The Michigan Wolverines have to replace 18 starters from last year's 10-win team, but they still have the expectations of competing for the Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff berth next year. However, for that to happen, they need to have these three players step up and have big seasons in 2017:
DL Rashan Gary
Gary projects to be an All-American type of player in 2017, and quite frankly, Michigan needs him to be. They are losing virtually all of their game-changers on defense, and Gary is equally disruptive against the run and the pass. He played in a somewhat limited capacity last year due to the players in front of him, but now, he's going to have free reign. The Wolverines need him to make the most of it.
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WR Kekoa Crawford
Amara Darboh is gone. Jehu Chesson is gone. Jake Butt is gone. The Wolverines need to replace all of their leading pass catchers from last year, and Crawford has a great chance to become Michigan's lead wideout. Donovan Peoples-Jones has a bright future, but it remains to be seen how much he can contribute as a freshman. Crawford showed flashes of his ability in six games last year, and they're counting on the the former four-star prospect to take his game another step forward in the fall.
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LB Mike McCray
On a defense losing so much, leadership is going to be key. Enter McCray, a fifth-year senior, who played well last season with 73 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. While a bump in production would be nice for Michigan, simply producing a similar season in 2017 will be good enough. His biggest growth needs to come with his leadership.
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