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2023 Season Countdown: #110 Alessandro Lorenzetti

Name: Alessandro Lorenzetti
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 289 lbs.
High school: Windsor (CT) Loomis Chaffee
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #89
Last year: I ranked Lorenzetti #91 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: 85

Lorenzetti came in last year as an offensive lineman, and according to MGoBlue.com, he was named the Offensive Scout Team Player of the Week during the week leading up to the Michigan State game. Offensive linemen usually redshirt, though, and Lorenzetti was no exception.

Fast forward to the spring of 2023, and Lorenzetti is now playing defensive tackle. He has switched jersey numbers to #89 and is presumably pretty low on the depth chart since Michigan has a pretty solid two-deep. Michigan does a pretty good job of finding out where players will work out best (see: Mike Sainristil and Chase Winovich), but it seems like linemen who get lost between sides of the ball often don’t work out (see: Jack Stewart and Tom Strobel). There’s still plenty of time for Lorenzetti to emerge, and Dominic Giudice is another lineman who still has a chance to develop after bouncing around a bit. But in his first year of playing defensive line, I doubt we’ll see much of Lorenzetti on Saturday afternoons.

Prediction: Backup defensive tackle

2023 Season Countdown: #111 Sam Staruch

Name: Sam Staruch
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 182 lbs.
High school: Lake Orion (MI) Lake Orion
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #84
Last year: I ranked Staruch #105 and said he would be a backup wide receiver (LINK). He played in two games.
TTB Rating: N/A

Staruch parlayed his touchdown catch in the 2022 spring game into playing on special teams in the season opener and then playing some wide receiver two weeks later against UConn. That type of action is probably once again the ceiling in 2023, as the Wolverines lost some receiving talent but are also bringing in some talented freshmen. Plus the emergence of walk-on Peyton O’Leary shows the top of the pecking order when it comes to walk-ons.

Prediction: Backup wide receiver and special teamer

2023 Season Countdown: #112 D.J. Waller, Jr.

Name: D.J. Waller, Jr.
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Youngstown (OH) Chaney
Position: Cornerback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Waller was a senior in high school. He made 47 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 interception.
TTB Rating: N/A

Waller was a late add to Michigan’s class in the early signing period. He was not offered until November of his senior year, and he didn’t commit to the Wolverines until December 18, just three days before National Signing Day. He was ranked as a 3-star, the #73 cornerback, and #703 overall in the 247 Composite rankings. He committed at such a busy time – and so little was known about him – that it turns out I didn’t even write a commitment post for him, which was an oversight on my part.

Anyway, Waller was a high school safety and wide receiver who’s ranked as a cornerback but who some think might be a linebacker in college. I have seen some comparisons to former Michigan cornerback Jeremy Clark, who was 6’3″ and 220 lbs and turned into a 6th round pick. Clark was a project, and so is Waller. Waller might be too stiff for cornerback, and he’s too light to play linebacker right now. His best bet for early playing time is probably playing special teams, but redshirts don’t usually get burned just for special teams time. I’m guessing he will spend his freshman year percolating on the sideline.

Prediction: Redshirt

2023 Season Countdown: #113 Jesse Madden

Name: Jesse Madden
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 193 lbs.
High school: Oakland (CA) Bishop O’Dowd
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #43
Last year: I ranked Madden #123 and said he would be a backup quarterback (LINK). He did not play in any games.
TTB Rating: N/A

Madden, the grandson of late football coach and broadcaster John Madden, was a quarterback in high school and for his first year on campus. But with the path blocked by lots of other players – including some talented walk-ons – Madden made the shift to safety last season. While that did not turn into playing time, he was named the team’s Scout Team Defensive Player of the Year.

Maybe 2023 will see Madden getting some playing time, but there are better athletes amongst the walk-ons that are more likely to see the field on special teams and such. My guess is that Madden will mostly be a scout team guy with maybe a game or two on special teams as a reward for his work in practice.

Prediction: Backup safety and special teamer

2024 Recruiting Update: May 22, 2023

OFF THE BOARD

Durant (OK) Durant defensive tackle Xadavien Sims (4-star, #23 DL, #194 overall) committed to Oregon.

Baltimore (MD) St. Frances quarterback Michael Van Buren (4-star, #11 QB, #129 overall) committed to Oregon. At one point it seemed like Penn State might land him, so it takes a 4-star quarterback off to Pac-12 country instead of putting him in the Big Ten. Right now PSU’s quarterback is a 3-star and the #575 player in the nation, Ethan Grunkemeyer.

MISCELLANEY

During a slow week for Michigan recruiting – at least in the 2024 class – the biggest news was probably the hiring and subsequent resignation of Shemy Schembechler. The son of Bo Schembechler was briefly brought on in a recruiting role, but in no time, he came under scrutiny for some of his “likes” on Twitter. Here’s an article from 247 Sports discussing the development (LINK). I’ve thought for a couple months that it was odd Michigan was hiring someone with the last name Schembechler, considering the microscope that Bo has come under over the past couple years. I guess it seemed like a bad idea because it was indeed a bad idea.