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2020 Season Countdown: #41 A.J. Henning

Name: A.J. Henning
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 183 lbs.
High school: Frankfort (IL) Lincoln-Way East
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Henning was a senior in high school (LINK). He caught 52 passes for 835 yards and 13 touchdowns, ran 121 times for 648 yards and 15 touchdowns; and returned 1 punt for a touchdown.
TTB Rating: 86

Henning was a big win for Michigan on the recruiting trail. The Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year finished the cycle as a 4-star, the #18 wide receiver, and #102 overall. Spending time at both running back and wide receiver, his speed and quickness were on display regularly. But when it came time to compete with other stars at the All-American Bowl, Henning did not stand out.

Michigan brought in some speedy players in the 2020 class, and I think Henning is the most likely freshman to contribute at wideout. Between Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black, Michigan loses 59 receptions from the 2019 season. Cornelius Johnson and Giles Jackson should see bigger roles, but I think Henning will be the 2020 version of Giles Jackson: a guy Michigan can line up in the backfield, in the slot, and maybe on special teams.

Prediction: Backup wide receiver; 7 catches, 90 yards, 1 touchdown

Hit the jump for his senior highlights.

2020 Season Countdown: #42 Braiden McGregor

Name: Braiden McGregor
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 248 lbs.
High school: Port Huron (MI) Northern
Position: Defensive end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: McGregor was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 32 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks.
TTB Rating: 90 87

McGregor lost some steam during the 2020 recruiting cycle after he played in the first seven games and then suffered a knee injury. He was in 5-star range at one point and ranked #28 overall when he committed, but those recruits often drop down a little bit, and the injury didn’t help. Not only did that perhaps dim some hopes for him, but he also wasn’t able to participate in any post-season All-American showcases.

I’m bumping McGregor down from a 90 to an 87 for one main reason: I rated Aidan Hutchinson an 88, and I think McGregor is a step behind him. Hutchinson is extremely technical, whereas McGregor is probably a little better overall athlete. I think McGregor will take a year to get up to speed with the college game, and then he should probably step in for Kwity Paye as a sophomore in 2021.

Prediction: Backup defensive end

Hit the jump for his junior highlights (no senior highlight reel exists, as far as I know).

Morning Roundup: August 4, 2020

✅ 6 receptions
✅ 165 yards
✅ 3 TDs

Start your week with Nico Collins’ career day in last year’s win at Indiana.@lbg_nico7 | @UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/ITwe74jFjc

— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) August 3, 2020

Hit the jump for more.

All-Harbaugh Team: Offense

Thanks to Joe for the generous Paypal contribution over the weekend! It was much appreciated. After getting paid by Amazon, AdSense, etc. for the month of June, that was actually the roughest financial month since I started keeping track in August 2012 . . . and the second worst month in that span was April 2020. That’s fitting, of course, since we’re in the middle of a pandemic and a recession and everything. Anyway, if you would like to contribute, here’s the link:

I like to take a look back at the careers of Michigan’s recent coaches and see which players had the best seasons. After five years at Michigan’s helm, it’s time for a look at Jim Harbaugh’s tenure in Ann Arbor.

QUARTERBACK: 2015 Jake Rudock
Rudock, a former starter at Iowa, decided to grad transfer to Michigan for his final year of eligibility. Unlike some grad transfers who spend the spring at their new school, Rudock did not practice with Michigan until fall camp. Through seven weeks of the season, Rudock threw for 5 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. But when he heated up toward the end of the season, he really heated up. Over the final six contests, he threw 15 touchdowns and just 3 picks on his way to a 10-3 overall record in Harbaugh’s first year. His final stats included 249/389 (64.0%) on completions, 3017 yards, 20 touchdowns, 9 interceptions; he also ran for 166 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Hit the jump for more.

2020 Season Countdown: #43 Charles Thomas

Name: Charles Thomas
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 233 lbs.
High school: Oakdale (CT) St. Thomas More
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #13
Last year: I ranked Thomas #96 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: 69

When Thomas entered last year, it seemed inevitable that he would redshirt. Linebacker is not an easy position to learn, and Michigan generally leans on three inside linebackers. With Josh Ross, Devin Gil, Cameron McGrone, and Jordan Glasgow available, Thomas was at best the #5 inside ‘backer. Thus the redshirt.

I have heard varying reports about Thomas. Some reports have him playing a key backup role as the only veteran inside linebacker. Others have him behind freshmen. My guess is that he will factor in as a backup, based largely on his having a year in the system. (Keep in mind that guys like Drew Singleton, Devin Gil, and Jordan Anthony have all transferred in the past couple seasons.)

Prediction: Backup linebacker