Tag: 2021 season countdown

2021 Season Countdown: #108 Leon Franklin

Name: Leon Franklin
Height: 5’8″
Weight: 193 lbs.
High school: Southfield (MI) A&T
Position: Running back
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #34
Last year: I did not rank Franklin. He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

Franklin was a solid running back for Southfield A&T, finishing his career during the 2018 season. At 5’8″ he and new running backs coach Mike Hart can look at each other eye-to-eye. Franklin is more of a downhill guy than a speed guy. He’s never going to be in the mix to play heavy minutes because of who’s ahead of him, but can he be a guy who represents a pinball-type runner on the scout team? Sure.

2021 Season Countdown: #110 Mahdi Hazime

Name: Mahdi Hazime
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 319 lbs.
High school: Dearborn (MI) Fordson
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #64
Last year: I ranked Hazime #105 and said he would be a backup offensive guard (LINK). He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

Hazime joined Michigan in the class of 2019 as a preferred walk-on offensive lineman. However, his height at 6’2″ likely limits him to the center position, and 319 lbs. is pretty heavy for someone who’s only 6’2″. Meanwhile, Michigan has a pretty good group of highly touted offensive linemen – and 6’7″ behemoth tackles – so Hazime likely does not measure up with the rest of the linemen in the program, both literally and figuratively. He is not in the two-deep on the offensive line, so his best chance to help out is on the scout team.

Prediction: Backup offensive lineman

2021 Season Countdown: #111 Mathew Harrison

Name: Mathew Harrison
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 212 lbs.
High school: Ortonville (MI) Brandon
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #88
Last year: I did not rank Harrison. He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

Harrison came out of high school in 2019 after having been a small school quarterback. He has since transitioned to wide receiver in college. After being listed at 187 lbs. as a high school senior, he now appears on Michigan’s roster at 212 lbs. I can only assume that’s good weight, and as such, perhaps Michigan will look at him in a minor blocking role. Chances are slim that he gets on the field – he does not have noteworthy speed – but he could also simulate some bigger receivers on the scout team in practice.

Prediction: Backup wide receiver

2021 Season Countdown: #112 Matt Torey

Name: Matt Torey
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #39
Last year: I did not rank Torey. He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

Matt Torey has been named Scout Team Player of the Week twice in his career at Michigan, once on offense in 2019 and once on special teams in 2020.

He is still on the football team.

Matt Torey, ladies and gentlemen!

2021 Season Countdown: #114 Luke Fisher

Name: Luke Fisher
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 292 lbs.
High school: Plymouth (MI) Plymouth
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #60
Last year: I did not rank Fisher. He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

Fisher has been in the program now for two years, going on three. He probably does not have as good of a chance at getting on the field as some of the receivers listed already, but it’s important in practice to have veteran offensive linemen who can execute the scout team offense. Fisher has adequate size at 6’4 and 292 lbs., but what I know of him – which boils down to his high school senior highlights – suggests that he will probably not be able to work his way into the rotation.

Prediction: Backup offensive lineman