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2023 Season Countdown: #122 Brandon Mann

Name: Brandon Mann
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 225 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Country Day
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt freshma
Jersey number: #5
Last year: I did not rank Mann. He played in one game and completed 1/1 pass for 7 yards.
TTB Rating: N/A

Mann, a walk-on who doubles as a pitcher on the baseball team, surprisingly got a couple snaps in during the blowout of UConn in 2022, and he even completed his one pass to Darrius Clemons for a 7-yard gain. Of course, it was a 59-0 win and seven (7!!!) quarterbacks completed passes for Michigan, including three walk-ons altogether (Mann, Andy Maddox, Davis Warren).

The depth chart won’t be any more friendly in 2023. Even though Cade McNamara transferred to Iowa, Michigan brought in Indiana backup Jack Tuttle and got a year of development from Alex Orji and Jayden Denegal. Mann will likely just be a practice squad player yet again with a chance to get some mop-up duty in a game or two.

Prediction: Backup quarterback

2025 Recruiting Update: May 5, 2023

This is what I get for not posting a 2025 recruiting update in two weeks (I was consumed by the NFL draft), so now there are 20+ players in the class who have been offered since then. As such, some of these will be very brief.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2025

Baltimore (MD) City College wide receiver Vernon Allen III (247 Sports 3-star, #47 WR) was offered by Michigan. Many of these offers came during Michigan’s swing along the east coast during the team’s spring trip.

Miami (FL) Central defensive tackle Armondo Blount (5-star, #2 DL, #5 overall) was offered by Michigan. He’s 6’3″ and 250 lbs. with offers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, and lots of others.

Pittsburgh (PA) Imani Christian linebacker Dayshaun Burnett (4-star, #25 LB, #234 overall) was offered by Michigan.

Hit the jump for more.

Hudson Hollenbeck, Wolverine

Kicker/punter Hudson Hollenbeck committed to Michigan on social media. He was a class of 2022 walk-on at Mississippi State but did not see the field last season.

I usually don’t do commitment posts for walk-ons, but this seems slightly different, since Hollenbeck is joining the team from another FBS program. (Reasons for the transfer are unclear at this point, but it’s important to remember that Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach died unexpectedly, so the program is going through a change this off-season.)

It’s a blessing to wear the historic Maize and Blue!! Let’s get to work @UMichFootball and GO BLUE!! Special thanks to @JayHarbaugh and @JTBrown721 for believing in me and presenting me with this amazing opportunity!! I am COMMITTED to the University of Michigan!!!! pic.twitter.com/HMpstRMBQg

— Hudson Hollenbeck (@hollenbeck_h6) May 4, 2023

Hollenbeck is listed at 6’3″ and 195 lbs. on the Bulldogs’ roster. He was a 5-star and the #7 punter in the class of 2022, according to Kohl’s Kicking, and he was a 4.5-star kicker. He enters the program with four years of eligibility remaining.

Michigan’s kicking situation is in flux, because both specialists (kicker Jake Moody and punter Brad Robbins) were drafted in last weekend’s NFL Draft. The Wolverines recently got a commitment from Louisville kicker James Turner, but he has just one season remaining. Meanwhile, redshirt sophomore Tommy Doman and true freshman kicker Adam Samaha will both be on scholarship this fall. Doman has punted once for 41 yards and had 8 kickoffs (with 6 touchbacks) in his career so far.

I would suspect that Hollenbeck will compete for playing time with Doman on punts but may be more of a factor on kickoffs, which might prevent Doman from having to pull double duty.

Hollenbeck is originally from Collierville (TN) Collierville.

Here are Hudson Hollenbeck’s Hudl highlights (say that five times fast):

2023 Season Countdown: #123 Joshua Luther

Name: Joshua Luther
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Clarkston (MI) Clarkston
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #44
Last year: I ranked Luther #118 and said he would be a backup defensive back (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: N/A

It’s always interesting to me to see how players progress in the countdown from year to year, and through no fault of his own, Luther is on a downward slide. He appeared in 2021 at #117, dropped to #118, and now appears at #123. There’s no real explanation other than the fact that Michigan brought in several scholarship-worthy transfer players, and the team now has a deeper talent well than they used to have.

At 5’9″ and 180 lbs., it’s hard to get on the field in the Big Ten unless you’re a dynamic athlete, and I think we can safely say that Luther is not particularly dynamic. But maybe he can make an occasional appearance on special teams.

Prediction: Backup defensive back

2024 Recruiting Update: May 1, 2023

COMMITMENTS

Rochester (MI) Adams tight end Brady Prieskorn committed to Michigan (LINK).

And so did Cheshire (CT) Cheshire Academy defensive lineman Jerod Smith (LINK).

And so did Ponte Vedra Beach (FL) Ponte Vedra offensive lineman Jake Guarnera (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2024

New Orleans (LA) John Curtis defensive tackle Jowhar Franklin, Jr. was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 300 lb. nose tackle prospect with offers from Miami, Ohio State, and Ole Miss, among others.

Atlanta (GA) Woodward Academy wide receiver Ben Grice was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’0″, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, and others. He’s currently unranked, but . . . he should be. Grice is also a standout lacrosse player who would have a chance to play lacrosse in college.

Hit the jump for more.