The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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130 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW 1. QB J.T. Barrett, R-Jr. — Ohio State: Barrett was Big Ten Quarterback and Fresh- man of the Year in 2014 after finishing with 3,772 yards of total of- fense, including 2,834 yards through the air, and set a single-season school record with 34 touchdown passes before a season-ending injury against Michigan. Barrett returned last year to split time with Cardale Jones, but he was The Man in wins over Michigan and Notre Dame in the last two games, account- ing for 252 yards and four touchdowns in the former and 307 and a score in the Fiesta Bowl. 2. CB Desmond King, Sr. — Iowa: The Hawkeyes got a steal in the Detroit native — people knew he'd be good, but not this good. He won the Jim Thorpe Award given to the nation's top defensive back last year, finished the season with eight interceptions (second nationally), 72 tackles and 13 passes broken up and was a consensus first-team All-America and All-Big Ten selection. 3. CB Jourdan Lewis, Sr. — Michigan: If King is the No. 1 cornerback in the Big Ten, then Lewis is 1A. He was a USA Today first-team All-American and a first-team All-Big Ten selection, and might be the best cover corner in the league (King is good, but Iowa relies heavily on zone) after breaking up 20 passes last year. He's projected to be a first-round NFL Draft pick. 4. LB/KR/PR Jabrill Peppers, R-So. — Michigan: Peppers just might be Michigan's best pure running back, as well, though it's not clear how much he'll be needed on offense in 2016. His move to outside linebacker should make him even more of a factor on defense in 2016, a year after he played 986 snaps in the regular season — 50 on offense, 765 on defense and 171 on special teams — in earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. 5. OL Pat Elflein, 5th-Sr. — Ohio State: Elflein passed on a shot at the NFL to return for a fifth year and will slide from guard to center to anchor a depleted line. The two-time, first- team All-Big Ten selection and 2015 second-team All-American is a mauler on the interior and should provide leadership to a reloading team. 6. LB Anthony Walker, R-Jr. — Northwestern: The redshirt junior enjoyed a breakout season in 2015, finishing second in the nation in tackles for loss (19.5), leading the Wildcats in tackles with 113 and earning Associated Press and Sports Illustrated All-America honors. The 6-1, 235-pounder should be the Big Ten's best linebacker. 7. LB Raekwon McMillan, Jr. — Ohio State: The former prep five-star was an ESPN True Freshman All-American in 2014 after recording 49 tackles in a backup role, and he earned first-team All-Big Ten and second-team Walter Camp All-America honors in 2015 after recording 119 tackles, fourth in the Big Ten. 8. OL Dan Feeney, 5th-Sr. — Indiana: The three-year starter and ESPN All-American was projected to be a third- to fifth-round NFL Draft pick, but he returned for his fifth year. He was part of an Indiana offense that led the Big Ten in points and yards last season, and he recorded 102 knockdown blocks. He has allowed only one sack in his career. 9. RB Saquon Barkley, So. — Penn State: Last fall, Barkley finished third in the confer - ence in rushing with 1,076 yards, averaging a whopping 5.9 yards per carry, in earning sec- ond-team All-Big Ten honors and first-team Freshman All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America. His total included 194 yards against then-No. 1 Ohio State. 10. TE Jake Butt, Sr. — Michigan: Butt earned 2015 first-team All-America honors from both Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports, plus first-team All-Big Ten accolades and the Kwalick- Clark Big Ten Tight End of the Year award after catching 51 passes for 654 yards and three scores. Many predict an even bigger 2016 season in Jim Harbaugh's tight end-friendly offense. 11. DT Malik McDowell, Jr. — Michigan State: McDowell finished the 2015 season with 13 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, earning second-team All-Big Ten hon- ors from both the coaches and media and first-team recognition from ESPN.com. He played every position on the line this spring and could play anywhere from nose tackle to end. 12. CB William Likely, Sr. — Maryland: Likely was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2014 after leading the conference with six interceptions and repeated in 2015, notching 44 tackles, 11 passes broken up and three forced fumbles despite teams throwing away from him. He was also the Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year, averaging 17.7 yards per punt return. 13. RB Justin Jackson, Jr. — Northwestern: The second-team All-Big Ten selection became the fifth player in program history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, notching 1,418 yards and five touchdowns last fall. He notched seven 100-yard games a season ago. 14. QB C.J. Beathard, R-Jr. — Iowa: Beathard led the Hawkeyes to an undefeated Big Ten regular season and the conference title game a year ago, completing 223 of 362 passes for 2,809 yards and 17 touchdowns. His five interceptions were the fewest by a full-time starter at quarterback in the conference, and he finished sixth in total offense (217.6 yards per game). 15. RB Corey Clement, Sr. — Wisconsin: A hernia injury sabotaged Clement's sea- son last year, limiting him to 221 yards, but he rushed for 949 yards as Melvin Gordon's backup in 2014 and is a good bet to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark this season. He reportedly ran well in the spring. 16. OL Brian Allen, Jr. — Michigan State: The Spartans lose two great ones in center Jack Allen and left tackle Jack Conklin, a first-round NFL Draft pick, and Allen proved he could be the next in line in playing well and earning second-team All-Big Ten honors a year ago. He's played in 26 games in his first two seasons and will take over at center this season. 17. DL Tyquan Lewis, Jr. — Ohio State: Lewis finished first on the team and tied for sixth in the Big Ten with eight sacks and tied for 13th in the conference with 14 tackles for loss while playing end. The honorable mention All-Big Ten selection sat out the spring with a shoulder injury, but he should be ready for action come fall. 18. LB Josey Jewell, R-Jr. — Iowa: A second-team All-Big Ten selection a year ago, Jewell emerged as one of the Hawkeyes' pleasant surprises. Iowa finished fourth in the conference in run defense (121.4 yards allowed per game) behind Jewell's 126 total tackles, second in the Big Ten. 19. DL Chris Wormley, 5th-Sr. — Michigan: Wormley finished ninth in the conference with 14.5 tackles for loss last year and added 6.5 sacks in earning third-team All-Big Ten honors. His lower body has gotten bigger, he's stronger overall and he took another step toward realizing his potential with an outstanding spring. 20. OL Dan Voltz, 5th-Sr. — Wisconsin: Voltz was a 2015 Rimington Award candidate after starting 14 games at center for UW in 2014 and earning second-team All-Big Ten honors. He was slowed by an ankle injury that season and lost last year to a torn ACL, but the Badgers' for - gotten man will be one of the conference's best linemen if he returns to health, as expected. 21. LB Vince Biegel, 5th-Sr. — Wisconsin: The fifth-year senior notched 66 tackles, including 14 tackles for loss and eight sacks last year, to earn third-team All-Big Ten honors. The NFL Draft Advisory Board pegged him a third- to fifth-round pick if he'd chosen to come out, but he opted to return for his final season. 22. WR Jehu Chesson, 5th-Sr. — Michigan: The fifth-year senior torched Florida's Vernon Hargreaves III, the 11th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, for 118 yards and a touchdown in U-M's Citrus Bowl win. The team MVP racked up 1,085 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns — 764 re - ceiving yards and nine scores, plus 155 rushing yards and two touchdowns on eight carries (19.4 yards per attempt). He also returned a kick 96 yards for a touchdown in a win over Northwestern. 23. WR Chris Godwin, Jr. — Penn State: The junior finished with 1,101 yards last season, becoming only the third PSU receiver to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark, and earned second- team All-Big Ten honors from the media. He'll battle U-M's Chesson and Nebraska's Jordan Westerkamp for the league's top receiver honors this year. 24. RB L.J. Scott, So. — Michigan State: The Ohio native led the Spartans in rushing with 699 yards, averaging 4.8 yards per carry, to earn ESPN Freshman All-Big Ten honors. He showed flashes of potential greatness in rushing for 11 touchdowns, including the game- winner against Iowa in the Big Ten title game. 25. LB Riley Bullough, 5th-Sr. — Michigan State: Bullough finished ninth in the con - ference with 106 total tackles in 2015 and added four sacks. The second-team All-Big Ten selection also posted 7.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Michigan State linebacker Riley Bullough compiled 106 total stops, 7.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and two forced fumbles en route to second-team All-Big Ten honors last season. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS TOP 25 PLAYERS In The Big Ten