The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1386887
THE WOLVERINE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 101 [ D E F E N S I V E L I N E ] season at American Heritage. • Named to the 2018 USA Today All-State second team. • Regarded by Rivals as a four-star prospect, the No. 42 player in Florida and the No. 18 weakside defensive end in the land. GABE NEWBURG • DE R-Fr. • Clayton, Ohio Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 265 • Saw action in four games on the defensive line and re- corded three tackles during the 2020 season. • Did not play in 2019, after he enrolled early at U-M. • Combined for 104 tackles, 23.5 stops for loss, 12.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles in his last two seasons at North- mont. • Finished as his school's all-time sack leader. • Landed on the 2018 Division I All-Ohio first team and the 2018 USA Today All-State second team. • Tabbed a three-star recruit and the No. 35 player in Ohio by Rivals. MAZI SMITH • DT R-Fr. • Grand Rapids, Mich. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 305 • Played in five games and made three tackles with one for loss during the 2020 season. • Appeared in two games during his debut season in 2019, after he enrolled early. • Selected to the USA Today All-State first team in 2018 and named to The Detroit News Dream Team in 2018. • Participated in the Under Armour All-American Game and recorded a tackle. • Regarded by Rivals as a four-star talent, and the No. 9 defensive tackle and No. 142 overall player in the country. JESS SPEIGHT • DT R-Jr. • Richmond, Va. Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 290 • Made two tackles while ap- pearing in all six games of the 2020 season on the defensive line and special teams. • Appeared in seven games with one start and made seven tackles during the 2019 campaign. • Earned a scholarship at the start of the 2019 season after beginning his career as a walk-on. • Played in one game during the 2018 season (af- ter not appearing in 2017) and was recognized as the team's Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year before he transitioned to defense. • Selected to USA Today's All-State second team in 2016. • Was a two-star recruit in the class of 2017. TAYLOR UPSHAW • DE R-So. • Bradenton, Fla. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 256 • Saw action in all six games with two starts along the de- fensive line in 2020, and reg- istered 17 tackles with three for loss, two sacks and one quarterback hurry. • Appeared in six games during the 2019 sea- son (four on the defensive line), notching two tackles. • Did not see game action in 2018. • Tallied 33 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and one interception his final season at Braden River. • Regarded by Rivals as a three-star prospect, the No. 75 player in Florida and the No. 25 strong- side defensive end in the land. JULIUS WELSCHOF • DT R-So. • Miesbach, Bavaria, Germany Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 286 • Participated in all six games on the defensive line during the 2020 campaign, and totaled six tackles with a half-sack and one quarterback hurry. • Appeared in one game in 2019. • Redshirted his first season at Michigan. • Played defensive end and tight end for the Mu- nich Cowboys in Germany. • Rated by Rivals as a three-star prospect. NEWCOMERS KECHAUN BENNETT • DE Fr. • Suffield, Conn. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 220 • Helped his team to a 9-0 record as a junior and the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council Bowl Championship, before his senior season was canceled. • Tabbed as a four-star recruit, the No. 1 player in Connecticut and the No. 12 weakside defensive end nationally by Rivals. RAYSHAUN BENNY • DT Fr. • Detroit Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 275 • Was named to The Detroit News Dream Team and MLive Dream Team as both a junior and senior. • Pegged as a four-star prospect, and the No. 9 defensive tackle and No. 97 overall player in his class by Rivals. DOMINICK GIUDICE • DT Fr. • Freehold, N.J. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 265 • First-team All-New Jersey pick by USA Today as a senior. • Viewed as a two-star prospect by Rivals. TJ GUY • DE Fr. • Mansfield, Mass. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 240 • Landed on the Massachusetts State Coaches All- Star Team as a junior in 2019. • Rated by Rivals as a three-star recruit and the No. 7 player in Massachusetts. IKE IWUNNAH • DT Fr. • Garland, Texas Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 281 • All-district performer each of his final two sea- sons. • Rivals ranked him as a three-star prospect. GEORGE ROOKS • DE Fr. • Jersey City, N.J. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 270 • Earned an invite to the Under Armour All-Amer- ican Game. • A USA Today first-team All-State performer in 2020 and second-teamer in 2019, he totaled 30 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks in his final two seasons of high school. • Rated as a four-star talent, and the No. 14 strongside defensive end and No. 227 player in the nation by Rivals. JORDAN WHITTLEY • DT 7th-Sr. • Richmond, Calif. Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 358 • Transferred to Michigan ahead of the 2021 cam- paign. • Did not play due to health issues in 2020. • Contributed 14 tackles and 3.5 tackles, one quar- terback hurry and one pass broken up during the 2019 campaign. • Transferred to Oregon State ahead of the 2019 season. • Named first-team all-conference as a sophomore at Laney College, when he registered 35 tackles, 14.5 stops for loss and 5.5 sacks. • Finished with 10 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss as a freshman. • Did not play in 2015. Taylor Upshaw showed flashes after taking over for an injured Aidan Hutchinson last year, notching three tackles for loss and two sacks among his 17 stops. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN