The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MAY 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 23 started games here — a lot of starts in that room — so there are a lot of guys who have played football at a high level. Now it's going to be on them, on myself, on us as a coaching staff to find the best five and continue to develop beyond that and find the best chemistry in the room." Along with Hinton and Priebe, the Wol- verines' top group as of now looks to be senior Greg Crippen at center, senior Gio El-Hadi at left guard, and veterans An- drew Gentry and Jeff Persi battling at right tackle. All were very highly rated coming out of high school and have the ability. TWO PLAYERS TO WATCH 2. Fredrick Moore. Michigan is go- ing to need another receiver to emerge with junior Tyler Morris and sopho- more Semaj Morgan, and Moore seems to be the favorite according to most. He's 6-foot-1 and slender and needs to get stronger, but he's got great speed and wiggle and outstanding potential. "Fred — we're going to need him to really be one of those deep-ball receiv- ers," Morris said, noting they don't have a lot of experienced players there. Graduated receiver Roman Wilson also called him one to watch during his interviews at the NFL Combine. "Definitely Fredrick Moore," Wilson said of who's next up. "He's got the size, the speed, the work [ethic]. I think he's going to be a dawg this year and next year and the year after. That's my guy." Somebody needs to take it and run, and Moore has put himself in position. 1. Giovanni El-Hadi. We've been waiting a few years to see "Gio" get his shot. He's played some key snaps on very good football teams, but now it's his time to shine in a full-time starter role, and he appears ready. He's always played with an edge, but he's had to wait his turn behind elite college guards Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter. No more. El-Hadi showed up ready for work and in great shape, and he's been throwing his weight around, Michigan presumed left tackle starter Myles Hinton said. "He's a great player. That's my dude," Hinton said, having spent much of spring alongside the left guard. "He's a great player, a super strong football mind, for sure. And that dude is explosive. He is explosive. When he pulls … you see film from when he was a younger guy, he's just blowing up. It's just crazy." It took some getting used to each other, Hinton said, but the two have gotten in sync on the left side. "The first few times, you know, we're stepping on feet, kind of like a little awkward," Hin- ton said. "But I think we're kind of getting the dance out, for sure." ONE NEWCOMER WE MOST WANT TO SEE IN ACTION 1. Jaishawn Barham. The Maryland linebacker trans- fer has great athleticism, per his teammates and coaches, and has been all over the field at times this spring making plays. Junior Ernest Hausmann is the new leader of the group after Junior Colson and Michael Barrett left for their shot at the NFL, but Barham is expected to be part of a fast defense with many outstanding pieces. Their goal is to be among the na- tion's best again, and Barham should help. "Jaishawn is a super-talented young man," first-year linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary said. "Obviously, he's got some Big Ten experience from playing at Maryland. The biggest thing — and it kind of goes back to the culture piece — he fits us as a young man and the way he goes about his day-to-day as a professional. "Another thing is trying to learn the defense. We've kind of thrown him in. We didn't throw him on the shallow end; we threw him in on the deep end. He's been running with the first team, and he's got a standard that he knows he's got to live up to. He's done a good job." ❏ Junior wide receiver Tyler Morris (8) said that sophomore cornerback DJ Waller Jr. (13) is "standing out" this spring. Both are contenders for starting roles in 2024. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY