The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 95 Sophomore defensive end Rashan Gary is the only No. 1 recruit Michigan has landed in the Rivals.com era (since 2002). Here's a look at all other U-M five-stars — highest rated to lowest — and how they fared, not including the 2017 class' trio of wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones (No. 12), linebacker Jordan Anthony (No. 26) and defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon (No. 31): Jabrill Peppers, CB, Paramus, N.J., 2014, Rivals.com's No. 3 Overall Player Nationally Peppers played offense, defense and special teams as a redshirt frosh in 2015, and was named a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers' Association of America. Last fall, he earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors, was an All-American and went to Cleveland in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Ryan Mallett, QB, Texarkana, Texas, 2007, No. 4 Mallett played behind Chad Henne in 2007, helping lead the Wolverines to a 38-0 win over Notre Dame and a victory over Penn State when Henne went down with injury. He transferred to Arkansas after one year, finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2010 after throwing for 3,869 yards and has been an NFL backup for six seasons. Prescott Burgess, S, Warren, Ohio, 2003, No. 6 Burgess chose Michigan over Ohio State, started 20 of the 46 games he played in, and was named All-Big Ten honorable mention in his junior (2005) and senior (2006) seasons. He went to the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft and played five seasons with a short stint with New Eng- land in between, notching 38 tackles primarily on special teams. Derrick Green, RB, Richmond, Va., 2013, No. 8 Green, the nation's No. 1 running back, showed up out of shape and never lived up to his billing. He rushed for 471 yards in his sophomore year, his best at U-M, but left after year three and joined TCU as a graduate transfer. He played in 10 games there and rushed 38 times for 141 yards, an average of 3.7 yards per carry. Chad Henne, QB, West Lawn, Pa., 2004, No. 13 Henne started every game he could as a four-year starter, missing a handful with injury, and became U-M's career leader in passing attempts, yards and touchdowns. He started his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins as a second- round pick and became a two-year starter. Now a backup in Jacksonville, he has thrown for 12,931 yards and 58 touchdowns in his NFL career. LaMarr Woodley, ILB, Saginaw, Mich., 2003, No. 14 Woodley, a three-year starter, was an All-America selection his senior year and captured the Ted Hendricks and Lombardi Awards after a 12-sack campaign his senior year. He was Pittsburgh's first-round pick in 2007 and spent nine years in the league, amassing 314 tackles and 58 sacks. Ondre Pipkins, DT, Kansas City, Mo., 2012, No. 14 Pipkins played in all 13 games as a true freshman, but tore his ACL five games into his sophomore year. Injuries ended his U-M career, and he transferred to Texas Tech in 2016. He played and started in 11 games and led the interior defensive linemen with 32 tackles (21 solo). Brandon Graham, DE, Detroit, 2006, No. 15 Graham became a two-time MVP and three-year starter at Michigan, finish- ing second on U-M's all-time list for sacks (29.5) and tackles for loss (56). He was Philadelphia's first-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft and earned second- team All-Pro honors last year. Kevin Grady, RB, Grand Rapids, Mich., 2005, No. 22 Grady played in 44 career games, making two starts at tailback and two at fullback. He carried the ball 200 times for 783 yards (3.9-yard average) and scored 10 rushing touchdowns during his career, redshirting his junior season with an injury, and played sparingly for the Chicago Slaughter of the Indoor Football League in 2011. Kyle Kalis, OL, Lakewood, Ohio, No. 22 Kalis started 34 games in four years and earned American Football Coaches Association All-America second-team and All-Big Ten second-team (coaches and media) honors last season. He signed with the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in May. Donovan Warren, CB, Long Beach, Calif., 2007, No. 25 Warren was a Freshman All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2007, and he earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media in 2009. He left after that year, but wasn't drafted and spent 2010-12 on NFL practice squads. Stephen Schilling, OT, Bellevue, Wash., 2006, No. 26 Schilling became a four-year starter and two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2009 and 2010. He started his NFL career as the San Diego Chargers' sixth-round pick and spent three years with the team, plus one in Seattle, before retiring. Will Campbell, DT, Detroit, 2009, No. 26 Campbell played all 12 games as a freshman, moved to the O-line in 2010 and then back to defense in 2011, where he earned All-Big Ten honorable mention honors his senior year. He went to the New York Jets in the sixth round and spent time on four teams' practice squads in three years. Gabe Watson, DT, Southfield, Mich., 2002, No. 33 Watson earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2004 and 2005 and finished his career with 92 stops, 14.5 tackles for a loss and five sacks. He was Arizona's fourth-round pick in 2006 and spent five seasons with the club, finishing his career with 105 tackles. — Chris Balas Michigan's Five-Star Recruits In The Rivals.com Era In 2016, Jabrill Peppers was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Linebacker of the Year and Return Specialist of the Year, and received All-America accolades. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL