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2022 Season Countdown: #77 Colston Loveland

Name: Colston Loveland
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 230 lbs.
High school: Gooding (ID) Gooding
Position: Tight end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #18
Last year: Loveland was a senior in high school (LINK). He caught 62 passes for 968 yards and 14 touchdowns; rushed 33 times for 352 yards and 4 touchdowns; and made 66 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, and 2 touchdowns.
TTB Rating: 65 85

Loveland came a little bit out of nowhere during the 2022 recruiting cycle to suddenly be at the forefront of Michigan’s tight end recruiting situation. He was thin as a junior and did not have great film, but reports out of Idaho were that he had hit a growth spurt and improved as an athlete. And he did. He got bigger and better. Now listed at 6’5″ and 230 pounds, he had good senior film for a tight end and was a real focal point of Gooding’s team, playing wide receiver, tight end, quarterback, outside linebacker, some safety, etc. A tight end who can score 18 touchdowns in a season is tough to come by.

While I upped Loveland’s TTB Rating from a 65 to an 85, I don’t think the early enrollee is going to play much of a factor on the field this season. Michigan returns three senior tight ends who all played a big role last year, and that doesn’t even include walk-on Carter Selzer, who has received increased reps the past two years. Michigan got 57 catches from tight ends next year, and all that production returns in 2022. It would probably be best if Loveland can redshirt this season since there’s not much room for him to contribute.

Prediction: Redshirt

2022 Season Countdown: #78 Keshaun Harris

Name: Keshaun Harris
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 186 lbs.
High school: Lansing (MI) Waverly
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #18
Last year: I ranked Harris #107 and said he would be a backup defensive back (LINK). He played in thirteen games on special teams and four games at cornerback.
TTB Rating: N/A

I underestimated Harris going into 2021. After sitting the bench as a walk-on for his first two years on campus, he suddenly became a contributor on special teams and even defense during his third year on campus. Granted, his defensive contributions came at the end of blowouts, but it’s still significant for him that he was on the field during live game action.

Now we enter 2022, and I think competition to play corner is going to be a little stiffer. Yes, Michigan lost Vincent Gray to an attempt at the NFL (he went undrafted), but they brought in a couple freshmen, one of whom is a 5-star who is certainly going to see the field in Will Johnson. Add in some development time for the younger guys, and perhaps they’ll see the field before Harris. Regardless, Harris should be a special teamer once again and somebody who can take some snaps in blowouts if necessary.

Prediction: Backup cornerback and special teamer

2022 Season Countdown: #79 Zeke Berry

Name: Zeke Berry
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Concord (CA) De La Salle
Position: Safety
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Berry was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 25 tackles, 3 sacks, and 1 interception.
TTB Rating: 82

Berry was a huge get for the Michigan program when he committed to the Wolverines in December. A solid 4-star prospect (he ended up at #171 in the 247 Composite), he was chosen for the All-American Bowl and the Polynesian Bowl. He also received offers from Oregon, UCLA, and USC, and frankly, I’m surprised he didn’t get more national offers from SEC, ACC, and Big 12 offers. It’s hard to say an All-American and top-200 player was flying under the radar, but his offer list doesn’t match his considerable talent.

I’ve seen some talk that Berry could be a nickel/outside linebacker prospect – perhaps a Viper in Don Brown’s defense – but I think that might be diminishing Berry’s skill set. To me he’s an every down player in the long run. He’s simply too fast, too aggressive, and too physical to make him a sub package player. I think he will be good down the road, but he didn’t enroll early and may take some time to adjust to college. Based on his film, he’s a guy who should be in consideration to start by year two.

Prediction: Backup defensive back

Raylen Wilson, Ex-Wolverine

Tallahassee (FL) Lincoln linebacker Raylen Wilson decommitted from Michigan’s class of 2023 on Tuesday. He had been committed to Michigan since December.

Wilson is a 247 Composite 4-star, the #5 linebacker, and #73 overall in the class. His decommitment brings Michigan down to #55 overall in the team recruiting rankings for the class.

Wilson’s decommitment had been a long time coming, and he is much more likely to stay in the south. He took an official visit to Michigan earlier this month after visiting Florida and Georgia. Naturally, the hope was that the official visit would solidify his love for Michigan, but that was going to be a tough pull for a kid who just seems to want to play in the SEC.

Michigan now has zero linebackers in the 2023 class. They received an official visit from Perkasie (PA) Pennridge 3-star Phil Picciotti and Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep 4-star Semaj Bridgeman, the latter of whom has picked up some commitment buzz. News also recently came out that Lake City (FL) Columbia’s Jaden Robinson has Michigan in his top four and wants to take an official during the season.

Wilson is the third decommitment of the class, joining tight end Andrew Rappleyea (Penn State) and defensive tackle Joel Starlings (North Carolina).

2022 Season Countdown: #80 Danny Hughes

Name: Danny Hughes
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Naperville (IL) Central
Position: Running back
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #24
Last year: I ranked Hughes #106 and said he would be a backup running back and special teamer (LINK). He played in thirteen games on special teams and had 1 carry for 5 yards on offense.
TTB Rating: N/A

Hughes is one of the top walk-on special teamers on the squad. He played in thirteen games last season on special teams, and in the blowout win over Maryland, he even got rewarded with 1 carry for 5 yards. Despite his contributions on special teams, I couldn’t make it make sense to place him higher. There are some freshman and sophomore players who are superior athletes, and I think they could fill Hughes’s role on special teams. Walk-ons provide an opportunity for young guys to retain redshirts, but at a time when kids can hit the transfer portal easily if they’re not getting on the field, we may be entering an era when walk-on special teamers’ importance starts to diminish.

Prediction: Backup running back and special teamer