The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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22 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2020 "We all tease him that he's got short arms, but he's got quick hands and uses them to his advantage. He knows how to penetrate an offensive line. "The bottom line is, he has made himself a better football player every year, to the point now where we're just excited to let him go out and do his deal." 8. Brad Hawkins, Sr., S Hawkins might be the team's most underrated player. He was No. 13 on the last list, behind sophomore Daxton Hill (who has great potential), but was his side of the ball's Most Improved Player last year. He was missed games down the stretch with Ohio State and Alabama after suffering an injury. In 11 games last season, Hawkins finished sixth on the team with 53 tack- les. He's always in the right spot, and he's gotten better every year. He's off to a great start this fall, according to Brown, and will be one of the quarter- backs of the defense. 9. Daxton Hill, So., S Hill (previously No. 8) is already one of the most athletic safeties Michigan has seen in its storied history, a blazer with great instincts. He is always around the ball, Brown noted, and his athleticism allows him to make plays even when he might not have been in the right spot. The sophomore notched 36 tackles, broke up three passes, intercepted an- other and recovered two fumbles last fall. He also caught a 25-yard pass on a fake punt play to move the chains in an early season win over Army and should be a factor on special teams again this year. 10. Joe Milton, R-So., QB Dylan McCaffrey was No. 7 on our initial list, and by all accounts Milton had passed him on the depth chart heading into mid-September. Only McCaffrey could say for sure whether or not that led to his opt-out and re- ported transfer, but that's the sense — and it might just mean Milton is living up to the summer hype everyone has been hearing and reading about him. Milton has one of the strongest arms ever seen in Ann Arbor, and he worked with former U-M signal-caller Devin Gardner, as well as former col- lege coach Donovan Dooley who now runs Quarterback University, in the offseason to hone his craft. Gardner believes Milton has the tools to be an NFL guy, and it's now up to the redshirt sophomore to prove it after completing 3 of 7 passes for 59 yards with one touchdown and an in- terception in four game appearances last year. He moved up 10 spots from No. 20 on our initial list. 11. Josh Ross, R-Jr., LB Ross (previously 18th) played in only four games last year due to in- jury, but he is one of Brown's favorites due to his tenacity, work ethic and smarts. He's been outstanding in terms of being in position, and he's picked up where he left off as one of the po- tential breakout players on a defense with a lot of talent. McGrone might be U-M's top line- backer heading into the season, but Ross is right on his heels after notch- ing 18 tackles in four games last year while redshirting due to injury. He has 83 career tackles in his three sea- sons at Michigan. 12. Vincent Gray, R-So., CB Gray, No. 14 on the August list, was also one of last year's most pleasant surprises. He only started one game but was very good in run support throughout the season and notched 20 tackles (1.5 for loss) with five pass breakups in his first year. His next step is a big one, and it comes a year earlier than expected. He'll be the No. 1 cover corner after Thomas decided to opt out, and it re- mains to be seen if he has the ability to shine in man coverage. But he is the "unquestioned" leader of the group, Brown said, and the veteran coach also predicted earlier this year that Gray would play in the NFL one day. 13. Hassan Haskins, R-So., RB Haskins was the big, bruising, short- yardage option last year and one of the team's surprises, finishing second on the squad in carries (121), rushing yards (622) and rushing touchdowns by a running back (four), while leading the backs with a 5.1 yards-per-carry average. Though U-M is looking for more ex- plosive plays in the offense — in other words, speed and elusiveness, not exactly Haskins' strengths —there's a role for a guy who can consistently move the chains. He's tough to bring down, and he could also be used as a blocker in two-back sets. 14. Chris Evans, Sr., RB Evans' role has yet to be defined af- ter he missed last season due to what he described as "academic issues," but he has proven to be a make-you-miss type back who has shown flashes of greatness. He's also got great hands and the ability to line up in the slot at receiver, a true dual threat behind the quarterback. Evans, previously No. 25 on the list, makes a big leap based on his experi- ence and fit. He ran for 1,722 yards and 14 touchdowns from 2016-18 and added 40 catches for 392 yards and a pair of scores, though he still needs to improve as a blocker. 15. Nick Eubanks, 5th-Sr., TE The 6-5, 256-pounder led Michigan's tight ends with 25 catches for 243 yards (9.7 yards per grab) and four touch- downs last year. He's U-M's second- leading receiver from last fall among the returnees, including wideouts. The fifth-year still needs to work on his blocking (substantially), his role in the run-pass option (RPO) attack and more, but he could have a big year. His ranking remains unchanged from August. Fifth-year senior tight end Nick Eubanks has hauled in 35 career catches, which have gone for 461 yards and five touchdowns. Only junior wideout Ronnie Bell (56) and fifth-year senior running back Chris Evans (40) have more receptions. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL