Posts under: Blog

2023 Season Countdown: #71 Kechaun Bennett

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Name: Kechaun Bennett
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 241 lbs.
High school: Suffield (CT) Suffield Academy
Position: Defensive end
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #52
Last year: I ranked Bennett #59 and said he would be a backup defensive end (LINK). He played in three games.
TTB Rating: 78

Bennett’s 2022 season was a very quiet one. Buried pretty low on the depth chart, he played in Michigan’s first three games of the season, all of which were massive blowouts. Then he disappeared for the rest of the year. Michigan had a great defensive season and they stayed mostly injury-free at the edge positions, so he was never really in the running to play in a backup role, either.

There was a little bit of excitement this spring about the way Bennett played, so maybe he’s finally coming around in year three. His listed weight is the same as last season and he’s actually one inch shorter at 6’4″ than he was listed last year. But he made 3 tackles in the spring game and also got a QB hurry on Jack Tuttle that forced an interception. The depth chart is a little friendlier in 2023 than it was in 2022, so that’s good news for Bennett: Mike Morris (NFL), Taylor Upshaw (Arizona), and Eyabi Okie (Charlotte) all departed, while Josaiah Stewart was added from Coastal Carolina. But Bennett is still probably a third-stringer at best.

Prediction: Backup defensive end

2023 Season Countdown: #72 Andrew Gentry

Name: Andrew Gentry
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 312 lbs.
High school: Littleton (CO) Columbine
Position: Offensive line
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #75
Last year: I did not rank Gentry. He played in three games.
TTB Rating: 85

Gentry was a late addition to Michigan’s unit in 2022, and as a result, I completely overlooked putting him in the 2022 countdown. So he was not placed last year, which didn’t matter much because he played in just three games after completing his two-year Mormon mission. Nobody expected him to play a ton after taking two years off from football. He was still very rusty and played in just two games on offense, one at right guard and one at right tackle.

Going into the 2023 season, I have seen some positive buzz coming out of practices but I’m still not sold on him being ready. There’s still some rust to be knocked off from what I saw in the spring game, and there’s hefty competition on the offensive line. I think Gentry is at least one year away from being a starting-caliber player, whether it’s at guard or tackle. The speed of the game is still a little surprising to him, and he was getting caught flat-footed by aggressive defensive linemen. Perhaps after several linemen depart, he’ll be ready to go in 2024. For now I think he will carve out a role on the field goal/extra point protection unit.

Prediction: Backup offensive lineman and special teamer

2023 Season Countdown: #73 Fredrick Moore

Name: Fredrick Moore
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 176 lbs.
High school: Saint Louis (MO) Cardinal Ritter
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #82
Last year: Moore was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 67 catches for 1,504 yards and 24 touchdowns.
TTB Rating: 68

Moore was an extremely productive receiver for a state championship-winning team in 2022. His receiving numbers are pretty outstanding for a high school season, although those numbers did accumulate over a 14-game season since Cardinal Ritter went all the way through the championship game. Regardless, how often do you see high school receivers rack up 1,504 yards and 24 receiving touchdowns? Despite the gaudy numbers, Moore still only ranked as a 3-star, the #72 wide receiver, and #520 overall.

Moore is still very thin at 176 lbs., and most guys have a tough time getting on the field at that size. I still had a tough time ranking him, because he could be anywhere from not getting on the field to being Michigan’s starting punt returner. With A.J. Henning off to Northwestern (at least for now) and Ronnie Bell off to the NFL, Michigan needs a new punt returner. Moore is a consideration because of his success in the role in high school (he scored 7 punt/kick return touchdowns in high school). I have my doubts that Jim Harbaugh will trust a true freshman there, and when it comes to playing receiver, most freshmen just get a small dose of snaps, if that. I do think we will get a chance to see Moore on the field at least a little bit this fall so he can get his feet wet, because Michigan will need contributors in 2024, when Cornelius Johnson and possibly Roman Wilson could be gone to the NFL.

Prediction: Backup wide receiver and special teamer

2024 Recruiting Update: July 17, 2023

COMMITMENT

Cheshire (CT) Cheshire Academy defensive end Jacob Smith committed to Michigan (LINK).

OFF THE BOARD

Hit the jump for more.

Jacob Smith, Wolverine

Cheshire (CT) Cheshire Academy defensive end Jacob Smith committed to Michigan on Thursday. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Alabama, Georgia, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and USC, among others.

Smith is listed at 6’4″ and 230 lbs.

RANKINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 84 grade, #14 DE, #97 overall
On3: 3-star, 89 grade, #36 edge
Rivals: 4-star, 5.8 grade, #16 WDE, #240 overall
247 Sports: 4-star, 90 grade, #14 edge, #234 overall

Hit the jump for more.