Tag: 2016 season countdown

2016 Season Countdown: #74 Lavert Hill

Lavert Hill

Name: Lavert Hill
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 175 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) King
Position: Cornerback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Hill was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 12 interceptions, 3 of which he returned for touchdowns.
Final TTB Rating: 84

Hill has had a long relationship with Michigan. The younger brother of senior safety Delano Hill, Lavert originally attended Detroit (MI) Cass Tech – a Michigan pipeline for several years – before transferring to King for his last couple years of high school. Then he surprised many people by committing to Penn State. He seemed solid for a while, started waffling a bit, and eventually decommitted before picking the Wolverines. In the meantime, he was not known for making a bunch of big plays early in high school, but he capped his prep career by making 12 picks and scoring 3 TDs on defense. He was rewarded by earning a trip to San Antonio for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

This year Michigan’s top three cornerbacks return. There wasn’t much of a need for fourth corners to play last season, outside of Jabrill Peppers occasionally moving to the outside from his slot corner position. With Jourdan Lewis, Channing Stribling, and Jeremy Clark set to return – all of whom are seniors – Michigan needs to groom some people for a starting gig in 2017. I’m guessing that Hill’s classmate, David Long, will earn more playing time this season. Hill is in that swing spot where he could probably redshirt and use that time to get stronger, but then he would be inexperienced going into a redshirt freshman season that might see him starting. Regardless, Hill is probably no higher than the fifth corner on the roster, so the value he brings is relatively minimal.

Prediction: Backup cornerback

2016 Season Countdown: #75 Brandon Peters

Brandon Peters (image via MLive)

Name: Brandon Peters
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 205 lbs.
High school: Avon (IN) Avon
Position: Quarterback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #18
Last year: Peters was a senior in high school (LINK). He threw for 3,103 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.
Final TTB Rating: 90

Peters pledged to Michigan in April of 2015 and stayed strongly committed to the Wolverines throughout the process. He’s a quiet kid and didn’t make much noise on the recruiting trail, but he was a strong enough player to be invited to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and the Elite 11 Finals, and he was named Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Indiana. During his senior season, he threw 37 TDs and just 5 picks while leading his team to a 10-3 record.

Peters struggled in the Army Bowl, going 4/16 altogether. He enrolled early at Michigan and continued to have some struggles there during spring practices, but you could see the physical skills. Rivals intimated that Peters was homesick during the spring and considering transferring, but nothing has come of that, at least not yet. I mentioned in the Final TTB Rating post that I think Peters is going to be a guy who relies on timing and chemistry with his receivers to be successful. In my opinion, he’s not a player who can step into a situation immediately and be a star from day one. Michigan’s top two quarterbacks, Wilton Speight and John O’Korn, are battling it out for the starting job, and redshirt junior Shane Morris seems like the #3 guy. Peters seemed to be the clear #4 behind those three and ahead of Alex Malzone in the spring. The staff will probably redshirt Peters if they can and then see how well he matches up with the other QBs in 2017.

Prediction: Redshirt

2016 Season Countdown: #76 Wyatt Shallman

Wyatt Shallman

Name: Wyatt Shallman
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 245 lbs.
High school: Novi (MI) Catholic Central
Position: Fullback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #33
Last year: I ranked Shallman #63 and said he would be a backup tailback (LINK). He played in one game and ran 3 times for 9 yards.

Shallman was the leading rusher in the 2015 spring game, which led some to believe that he would be used more heavily at tailback. He was dealing with an injury for part of last season, but the only time he saw the field was in a blowout win over Rutgers when he ran 3 times for 9 yards late in the game. Michigan used several other tailbacks more than Shallman, including converted cornerback Ross Taylor-Douglas, who has since transferred to Rutgers, and the now departed Derrick Green (destination: unknown).

This spring Shallman was being used at fullback. In my opinion, he did not look very enthused to be a blocking back. Additionally, I did not think he looked very effective as a blocker. There is a big opportunity at fullback since the top two guys from last year (Joe Kerridge, Sione Houma) are now toiling away in the NFL, but Michigan seems intent to use converted defensive end Henry Poggi and converted tight end Khalid Hill at the position, along with fifth-year walk-on senior Bobby Henderson. Shallman may be the most talented runner of that bunch, so maybe he gets an occasional opportunity to run the ball. However, he does not appear to be in the top three at his position group, so I’m not counting on him to be heavily involved this season.

Prediction: Backup fullback

2016 Season Countdown: #77 Jared Wangler

Jared Wangler (white jersey, image via MLive)

Name: Jared Wangler
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 231 lbs.
High school: Warren (MI) De La Salle
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #19
Last year: I ranked Wangler #72 and said he would be a backup linebacker and special teamer (LINK). He did not play.

Wangler was a mid-level, 3-star recruit coming out of high school and a Michigan legacy. He had offers from LSU, Michigan State, and Penn State, among others, but he has yet to step on the field in two seasons at Michigan. As a redshirt freshman in 2015, the Wolverines had a lot of experienced linebackers. That won’t be the case so much this season.

Going into his third year, Wangler has yet to create any buzz on the practice field. It’s rare that players come out of nowhere after two or three years to be heavy contributors, so this will be a key year for him. True freshman early enrollee Devin Bush, Jr. worked his way up to second string in the spring, and there are rumblings that Michigan is looking to get Elysee Mbem-Bosse some time this fall to get him marinating for 2017. With Mike McCray II, Ben Gedeon, Jabrill Peppers, and Noah Furbush seeming pretty solidly entrenched as starters or part-time starters at linebacker, Wangler might be fighting for scraps of playing time.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

2016 Season Countdown: #78 A.J. Pearson

A.J. Pearson (image via 247 Sports)

Name: A.J. Pearson
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 197 lbs.
High school: Johns Creek (GA) Northview
Position: Safety
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #18
Last year: I did not rank Pearson. He played in three games and made 1 tackle.

Pearson is a walk-on safety who has made exactly one tackle in each of the past two seasons. He hasn’t done anything to show the potential of a Jordan Kovacs, but he has apparently earned the coaches’ trust to be a special teamer and capable backup. This spring he got a lot of playing time when Michigan was low on safeties, but three pretty solid players return (Dymonte Thomas, Delano Hill, Tyree Kinnel). Michigan is thin at the position, so Pearson might get some run, but he won’t be a key player except perhaps on special teams.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer