Pro Football Focus: Michigan's Mo Hurst Is The Best Player in Country

Submitted by MichiganStan on

We all know Mo Hurst is having a beast of a season, but I never really pondered the question of: Is Hurst the best player in college football right now regardless of position? It seems the people over at the analytics company Pro Football Focus think so.

https://michigan.rivals.com/news/pro-football-focus-michigan-football-s…

PFF Josh: “I'd be stunned if he wasn’t a top 15 pick." Will likely be No. 1 overall player on updated top 32 draft prospects list

"Solomon Thomas is nothing compared to Maurice Hurst, and he went No. 3 overall last year." Says Hurst reminds him of Gerald McCoy.

 

HailHail47

October 17th, 2017 at 11:50 PM ^

Way to go Mo. This kind of recognition for him is long overdue. He has been a beast for three years now. Even though the announcers will be talking about Barkley all game, we may very well have the best player on the field and that gives us a damn good chance.

lilpenny1316

October 17th, 2017 at 11:55 PM ^

Just read his MGoBlue profile and apparently he got credit for blocking an extra point his RS Freshman year.  I think there was something mentioned earlier about how he hadn't blocked a kick yet.

UofM Die Hard …

October 18th, 2017 at 12:01 AM ^

Man. This d is gonna win us this game Saturday against that putrid evil school and then we can laugh at Franklins dumb stupid face for a long time. Because after we win Saturday he ain’t beating us for a long time.

lilpenny1316

October 18th, 2017 at 12:49 AM ^

We had a TD against MSU called back when he had to roll away from the pressure and found Crawford wide open.  Maybe we can roll him out and have a TE open short and a WR open deep.  At least that's what I would do in NCAA 14.

Wolverine91

October 18th, 2017 at 12:27 AM ^

Hopefully Desmond Howard on gameday will say how penn state doesn't consider Michigan a rival and that psu will dominate...

fksljj

October 18th, 2017 at 11:59 AM ^

I've been saying this for the past 3 years except about o$u. Every year Des gives his homer pick of "Michigan over o$u". He needs to come out and say "You know what guys, I don't think Michigan can do it! Prove me wrong, boys! My pick is o$u until I see otherwise." If not him, Griese or anybody else with a national voice.

His Dudeness

October 18th, 2017 at 1:05 AM ^

Yeah I mean he isn't a flashy position and he isn't Suh level dominant in college stats wise (although I think he can be better than Suh). Interior DL should be rotated to be most effective. So having two B+ interior DL is by far better than having one A+ level interior DL if you get what I mean. The kid is an amazing talent though. Smart GMs will be all over him at late first and that is a perfect place for him long term. He deserves the best. True Michigan Man all the way. Really smart guy too.

Mr. Yost

October 18th, 2017 at 1:32 AM ^

Some folks had him a borderline late 1st/early 2nd last year.

I definitely think he's in the teens if he tests well. Which I think he will.

...then you have Mason Cole who's likely a mid-rounder, McCray who I think would be a late round pick...and that's it, everyone else is back. Fix this QB thing (which is a HUGE ask) and we SHOULD be staring at the playoffs - no question. 

LT will also be a huge ask, but we've got some guys redshirting and while I'm not banking on it at ALL...I will never lose hope for Grant Newsome.

But to have Winovich, Mone, Gary, Bush, Hill, Long, Kinnel, and Metellus all back is insane.

It should be 3 years in a row with a dominant defense.

GhostofJermain…

October 18th, 2017 at 7:30 AM ^

Might go pro.  One could argue his numbers may never be this big, and "he needs to take his shot".  I know one thing the coaches are excited about is the 3 young LB and Ambry Thomas next year.  Biggsx2, Anthony, and Singelton are fast and hungry.  Ambry is nipping at heels, and of course our WR's should be above average.  Beat PSU

Mr. Yost

October 18th, 2017 at 10:13 PM ^

I don't see it...he'll be knocked on measureables and be an overachiever in the league who plays in the AFC or NFC north or east 10 years. But I don't see him leaving early. Could happen, but he's not a 1st or 2nd rounder despite the insane production.

Maize and Bloop

October 18th, 2017 at 12:35 PM ^

I'm curious to see which future first round players sit their bowl game this year. I'm hoping last year was an outlier, but I fear it will be a rising trend. Not saying Mo would, but in the back of my head I'm thinking unless the season goes REALLY well, the OSU game could be our last chance to watch him darting into the backfield.

Yeoman

October 18th, 2017 at 10:41 PM ^

I remember it well--he was the worst announcer I've ever heard in my life. And I'm including the guys that do Winton Woods High School football on Waycross Community Network.

He wanted Franklin to "turn the game over to Saquon Barkley" and just run him between the tackles. Franklin did. It failed spectacularly. To which Huard said "WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS THAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN RUN THE BALL???"

 

 

XiX

October 18th, 2017 at 1:22 AM ^

I'm loving the level of play he's giving Michigan but I am curious about what his production will look like when he has nothing but time to really focus in on his craft. His first step with more refined technique could be scary.

JamieH

October 18th, 2017 at 1:47 AM ^

where he basically picked up the IU lineman, chucked him into the backfield, and then tackled the RB for a loss was an instant classic.  He looked like he was playing against a high-schooler.  

BiaBiakabutuka21

October 18th, 2017 at 4:20 AM ^

Brock was the one that pointed out Mo’s excellent play to NFL scouts in our last game’s broadcast. Maurice Hurst made a lot of money last game because Brock noticed his excellent play and did us all a favor by discovering it.

UM Fan from Sydney

October 18th, 2017 at 8:08 AM ^

He probably is, which is further proof that the Heisman Trophy is a joke. It should go to the most outstanding player in football, not the QB or RB with the best stats.

LSAClassOf2000

October 18th, 2017 at 8:31 AM ^

It is supposed to by its own charter, if you can called the premise of the award that, but remember who does the voting and what the most visible positions on a team typically have been, especially in the modern era of football. Exclusively defensive players have been in the top 5 before, and as we well know, one primarily (but not exclusively) defensive player has even won the trophy. Of course, I say that not really knowing what the typical criteria would be for those voting on the winner, so I would be interested to sit down with one of them and talk about. Naturally, that will never happen.