Here is my ranking of the current players I have as returning in 2018. I rank 140 kids. I think Harbaugh mentioned a number in the mid 140s so there are certainly a few walk-ons that I am unaware of.
Just a few clarifications:
1. I rank them in order of IMPORTANCE for the 2018 team. Not necessarily in terms of pure ability, potential or past accomplishment. Sometimes importance is a function of whether there is someone else who can step in and fill the role at a close to similar level should the player be injured. For instance, I think that Shea Patterson is the MOST IMPORTANT player for this upcoming season just because he is so much better than any possible replacement. Rashan Gary may be the greatest pure talent, Chase Winovich may be the most accomplished performer based on last season, but both play positions where if they are injured there are players who could step in and play at a level that would not as negatively impact the team as the loss of Patterson would. As such, that reasoning substantially colors my rankings. Moreover, the rankings are based on importance to the 2018 TEAM, not future teams. So they should not be interpreted as placing floors or ceilings on the younger players
2. I've provided a comment on each player. As we progress down the walk-on list obviously more educational in explaining just who they are
3. My numbering refers to year of eligibility. 1 is freshman, 2 sophomore, 3 junior, 4 senior, 5 fifth year senior. r refers to redshirt, t-transfer, p-preferred, w-walk-on.
4. The final 14 players at the bottom of the roster are tied. I am not about to try and differentiate between walk-ons that I have too little info to make an intelligent assessment on.
So here goes:
Rank Position Player Class Comments
1 QB Shea Patterson 3t Gary may be the most talented player in the roster, but Petterson is the most irreplaceable player
2 DE Rashan Gary 3 As great a raw talent as we have seen at Michigan in years
3 DE Chase Winovich 5 The most proven returning talent on the team. Relentless
4 LB Devin Bush 3 Could be NFL-bound after this season
5 LB Khaleke Hudson 3 Ditto Bush comments
6 TB Karan Higdon 4 We need a go-to back and he must stay healthy
7 WR Tarik Black 1r Reminds me a bit of former Michigan great David Terrell
8 WR Donovan Peoples-Jones 2 Braylon-like potential and should make a huge leap as a soph
9 CB Lavert Hill 3 Smooth and natural cover corner
10 G Ben Bredeson 3 Our most consistent OL. Needs to take it to next level and become dominant
11 C Cesar Ruiz 2 Our most talented OL. Ready to dominate as a mere soph
12 DT Aubrey Solomon 2 Broke into starting rotation as a frosh and is a lean fighting machine ready to break out
13 TE Zach Gentry 3r Higher ceiling than McKeon with his length and speed. Should flex out and be a unique deep threat from his spot
14 G Michael Onwenu 3 Must get his weight down and improve endurance. Can dominate for a few plays, needs to do it as a full-time guy
15 CB David Long 2r A bit bigger than Hill. Raw skills could merit higher rating, but with Hill and Thomas around he is not really irreplaceable
16 DT Michael Dwumfour 2r Watch for a breakout season as he steps in for Mo Hurst
17 TB Chris Evans 3 Came on srong late in 2017. Must tart that way as depth behind him is lacking
18 FB Ben Mason 2 Throwback player who could also see situational time (goal-line) at LB. His blocking could help cover up OL deficiencies
19 CB Ambry Thomas 2 Top ten type in terms of raw talent, but stuck behind two returning starters. Good enough to rotate in with them
20 TE Sean McKeon 3 Mr. Consistent and out best blocking TE. Complements Gentry and is just a steady player
21 S Tyree Kinnel 4 Limited ceiling but is our mostr experienced DB and needs to show it
22 T James Hudson 1r Not as proven a talent as some behind him but he has the best chance of turning our weakest poistion into a strength. Dummed down OL calls should help
23 LB Josh Ross 2 Look for his to emerge as our third starting 'backer. Bigger and more athletic than his older brother was
24 T Jon Runyan Jr. 3r Not the 24th best talent on the team, but another kid shose rank is high based on the team's need for him to perform well. Hence, a very important player
25 DE Kwity Paye 2 The raw talent to be a top ten kid down the road bujt still inexperienced. Will rotate behind two of our top three ranked kids
26 PK Quinn Nordin 2r Always tough to rank a kicker. Has a bit of a mid-season lull but he started and finished strongly and has great leg drive
27 QB Dylan McCaffrey 1r IF something happens to Patterson (and they way he improvises he could be a sitting duck for getting hurt) McCaffrey may be our best bet to step in and play well in 2018
28 WR Nico Collins 2 Great measurables and just starting to put it all together. Nice catch radius
29 DE Luiji Vilain 1r Similar potential to Paye but has been injured most of his time at Michigan. If halthy he could see some rotation time. High ceiling
30 LB Drew Singleton 1r I like this kid a lot and just suspect he could make an impact although he will be playing behing some serious talent. Feel better about the spot in 2019 with him stepping in
31 WR Oliver Martin 1r Higher ceiling than Perry adn I think he starts to show it this season
32 TE T.J. Wheatley 3r A lot of talent but another kid passes up a bit due to injuries. If healthy and motivated he could play in the NFL
33 S Josh Metellus 3 Physical and hard-hitting but has some mental lapses and must cut down on mistakes
34 T Juwan Bushell-Beatty 5 Rated this highly due to need because until Hudson is ready he will be the guy at LT. A scary propostion for someone who was a revolving door in pass pro last season
35 DT Bryan Mone 5 An enigma as the staff ranked him among the top five players on the team THREE years ago. If he gets in shape he could be a real run stuffer and start to live up to the staff's high hopes
36 QB Brandon Peters 2r 2017 minutes lefat more questions than answers. How much was due to poor OL which amost got him killed and some bad coaching. Still, needs to develop as a team leader
37 LB Devin Gill 2r Battling Ross for OLB spot. Underrated
38 LB Noah Furbush 5 Heady jumbo 'backer who runs well for his size and is effective in big.man packages. Will Uche take away some of his reps?
39 WR Grant Perry 4 Consistent receiver who will not wow you with his athleticism but gets the job done when not in the dog house
40 TE Nick Eubanks 2r Length, speed and athleticism to stretch the field flexing out. Has really filled out so should be an improved blocker
41 C/G Stephen Spanellis 2r Versatile and heady lineman who gets the most out of his skill set. Could surprise if Onwenu does not shape up
42 DT/DE Carlo Kemp 2r Has grown into a versatile DL who could play inside or out. Should provide solid depth
43 P Brad Robbins 2 Relatively high rating based on the importance of his position and getting better productivity there than we did in 2017. Must make the soph leap
44 G/T Andrew Stueber 1r Could challenge at OT out of need but lacks the long arms to be an ideal fit there. Nice future upside
45 T/G Chuck Filiaga 1r Huge OL who is an effective run blocker. May not have the feet to be effective at OT. We will soon find out
46 S Jaylen Kelly-Powell 2 If Metellus or Kinnel don't step it up, especially in coverage, JKP could sneak into the line-up
47 LB Joshua Uche 3 Most effective as an edge rusher. Will battle Furbush for minutes
48 S J'Marick Woods 2 Unlike JKP, Woods' stregnths are not in coverage but in coming up and laying the wood. Could move to viper in 2019?.
49 WR Eddie McDoom 3 Effective on jet sweeps, but no Gil Chapman. Must sep up his overall game or else he will be passed over by the youngsters
50 TB O'Maury Samuels 2 Sort of a make or break year. Window of opportunity is there to be the number three back. He must seize the day
51 DT Donovan Jeter 1r Has turned into a huge DT. Still needs to be cleared for fall camp after an injury. If healthy he could work his way into DT rotation
52 S Brad Hawkins 2 Nice size and speed. Could surprise this season and move up this list. Then again, he may not.
53 CB Brandon Watson 5 Not flashy but gets the job done. Saw a lot of starting time last season but Thomas could eat into some of his PT
54 CB Benjamin St-Juste 2 Long and quick cover corner who needs to stay healthy and get reps. Still somewhat raw but has a nice ceiling that we probably won't see this year
55 WR Nate Schoenle 2rpw My highest rated walk-on. Tall, fast, good hands and an outstanding blocker. Scholarship-worthy
56 LB Cameron McGrone 1 First true frosh on the list. Will provide depth but ksi is smart and a hat-seeking missile who could also excel on special teams
57 QB Joe Milton 1 Huge ceiling, hence the highish ranking. Hopefully he will not be thrown to the wolves this year. Good news is that with new redshirt rule we can get him some quality game action in 2018
58 TB Christian Turner 1 The most ready-to-go of our incoming RBs and he will need to be as the third RB spot is there for the taking
59 S/CB Casey Hughes 5t Has the sort of speed to be successful in covering quick slots coming out of the backfield. Could hve used him against Penn State last year
60 LB Jordan Glasgow 3rw Glasgows walk-on and then earn scholarships. At vipoer he is stuck behind Khaleke, but he is a heck of a special teams player
61 LB Jordan Anthony 1r Former Rivals five-star will fight to get rotation time this year. Remember he is still learning the spot and somewhat raw as a LB
62 DT Lawrence Marshall 5 Journeyman DL who could provide som quality rotation minutes but will need to fend off youngster like Kemp and Jeter
63 TE Mustapha Muhammad 1 One of out top rated frosh but at a position where we have great depth
64 TB Michael Barrett 1 Wild-card frosh who could see time as a slot or RB. Could surprise due to his skill set and our needs
65 FB Ben VanSumeren 1 Has a chance to make a similar impact that another fullback named Ben made in 2017 since depth an issue at FB
66 T/G Jalen Mayfield 1 I expect him to be a three year starter at U-M. If JBB, Runyan and Hudson struggle he could emerge even sooner
67 G Phillip Paea 1r Late spring move to OG where he should provide depth and allow other young guards to give a shot at OT
68 DT Deron Irving-Bey 1r Has some nice raw skills but still adjusting to level of competition. Could supply depth at DT
69 CB Myles Sims 1 Most highly rated of incoming frosh DBs, which is not saying a lot. Should have luxury to break in slowly with 5 vet CBs ahead of him
70 DE Aidan Hutchinson 1 US Army Bowl performance showed that he could be college ready. A chance he sees time as a SDE
71 S Gemon Green 1 A lot of young players ahead of him at safety, but nobody who has really shown elite-level talent. Could he surprise?
72 DE Julius Welschof 1 Freshman in name only as he is old for his class and has played Bundeslig ball in Bavaria, similar to JUCO level here. Could surprise
73 DE Reuben Jones 3r Sort of a make or break year for Reuben. Has moved around on the line and at LB. Danger of being passed up by younger talent
74 T Joel Honigford 1r Hear less about Joel than the other frosh linemen. Still filling out and least P5 ready of the group. Must continue to get bigger, faster, stronger
75 T Grant Newsome 3r Wild-card who is still not cleared to play and doubtful he will be ready this year (if ever) to contributie. Still, can always hope for a miracle at our greatest position of need
76 FB Jared Wangler 5 Team player who may finally find a hone as a back-up FB. Will need to fend off Ben II and a couple of our better walk-ons
77 TE Luke Schoonmaker 1 Measurables intrigue but hsi best football is probably a few years away
78 CB/S Vincent Gray 1 Another long and athletic frosh DB without a lot of accolades who is stuck behind a lot of talent
79 TB Hassan Haskins 1 Sleeper RB who will compete with frosh Turner and Samuels for numnber 3 RB spot. But Turner beat out more P5 players (3) just at his RB spot last year than Haskins has probably seein in total in four years
80 WR Ronald Bell 1 Not a burner but an athletzc and acrobatic receiver who can really go vertical. Will tell us a bit about staff's evaluation skills, but probably not this year
81 T/TE Ryan Hayes 1 Long-term upside not indicative of his current ranking. Needs to eat into his body and he could be a special OT
82 DE Taylor Upshaw 1 Good bloodlines and athletic but still relatively new to the game and needs at least two years of seasoning before we can start to pass judgement
83 CB German Green 1 Lower-ranked of the Green twins, but primarily due to juniro season injury. Another long DB who is not real highly ranked. Some will surprise, some won't. Just not this year better spacing with
84 S Sammy Faustin 1 Don Brown loves Sammy' upside. Some other staffers are not so convinced. But Don calls the shots and knows what he is looking for for his defense better than anyone. Could see ST time.
85 TB Tru Wilson 3pw Harbaugh currently lists him as our number three RB. Could be more of a motivation ploy than anything else. Tru is good for a walk-on, but not THAT good. Our 2018 Wrobo man. The truth wil soon become apparent
86 FB Peter Bush 3pw Harbuagh mentioned him as one of our two most talented walk-ones (along with Schoenle). Former star receiver in southern Cal who at 6-2, 225 has really filled out. Season-opener will pit him against brother Sam, who plays for Notre Dame (that is, assuming he travels)
87 G Nolan Ulizio 3r What to say here? Seemes to have been passed over by younger talent. Writing on wall since departure of Drevno
88 T Andrew Vastardis 3pw Solid depth player at OG. Good student, talented all-around-athlete. Lettered last year. Was running with the twos much of spring
89 PK Jake Moody 1 Actually committed to U-M as a greyshirt (entere in January 2019 on scholarship) but a possibilty he enters earlier due to attrition. Strong on KOs. Hopefully waits to enroll as better spacing with Quinn
90 G Jesse Speight 2pw Wilton's younger bro is a lot like Vastardis-talented Virginia native who provides solid walk-on depth on the OL. Plus he looks like my cousin Ricky
91 FB Matt Brown 2pw Most decorated walk-on in U-M history? First team Max Preps All-American LB and Ohio DI (highest) plyer of year as a senior. Along with Bush provides comforting walk-onfullback depth, very comforting. Don't sleep on him!
92 C Camaron Cheeseman 3pw Returning starter as our long-snapper. Good at what he does and has a nice frame that is still filling out
93 P Will Hart 2rpw Replaced by Robbins as our punter mid-season. Must work on consistency
94 DE Ron Johnson 2r High quality kid who just has not been able to break into the rotation as he enters his third year in the program. Solid scout team player
95 TB Kurt Taylor 1r Has thus far lived up to expectations, which were not high. Similar liekly career trajectory as another kid we signed from Georgia years ago, Dave Cone
96 WR Jake McCurry 2pw Joins Matt Brown as part of great 2017 preferred walk-on duo from Solon, Ohio. One defender singled him out as being the most impressive receiver on the team in spring drills. What?
97 DT Carl Myers 3pw Huge value as a scout team DT and provides good depth. Also a fine student. Grand Rapids native
98 TE Carter Selzer 2pw Harbaugh said he was running fifth at TE after spring, so he is first among about six walk-ons. Tall kid (6-8) and athletic (starred in hoops). Played at KC power Rockhurst. Dad played at Kansas. I like this kids measurables and if he fills out he could surprise
99 T Greg Robinson 3pw Huge OT who is a throwback lineman. Fine student. Always nice to beat out Ohio State for an Ohio kid, even if only for a preferred walk-on offer
100 CB Hunter Reynolds 2pw Traveled some as a frosh PWO. Preped at Choate for fifth year after playing high school ball at Jersey power Don Bosco. Solid depth walk-on
101 QB Jeff George Jr. 3rtw Newest grad tansfer to U-M. Pops was an NFL QB with a rocket arm. Started some at Illinois last season but will just be a depth kid at U-M. First told about him by an assistant coach at Warren Central, same guy whom told me that Ty Isaac was way overrated (was Ty's senior year in high school)
102 P George Caratan 1pw New England prep school PWO who could surprise as he averaged 46ypp as a senior. If Robbins tanks, he could be next in line. Don Brown special
103 TE Connor Edmonds 3pw Thickly built (6-5,252) TE out of Wisconsin. Good student. Provides solid depth
104 TB Joey Hewlett 5pw Son of former U-M QB/S Rich Hewlett (who played with Harbaugh). 6-0, 190+ RB who is a solid ST contributor. Plays to his ceiling
105 DT John Luby 2w Nice-sized (6-6, 241) DL out of Orchard Lake St. Mary's who provides solid cannon fodder on the sout tream for out OL
106 DE Dane Drobocky 3pw Former prep TE who is a solid scout team WDE. Younger bro is a 2020 TE who just camped at U-M (probably another walk-on target)
107 LB Adam Shibley 2pw Quality PWO ILB who was first team All-Ohio out of Cleveland St. Ignatius. The last 'backer we landed from theat school to receive that honor was Jake Ryan
108 S Louis Grodman 4w Solid scout team safety out of Walled Lake Northern, where he was an all-conferenc performer. Another kid who plays near his ceiling
109 LB Jack Dunaway 4pw Solid scout team LB. Son of former U-M TE Craig Dunaway (The TE who lives in infamy after making a catch that was shown in The Big Chill). Starred at Brother Rice with Grant Perry and Malzonee
110 C Andrew Robinson 5w Saw limited action as a long-snapper and if Cheesman goes down he could be the man
111 LB Adam Fakih 2pw Nice frame (6-2, 210) and speed (4.55 forty). Starred at Detroit Country Day, where he also graduated Magna Cum Laude. A lot of very smart walk-ons on this team
112 TE Joseph Files 4w Broke his collarbone last year. Harbaugh says he may have the best Go Blue attitude on the team. Played at Cranbrook, which produced former Hesiman winner General Pete Dawkins and Mitt Romney, among others. Fine student
113 TE Bradford Jones 5w 6-3, 237 TE who actually lettered in 2017. Yet another Academic All-Big Ten selection and yet another walk-on out of Brother Rice
114 WR Jake Martin 3pw Former Grand Rapids Dream Team selection. Academic All-Big Ten and in school of Engineering!
115 TE Ryan Veingrad 2pw Nice-sized TE (6-4, 248) out of Florida. Gotta root for this kid as he beat Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2015, bigger than any victory he will ever particpate in at U-M
116 T Griffin Korican 1pw Late PWO addition out of Seattle O'Dea. Great size 6-5, 290+. Should provide quailty depth in years ahead
117 QB Michael Sessa 3pw Academic All-Big Ten selection out of Hinsdlae (IL) Central, where at 6-8 he even towered over his top receiving target, former Michigan TE Ian Bunting
118 TE Luke Buckman 1pw Quality incoming walk-on out of Holand, MI. Former QB who mplays TE at 6-5, 215. Flipped from a scholarship offer at Grand Valley State to attend U-M
119 FB Tyler Plocki 2pw Hard-nosed fullback who played at nearby Saline. Comes from Michigan royalty. Father, Jim, is a strength coach with the program while mother, Bev, has led the women’s gymnastics program at U-M to 22 Big Ten titles in her 29 years at the helm of the program
120 PK Adam Culp 1pw Tall-walk-on kicker out of Ithaca. As a senior he was 8-of-10 on field-goal attempts and had a long of 42 yards. Good athlete. He led the team with 40 catches for 567 yards and 12 touchdowns.
121 G Daniel Jokisch 3pw Former receiver who now plys OG at 6-4, 251. Played at Orchard Lake St. Mary's. Son of former Michigan receiver Dan Jokisch and nephew of Harbaugh best buddy Paul Jokisch
122 C Matt Baldeck 2pw Solid long-snapper who must get bigger. Best player in the program out of Idaho since I don't know when
123 QB Jacob West 4w Has moved around a bit but now listed at QB on spring roster. Lettered last year and another Academic All-Big Ten selection. Out of Pinckney
124 LB Jameson Offerdahl 4pw Son of former WMU and NFL LB John Offerdahl. John was out of Wisconsin and played for Jack Harbaugh at Western. Jack noticed him when recruiting teammate Jerry Quaerna, who ended up signing with Michigan
125 S Tyler Cochran 3pw Another St. Mary's kid whose dad (Brad Cochran) played with Harbaugh at U-M. 6-1, 194 and has his dad's fine speed
126 G Kraig Correll 1pw Nice-sized young center prospect (6-5, 280) who satrred for Blair Academy, a prep school in New Jersey. We are heavily recruiting his teammate, 2019 DE David Ojabo
127-140 WR Brendan White 4w Out of Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep he is another academic All-Big Ten selection (I see a trend here) out of the School of Engineering
127-140 WR Jack Young 2pw Receiver who put up huge numbers playing for his large school in Pittsburgh. Hauled in 58 receptions for 880 yards and 8 touchdowns as a senior. Made 33 receptions for 958 yards and 9 touchdowns during his junior campaign
127-140 FB Spencer Dickow 4w 6-0, 225 reserve fullback who was All-Catholic while at Brother Rice
127-140 QB Max Wittwer 1pw Tall but thin (6-3, 175) dual-threat QB who is a fine student. He flipped from Air Force to walk-on at Michigan. Played at Utica Ike, one of the top programs in Macomb County and largest schools in the state
127-140 TE Kenneth Ferris 4w Another nice-sized in-line TE (6-5, 244) out of Fowlerville who was an All-Big Ten academic selection in 2017
127-140 S Jared Davis 2pw Two-way star at Frankenmuth as a QB and safety. Now a safety who could see some time on special tams
127-140 S Lucas Andrighetto 1pw 5-11, 185 safety out of northern Cal power Mountain View St. Francis. Heady and aggressive player
127-140 S Matt Mitchell 5w Safety who is another academic All-Big Ten honoree while attending Ross Business School
127-140 S Owen Goldsberry 1pw A lot like Jared Davis. Two-way player (QB/S) as a prep who will likely play safety at U-M. From Illinois
127-140 WR Michael Geraci 1pw Nice -sized WR (6-2, 190) out of Jersey power Don Bosco who missed his senior season due to concussions
127-140 C Joey George 1pw Three year starting center at Walled Lake Western (6-0m 275, 5.35 forty, 365 bench) who is very strong
127-140 QB Kyle Grady 1pw Pro-style QB with quick feet who is 6-3, 185 out of San Diego Point Loma. As a senior on a 6-5 team he was 77 of 135 passing for 1,249 yards (570 ), 12 TDs and 6 INTs
127-140 TB Jared Char 3w Scout team back out of soon to be closed Farmington Hillls Harrison
127-140 TE William Holton 3w New spring walk-on flex TE out of Haslett. 6-4, 217. Intriguing as he just played basketball at Haslett as far as I can see
Players Who Have Left the Program Since End of 2017 Regular Season
QB Wilton Speight 5 Announced on April 12, 2018 that he would transfer to UCLA; Announced on November 26, 2017, the day after the Ohio state game, that he would be transferring for his fifth year
LB Elysee Mbem-Bosse 2r Reportedly left the program in mid-November 2017 and confirmed on November 28, 2017. Left for personal reasons
WR Drake Harris 5 He announced on November 28, 2017 that he will transfer for his fifth year (Western Michigan)
OT Ja'Raymond Hall 1r Reported on November 28, 2017 that he is transferring (Central Michigan)
QB Alex Malzone 3r Announced in January 2018 that he wil treansfer to Miami (Ohio); He announced on November 29, 2017 that he will transfer after graduating early for his fourth and fifth years
WR Maurice Ways 5 He announced on November 29, 2017 that he will transfer for his fifth year. Will play at California
TE Ian Bunting 5 He announced on January 20, 2018 that he will transfer for his fifth year (California)
OG Sean Fitzgerald 2pw He transferred to Coastal Carolina in February 2018 and will be on scholarship there
PK/P Ryan Tice 4w He transferred to Tennessee in 2018 as a grad transfer; Entered early in December 2014
WDE Cheyenn Robertson 4pw Not listed in spring 2018 roster
WR Evan Latham 2pw Not listed in spring 2018 roster
TE Chris Hanlon 2pw Not listed in spring 2018 roster
WR Eric Kim 3w Not listed in spring 2018 roster
TB Kareem Walker 2r Announced in June 2018 that he is transferring
WR Kekoa Crawford 3 Announced in June 2018 that he is transferring
Just a few clarifications:
1. I rank them in order of IMPORTANCE for the 2018 team. Not necessarily in terms of pure ability, potential or past accomplishment. Sometimes importance is a function of whether there is someone else who can step in and fill the role at a close to similar level should the player be injured. For instance, I think that Shea Patterson is the MOST IMPORTANT player for this upcoming season just because he is so much better than any possible replacement. Rashan Gary may be the greatest pure talent, Chase Winovich may be the most accomplished performer based on last season, but both play positions where if they are injured there are players who could step in and play at a level that would not as negatively impact the team as the loss of Patterson would. As such, that reasoning substantially colors my rankings. Moreover, the rankings are based on importance to the 2018 TEAM, not future teams. So they should not be interpreted as placing floors or ceilings on the younger players
2. I've provided a comment on each player. As we progress down the walk-on list obviously more educational in explaining just who they are
3. My numbering refers to year of eligibility. 1 is freshman, 2 sophomore, 3 junior, 4 senior, 5 fifth year senior. r refers to redshirt, t-transfer, p-preferred, w-walk-on.
4. The final 14 players at the bottom of the roster are tied. I am not about to try and differentiate between walk-ons that I have too little info to make an intelligent assessment on.
So here goes:
Rank Position Player Class Comments
1 QB Shea Patterson 3t Gary may be the most talented player in the roster, but Petterson is the most irreplaceable player
2 DE Rashan Gary 3 As great a raw talent as we have seen at Michigan in years
3 DE Chase Winovich 5 The most proven returning talent on the team. Relentless
4 LB Devin Bush 3 Could be NFL-bound after this season
5 LB Khaleke Hudson 3 Ditto Bush comments
6 TB Karan Higdon 4 We need a go-to back and he must stay healthy
7 WR Tarik Black 1r Reminds me a bit of former Michigan great David Terrell
8 WR Donovan Peoples-Jones 2 Braylon-like potential and should make a huge leap as a soph
9 CB Lavert Hill 3 Smooth and natural cover corner
10 G Ben Bredeson 3 Our most consistent OL. Needs to take it to next level and become dominant
11 C Cesar Ruiz 2 Our most talented OL. Ready to dominate as a mere soph
12 DT Aubrey Solomon 2 Broke into starting rotation as a frosh and is a lean fighting machine ready to break out
13 TE Zach Gentry 3r Higher ceiling than McKeon with his length and speed. Should flex out and be a unique deep threat from his spot
14 G Michael Onwenu 3 Must get his weight down and improve endurance. Can dominate for a few plays, needs to do it as a full-time guy
15 CB David Long 2r A bit bigger than Hill. Raw skills could merit higher rating, but with Hill and Thomas around he is not really irreplaceable
16 DT Michael Dwumfour 2r Watch for a breakout season as he steps in for Mo Hurst
17 TB Chris Evans 3 Came on srong late in 2017. Must tart that way as depth behind him is lacking
18 FB Ben Mason 2 Throwback player who could also see situational time (goal-line) at LB. His blocking could help cover up OL deficiencies
19 CB Ambry Thomas 2 Top ten type in terms of raw talent, but stuck behind two returning starters. Good enough to rotate in with them
20 TE Sean McKeon 3 Mr. Consistent and out best blocking TE. Complements Gentry and is just a steady player
21 S Tyree Kinnel 4 Limited ceiling but is our mostr experienced DB and needs to show it
22 T James Hudson 1r Not as proven a talent as some behind him but he has the best chance of turning our weakest poistion into a strength. Dummed down OL calls should help
23 LB Josh Ross 2 Look for his to emerge as our third starting 'backer. Bigger and more athletic than his older brother was
24 T Jon Runyan Jr. 3r Not the 24th best talent on the team, but another kid shose rank is high based on the team's need for him to perform well. Hence, a very important player
25 DE Kwity Paye 2 The raw talent to be a top ten kid down the road bujt still inexperienced. Will rotate behind two of our top three ranked kids
26 PK Quinn Nordin 2r Always tough to rank a kicker. Has a bit of a mid-season lull but he started and finished strongly and has great leg drive
27 QB Dylan McCaffrey 1r IF something happens to Patterson (and they way he improvises he could be a sitting duck for getting hurt) McCaffrey may be our best bet to step in and play well in 2018
28 WR Nico Collins 2 Great measurables and just starting to put it all together. Nice catch radius
29 DE Luiji Vilain 1r Similar potential to Paye but has been injured most of his time at Michigan. If halthy he could see some rotation time. High ceiling
30 LB Drew Singleton 1r I like this kid a lot and just suspect he could make an impact although he will be playing behing some serious talent. Feel better about the spot in 2019 with him stepping in
31 WR Oliver Martin 1r Higher ceiling than Perry adn I think he starts to show it this season
32 TE T.J. Wheatley 3r A lot of talent but another kid passes up a bit due to injuries. If healthy and motivated he could play in the NFL
33 S Josh Metellus 3 Physical and hard-hitting but has some mental lapses and must cut down on mistakes
34 T Juwan Bushell-Beatty 5 Rated this highly due to need because until Hudson is ready he will be the guy at LT. A scary propostion for someone who was a revolving door in pass pro last season
35 DT Bryan Mone 5 An enigma as the staff ranked him among the top five players on the team THREE years ago. If he gets in shape he could be a real run stuffer and start to live up to the staff's high hopes
36 QB Brandon Peters 2r 2017 minutes lefat more questions than answers. How much was due to poor OL which amost got him killed and some bad coaching. Still, needs to develop as a team leader
37 LB Devin Gill 2r Battling Ross for OLB spot. Underrated
38 LB Noah Furbush 5 Heady jumbo 'backer who runs well for his size and is effective in big.man packages. Will Uche take away some of his reps?
39 WR Grant Perry 4 Consistent receiver who will not wow you with his athleticism but gets the job done when not in the dog house
40 TE Nick Eubanks 2r Length, speed and athleticism to stretch the field flexing out. Has really filled out so should be an improved blocker
41 C/G Stephen Spanellis 2r Versatile and heady lineman who gets the most out of his skill set. Could surprise if Onwenu does not shape up
42 DT/DE Carlo Kemp 2r Has grown into a versatile DL who could play inside or out. Should provide solid depth
43 P Brad Robbins 2 Relatively high rating based on the importance of his position and getting better productivity there than we did in 2017. Must make the soph leap
44 G/T Andrew Stueber 1r Could challenge at OT out of need but lacks the long arms to be an ideal fit there. Nice future upside
45 T/G Chuck Filiaga 1r Huge OL who is an effective run blocker. May not have the feet to be effective at OT. We will soon find out
46 S Jaylen Kelly-Powell 2 If Metellus or Kinnel don't step it up, especially in coverage, JKP could sneak into the line-up
47 LB Joshua Uche 3 Most effective as an edge rusher. Will battle Furbush for minutes
48 S J'Marick Woods 2 Unlike JKP, Woods' stregnths are not in coverage but in coming up and laying the wood. Could move to viper in 2019?.
49 WR Eddie McDoom 3 Effective on jet sweeps, but no Gil Chapman. Must sep up his overall game or else he will be passed over by the youngsters
50 TB O'Maury Samuels 2 Sort of a make or break year. Window of opportunity is there to be the number three back. He must seize the day
51 DT Donovan Jeter 1r Has turned into a huge DT. Still needs to be cleared for fall camp after an injury. If healthy he could work his way into DT rotation
52 S Brad Hawkins 2 Nice size and speed. Could surprise this season and move up this list. Then again, he may not.
53 CB Brandon Watson 5 Not flashy but gets the job done. Saw a lot of starting time last season but Thomas could eat into some of his PT
54 CB Benjamin St-Juste 2 Long and quick cover corner who needs to stay healthy and get reps. Still somewhat raw but has a nice ceiling that we probably won't see this year
55 WR Nate Schoenle 2rpw My highest rated walk-on. Tall, fast, good hands and an outstanding blocker. Scholarship-worthy
56 LB Cameron McGrone 1 First true frosh on the list. Will provide depth but ksi is smart and a hat-seeking missile who could also excel on special teams
57 QB Joe Milton 1 Huge ceiling, hence the highish ranking. Hopefully he will not be thrown to the wolves this year. Good news is that with new redshirt rule we can get him some quality game action in 2018
58 TB Christian Turner 1 The most ready-to-go of our incoming RBs and he will need to be as the third RB spot is there for the taking
59 S/CB Casey Hughes 5t Has the sort of speed to be successful in covering quick slots coming out of the backfield. Could hve used him against Penn State last year
60 LB Jordan Glasgow 3rw Glasgows walk-on and then earn scholarships. At vipoer he is stuck behind Khaleke, but he is a heck of a special teams player
61 LB Jordan Anthony 1r Former Rivals five-star will fight to get rotation time this year. Remember he is still learning the spot and somewhat raw as a LB
62 DT Lawrence Marshall 5 Journeyman DL who could provide som quality rotation minutes but will need to fend off youngster like Kemp and Jeter
63 TE Mustapha Muhammad 1 One of out top rated frosh but at a position where we have great depth
64 TB Michael Barrett 1 Wild-card frosh who could see time as a slot or RB. Could surprise due to his skill set and our needs
65 FB Ben VanSumeren 1 Has a chance to make a similar impact that another fullback named Ben made in 2017 since depth an issue at FB
66 T/G Jalen Mayfield 1 I expect him to be a three year starter at U-M. If JBB, Runyan and Hudson struggle he could emerge even sooner
67 G Phillip Paea 1r Late spring move to OG where he should provide depth and allow other young guards to give a shot at OT
68 DT Deron Irving-Bey 1r Has some nice raw skills but still adjusting to level of competition. Could supply depth at DT
69 CB Myles Sims 1 Most highly rated of incoming frosh DBs, which is not saying a lot. Should have luxury to break in slowly with 5 vet CBs ahead of him
70 DE Aidan Hutchinson 1 US Army Bowl performance showed that he could be college ready. A chance he sees time as a SDE
71 S Gemon Green 1 A lot of young players ahead of him at safety, but nobody who has really shown elite-level talent. Could he surprise?
72 DE Julius Welschof 1 Freshman in name only as he is old for his class and has played Bundeslig ball in Bavaria, similar to JUCO level here. Could surprise
73 DE Reuben Jones 3r Sort of a make or break year for Reuben. Has moved around on the line and at LB. Danger of being passed up by younger talent
74 T Joel Honigford 1r Hear less about Joel than the other frosh linemen. Still filling out and least P5 ready of the group. Must continue to get bigger, faster, stronger
75 T Grant Newsome 3r Wild-card who is still not cleared to play and doubtful he will be ready this year (if ever) to contributie. Still, can always hope for a miracle at our greatest position of need
76 FB Jared Wangler 5 Team player who may finally find a hone as a back-up FB. Will need to fend off Ben II and a couple of our better walk-ons
77 TE Luke Schoonmaker 1 Measurables intrigue but hsi best football is probably a few years away
78 CB/S Vincent Gray 1 Another long and athletic frosh DB without a lot of accolades who is stuck behind a lot of talent
79 TB Hassan Haskins 1 Sleeper RB who will compete with frosh Turner and Samuels for numnber 3 RB spot. But Turner beat out more P5 players (3) just at his RB spot last year than Haskins has probably seein in total in four years
80 WR Ronald Bell 1 Not a burner but an athletzc and acrobatic receiver who can really go vertical. Will tell us a bit about staff's evaluation skills, but probably not this year
81 T/TE Ryan Hayes 1 Long-term upside not indicative of his current ranking. Needs to eat into his body and he could be a special OT
82 DE Taylor Upshaw 1 Good bloodlines and athletic but still relatively new to the game and needs at least two years of seasoning before we can start to pass judgement
83 CB German Green 1 Lower-ranked of the Green twins, but primarily due to juniro season injury. Another long DB who is not real highly ranked. Some will surprise, some won't. Just not this year better spacing with
84 S Sammy Faustin 1 Don Brown loves Sammy' upside. Some other staffers are not so convinced. But Don calls the shots and knows what he is looking for for his defense better than anyone. Could see ST time.
85 TB Tru Wilson 3pw Harbaugh currently lists him as our number three RB. Could be more of a motivation ploy than anything else. Tru is good for a walk-on, but not THAT good. Our 2018 Wrobo man. The truth wil soon become apparent
86 FB Peter Bush 3pw Harbuagh mentioned him as one of our two most talented walk-ones (along with Schoenle). Former star receiver in southern Cal who at 6-2, 225 has really filled out. Season-opener will pit him against brother Sam, who plays for Notre Dame (that is, assuming he travels)
87 G Nolan Ulizio 3r What to say here? Seemes to have been passed over by younger talent. Writing on wall since departure of Drevno
88 T Andrew Vastardis 3pw Solid depth player at OG. Good student, talented all-around-athlete. Lettered last year. Was running with the twos much of spring
89 PK Jake Moody 1 Actually committed to U-M as a greyshirt (entere in January 2019 on scholarship) but a possibilty he enters earlier due to attrition. Strong on KOs. Hopefully waits to enroll as better spacing with Quinn
90 G Jesse Speight 2pw Wilton's younger bro is a lot like Vastardis-talented Virginia native who provides solid walk-on depth on the OL. Plus he looks like my cousin Ricky
91 FB Matt Brown 2pw Most decorated walk-on in U-M history? First team Max Preps All-American LB and Ohio DI (highest) plyer of year as a senior. Along with Bush provides comforting walk-onfullback depth, very comforting. Don't sleep on him!
92 C Camaron Cheeseman 3pw Returning starter as our long-snapper. Good at what he does and has a nice frame that is still filling out
93 P Will Hart 2rpw Replaced by Robbins as our punter mid-season. Must work on consistency
94 DE Ron Johnson 2r High quality kid who just has not been able to break into the rotation as he enters his third year in the program. Solid scout team player
95 TB Kurt Taylor 1r Has thus far lived up to expectations, which were not high. Similar liekly career trajectory as another kid we signed from Georgia years ago, Dave Cone
96 WR Jake McCurry 2pw Joins Matt Brown as part of great 2017 preferred walk-on duo from Solon, Ohio. One defender singled him out as being the most impressive receiver on the team in spring drills. What?
97 DT Carl Myers 3pw Huge value as a scout team DT and provides good depth. Also a fine student. Grand Rapids native
98 TE Carter Selzer 2pw Harbaugh said he was running fifth at TE after spring, so he is first among about six walk-ons. Tall kid (6-8) and athletic (starred in hoops). Played at KC power Rockhurst. Dad played at Kansas. I like this kids measurables and if he fills out he could surprise
99 T Greg Robinson 3pw Huge OT who is a throwback lineman. Fine student. Always nice to beat out Ohio State for an Ohio kid, even if only for a preferred walk-on offer
100 CB Hunter Reynolds 2pw Traveled some as a frosh PWO. Preped at Choate for fifth year after playing high school ball at Jersey power Don Bosco. Solid depth walk-on
101 QB Jeff George Jr. 3rtw Newest grad tansfer to U-M. Pops was an NFL QB with a rocket arm. Started some at Illinois last season but will just be a depth kid at U-M. First told about him by an assistant coach at Warren Central, same guy whom told me that Ty Isaac was way overrated (was Ty's senior year in high school)
102 P George Caratan 1pw New England prep school PWO who could surprise as he averaged 46ypp as a senior. If Robbins tanks, he could be next in line. Don Brown special
103 TE Connor Edmonds 3pw Thickly built (6-5,252) TE out of Wisconsin. Good student. Provides solid depth
104 TB Joey Hewlett 5pw Son of former U-M QB/S Rich Hewlett (who played with Harbaugh). 6-0, 190+ RB who is a solid ST contributor. Plays to his ceiling
105 DT John Luby 2w Nice-sized (6-6, 241) DL out of Orchard Lake St. Mary's who provides solid cannon fodder on the sout tream for out OL
106 DE Dane Drobocky 3pw Former prep TE who is a solid scout team WDE. Younger bro is a 2020 TE who just camped at U-M (probably another walk-on target)
107 LB Adam Shibley 2pw Quality PWO ILB who was first team All-Ohio out of Cleveland St. Ignatius. The last 'backer we landed from theat school to receive that honor was Jake Ryan
108 S Louis Grodman 4w Solid scout team safety out of Walled Lake Northern, where he was an all-conferenc performer. Another kid who plays near his ceiling
109 LB Jack Dunaway 4pw Solid scout team LB. Son of former U-M TE Craig Dunaway (The TE who lives in infamy after making a catch that was shown in The Big Chill). Starred at Brother Rice with Grant Perry and Malzonee
110 C Andrew Robinson 5w Saw limited action as a long-snapper and if Cheesman goes down he could be the man
111 LB Adam Fakih 2pw Nice frame (6-2, 210) and speed (4.55 forty). Starred at Detroit Country Day, where he also graduated Magna Cum Laude. A lot of very smart walk-ons on this team
112 TE Joseph Files 4w Broke his collarbone last year. Harbaugh says he may have the best Go Blue attitude on the team. Played at Cranbrook, which produced former Hesiman winner General Pete Dawkins and Mitt Romney, among others. Fine student
113 TE Bradford Jones 5w 6-3, 237 TE who actually lettered in 2017. Yet another Academic All-Big Ten selection and yet another walk-on out of Brother Rice
114 WR Jake Martin 3pw Former Grand Rapids Dream Team selection. Academic All-Big Ten and in school of Engineering!
115 TE Ryan Veingrad 2pw Nice-sized TE (6-4, 248) out of Florida. Gotta root for this kid as he beat Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2015, bigger than any victory he will ever particpate in at U-M
116 T Griffin Korican 1pw Late PWO addition out of Seattle O'Dea. Great size 6-5, 290+. Should provide quailty depth in years ahead
117 QB Michael Sessa 3pw Academic All-Big Ten selection out of Hinsdlae (IL) Central, where at 6-8 he even towered over his top receiving target, former Michigan TE Ian Bunting
118 TE Luke Buckman 1pw Quality incoming walk-on out of Holand, MI. Former QB who mplays TE at 6-5, 215. Flipped from a scholarship offer at Grand Valley State to attend U-M
119 FB Tyler Plocki 2pw Hard-nosed fullback who played at nearby Saline. Comes from Michigan royalty. Father, Jim, is a strength coach with the program while mother, Bev, has led the women’s gymnastics program at U-M to 22 Big Ten titles in her 29 years at the helm of the program
120 PK Adam Culp 1pw Tall-walk-on kicker out of Ithaca. As a senior he was 8-of-10 on field-goal attempts and had a long of 42 yards. Good athlete. He led the team with 40 catches for 567 yards and 12 touchdowns.
121 G Daniel Jokisch 3pw Former receiver who now plys OG at 6-4, 251. Played at Orchard Lake St. Mary's. Son of former Michigan receiver Dan Jokisch and nephew of Harbaugh best buddy Paul Jokisch
122 C Matt Baldeck 2pw Solid long-snapper who must get bigger. Best player in the program out of Idaho since I don't know when
123 QB Jacob West 4w Has moved around a bit but now listed at QB on spring roster. Lettered last year and another Academic All-Big Ten selection. Out of Pinckney
124 LB Jameson Offerdahl 4pw Son of former WMU and NFL LB John Offerdahl. John was out of Wisconsin and played for Jack Harbaugh at Western. Jack noticed him when recruiting teammate Jerry Quaerna, who ended up signing with Michigan
125 S Tyler Cochran 3pw Another St. Mary's kid whose dad (Brad Cochran) played with Harbaugh at U-M. 6-1, 194 and has his dad's fine speed
126 G Kraig Correll 1pw Nice-sized young center prospect (6-5, 280) who satrred for Blair Academy, a prep school in New Jersey. We are heavily recruiting his teammate, 2019 DE David Ojabo
127-140 WR Brendan White 4w Out of Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep he is another academic All-Big Ten selection (I see a trend here) out of the School of Engineering
127-140 WR Jack Young 2pw Receiver who put up huge numbers playing for his large school in Pittsburgh. Hauled in 58 receptions for 880 yards and 8 touchdowns as a senior. Made 33 receptions for 958 yards and 9 touchdowns during his junior campaign
127-140 FB Spencer Dickow 4w 6-0, 225 reserve fullback who was All-Catholic while at Brother Rice
127-140 QB Max Wittwer 1pw Tall but thin (6-3, 175) dual-threat QB who is a fine student. He flipped from Air Force to walk-on at Michigan. Played at Utica Ike, one of the top programs in Macomb County and largest schools in the state
127-140 TE Kenneth Ferris 4w Another nice-sized in-line TE (6-5, 244) out of Fowlerville who was an All-Big Ten academic selection in 2017
127-140 S Jared Davis 2pw Two-way star at Frankenmuth as a QB and safety. Now a safety who could see some time on special tams
127-140 S Lucas Andrighetto 1pw 5-11, 185 safety out of northern Cal power Mountain View St. Francis. Heady and aggressive player
127-140 S Matt Mitchell 5w Safety who is another academic All-Big Ten honoree while attending Ross Business School
127-140 S Owen Goldsberry 1pw A lot like Jared Davis. Two-way player (QB/S) as a prep who will likely play safety at U-M. From Illinois
127-140 WR Michael Geraci 1pw Nice -sized WR (6-2, 190) out of Jersey power Don Bosco who missed his senior season due to concussions
127-140 C Joey George 1pw Three year starting center at Walled Lake Western (6-0m 275, 5.35 forty, 365 bench) who is very strong
127-140 QB Kyle Grady 1pw Pro-style QB with quick feet who is 6-3, 185 out of San Diego Point Loma. As a senior on a 6-5 team he was 77 of 135 passing for 1,249 yards (570 ), 12 TDs and 6 INTs
127-140 TB Jared Char 3w Scout team back out of soon to be closed Farmington Hillls Harrison
127-140 TE William Holton 3w New spring walk-on flex TE out of Haslett. 6-4, 217. Intriguing as he just played basketball at Haslett as far as I can see
Players Who Have Left the Program Since End of 2017 Regular Season
QB Wilton Speight 5 Announced on April 12, 2018 that he would transfer to UCLA; Announced on November 26, 2017, the day after the Ohio state game, that he would be transferring for his fifth year
LB Elysee Mbem-Bosse 2r Reportedly left the program in mid-November 2017 and confirmed on November 28, 2017. Left for personal reasons
WR Drake Harris 5 He announced on November 28, 2017 that he will transfer for his fifth year (Western Michigan)
OT Ja'Raymond Hall 1r Reported on November 28, 2017 that he is transferring (Central Michigan)
QB Alex Malzone 3r Announced in January 2018 that he wil treansfer to Miami (Ohio); He announced on November 29, 2017 that he will transfer after graduating early for his fourth and fifth years
WR Maurice Ways 5 He announced on November 29, 2017 that he will transfer for his fifth year. Will play at California
TE Ian Bunting 5 He announced on January 20, 2018 that he will transfer for his fifth year (California)
OG Sean Fitzgerald 2pw He transferred to Coastal Carolina in February 2018 and will be on scholarship there
PK/P Ryan Tice 4w He transferred to Tennessee in 2018 as a grad transfer; Entered early in December 2014
WDE Cheyenn Robertson 4pw Not listed in spring 2018 roster
WR Evan Latham 2pw Not listed in spring 2018 roster
TE Chris Hanlon 2pw Not listed in spring 2018 roster
WR Eric Kim 3w Not listed in spring 2018 roster
TB Kareem Walker 2r Announced in June 2018 that he is transferring
WR Kekoa Crawford 3 Announced in June 2018 that he is transferring
