Podcast 15.0A, 15.0B, 15.0C. The Story. Quarterback. Running Back. Wide Receiver. Tight End. Interior OL. Offensive Tackle. Edge.

DEFENSIVE INTERIOR: MOES HURST?

RATING: 5

To review: this is sort of a 3-4 and sort of a 4-3 under and sort of your bog standard 4-2-5. The interior has three "starters" in that there are three distinct roles, but because it is 2023 there will be two DTs on the field on the large majority of standard downs. Realistically the two starters are Graham and Jenkins, with Grant and Benny backing them up. Grant will get bonus snaps on short yardage when Michigan runs a 5-2 out there.

That out of the way: hell yes. Michigan returns Kris Jenkins, who could have been a day two pick in last year's NFL draft if he left. Jenkins has beefed up again, after beefing up last year. Mason Graham, who lived up to every bit of hype this site could throw at him and then some, will enjoy a freshman to sophomore transition after already checking in as one of the league's best DTs as a true freshman.

Behind these two guaranteed stars are a 340 pound man-planet who made Bruce Feldman's Freaks list last year and a highly touted redshirt sophomore who graded out like Graham in UFR a year ago. This spot is incredibly deep all of a sudden thanks to Michigan's ability to scout up-and-comers.

END: POWERED BY TENDIES

[Barron]

When KRIS JENKINS arrived on campus he just needed to eat. He was listed at 239 by 247 and showed up at Michigan at 265. He then added no weight in his first year, alarmingly, before adding 20 pounds last year. He tweeted about it and all the Michigan fans did the little hands emoji at him. This year:

Ngl i got beefed pic.twitter.com/4wUwVYNZNv

— Kris Jenkins (@KrisJenkinsJr1) May 26, 2023

Maybe that's the wrong meat to reference though:

Nah cause they are soo good https://t.co/EF6PNzIXd7

— Kris Jenkins (@KrisJenkinsJr1) August 24, 2023

Someone get this man an NIL deal STAT.

[After THE JUMP: ye gods]

Previously: Last year’s profiles, K Adam Samaha, K James Turner (Tr), S Brandyn Hillman, CB DJ Waller, CB Cameron Calhoun, CB Jyaire Hill, HSP/LB Jason Hewlett, LB Hayden Moore, LB Semaj Bridgeman, LB Ernest Hausmann (Tr), OLB Breeon Ishmail, DE Aymeric Koumba, DE Enow Etta, DE Josaiah Stewart (Tr).

Wilmette (Loyola Academy), IL – 6'6"/270
		247: 6'6/270                        3.64*	3*, 87, NR overall #96 DL, #19 IL
		On3: 6'6/265                        3.81*	3*, 88, NR overall #62 DL, #8 IL
		Rivals: 6'6/250                        3.69*	3*, 5.7, NR overall #40 SDE, #12 IL
		ESPN: 6'5/260                        3.62*	3*, 77, #68 MW #98 DE, #14 IL
		Composite           3.77* / 3.76*	3*, #670/#644 Ovr #71/#67 DL, #13/#12 IL
		MGoAverage                        3.71*	3*, #586/789 Ovr #51/69 DTs since '90
		YMRMFSPA	Matt Godin
Other Suitors	Illinois, the rest of the B10 West, and Duke
Previously On MGoBlog	Hello by Alex Drain
Notes	State champs, played for John Holecek.
Film:
Senior Highlights: Hudl. Drills.Q&A with Holland.

The last time I can remember Michigan butting heads so much with Illinois for top Midwest defenders was the early 1990s. Those were the Lou Tepper years, when the Illini were an all-D/no-O outfit with a front seven stacked with future pros. No offense to any mid-90s Michigan OLBs who may be reading this, but it was hard watching them waste every Simeon Rice, Dana Howard, Kevin Hardy, Danny Clark, Scott Turner, and John Holecek to come through there on 7-5 seasons when we were trying to win championship with friggin' Mike Elston.

If you feel old remembering the name of Holecek, get ready for this: That guy just retired from coaching after winning his third state title last December. While you collect your gray (back) hairs, the good news is the unsung engine of Holecek's final defense is coming to Michigan.

Those Tepper defenses were such a pain to play against. This was the age of big, long defensive tackles (what we called 3-4 ends back in the day) who would neither budge nor let your offensive linemen get off their doubles, leaving crop-topped linebackers free to fly around and show off their abs.

Did you not know about the abs? Oh my god there were so many abs.

Holecek's last star lineman would be right at home on those no-name Tepper lines keeping the parade of Alvin Macks clean. I don't really think our feelings toward the Illini go so far as rivalry, but I do approve of taking the best parts of the schools we go against and making them our own, whether that's a guy that Tepper would have loved, or a guy that Ryan Walters kept trying to paw out of Michigan's class. No, it doesn't make up for 1992, nor the parade of tickytack calls every time Michigan made a play in 1996 (ask your pops about Ty Law's interception, Will.) But it does mean if you can't appreciate what Michigan saw in 3-star DT Brooks Bahr, you weren't around for the abs.

[After THE JUMP: Definitely not abs.]

Yesterday we covered Benjamin Hall, today we take care of the other Hello we missed from March: Brooks Bahr. A defensive lineman hailing from the Chicagoland area, Bahr was a tad unknown when he committed, but we will do our best to dredge up some scouting and give a sense of his projection at Michigan. 

GURU RATINGS 

bottom row is Seth's conversion to a five-star scale. Links are to profiles

Bahr is a player whose recruitment is just picking up, and none of the big site gurus have seen him play a regulation game live. At the start of 2022, he was a zero star recruit not listed on any of the national boards. The interest that Michigan and other B1G schools started to give him forced the services to do a little bit of digging, but that came in the spring and thus too late for anyone to see Bahr play in a game. Some have started to send guys to practices and workouts to get eyes on Bahr, which has caused him to move up the board some, but this is the kind of kid who will see potentially significant change as a senior. Another note: ESPN/Rivals consider Bahr an edge, but he projects more as a DT in college. 

[AFTER THE JUMP: The usuals]