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Branden Jennings, Wolverine

Jacksonville (FL) Sandalwood linebacker/defensive end Branden Jennings committed to Michigan on Friday afternoon after previously being committed to Florida State. Jennings picked the Wolverines over offers from Auburn, Clemson, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Stanford, among others.

Jennings is listed at 6’3″ and 225 lbs. As a junior in 2019, he made 135 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 8 sacks. As a sophomore in 2018, he made 136 tackles and 6 sacks.

RANKINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 86 grade, #8 OLB, #67 overall
Rivals: 4-star, 5.9 grade, #4 ILB, #52 overall
247 Sports: 4-star, 93 grade, #9 OLB, #160 overall

Hit the jump for more.

Willie Allen, Wolverine

Louisiana Tech grad transfer offensive tackle Willie Allen has committed to Michigan. He would enroll in the spring and be eligible for the 2021 season.

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2020 Season Countdown: #7 Brad Hawkins

Name: Brad Hawkins
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 218 lbs.
High school: Suffield (CT) Suffield Academy
Position: Safety
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #20
Last year: I ranked Hawkins #33 and said he would be a backup safety (LINK). He started ten games and made 53 tackles with 1 pass breakup.
TTB Rating: 78

I typically have an annual “Why did PFF grade that guy so high?” situation, and the 2019 version of that guy was Brad Hawkins. He was First Team All-Big Ten to Pro Football Focus (as the “flex” defender) despite not being on the coaches’ all-conference team and only being named honorable mention by the media. He managed to get his hands on the ball just 1 time, which came in the season opener against Middle Tennessee. After three years in the program, he has just 2 career pass breakups. He is a solid tackler coming up from the third level, but is he much more than that?

Maybe. I sure hope so. Because he’s the only returning starter in the secondary. Michigan lost safety Josh Metellus and cornerback Lavert Hill to graduation/the NFL, and cornerback Ambry Thomas opted out of the 2020 season. Budding star Dax Hill also returns at safety, but Hawkins has to be a steadying force on the back end. Everyone is unproven and almost totally inexperienced behind the starters.

Hawkins has been prone to some coverage busts, and he’s a little grabby for my liking. I think he can be taken advantage of in coverage if opposing offensive lines can hold up long enough to give quarterbacks a chance to throw. But Michigan returns a couple of the top defensive ends in the conference and has a blitz-happy defensive coordinator. Hopefully Hawkins can improve his coverage a little bit while continuing to offer solid run support.

Prediction: Starting strong safety

Hit the jump for some of his 2019 highlights.

Ex-Wolverine Updates: Week 5

FORMER PLAYERS

WR Tarik Black (Texas): Black did not start but made 1 catch for 24 yards in a 53-45 loss to Oklahoma.

TE Mustapha Muhammad (Kilgore Junior College): Muhammad transferred from Michigan to Houston and is now at Kilgore Junior College, which has canceled its season due to COVID.

CB Myles Sims (Georgia Tech): Sims made 1 tackle in a 46-27 win over Louisville.

Hit the jump for more.

2020 Season Countdown: #8 Cam McGrone

Name: Cam McGrone
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 236 lbs.
High school: Indianapolis (IN) Lawrence Central
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #44
Last year: I ranked McGrone #47 and said he would be a backup linebacker and special teamer (LINK). He started ten games at middle linebacker and made 66 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass breakup, and 5 quarterback hurries.
TTB Rating: 80

Nobody expected McGrone to be a starter in 2019. Josh Ross was the starting middle linebacker, Jordan Glasgow was the starting weakside linebacker, and Devin Gil had started at WILL in 2018. So Michigan had three starting inside linebackers for two spots, and that didn’t include Jordan Anthony, who was in the rotation.

Then Ross got hurt, and the inexperienced McGrone – who had played in just one game in 2018 – was the wide-eyed beneficiary. He made 6 tackles against Wisconsin, showing off his speed. Shortly afterward, he would go on his best streak of the year, with 35 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks against Iowa, Illinois, Penn State, and Notre Dame.

This year McGrone leaps into the top ten of the countdown partly because of the important position he plays – middle linebacker – but also because of the complete lack of experience behind him. Glasgow is blocking punts in the NFL, Jordan Anthony entered the transfer portal, Gil transferred to USF, and Ross shifted to WILL. Michigan has two solid players at inside linebacker, but behind them is redshirt freshmen Charles Thomas and Joey Velazquez, true freshmen, and walk-ons. And while there has been positive buzz about the true freshmen, the crickets have drowned out anything about Thomas and Velazquez.

McGrone should get a chance to show off his blitzing ability and sideline-to-sideline speed in 2020, and hopefully he can stay healthy throughout the year.

Prediction: Starting middle linebacker