went to the Patriots, and hybrid linebacker Khaleke Hudson went to the Redskins; they combined for 28 sacks in their careers. I have a hard time believing a true freshman will take over that role full-time, but Harrell could contribute if he’s talented enough. Other players vying for that pass rusher role are rumored to include David Ojabo and Michael Barrett, though I don’t see Barrett being too much of a threat as a pass rusher. Harrell could also play weakside end, but that might be a year or two away.

Prediction: Backup outside linebacker

2020 Season Countdown: #74 Christian Turner

Name: Christian Turner
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Buford (GA) Buford
Position: Running back
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #32
Last year: I ranked Turner #34 and said he would be a backup running back (LINK). He ran the ball 44 times for 171 yards (3.9 yards/carry) and 1 touchdown.
TTB Rating: 78

Turner showed a couple flashes of excitement in 2018 and then had a very ho-hum second year on campus. Despite a much improved offensive line over recent years, he finished two games with negative rushing yards, and his best days were 49 and 48 yards against Middle Tennessee and Rutgers, respectively, each on 11 carries.

This season there aren’t many carries up for grabs, as sophomore Zach Charbonnet and redshirt sophomore Hassan Haskins return. Oh, and so does fifth year senior Chris Evans (5.7 career yards/carry) after a one-year suspension for some academic issues. That’s not to mention Under Armour All-American freshman Blake Corum. Whether Turner is ahead of Corum on the depth chart or not, neither one appears likely to be higher than #4 on the depth chart. While the #3/#4 guys tied with 44 carries each in 2019 (Turner and Tru Wilson), the next highest total for a running back was Ben Van Sumeren with 9 attempts.

Prediction: Backup running back

2020 Season Countdown: #75 Matthew Hibner

Name: Matthew Hibner
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 230 lbs.
High school: Burke (VA) Lake Braddock
Position: Tight end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Hibner was a senior in high school (LINK). He caught 42 passes for 940 yards and 12 touchdowns, along with making 96 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 8 pass breakups on defense.
TTB Rating: 72

I guess I must have gone crazy for a while, because I don’t think I realized that Matthew Hibner – a little known recruit before committing to Michigan – finished up as the #12 tight end and #396 overall player in the 2020 class. It doesn’t surprise me so much from a talent standpoint, but it does represent a giant leap in the rankings.

Josh Gattis has mentioned that he likes guys with athleticism and basketball-type skills at tight end, and Hibner seems to have some of those talents. Lake Braddock split him out wide quite a bit, had him running deep routes, and even threw some quick screens to him. To average over 20 yards per reception on 42 catches is pretty impressive. Hibner is a natural athlete who can do a lot of different things. That doesn’t mean he will get on the field much in 2020, but he does have future potential. I think Michigan will be a little more spread-heavy in 2020 and de-emphasize the tight ends a little bit. Hibner should be the fourth tight end, but the #4 tight end isn’t critical.

Prediction: Backup tight end

Hit the jump for his senior highlights.

Cristian Dixon, Wolverine

Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei wide receiver Cristian Dixon committed to Michigan on Thursday. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Auburn, Cal, Florida State, LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, and USC, among others.

Dixon is listed at 6’2″ and 187 lbs. He claims a 4.63 forty, a 4.57 shuttle, and a 32.3″ vertical. As a junior in 2019, he caught 35 passes for 611 yards and 6 touchdowns.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 84 grade, #26 WR, #143 overall
Rivals: 4-star, 5.8 grade, #32 WR, #175 overall
247 Sports: 3-star, 86 grade, #96 WR

Hit the jump for more on Dixon’s commitment.

2020 Season Countdown: #76 Mike Morris

Name: Mike Morris
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 262 lbs.
High school: Belle Glade (FL) American Heritage
Position: Defensive end
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #80
Last year: I ranked Morris #74 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: 81

Morris had a pretty predictable freshman year as a 6’6″, 258 lb. defensive lineman: he redshirted. Michigan could have used some help along the defensive interior, but the end position had a pretty good rotation. But a 6’6″, 258-pounder isn’t going to help inside.

Morris is listed four pounds heavier on Michigan’s roster than he was last year, but hopefully he has added even more weight than that. He should probably be up in the 270 lb. range for defensive end and even higher if he moves inside to the 3-tech defensive tackle position. There wasn’t much buzz about him as a freshman, and the defensive line rotation once again seems to be pretty set with at least three playable guys on the inside and three more outside. Morris should spend most of 2020 watching, but he will probably get a few snaps here or there.

Prediction: Backup defensive end