Tag: 2023 season countdown

2023 Season Countdown: #23 Josaiah Stewart

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Name: Josaiah Stewart
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 245 lbs.
High school: Everett (MA) Everett
Position: Defensive end
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #5
Last year: Stewart played at Coastal Carolina. He made 36 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass breakup.
TTB Rating: N/A

Stewart was offered by Michigan when he came out of high school in the class of 2021, back when Michigan had a strong connection in New England with then defensive coordinator Don Brown (who is now the head coach at UMass). But for whatever reason, Stewart ended up at Coastal Carolina and exploded as a freshman with 12.5 sacks, which made him First Team All-Sun Belt. His numbers fell off a little bit in 2022, though 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks still make for a decent season.

Stewart transferred to Michigan in the off-season and participated in the spring game. He’s a little undersized at 6’1″ but I think his play is still going to translate to the Big Ten. He may not rack up 12.5 sacks in a season or be a first team all-conference player, but if Michigan’s impressive defensive tackle group can eat up interior blocks and give Stewart one-on-one opportunities against offensive tackles, he’s going to win his fair share of battles. I think he will play more than Eyabi Okie, who was a one-year rental last year and now playing for Charlotte. Okie was a pure pass rusher, whereas Stewart should be able to hold up a little better against the run.

Prediction: Backup defensive end; 25 tackles, 4 sacks

2023 Season Countdown: #24 Michael Barrett

Name: Michael Barrett
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 239 lbs.
High school: Valdosta (GA) Lowndes
Position: Linebacker
Class: Sixth year senior
Jersey number: #23
Last year: I ranked Barrett #28 and said he would be a backup inside linebacker (LINK). He started thirteen games and made 72 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 2 interceptions (returned for 52 yards and 1 touchdown), and 1 pass breakup.
TTB Rating: 82

Barrett has been around for five years already, going into year six. And you would be hard pressed to find a Michigan player who has had a more versatile career for the Wolverines. Barrett has spent at least a little bit of time at running back, slot receiver, safety/linebacker hybrid, inside linebacker, kickoff returner, and upback on the punt team, just to name a few. He has notched a passing attempt (1), rushing attempts (2), kickoff returns (4), tackles (143), sacks (5.5), interceptions (2), a defensive touchdown (1), and even an uncredited lateral that turned into a kickoff return touchdown for A.J. Henning against Maryland in 2021.

In fact, it would be easier to say what he hasn’t done: he has zero punt attempts, field goal attempts, extra points attempts, or receptions.

So even though Michigan has a potential early NFL draft entrant at inside linebacker (Junior Colson) and the #4 transfer recruit in the country (Ernest Hausmann), it’s hard for me to think Barrett won’t be starting for Michigan in his sixth and final year. Barrett doesn’t wow too often – though there was that highlight reel hit on Minnesota QB Tanner Morgan in 2020 – but he’s such a good all-around athlete and utility man that it’s great to have him around. As a coaching staff, it has to be nice to know that he can be asked to do various things on defense and special teams and perform all those tasks admirably. Durability used to be a concern, but he’s up to 239 pounds (from 233 last year) and generally holds up pretty well. This should be another solid year for the Georgia native.

P.S. Have I mentioned before that I like former high school quarterbacks?

Prediction: Starting inside linebacker and special teamer; 60 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception

2023 Season Countdown: #25 Rayshaun Benny

Name: Rayshaun Benny
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 296 lbs.
High school: Oak Park (MI) Oak Park
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #26
Last year: I ranked Benny #40 and said he would be a backup defensive tackle (LINK). He made 13 tackles.
TTB Rating: 81

Benny redshirted in 2021, playing in just three games. Last season he became a regular backup on the defensive line, though not heavily used. Mazi Smith, Mason Graham, and Kris Jenkins took up the majority of defensive tackle snaps, and all three shined more than Benny.

But the buzz has been building for Benny, and he seems to have become quicker during his couple years on campus. Despite putting on a few pounds since last year, he looked more athletic in the spring game than he did in his first or second years.

Smith is gone to the NFL, but Graham and Kenneth Grant are likely to take most of the nose tackle snaps. But with Graham likely playing more nose tackle this year, that opens up some more snaps at 3-tech for someone like Benny. He should have a good season, and it will be interesting to watch going into 2024 whether Michigan will aim to start Graham and Grant at the DT and NT positions, respectively, or whether they’ll play Benny at 3-tech and use Graham in both places. Those should be three starter-quality players for two spots in 2024.

Prediction: Backup defensive tackle

2023 Season Countdown: #26 Karsen Barnhart

Name: Karsen Barnhart
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 316 lbs.
High school: Paw Paw (MI) Paw Paw
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #52
Last year: I ranked Barnhart #26 and said he would be a backup offensive lineman (LINK). He started nine games.
TTB Rating: 86

Through four seasons at Michigan, Barnhart has been the Jack-of-all-Trades-iest lineman on Michigan’s roster. He has started at left tackle (5 games), left guard (2), and right tackle (8) over the past three seasons, and he has played in relief duty in thirteen games. He even started as the holder on the field goal unit and served as an usher in section 31R at Michigan Stadium.

So it’s no surprise that he’s guaranteed a starting position in year five.

Or is he?

PLOT TWIST.

Jim Harbaugh loves competition, so he brought in former Stanford starter Myles Hinton and former Arizona State starter La’Darius Henderson to a team brimming with talent already. Now Barnhart is in a battle with Hinton, Henderson, and fellow fifth year senior Trente Jones to start at tackle. Word has been that Henderson will be the likely starter at left tackle, leaving the other three to vie for the role on the right side. I’m giving the starting nod to Barnhart, who has more overall starts (15) than Jones (8). Barnhart seems to be the steadier player, while Jones has some impressive blocks but then some ugly whiffs. Barnhart has also put on about seven pounds since last year, so perhaps that will help him move people a little better.

Prediction: Starting right tackle

2023 Season Countdown: #27 Derrick Moore

Name: Derrick Moore
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 258 lbs.
High school: Baltimore (MD) St. Frances
Position: Defensive end
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #8
Last year: I ranked Moore #72 and said he would be a backup defensive end (LINK). He made 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 quarterback hurries, and 1 pass breakup.
TTB Rating: 83

Moore showed up bigger last season than some expected and was listed at 279 pounds. He filled in nicely as a backup defensive end and showed a nice burst despite the extra weight, making 2 total sacks, which is a nice showing for a freshman. His sacks came in mop-up duty against Maryland and Indiana, but they’re sacks nonetheless, and he had some impressive stops in the run game, too.

This season Moore is down to a listed 258 pounds, and I have to assume the strength and conditioning staff planned the cut (along with the coaches). Michigan did not generate a ton of pass rush off the edge last season, and leading sacker Mike Morris – who is playing some defensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks now – was more of a bull rush specialist. Morris’s weight loss may be an attempt by the Wolverines to get a little more explosive when going after the quarterback. I expect Moore to be a backup to Braiden McGregor, and I expect him to start to emerge as a player Michigan fans can get excited about over the next couple years.

Prediction: Backup defensive end