The Michigan Wolverines football is team is right in the middle of spring practice, with a public spring scrimmage this Saturday at Michigan Stadium. Following this weekend's scrimmage, the football team will take an international trip to Italy and hold practices in Rome.
With Michigan losing 10 starters on defense, and on offense, they will be among the younger teams in college football this season. As a result, many lesser-known players will become household names come September. We've reached out to our sources close to the team and have uncovered some inside info on how the team is progressing and what players have stepped up.
Offense:
QB:
It's clear that Wilton Speight is the No. 1 at QB still, but don't sleep on redshirt freshman Brandon Peters. He has emerged as a 1B to Speight this spring, with the physical tools to make up for the lack of experience compared to Speight. Peters can move outside the pocket and has the strongest and most accurate arm of any QB Harbaugh has at Michigan. Speight proved last spring and summer that he will work his butt off in the offseason to improve and work with the WR corps to build rapport. Look for Speight to be named the starter following the spring, but the competition will heat up again in fall camp in August. QB will be a clear upgrade in performance in 2017 over last season, given Speight's expected progression and development.
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RB:
The one player that really has stepped up this spring is RS freshman Kareem Walker, the former 5-star who was once committed to Ohio State. Walker came to Michigan a year ago and was out of shape with some attitude and work-ethic issues, but has matured this offseason and has been showing the talent that once made him the top high school running back in the 2016 recruiting class.
He is the no. 2 back on the depth chart right now, with fellow 2016 recruit, sophomore Chris Evans, the clear-cut #1 RB right now. The good news about Walker is that Michigan has a very strong No. 2, and Karan Higdon and Ty Isaac provide a great stable of depth at the position. Expect much better production out of this group in 2017, especially under the guidance of new RBs coach Jay Harbaugh, who some have gushed is a future superstar head coach and has hit the ground running after switching from TEs coach.
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WR:
The big story this spring is the tremendous play of true freshman early-enrollees Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black. People-Jones, 2017's crown-jewel recruit, has been described as a future NFL star, and will likely be Michigan's No. 1 WR in 2017. Black has shown flashes of brilliance as well, and will be given every chance to start this fall.
Second year receiver Kekoa Crawford is the other standout of the spring. He has shown he can make all the catches and run the right routes. If he can improve his blocking, he will likely get the nod to start opposite Peoples-Jones this fall. Fellow sophomore Eddie McDoom has disappointed a bit. McDoom was primarily known as a jet-sweep and reverse threat as a freshman, but after moving to serve as a real WR this spring, he has struggled with route running and making catches downfield.
Starting slot WR Grant Perry has not been heard from this spring and is currently facing a trial for sexual assault last fall outside a nightclub. His future with the team is unknown.
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TE:
With Jake Butt on to the NFL and expected starting TE sophomore Devin Asiasi transferring to UCLA, the TE job is up for the taking. Ian Bunting showed some potential with nice catches in the bowl game loss vs. FSU and will battle Tyrone Wheatley Jr. to be the opening day starter. Both are playing well, and bring different skill sets to the offense. Wheatley is absolutely huge, and will be relied on as a 6th offensive lineman at times, a role he is able to taken on given that his size (6-foot-7, 290-pounds) is bigger than some college OTs.
Once name to keep an eye on is former QB Zach Gentry. At 6-foot-7, 255-pounds with speed, he has the potential to line up at TE, slot WR, or H-back to create matchup nightmares for opposing defenses. He is still learning the position, but coaches have privately raved about his potential.
OL:
Rivals.com had a great insider overview last week, gleaning info from their sources with the football program:
"We feel better and better about the OL. Don't sleep on Jomn Runyan Jr. - he is 100% healthy (was nicked up a couple of times last year) had a heck of an off-season and has really asserted himself. If he can maintain this level of play throughout spring and into fall practice he at a minimum provides very solid depth.
Same thing with Nolan Ulizio. Not quite the difference I see in Runyan, but definitely improving. Mason Cole is the leader of the OL and the team. He would play TE or LB if they asked him - doesn't care where he lines up on the OL, just wants to do whatever is best for the team. Early-enrollee freshman Cesar Ruiz is mature beyond his age and is going to be a 3-year starter, if not a 4-year starter depending on how things play out. Sophomore Michael Onwenu is a beast - he gets under you with his hooks on you and you are going where he takes you which is likely your backside. Expect Onwenu to be Michigan's best or 2nd best OL this fall."
Overall, we expect the OL to struggles early on, but have the opportunity to be much better than 2016, if the young talent can develop like we expect.
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