The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1202829
FEBRUARY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 33 Offensive Line Projected Starters: R-So. LT Jalen Mayfield, R-Jr. LG Chuck Filiaga OR R-Fr. LG Nolan Rumler, 5th-Sr. C Andrew Vas- tardis OR R-Fr. C Zach Carpenter, R-Jr. RG Andrew Stueber and R-So. RT Ryan Hayes Top Backups: R-Fr. LT Karsen Barn- hart, LG Filiaga OR Rumler, C Vastardis OR Carpenter, RG Rumler and RT Barn- hart Offensive line will be one of the big- gest question marks on the entire team heading into 2020, with fifth-year se- nior left tackle Jon Runyan Jr., senior left guard Ben Bredeson and senior right guard Michael Onwenu all having graduated, and junior center Cesar Ruiz leaving early for the NFL. Mayfield is the lone returning starter after an outstanding redshirt freshman campaign that saw him earn a 70.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF), where a 64.0 mark is considered average. It's a safe bet Hayes will earn a start- ing job as well after appearing in 10 games and playing 257 snaps in 2019, but uncertainty surrounds the interior. Filiaga served as Bredeson's backup this season and will be in a battle with Rum- ler at left guard, while Vastardis and Carpenter will compete for the starting center duties. It would not be a sur- prise to see Stueber slide from tackle to right guard after missing the entire 2019 campaign due to injury. Defensive Line Projected Starters: Sr. DE Kwity Paye, 5th-Sr. DT Carlo Kemp, So. DT Chris Hin- ton and Jr. DE Aidan Hutchinson Top Backups: R-So. DE Taylor Upshaw, R-Jr. DT Donovan Jeter, R-Fr. DT Mazi Smith and R-Jr. DE Luiji Vilain Kemp started 12 games in 2019 and will return for a fifth-year senior season in 2020, which provides the defensive tackle spot with a massive boost at a position that is severely lacking depth and experience. Redshirt junior Michael Dwumfour's transfer opens the door for Hinton to start alongside Kemp next season, after the Johns Creek, Ga., native concluded his freshman campaign by averaging 32 snaps per outing over Michigan's final three games. The return of Paye and Hutchinson will once again give Michigan one of the best defensive end duos in the con- ference, after the pair racked up a com- bined 22.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in 2019. Linebacker Projected Starters: R-So. Cameron McGrone, R-Jr. Josh Ross and R-So. Michael Barrett Top Backups: Fr. Kalel Mullings, 5th- Sr. Devin Gil and So. Anthony Solomon McGrone will be expected to headline the unit after tallying 66 stops, 9.5 tack- les for loss and four sacks in 10 starts as a redshirt freshman in 2019. Ross played in only four games this season due to injuries and subse - quently redshirted, and will likely re- claim his starting role (he opened the first three contests this year) as a red- shirt junior. Gil should provide quality depth as a fifth-year senior who started all 13 outings in 2018. The biggest question resides at senior Khaleke Hudson's vacated viper spot, with Barrett set to step in as the suc- cessor. However, he only has 29 career defensive snaps under his belt, and re- ceived a subpar 55.8 overall grade from PFF in the limited action he saw this season. Defensive Back Projected Starters: Sr. CB Ambry Thomas, R-So. CB Vincent Gray, Sr. S Brad Hawkins and So. S Daxton Hill Top Backups: R-Fr. CB D.J. Turner, R-So. CB Gemon Green, R-So. S Sammy Faustin and R-Fr. S Quinten Johnson Despite the graduation of senior La- vert Hill, Michigan's top cornerback tandem should still be in outstanding shape in 2020 with Thomas and Gray as the likely starters. The former's 80.8 PFF grade this season was the best among U-M's cornerbacks, and even though Gray only started one game in 2019 (the Oct. 12 win at Illinois when Hill was out with injury), his 525 snaps on the year were only 34 fewer than Hill's 559. The Wolverines' projected safety duo looks equally as potent with Hawkins and Daxton Hill, who racked up a com- bined 89 tackles and four passes broken up this year. Hawkins' 81.5 PFF grade was the third-best mark on U-M's de- fense in 2019, while Hill received 331 defensive snaps, picked off a pass and recovered two fumbles throughout his freshman campaign. Special Teams Projected Starters: 5th-Sr. K Quinn Nordin, 5th-Sr. P Will Hart, So. KR Giles Jackson and Jr. PR Ronnie Bell Top Backups: Jr. K Jake Moody, R-Jr. P Brad Robbins, R-So. KR Michael Barrett and So. PR Mike Sainristil Nordin ended the 2019 season by conver ting his final 10 field goal attempts, giving him a leg up on Moody heading into the 2020 kicking competition. Hart's 44.2-yard average on punts this year was a regression from the 47-yard clip he posted in 2018, and he'll have to fend off Robbins for the starting job. Jackson shined during his debut sea- son as a kick returner, averaging 25.9 yards per return (third in the Big Ten among those with multiple returns) and taking one 97 yards to the house. Punt return is the only spot on Michi- gan's special teams unit with a signif- icant question mark, with early NFL Draft entry Donovan Peoples-Jones handling those duties for each of the last three years. Bell will be expected to step into the role after filling in as the backup this season — though he has just 10 career punt returns, he did post a higher clip (8.4-yard average) than Peoples-Jones (7.2) on his eight chances in 2019. ❑ Rising redshirt sophomore linebacker Cameron McGrone was an honorable men- tion All-Big Ten pick after he tallied 66 tack- les, 9.5 tackles for loss and four sacks with a forced fumble in 2019. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL