Tag: 2020 season countdown

2020 Season Countdown: #39 Sammy Faustin

Name: Sammy Faustin
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Naples (FL) Naples
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #17
Last year: I ranked Faustin #57 and said he would be a backup safety and special teamer (LINK). He played in nine games and made 2 tackles.
TTB Rating: 76

Faustin entered college as a little bit of a corner/safety project. He played corner in high school but was more the physical type than the coverage type. Last year the safety position was pretty full with veterans Josh Metellus and Brad Hawkins, plus elite recruit Daxton Hill. So opportunities were limited.

With Hawkins and Hill returning to man the starting positions, there is a chance for the guy who’s next in line to step into playing time. It will be very interesting to see who that guy is, but if I were a betting man, I would put my money on Faustin. There are some true freshmen who could press for playing time, but without spring ball and with limited voluntary workouts, the upper hand goes to the returning players. I think Faustin’s upside is limited, but he’s a safer pick at a position that requires reliability.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer

2020 Season Countdown: #40 Hassan Haskins

Name: Hassan Haskins
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school: Eureka (MO) Eureka
Position: Running back
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #25
Last year: I ranked Haskins #64 and said he would be a backup running back and special teamer (LINK). He ran 121 times for 622 yards and 4 touchdowns; he caught 6 passes for 40 yards; and he made 3 tackles on special teams.
TTB Rating: 74

Haskins was one of several breakout offensive players in 2019, along with Jalen Mayfield and Ronnie Bell. As a freshman in 2018, he bounced back and forth between running back and linebacker. Then with some injuries and the suspension of Chris Evans, he was suddenly thrust into the mix at running back once again and performed admirably. He topped the 100-yard mark twice (Illinois, Notre Dame), but he seemed to be pretty unstoppable against the Fighting Irish, a team many thought would be a difficult matchup for the Wolverines. In a rainstorm, he ran the ball 20 times for 149 yards (7.5 yards/carry) and 1 touchdown, also notching a season-high 49-yarder and leapfrogging a Notre Dame safety.

Despite the breakout season, I have Haskins down here at #40 when he was the primary backup last year. Why? Well, the aforementioned Chris Evans returns to the team after a one-year hiatus, and Evans is a little more versatile. Haskins can be slippery and powerful, but his big-play ability is lacking and he doesn’t present a mismatch for linebackers in the passing game since, well, he’s been a part-time linebacker himself.

I imagine Haskins will take a step down on the depth chart this year, leaving room for Evans and Zach Charbonnet to take the bulk of the snaps. He will probably be the third running back, but the #3 back in 2019, Tru Wilson, handled the ball fewer times (44) than in any of the five seasons since Jim Harbaugh arrived (previous low: Derrick Green’s 47 in 2015).

Prediction: Backup running back; 35 carries, 175 yards, 1 touchdown

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).

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