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2024 Season Countdown: #121 Jack MacKinnon

Name: Jack MacKinnon
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 244 lbs.
High school: Sarasota (FL) Cardinal Moooney
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #39
Last year: I did not rank MacKinnon. He redshirted.
TTB Rating: N/A

MacKinnon was a preferred walk-on in the class of 2023. A high school defensive end (he had 58 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks as a senior in 2022), he was originally committed to play baseball at USF. But according to this article (LINK), Jack Harbaugh saw him play football and recommended him to the Michigan coaching staff as a PWO.

I like MacKinnon’s high school film, but he’s now listed as a linebacker. Can he be a true linebacker at 6’4″ and 244 pounds? Or would he potentially be better off trying to grow into a stand-up edge player like Jaylen Harrell? Either way, he’s unlikely to play this early in his career at Michigan. I could potentially see him playing in Ann Arbor down the road, but he also seems like a prime candidate to transfer at some point for a clearer path to playing time. Regardless, he’s on Michigan’s roster for now and should be a solid scout team player for the time being.

Prediction: Backup linebacker

2025 Recruiting Update: April 16, 2024

OFF THE BOARD

Dallas (TX) Skyline linebacker Elijah Barnes (4-star, #13 LB, #98 overall) committed to Texas.

Denton (TX) Ryan offensive tackle Marcus Garcia (4-star, #29 OT, #308 overall) committed to Texas A&M. Garcia visited Michigan earlier this spring.

Rome (GA) Rome linebacker Jaedon Harmon (4-star, #23 LB, #177 overall) committed to Alabama.

Rabun Gap (GA) Nacoochee offensive guard Justin Hasenhuetl (4-star, #10 IOL, #196 overall) committed to Georgia Tech. He’s a teammate of 2025 tight end Marshall Pritchett, who recently picked North Carolina over Michigan, and both attend the alma mater of Michigan tight end Marlin Klein.

Corona (CA) Centennial quarterback Husan Longstreet (4-star, #5 QB, #44 overall) committed to Texas A&M.

Washington (OK) Washington tight end Nate Roberts (4-star, #5 TE, #118 overall) committed to Ohio State.

Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy wide receiver Raiden Vines-Bright (4-star, #43 WR, #318 overall) committed to Washington.

MISCELLANEY

Here’s a list of visitors from this past weekend (LINK).

Howell (MI) Howell defensive tackle Bobby Kanka (4-star, #41 DL, #361 overall), a Michigan commit, has set two other official visits to Michigan State and Tennessee. He remains committed to Michigan but is exploring his options.

Transfer Portal Shopping List

The transfer portal opens up on Tuesday, April 16, and lots of schools are going to be shopping. With spring games out of the way for many programs – and Michigan’s coming up this Saturday – we’re enough of the way through spring ball to be aware of some roster deficiencies going into the fall.

Here are the top three positions Michigan should be looking for in the transfer portal prior to August camp:

1. QUARTERBACK
I know there are some big Alex Orji fans out there, but . . . I’m not one of them. At least not yet. Orji was a project coming out of high school, and in his second season in a Michigan uniform, he did not attempt a single pass. Yes, he can run at 6’3″ and 236 pounds (15 carries, 86 yards, 1 touchdown in 2023), but I’m on the record as a Passing QB Enthusiast. While I’m not a proponent of statuesque quarterbacks, championship teams have good passers and decision-makers, not run-first quarterbacks. I don’t think Michigan has the roster to win an FBS championship in 2024, anyway, but I don’t think they’re going to hit their ceiling without finding a quarterback who can pass the ball efficiently. Some of the big names have already found a new home, but perhaps the Wolverines can find the 2024 version of Jake Rudock, a solid passing quarterback who led Michigan to ten wins back in 2015. Others in the running are seventh-year senior Jack Tuttle and redshirt sophomore Jayden Denegal, but Tuttle had shoulder surgery and Denegal needs some polish since he’s not quite as dangerous as a runner as Orji.

Hit the jump for more.

2024 Season Countdown: #122 Shomari Stone II

Name: Shomari Stone II
Height: 5’8″
Weight: 198 lbs.
High school: Washington (DC) St. John’s
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #37
Last year: I ranked Stone #140 and said he would be a backup defensive back (LINK). He was not on the roster during the season.
TTB Rating: N/A

One of the problems with counting down such a deep dive into the roster for any season is we have no idea what the roster will look like in the fall. Sometimes there are roster casualties of some sort, and Stone was one of those. A member of the team in 2022, he left the program for the 2023 season and missed the national championship run. Now he’s back for a team that probably won’t win the natty.

Stone was a solid high school player who’s probably more known for being the son of D.C.-area media personality Shomari Stone. At 5’8″ and at a position where it’s tough to get on the field to play defense, he’s unlikely to play much of a role this fall. Perhaps some special teams might be in order, but it will be an uphill battle for Stone to see the field much this fall.

Prediction: Backup defensive back

2024 Season Countdown: #123 James Kavouklis

Name: James Kavouklis
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 279 lbs.
High school: Tampa (FL) Berkley Prep
Position: Center/Long snapper
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #64
Last year: I ranked Kavouklis #139 and said he would be a backup center (LINK). He did not see game action.
TTB Rating: N/A

NOTE: I skipped a couple spots in the countdown since running back Danny Hughes and tight end Josh Beetham are both in the transfer portal and were originally in the countdown.

Kavouklis played in one game as a true freshman back in 2022, but he did not see any action in 2023. If you want some positive fluff about new strength and conditioning coach Justin Tress, Kavouklis was a scrawny 272 pounds last season but is now up to a whopping 279 this spring.

On the plus side, Kavouklis doubles as a long snapper, so he could play center or long snap, so that might open some opportunities if there’s an injury or two. He’s not going to elevate to starter in either spot, but sometimes when there’s a blowout, the coaches start emptying the bench. The path to long snapper is typically a little shorter, but Kavouklis is probably #4 there behind William Wagner, Greg Tarr, and Evan Boutorwick.

Prediction: Backup center and long snapper