The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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42 THE WOLVERINE SEPTEMBER 2019 A STRONG FOUNDATION The 2016 Class Has Elevated U-M To A Contender BY CHRIS BALAS M ichigan's 2016 class — head coach Jim Harbaugh's first that was his own — was rated No. 4 nationally by Rivals.com, and there are still several players making an impact today. Of the 28 signed, half still remain. Here's a look at what they've accom- plished so far: Name Pos. Rec. Stars Devin Asiasi TE 4 Transferred to UCLA after catching two passes for 18 yards and a score as a freshman. Sat out 2017, and after serv- ing a suspension he eventually played in five 2018 games and caught six passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Ben Bredeson OG 4 Has played in 37 career games with 33 starts at left guard and has a been a stalwart up front. Served as a team captain last season, and was a unani- mous second-team All-Big Ten selec- tion as both a sophomore and a junior. Devin Bush Jr. LB 4 Earned second-team All-America honors from Walter Camp after lead- ing the team with 102 tackles in his sophomore year. He became a team captain and consensus All-American as a junior. Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 10 overall in 2019. Kekoa Crawford WR 3 Appeared in 24 games in two years and caught 21 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns, then transferred to Glendale (Ariz.) Community College. Expected to play at Cal this year. Kingston Davis RB 3 Rushed twice for 17 yards in the 2016 opener and then didn't carry again. Ended up at Independence (Kan.) Community College, before transfer- ring to UAB. He was eventually dis- missed from the team. Michael Dwumfour DT 3 Notched six tackles in 10 games his first two years and then appeared in all 13 games at defensive tackle with two starts last year. He recorded 21 tackles with one interception and three sacks, and is expected to vie for a starting spot this season. Nick Eubanks TE 4 Has appeared in 18 games with four starts, pulling in 10 receptions for 218 yards and one touchdown. He played in all 13 games a year ago, and snagged eight receptions for 157 yards and one touchdown. He is expected to see increased playing time this year. Chris Evans RB 3 Has played in 36 games with five starts, rushed 304 times for 1,722 yards and 14 touchdowns, and hauled in 40 passes for 392 yards and two scores. However, he is no longer with the team after being dismissed for academic is- sues, though the door could be open for a return next season. Rashan Gary DE 5 Appeared in 34 games with 21 starts in three seasons, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches in 2017 and 2018. He was named U- M's Richard Katcher Award winner, as the team's most outstanding defensive lineman or outside linebacker, in 2017. He finished his career with 136 total tackles (23.5 for loss with 10 sacks) in three years. Green Bay took him No. 12 overall in this year's NFL Draft. Devin Gil LB 3 Appeared in every game with five total tackles as a redshirt freshman in 2017 and started at linebacker in all 13 tilts last year, notching 33 tackles. He is in the hunt for the starting weakside linebacker spot this year. Brad Hawkins S 4 Technically signed with U-M in 2016, but then went to Suffield (Conn.) Academy before matriculating to Ann Arbor in the 2017 class. Lavert Hill CB 4 Earned second-team All-Big Ten 2 016 REVIEW CLASS OF Top Contributor To Date LB Devin Bush Jr.: He went from special teams standout as a freshman to an All-American linebacker by some his second year, and finally a consensus choice last season. He left after his third campaign, but will be recognized as one of the top Michigan linebackers of the last few decades. Unsung Hero DT Carlo Kemp: He has played anywhere he's been asked and has continued his ascent as a key player on defense. He'll be asked to clog the middle this year at nose tackle and has made great improvement in the spring. Ready To Make An Impact This Fall LB Devin Gil: He has been a bit inconsistent in his first few years, but team- mates said he had a great spring and is ready to emerge as a difference maker at linebacker. Linebacker Devin Bush Jr. turned pro after earning consensus All-America accolades with a 79-tackle junior campaign. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL