Attrition Monday: Depth Chart Update
Welp, time to update the Google Note file.
QB: J.J. McCarthy
2. Davis Warren
3. Jack Tuttle
4. Alex Orji
5. Jayden Denegal
6. Brandon Mann
7. Kendrick Bell
RB: Blake Corum
2. Donovan Edwards
3. CJ Stokes / Kalel Mullings
5. Cole Cabana / Isaiah Gash
7. Benjamin Hall
8. Tavierre Dunlap
9. Leon Franklin
RB/WR: Donovan Edwards
2. Cole Cabana
WR: Roman Wilson
2. Karmello English / Fredrick Moore
WR: Cornelius Johnson
2. Darrius Clemons
3. Peyton O'Leary
4. Cristian Dixon
SLOT: Tyler Morris
2. Semaj Morgan
3. Eamonn Dennis
H-BACK: Max Bredeson
TE: Colston Loveland
2. A.J. Barner
3. Matthew Hibner
4. Marlin Klein
5. Deakon Tonielli / Zack Marshall
LT: LaDarius Henderson
2. Jeffrey Persi
3. Trevor Keegan
4. Evan Link
5. Connor Jones
LG: Trevor Keegan
2. Giovanni El-Hadi
3. Amir Herring
4. Nathan Efobi
C: Greg Crippen / Drake Nugent
3. Raheem Anderson
4. Reece Atteberry
RG: Zak Zinter
2. Karsen Barnhart
3. Andrew Gentry / Reece Atteberry
5. Dominick Guidice
RT: Karsen Barnhart / Trente Jones
3. Myles Hinton
4. Andrew Gentry / Tristan Bounds
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NT: Kenneth Grant
2. Cam Goode
3. Ike Iwunnah
DT: Mason Graham
2. Rayshaun Benny
3. Trey Pierce
4. Alessandro Lorenzetti
DT/DE: Kris Jenkins
2. Rayshaun Benny
3. Enow Etta / Cameron Brandt
5. Brooks Bahr
EDGE: Derrick Moore / Braiden McGregor
3. TJ Guy
4. Enow Etta
5. Aymeric Koumba
ILB: Junior Colson
2. Ernest Hausmann
3. Jimmy Rolder / Kalel Mullings
5. Micah Pollard / Jaydon Hood
7. Semaj Bridgeman
8. Jason Hewlett / Hayden Moore
ILB: Michael Barrett / Ernest Hausmann
3. Jimmy Rolder / Kalel Mullings
5. Micah Pollard / Jaydon Hood
7. Semaj Bridgeman
8. Jason Hewlett / Hayden Moore
EDGE/OLB: Jaylen Harrell / Josaiah Stewart
3. Kechaun Bennett
4. Joey Velasquez
5. Tyler McLaurin
6. Breeon Ishmail
CB: Will Johnson
2. Amorion Walker / Ja'Den McBurrows / Keshaun Harris
5. German Green / Jyaire Hill
7. Myles Pollard
8. Cameron Calhoun
CB: Amorion Walker / Ja'Den McBurrows / Keshaun Harris
4. German Green / Jyaire Hill
6. Myles Pollard
7. Cameron Calhoun
NB: Mike Sainristil
2. Rod Moore
3. Kody Jones / Ja'Den McBurrows
5. Zeke Berry
S: Rod Moore
2. Caden Kolesar / Zeke Berry
4. Damani Dent
5. Brandyn Hillman
S: Makari Paige
2. Quinten Johnson
3. Keon Sabb
4. D'Juan Waller
K: Adam Samaha / Tommy Doman
P: Tommy Doman
That's a deep squad.
Still looks like boundary CB #2 remains the only unknown/concern going into the season.
I would love to see someone emerge at LB, too. If Hausmann can live up to the billing we've been hearing, that'd be amazing.
Suddenly, LB doesn't look so deep. It's solid, more so than last year, but no longer 'deep'. Would have been really nice to keep NHG...
I’d say it’s still deep. We only play two at a time and you have 4 guys that are, at worst, competent P5 linebackers. 5 guys for two spots was an embarrassment of riches.
April 25th, 2023 at 12:46 AM ^
“Boulevard” Hausmann
Im moving Hall to 3. Size and push like he showed isnt like a fluke. If you have it you have it. Stokes for speed/ Hall for power and maybe Mullings for goaline although it seems Hall may be better.
I figured that would be the most popular comment. I don't totally disagree...but I'd like to hear a little more in the fall with everyone healthy.
They all seem to have a specialty like you laid out. I just didn't want to do a 5-way tie.
- Stokes - best all-around, baby Higdon...give him another year.
- Cabana - speed guy, best hands?
- Mullings - power back only*.
- Hall - next most all-around guy, a little more power and vision than Stokes.
- Gash - best pass blocker, might be the most trusted - definitely the one they wanted to throw to last year.
*and jump pass specialist.
April 24th, 2023 at 10:01 PM ^
Ah very nice breakdown. Someone is going to get heavy carries out of that group the first quarter of the season. Im not expecting much out of Cabana because the things he will eventually do in our offense will be monopolized by Edwards or itll be a blow out and they will go into grind mode.
I REALLY hope they start each game on fire like they were down two touchdowns. Get that 28 point lead and then you can do the usual. Sharpen the steel that needs sharpening and still have plenty of game left to work on your ground game. It wont happen in reverse and we will close up shop before weve moved the ball in the air much at all.
April 24th, 2023 at 10:20 PM ^
It's obviously a stacked stable. I can see Hall 3 to 6. With Cabana losing the Spring, it's hard to see him passing Hall. I cannot see Gash ahead of him. I don't think Gash gets many snaps this year. Lowest upside. Not great when the lights were on. So, 5 seems the likely floor for Hall. Seven is just a bridge too far and seemed to invite discourse -- which is cool. If you put any stock in Spring, Hall is 3 or 4.
I wouldn’t want to base too much on just the spring game against a mix and match squad. He showed he has the tools, but we only saw a very small sample of what has been put on the field in front of the staff.
Amorion Walker was getting praise and hype from the coaching staff all spring. Harbaugh even said at one point he was CB2 up to that point. You probably wouldn’t guess that based on the spring game though, so maybe we shouldn’t read too much into a handful of snaps.
Thanks for the update.
The reason for all the transfers is because Michael Barrett is beating everyone out. Change my mind
What a Manic Monday. Wish it was Sunday, that's my funday
Oh Monday mornin' you gave me no warnin' of what was to be
This is true.
I've heard the only reason Harbaugh was even kicking the tires on any NFL offers was because it was clear that Barrett is essentially already running the show as Head Coach in waiting.
April 25th, 2023 at 10:15 AM ^
Fun fact: the song Manic Monday was written by Prince.
April 25th, 2023 at 11:49 AM ^
With all the portal exits maybe this is the most appropriate Monday song.
Al Bundy approves of this roster!
Changes:
- Mullings goes back to RB/LB split due to NHG's departure.
- Tyler Morris loses the / with AJ Henning and is now the starting slot (although I still think we are going to see a ton of B. Corum, R. Wilson, C. Johnson, C. Loveland...and D. Edwards).
- Johnson and Sabb slide up a spot.
I still have 9 guys listed on my "portal watch" - only one is in the 2-deep.
Up until today, IMO, CB was our only need (a starting CB to be clear...at least someone to hold things down for 10 games until one of the young guys is ready like Gemon did for Will Johnson).
I would now like to see us add an outside WR behind Roman Wilson.
I'd also look at NT/DT depth and K if there are scholarships available (not at anyone's expense).
April 24th, 2023 at 10:22 PM ^
It'd be a shame to see Mullings go back to LB. I just don't see a future there for him. I'm not sure he's a top RB either, but in this O there are more carries for him there than there are at LB in this D. The top-4 are very good. Don't waste Mullings at LB 5 (or lower).
Me thinks Raheem Anderson has jumped Greg Crippen in the pecking order. I still expect Nugent to take the job though.
Agreed...from everything I've read, Anderson has moved ahead of Crippen.
Wonder if Crippen will stay if true. He was "next in line" before Olu. And then next in line before Nugent. If he falls behind Anderson it is getting late early unless he can play another IOL spot.
Thin at WR on experienced production. Hoping for a decent portal addition.
I would imagine that McGregor should be listed ahead of Moore, not shared. mcGregor came on strong late and has earned the projected spot.
Agree 100%...until I read Minter's comments last week.
Still talking about consistency for McGregor and him being the best player on the field one snap and making a mental error the next.
Meanwhile he called Moore a future top 10 draft selection and raved about his improvement.
April 24th, 2023 at 10:36 PM ^
Whoa. My bad. I didn't read that interview, and didn't know that was said. I had read one on wolverines wire a few weeks ago and don't recall any Moore superlative like that, but that's a big claim by Minter, saying top 10 pick, so the OR is totally warranted.
Another Outside WR and Cornerback are all we are missing from being pretty damn complete.
Comparing Position Groups at this stage (post-spring) last year to this year:
QB: 23
RB: 23
WR: 22
TE: 22
OL: Push
DL: 23
LB: 23
CB: 22
S: 23
P/K: 22
Oh! I like this game! Can I play too?
QB: '23 - pretty significantly, I like JJ's improvement and chemistry after a full offseason and I think Tuttle is an underrated pick-up for depth.
RB: '23 - big jump with Cabana and Hall added to the room.
WR: '22 - though I think the passing game gets better with JJ more comfortable, better chemistry, and more reps for the top guys rather than trying to spread it out.
TE: '22 - but the drop off won't be as big with Barner. Huge add.
OL: '22 - for starters (and it's not close), but '23 - for depth (and it's not close).
DL: '22 - losing Mazi is huge. I think we'll have better interior pass rush with Benny getting more snaps.
LB: '23 - losing NHG hurts, but Colson was very average and I expect him to be much better and I think Hausmann is going to be All-B1G. I think they could be the best trio in the conference with Barrett.
CB: '22 - we absolutely need another starting CB. Thankfully we get OSU last where our young guys will get 10 weeks of prep.
S: Push - Moten's loss hurts depth...but you have to figure the you guys will improve enough to make up for it.
K: '22 - not even close.
P: '22 - we'll see how close.
April 25th, 2023 at 12:33 AM ^
I think TE is a push. Losing Schoonmaker will be offset by an older Loveland and Barner.
I definitely think by mid-season this TE group will be better than last year's. I was just looking at it from "going into the season" projections, and at this point last year we were expecting a healthy All and Schoon.
April 24th, 2023 at 10:22 PM ^
Thanks for this. As Brian noted recently, it would be nice to get a reliable kicker in the portal. Don’t know what we have with Doman or Samaha.
April 24th, 2023 at 10:49 PM ^
I predict the organic pass rush on passing downs will be very good this year. Moore, Jenkins, Graham, McGreggor will be difficult to deal with consistently. So this defense has a legit chance to be really suffocating.
This is a heck of a roster, no limit to what this team could accomplish. It took a while, but I'm getting excited about the 23 season.
I think this defense is going to smother teams no matter their style. For power teams (not many) Grant, Graham, Jenkins and McGregor with Jenkins the Mike Morris (knock on wood that he is growing into what his Dad was). Stewart, Moore, Graham and Jenkins for passing teams seems pretty good as well. Fast backers that stick and a long, ball hawking secondary should lead to indecisive QB play. Need backup safety depth to step up. Sabb, Berry and Dent need to show their stuff. This not even including Hill and Calhoun who I see playing more than 4 games each.
This is the strongest UM team on depth and potential since 1997 to me and that is what the 1997 team looked like at the end. This is what I see at the beginning...whoah!
April 25th, 2023 at 12:57 PM ^
The ‘96 team had an iffy offense and a stout defense. The ‘97 team had a less-iffy offense and a stellar defense.
The 2023 squad is poised to have a stellar offense and a stout defense (come on, 2nd CB!).
I love it.
April 25th, 2023 at 12:43 AM ^
Brandon Mann is what we were all cursing in 2013-14
I came away from the spring game thinking Tuttle had passed Davis Warren
April 25th, 2023 at 10:56 AM ^
Looks like a National Championship squadron to me