The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/859588
Rk. Name Year Pos. 1. Maurice Hurst Jr. 5th-Sr. DT Hurst might have been Michigan's most impactful non-starter a year ago. He played in the regular defensive line rotation, and his explosiveness has al- lowed him to post eight sacks among his 19.5 tackles for loss during his ca- reer. He'll be a key figure in pressuring quarterbacks. 2. Mason Cole Sr. OT Cole is a four-year starter who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2016. He's making the offseason move from center back to his original position at Michigan — left tackle. He'll be among the top offensive linemen in the nation. 3. Wilton Speight R-Jr. QB Speight posted a strong first year as a starter for the Wolverines, complet- ing 204 of 331 passes (61.6 percent) for 2,538 yards with 18 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He should take the next step, but has to lead behind a new-look offensive line and with a host of rookie wideouts. 4. Rashan Gary So. DE Gary became the talk of the summer, not only due to his freakish athletic skills, but because he provided lead- ership beyond his years to Michigan's many incoming freshmen and other teammates. G ar y managed a sack among five tackles for loss a year ago, but figures to turn up the heat consider- ably in 2017. 5. Mike McCray 5th-Sr. LB McCray's pick-six against Florida State in the Orange Bowl nearly turned the tide against the Seminoles. The effort capped an honorable mention All-Big Ten campaign for the veteran, who could improve on his career high of 76 tackles set last season. He also pro- duced 12.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and nine passes broken up in 2016. 6. Chris Evans So. RB Evans also provided an Orange Bowl highlight, putting the Wolverines on top in the final two minutes with a 30-yard touchdown burst. He looks like Michi- gan's lead back after piling up 614 yards on 88 carries and scoring four touch- downs as a rookie. 7. Ben Bredeson So. OL Bredeson is another Wolverine who jumped into the starting lineup as a true freshman a year ago. The Football Writ- ers Association of America Freshman All- American will look to build on his eight starts in 2016 and possesses the versatility to pick up where he left off at left guard or kick out to tackle if needed. 8. Chase Winovich R-Jr. DE Winovich might not be the headliner on Michigan's defensive front, but he notched five sacks among 9.5 tackles for loss a year ago. With opponents gearing to stop high-profile pass rushers such as Hurst and Gary, Winovich could experi- ence a huge season with a burst of his own off the edge. 9. Devin Bush Jr. So. LB Bush played in all 13 Michigan games as a true freshman, showing himself to be a speedy, aggressive linebacker and special teams performer. He's in good position to start as an inside linebacker and begin really making an impact in 2017. 10. Tyree Kinnel Jr. S The name is pronounced KIN-nul, which is important, because it might be on the tips of many Michigan fans' tongues this fall. He'll likely lead a wholly refashioned secondary and has the growing experi- ence to handle it, after forcing a fumble while making 17 tackles a year ago. 11. Khaleke Hudson So. LB Hudson is set to play the viper hybrid linebacker spot made recognizable by Peppers last season. Hudson played in all 13 Michigan games in 2016, on spe- cial teams and at safety in two games. He's taken control at viper and will look to inject a little poison into opponents' offenses. 12. Kekoa Crawford So. WR Michigan's wideout spots are up for grabs in fall camp, but Crawford combines excellent speed and the best route-run- ning ability of the contenders. He posted four catches for 47 yards and a touch- down as a true freshman in 2016, and fig- ures to do far more beginning this season. 13. Khalid Hill 5th-Sr. FB This converted tight end provides far more than a blocking battering ram for BY JOHN BORTON I t's reloading time for the Wolverines, and few ques- tion whether or not head coach Jim Harbaugh has am- munition. At the same time, he spent more than a few shells in 2016. A quick look at The Wolverine's postseason list of the football pro- gram's top 25 players from last February leaves no doubt about the task at hand. In order, the top 10 were as follows: viper Jabrill Peppers, cornerback Jourdan Lewis, defensive end Taco Charl- ton, defensive end Chris Wormley, quarterback Wilton Speight, tight end Jake Butt, defensive tackle Ryan Glasgow, wide receiver Amara Darboh, cornerback Chan- ning Stribling and defensive tackle Maurice Hurst Jr. Among those, precisely two re- main. While that duo — Speight on the offensive side, Hurst on the defensive — is expected to lead the way, there are a host of relative newcomers filling out a brand- new top 25. The staff of The Wolverine votes every year on the best of the best in the winged helmets, both prior to the season and afterward. This year, Hurst emerged from the pack as the top projected Michigan per- former, followed by senior left tackle Mason Cole and Speight. Beyond them stands a spate of familiar names, but many who were not starters a year ago. It's that sort of season, in which the Wolverines are moving on from the 19 performers either taken in last spring's NFL Draft or who signed post-draft free agent deals with an NFL squad. That leads to an interesting mix in the top 25, and plenty of poten- tial movement in how players are seen now and how them might be viewed following the long, tough season ahead. Here's a breakdown of the top 25, with what they've done to put themselves in those spots: MICHIGAN'S TOP 25 Maurice Hurst Jr. Leads A Pack Of Next Men Up 24 THE WOLVERINE SEPTEMBER 2017