Needs for 2015 Recruiting Class: Offense
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| One big question for 2015 is whether tight end Devin Funchess will return for his senior year. |
The numbers are somewhat skimpy, but Michigan currently only has 13 scholarships available for the 2015 class. That total will certainly grow with guys getting injured, leaving early for the NFL, or transferring. I believe the 2014 class was originally supposed to be 12 players, and it grew to 16 by National Signing Day. By the way, the definition of need here is exactly what it says – not a desired number, but the bare minimum to maintain or reach standard depth expectations – and the depth chart is simply a list by seniority.
QUARTERBACK
2015 Depth Chart: Russell Bellomy (RS Sr.), Shane Morris (Jr.), Wilton Speight (So.)
Need: 1
Offers: Blake Barnett, Josh Rosen, David Sills, Jarrett Stidham
Scoop: Michigan needs to get back in the habit of taking a quarterback in every class after the curious choice in 2012 to skip a cycle, which left the Wolverines with Devin Gardner, a freshman Shane Morris, and walk-ons as options in 2013. So far the Wolverines are choosing to go after elite guys, two of whom are committed elsewhere (Barnett to Notre Dame, Sills to USC). That leaves Rosen, who is likely to stay in California, and Stidham, who is likely to stay in Texas. Michigan is likely going to have to send out more offers in order to get their team leader. I did a scouting report on a number of targets recently, and there are more to come soon with the hiring of offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier. None of the three current roster players are proven, although Morris looked pretty solid against Kansas State. Speight is a bit of an underwhelming recruit, so you probably want to assure yourself of landing a stud in 2015.
RUNNING BACK
2015 Depth Chart: Justice Hayes (RS Sr.), Drake Johnson (RS Jr.), Derrick Green (Jr.), DeVeon Smith (Jr.), Ross Douglas (RS So.)
Need: 1
Offers: Johnny Frasier, Damien Harris, Ronald Jones II, Soso Jamabo, Jacques Patrick, Michael Weber
Scoop: Michigan failed to nab a running back in 2014, although they are helping out the stable by moving cornerback Douglas to the offensive backfield. The two oldest guys are unlikely to be starters, in my opinion, which likely leaves the winner of the Green-Smith battle as Michigan’s featured runner in 2015; if a junior running back has a good season, there’s a strong possibility that he would be departing early for the NFL. Any class of 2015 running back might be looking at the starter’s job by his sophomore year. Michigan will take at least one back here, and a second is a strong possibility, especially if Douglas doesn’t pan out at his new position.
FULLBACK/H-BACK
2015 Depth Chart: Joe Kerridge (RS Sr.), Sione Houma (Sr.), Wyatt Shallman (RS So.)
Need: 0
Offers: None
Scoop: Nussmeier has used a lot of spread looks and a lot of H-backs instead of fullbacks. The “fullback” position may be addressed in the Tight End section. Remember that Nussmeier and Alabama were recruiting Michigan defensive tackle Henry Poggi as an H-back in the 2013 recruiting cycle, so he’s probably not looking for nifty runners, but more for guys who can catch passes in the flat and block.
WIDE RECEIVER
2015 Depth Chart: Devin Funchess (Sr.), Dennis Norfleet (Sr.), Jehu Chesson (RS Jr.), Amara Darboh (RS Jr.), Da’Mario Jones (Jr.), Jaron Dukes (RS So.), Csont’e York (RS So.), Freddy Canteen (So.), Drake Harris (So.), Maurice Ways (So.)
Need: 1-2
Offers: George Campbell, Brian Cole, Juwan Johnson, Tyron Johnson, Christian Kirk, Jaason Lewis (UCLA), DaMarkus Lodge, Juval Mollette, Devante Peete
Scoop: Michigan will have lost no seniors after the 2014 season, although Funchess may be a candidate to depart early for the NFL. Nussmeier will likely run more four-wide sets than former offensive coordinator Al Borges, but ten to eleven receivers should be plenty. The Wolverines only truly need one receiver, but an early departure from Funchess might change that number; and receivers are a notoriously fickle bunch (Je’Ron Stokes, Jerald Robinson), so another departure might not be surprising.
TIGHT END
2015 Depth Chart: Keith Heitzman (RS Sr.), A.J. Williams (Sr.), Jake Butt (Jr.), Khalid Hill (RS So.), Ian Bunting (So.)
Need: 2
Offers: Devonaire Clarington, Chris Clark, Hale Hentges, Tyrone Wheatley, Jalen Wilkerson
Scoop: Michigan has opened up the floodgates on tight end offers in recent weeks, and with Wheatley considered a lean toward the Wolverines, that suggests they want more than one. However, I don’t see a strong need to take two if the coaches have to reach. It will be important, however, to get a Y-receiver (a bigger tight end who can play tight to the line) since Heitzman, Williams, and Butt will all be upperclassmen.
OFFENSIVE TACKLE
2015 Depth Chart: Erik Magnuson (RS Jr.), Ben Braden (RS Jr.), Chris Fox (RS So.), Logan Tuley-Tillman (RS So.), Juwann Bushell-Beatty (So.)
Need: 1
Offers: Ryan Bates (Penn State), Jake Fruhmorgen, Mitch Hyatt (Clemson), Sterling Jenkins, Grant Newsome, Christian Pellage, Garrett Thomas, Keenan Walker
Scoop: Zero of the tackles will be seniors in 2015, but classmates Magnuson and Braden will be redshirt juniors. Fox has been playing guard a little bit this spring, and while he could play right tackle, perhaps his ACL injury has stolen some of his lateral mobility. Tuley-Tillman appears to be a tackle all the way, and Bushell-Beatty could also play guard.
OFFENSIVE GUARD
2015 Depth Chart: Blake Bars (RS Jr.), Kyle Kalis (RS Jr.), Kyle Bosch (Jr.), David Dawson (RS So.), Dan Samuelson (RS Jr.), Mason Cole (So.), Jon Runyan (Fr.)
Need: 0
Offers: Aaron Garza (Texas), Jon Runyan (Michigan)
Scoop: Michigan looks pretty set at guard for the near future. No guards will graduate after the 2014 season except walk-on Joe Burzynski, and the oldest two players at the position in 2015 will be juniors. Runyan appears to be a guard prospect due to his height, but if he hits a growth spurt between now and college, he could become a tackle prospect.
CENTER
2015 Depth Chart: Graham Glasgow (RS Sr.), Jack Miller (RS Sr.), Patrick Kugler (RS So.)
Need: 1
Offers: None
Scoop: The depth in 2015 will be sufficient, but once Glasgow and Miller graduate, Kugler being the only true center on the roster might be a little questionable. In my opinion, the staff should recruit an heir apparent for the center position unless one of the guards is in line to back up Kugler in 2016.