Tag: 2021 season countdown

2021 Season Countdown: #91 Kraig Correll

Name: Kraig Correll
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 310 lbs.
High school: Easton (PA) Blair Academy
Position: Center
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #54
Last year: I ranked Correll #97 and said he would be a backup center (LINK). He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

I thought Correll might be one of those walk-on offensive linemen who eventually worked his way into the two-deep. He has good size at 6’4″ and 310 lbs., and he had a pretty good recruiting profile. But when 2020 came and went – with injuries galore up front – and Correll never saw the field, that seemed to signal where he is on the depth chart. I have not heard any buzz about Correll pushing for playing time, and there are generally about two or three names discussed for the center spot without including him.

Prediction: Backup center

2021 Season Countdown: #92 Giovanni El-Hadi

Name: Giovanni El-Hadi
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 305 lbs.
High school: Sterling Heights (MI) Stevenson
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #58
Last year: El-Hadi was a senior in high school (LINK).
TTB Rating: 84

El-Hadi committed to Michigan over two years ago now, and he’s finally wearing a Michigan uniform. He was selected for the Under Armour All-American Game (even though it was never played due to COVID) and finished as a top-100 player (#87 overall) in the 247 Composite rankings. I did not give him a TTB Rating because he committed so early, but after watching him as a senior, I gave him an 84.

El-Hadi has a good frame, is powerful, and finishes blocks. I think he is most likely to play offensive guard at the next level because he lacks a little bit of length and can get his feet crossed up while trying to move laterally. He also needs to work on his hand placement. All of these things can be improved, but they show that he’s probably not ready to play immediately. I like him as a prospect but he needs to clean some things up with more reps and some college-level coaching.

Prediction: Redshirt

2021 Season Countdown: #94 Karl Kerska

Name: Karl Kerska
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 198 lbs.
High school: Dexter (MI) Dexter
Position: K/P
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #92
Last year: I did not rank Kerska. He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

Kerska enters the 2021 season likely battling for a backup job at any of three positions: punter, kicker, or holder. He held for one snap in 2019 against Rutgers, which is his only college appearance so far. The graduation of kicker Quinn Nordin puts him one step closer to the kicking job, while the transfer of Will Hart moves him perhaps one step closer to punter. Those jobs are still presumably held by Jake Moody and Brad Robbins, respectively, and that’s not to mention true freshman specialist Tommy Doman. It’s pretty common for walk-on specialists to earn starting jobs, so it wouldn’t be unheard of for Kerska to take over a job at some point, but he’s likely a backup.

Prediction: Backup specialist

2021 Season Countdown: #96 Peyton Smith

Name: Peyton Smith
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Traverse City (MI) Central
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #7
Last year: I ranked Smith #104 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: N/A

Smith is another pretty solid walk-on quarterback. Michigan has a few guys with potential, including Max Witter (profiled yesterday). He was pretty skinny coming out of high school, and he hasn’t filled out to an ideal size yet. He also doesn’t have the number of snaps you really want to see in a quarterback, as he played wide receiver until midway through his junior year. But given a few years in college, I think Smith could be a pretty decent player. This year isn’t that time, though, and he has a few more talented players ahead of him.

Prediction: Backup quarterback

2021 Season Countdown: #97 Max Wittwer

Name: Max Wittwer
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 205 lbs.
High school: Utica (MI) Eisenhower
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #18
Last year: I ranked Wittwer #102 and said he would be a backup quarterback (LINK). He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

Wittwer enters his fourth season as a walk-on quarterback at Michigan, and he has yet to see time on the field. Despite the revolving door during a shortened season in 2020, he was not in the conversation to play and found himself behind the likes of Dan Villari and fellow walk-on Ren Hefley (who has since transferred to Presbyterian). I think Wittwer could have been a starter at a lower level – and had an offer from Air Force coming out of high school – but it’s a major uphill battle for playing time at Michigan.

Prediction: Backup quarterback