The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 169 1. CHASE WINOVICH — Winovich came of high school as a four-star prospect and the No. 18 outside linebacker in the country. He showed the ability to run in space on defense at Jefferson Hills (Pa.) Thomas Jefferson, played quarter- back as a senior and displayed his running ability at that spot. At Michigan, he moved around from defense to offense and ultimately back to defense before settling in at defensive end and forcing three fumbles while recovering five during his career. In 2018, Winovich was named Bo Schembechler Team MVP and also re- ceived the Richard Katcher Award, presented to Michigan's most outstanding defensive lineman or outside linebacker. He made the Associated Press All-Big Ten first team in 2018 and was selected to the second team in 2017. On the national scene, he was an AP third-team All-American in 2018. Winovich was picked by the New England Patriots in the third round (No. 77 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. 2. JABRILL PEPPERS — As Rivals' No. 1 cornerback and No. 3 overall prospect in the country coming out of high school, Peppers was a stud from day one. The 6-1, 205-pounder did it all at Michigan. He ran the ball 45 times for 239 yards and five scores. He returned a punt for a touchdown and had one inter- ception. He tallied 125 tackles, 21.5 stops for loss and four sacks, and also broke up 11 passes and forced a fumble. Peppers was named the Paul Hornung Award winner as the nation's most versatile player in 2016. He was also the Lott IMPACT Trophy winner, a Heisman finalist (fifth place) and a consensus All-American in 2016. That season, he became the first player in Big Ten history to win three in- dividual awards — the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year, the Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year and the Rodgers-Dwight Return Spe- cialist of the Year. He was also the Big Ten's Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year in 2015 after missing most of his true freshman year with an injury. Peppers only spent three years in Ann Arbor and was picked by the Cleveland Browns in the first round (No. 25 overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. He was traded to the New York Giants this offseason. 3. MASON COLE — Cole was viewed as the No. 6 offensive tackle and No. 92 overall prospect nationally by Rivals coming out of Tarpon Springs (Fla.) East Lake. He made history early by becoming the first true freshman at Michigan to start a season opener on the offensive line, taking the field versus Appalachian State. He started 25 games at left tackle before moving to center in 2016. He was a three-time All-Big Ten honoree, making the second team according to the coaches and media in 2016 and 2017 and was an honorable mention pick in 2015. The Arizona Cardinals selected Cole in the third round (No. 97 overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. 4. WILTON SPEIGHT — Speight was only Rivals' No. 27 player in the state of Virginia when he finished up at The Collegiate School in Richmond. He played at 6-6, 240 pounds at Michigan and made a habit out of proving people wrong, starting 16 games at quarterback and recording a 13-3 mark in those con- tests, and was tabbed third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and the media in 2016. Over the course of his career at Michigan, Speight threw for 3,192 yards with 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He ultimately transferred to UCLA for his final season of eligibility and then went undrafted in 2019. He did, however, sign with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent. 5. BRANDON WATSON —Watson was rated as a three-star recruit and the No. 60 cornerback nationally by Rivals. He only reeled in five offers with Boston College and Maryland being his only other Power Five tenders. While at Michigan, Watson only started one game but played in 51 contests. He racked up 79 stops, four tackles for loss, three interceptions and 15 passes broken up, and is one of just four players in school history with two pick-sixes. Watson, who outperformed his modest recruiting rankings, went undrafted in 2019 and then signed a free agent deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Top Five Players After trying several positions at U-M, Chase Winovich settled at defensive end. For his career, he compiled 185 tackles, 45 stops for loss and 18 sacks, and as a senior was named the team MVP, first-team All-Big Ten and a third-team Associated Press All-American. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL