Tag: 2021 season countdown

2021 Season Countdown: #40 Kalel Mullings

Name: Kalel Mullings
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 233 lbs.
High school: West Roxbury (MA) Milton Academy
Position: Linebacker
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #26
Last year: I ranked Mullings #61 and said he would be a backup inside linebacker (LINK). He made 1 tackle and 1 pass breakup.
TTB Rating: 78

Mullings was an Army All-American who played both running back and linebacker in high school. A good athlete whose linebacker skills were perhaps a little in question, he was not expected to be an immediate impact player. He played in all six games, mostly on special teams. Michigan did not rotate inside linebacker very much under former defensive coordinator Don Brown, and when Cam McGrone got hurt, it was walk-on Adam Shibley who stepped in to play rather than some of the younger players.

Now Shibley is gone to Notre Dame, and some of the other young players have transferred. The two inside linebacker positions seem to be pretty well solidified with Josh Ross and Michael Barrett, and Mullings is the next most experienced guy. If that were the whole story, I would probably have ranked the #3 inside ‘backer higher in the countdown. But word out of practice makes it sound like classmate Nikhai Hill-Green has been earning more buzz this off-season. Hopefully Ross and Barrett stay healthy, but it will be interesting to see whether it’s Mullings or Hill-Green who steps in as the main backup. Regardless, I think Mullings is a better athlete and can help more on special teams.

Prediction: Backup inside linebacker

2021 Season Countdown: #41a Alan Bowman

Name: Alan Bowman
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 215 lbs.
High school: Grapevine (TX) Grapevine
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Bowman completed 150/232 passes for 1,602 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions at Texas Tech.
TTB Rating: N/A

Bowman has an interesting history. He marched into Texas Tech, completed a lot of passes, got injured some, and then felt like he was probably going to get replaced. So he decided to transfer, and he signed with Michigan. That’s an abbreviated history, but the point is that he is by far the most experienced option at quarterback for the Wolverines. He has thrown 33 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, and 713 total passes in his college career. Compare that to Michigan’s lone quarterback with college experience, Cade McNamara, who has 5 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and 71 pass attempts – literally 10% of the attempts that Bowman has.

Because that’s the case, one would think that Bowman would be a shoo-in for the starter’s job. In the words of Lee Corso: not so fast, my friend.

I believe Bowman is a decent quarterback, but McNamara has spent the past two years in this offensive system and working with these receivers. Jim Harbaugh recently said McNamara is the clear #1 quarterback going into fall camp. Could things change between now and September 4? Sure. Will they? I honestly don’t have any idea.

You might also notice that I have not yet ranked second-stringer J.J. McCarthy, so why is the third quarterback so high here at #41a?

Well, McNamara didn’t last long during his redshirt freshman season, hurting his shoulder almost immediately after usurping the starting job from Joe Milton. And McCarthy is a true freshman. Not only does Bowman provide a veteran presence and competition to the quarterback room, but he could find himself thrust into a prominent role even if he’s technically the third-stringer. Another injury to McNamara and/or some bumpy spots for a freshman could see Bowman taking snaps in Michigan Stadium.

The quarterback situation is perhaps the most intriguing story of the 2021 season for Michigan, outside of Jim Harbaugh’s job security. Bowman could be a Jake Rudock and start the entire season, or he might end up like John O’Korn and never really find his footing.

Prediction: Backup quarterback

2021 Season Countdown: #41b Daylen Baldwin

Name: Daylen Baldwin
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 210 lbs.
High school: Waterford (MI) Mott
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #85
Last year: Baldwin caught 27 passes for 540 yards and 7 touchdowns at Jackson State.
TTB Rating: N/A

NOTE: The transfers and whatnot have thrown off the countdown a little bit, so there will be some A/B situations.

Baldwin transferred to Michigan after a spring season in which he caught 27 passes for 540 yards and 7 touchdowns for a Deion Sanders-led Jackson State program. He led the team in receiving yardage, receiving touchdowns, and yards per catch, and he was tied for #2 on the team in receptions. Originally coming from the metro Detroit area, he played at Morgan State and then Jackson State, so this is his third stop.

I know some Michigan fans got very excited when a 6’3″, 210-pounder committed to the team, but I have some concerns about how well he will fit into the plan for 2021. Two quarterbacks (Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy) spent the spring learning the playbook and getting their timing with the already established receivers, and there were no departures from the young receiving crew from 2020. Meanwhile, Baldwin arrived in Ann Arbor after his own spring season, and he has to compete against other talented wideouts now where his combination of size and speed won’t necessarily always win the day. I think Baldwin will get a fair number of snaps this season, but I do not think he will be one of the top three guys.

Prediction: Backup wide receiver

2021 Season Countdown: #42 Junior Colson

Name: Junior Colson
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 230 lbs.
High school: Brentwood (TN) Ravenwood
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #25
Last year: Colson was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 59 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries.
TTB Rating: 89

After being adopted out of Haiti, Colson had long been a Michigan fan, so the offer from the Wolverines was an easy one to accept. His picking of the Wolverines was a huge one for the staff, as they needed an impact player at linebacker following the departure of Devin Bush a couple seasons ago and Josh Uche following the 2019 campaign. Colson played a variety of roles in high school, including wide receiver, outside linebacker, middle linebacker, and kick returner. Ravenwood is a strong program in Tennessee, one that also is the home of 2022 Michigan cornerback commit Myles Pollard.

Colson is listed at 6’2″ and 230 lbs., and he looks like he runs in the 4.6 range. I think he could play outside linebacker or inside linebacker at Michigan. Reports coming out of practice have been very positive about him, but it’s tough to play linebacker as a true freshman. I think he will play a backup role this season, but he could very well step into a starting position in 2022 once someone like Josh Ross departs.

Prediction: Backup linebacker

2021 Season Countdown: #43 David Ojabo

Name: David Ojabo
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 250 lbs.
High school: Blairstown (NJ) Blair Academy
Position: Outside linebacker
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #55
Last year: I ranked Ojabo #59 and said he would be a backup defensive end (LINK). He made 1 tackle.
TTB Rating: 85

Michigan brought in Ojabo as a project in the 2019 class. He seemed like a guy who could play defensive end in their system, outside linebacker in a 3-4, or maybe even 3-tech in a 4-3 once his body fully developed. It seemed like nobody could get a bead on him because he was a relatively recent convert to American football, having been born in Nigeria and raised in Scotland. Michigan played him at the SAM linebacker position in 2020, a spot that had been vacated by Josh Uche, but Ojabo was not nearly as effective.

Ojabo remains at outside linebacker in 2021 and has a chance to start. He still looked very raw in 2020, and I’m in “wait-and-see” mode. I have heard talk that he could potentially start. I have my doubts and think Michigan has better players, but then again, the learning curve might come into play here. If he was a blank canvas coming in, maybe the picture is starting to take shape. At the very least, I know Aidan Hutchinson will be ahead of him, and I think Taylor Upshaw will be, too. Meanwhile, Braiden McGregor, Jaylen Harrell, and others are waiting in the wings for their opportunity, too.

Prediction: Backup outside linebacker