Daxton Hill
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Lots of things will change between now and the 2019 season opener, but it’s fun to think about the future, nevertheless.
NOTE: All players whose eligibility will not expire are considered for the depth chart, so potential early NFL draft entrants (Rashan Gary, Shea Patterson, etc.) still appear on this chart.
Hit the jump for an early look at 2019.
QB: Shea Patterson (Sr.), Dylan McCaffrey (RS So.), Brandon Peters (RS Jr.), Joe Milton (So.), Cade McNamara (Fr.)
RB: Chris Evans (Sr.), Tru Wilson (Sr.), Zach Charbonnet (Fr.), O’Maury Samuels (Jr.), Christian Turner (So.), Eric Gray (Fr.), Hassan Haskins (So.), Kurt Taylor (RS So.)
FB: Ben Mason (Jr.), Ben VanSumeren (So.), Peter Bush (RS Jr.)
WR1: Tarik Black (RS So.), Nico Collins (Jr.), Quintel Kent (Fr.)
WR2: Donovan Peoples-Jones (Jr.), Nate Schoenle (Sr.)
WR3: Oliver Martin (RS So.), Ronnie Bell (So.), Giles Jackson (Fr.), George Johnson III (Fr.)
TE: Zach Gentry (RS Sr.), Sean McKeon (Sr.), Nick Eubanks (RS Jr.), Mustapha Muhammad (So.), Luke Schoonmaker (So.), Erick All (Fr.)
LT: Jon Runyan, Jr. (RS Sr.), Jalen Mayfield (So.), Trente Jones (Fr.)
LG: Ben Bredeson (Sr.), Chuck Filiaga (RS So.), Nolan Rumler (Fr.)
C: Cesar Ruiz (Jr.), Stephen Spanellis (RS Jr.), Andrew Vastardis (RS Jr.), Jess Speight (RS So.)
RG: Michael Onwenu (Sr.), Joel Honigford (RS So.), Phillip Paea (RS So.), Zach Carpenter (Fr.), Karsen Barnhart (Fr.)
RT: James Hudson (RS So.), Andrew Stueber (RS So.), Nolan Ulizio (RS Sr.), Ryan Hayes (So.), Jack Stewart (Fr.)
SDE: Rashan Gary (Sr.), Aidan Hutchinson (So.), Ron Johnson (RS Jr.), Julius Welschof (So.), Michigan Morris (Fr.), David Ojabo (Fr.)
DT: Carlo Kemp (RS Jr.), Michael Dwumfour (RS Jr.), Chris Hinton (Fr.), Carl Myers (Sr.), Tyrece Woods (Fr.)
NT: Aubrey Solomon (Jr.), Donovan Jeter (RS So.), Mazi Smith (Fr.)
WDE: Kwity Paye (Jr.), Luiji Vilain (RS So.), Reuben Jones (RS Sr.), Gabe Newburg (Fr.)
Viper/SAM: Khaleke Hudson (Sr.), Jordan Glasgow (RS Sr.), Joshua Uche (Sr.), Michael Barrett (So.), Joey Velazquez (Fr.), Quinten Johnson (Fr.)
MIKE: Devin Bush (Sr.), Drew Singleton (RS So.), Charles Thomas (Fr.)
WILL: Devin Gil (Sr.), Josh Ross (Jr.), Jordan Anthony (RS So.), Cameron McGrone (So.)
CB: Lavert Hill (Sr.), Ambry Thomas (Jr.), Myles Sims (So.), Gemon Green (So.)
CB: David Long (Sr.), Benjamin St-Juste (RS So.), Vincent Gray (So.), D.J. Turner II (Fr.)
FS: Brad Hawkins (Jr.), Daxton Hill (Fr.), Jaylen Kelly-Powell (Jr.), German Green (So.)
SS: Joshua Metellus (Sr.), J’Marick Woods (Jr.), Sammy Faustin (So.)
K: Quinn Nordin (RS Jr.)
P: Will Hart (RS Jr.), Brad Robbins (Jr.)
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man… given nobody leaves early all the positions look so packed with depth, even the WRs….
but the tackles…
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Defense still looks strong even assuming Gary, Bush, and maybe Hill are gone.
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Gary leaves and Hutchington takes his place, Daxton Hill starts at FS, Bush is probably gone. The real question is who starts at RB? I don’t think Evans is a 3 down back. Thoughts?
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It’s tough to start at safety as a freshman. Obviously, there’s always some fluidity to starting positions due to injuries, underperformance, personnel, etc., but I would be a wee bit surprised if Hill starts game one as a freshman. I would not be at all surprised if he’s starting by the end of the season.
I don’t think Evans is a three-down back, but Michigan doesn’t play its running backs like three-down guys, anyway. There’s a lot of rotation. Karan Higdon isn’t playing like a three-down back right now, and even De’Veon Smith was rotated out quite a bit.
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Free safety especially. A strong safety’s mistakes turn into first downs. A free safety’s mistakes turn into touchdowns.
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I think it will be one of the more interesting positions to watch unfold.
Concerns about Evans are overstated IMO, but acknowledge that Michigan could end up with more a more physical “between the tackles” runner.
My guess for now is that Evans adds a bit more weight and gets most of the meaningful carries. Looks like it’ll be a pretty significant competition behind him.
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Not so sure the competition will be behind him. A bit early to tell this year, especially since he’s been hobbled, but I haven’t seen anything from him that would lock him in as the #1 back for 2019. He is passable.
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Size isn’t the problem with Evans. He’s a juker by style, and shouldn’t be shoe-horned into the role of a bruiser
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DL might be my biggest position of concern next year considering maybe the 4 top guys in terms of snaps will be out the door. Obviously there’s some talent in the wings and Mattison is still here, but we may see a significant dropoff.
OL looks to be in pretty great shape if the 3 interior guys all return strong. OT still a question but the young guys are coming and you’ll have a vet like Runyan to set the floor pretty high at one spot. Will be nice to lose probably the weakest link instead of the best player for once.
DB looks to remain a huge position of strength and depth if Hill and Hudson return. My guess is that Hudson is back but Hill is not. In good shape regardless.
Here’s how I see the starters for now:
QB: McCaffrey
RB: Evans
WR: Black/DPJ
TE: Gentry/McKeon
OL: Hudson/Bradeson/Ruiz/Onwenu/Mayfield
DE: Paye/Hutchinson
DT: Solomon/Kemp OR Dwumfour
LB: Gil/Ross
V: Hudson
S: Metellus/Hawkins
CB: Thomas/Long
Situational Regulars:
FB: Mason
3rd WR: Martin OR Collins
SAM: Uche
Nickel DB: D.Hill OR JKP
*Hinton busting in at SDE or DT wouldn’t surprise me but even Rashan Gary was a backup.
*Hill busting in at S wouldn’t surprise me, especially if Hudson goes pro. But I agree with Thunder here that it likely wouldn’t be from day 1. Don Brown asks a lot of his safeties.
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I believe Paye is backing up Gary at SDE now and Hutchinson substitutes in for Winovich WDE. Is there a reason to expect change or is this just a matter of the 2 DE positions being similar?
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Don’t we have the RB from Tennessee committed?
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Eric Gray. He’s on the list at RB. Some doubts about him due to size but his offer list was stellar.
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Its nice to see a decent number of OL’s with a good blend of experience & youth from top to bottom………
Michigan will never start beating good teams with any regularity until they have an OL with good talent from top to bottom blended with both experience & leadership. They’re almost there…………INTJohn
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