The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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10 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Michigan, Ohio Account For Most 2021 Wolverines A total of 24 states plus the District of Columbia, Canada, Germany and Scotland are repre- sented on the 2021 Michigan roster. Here's a breakdown of states with the most representation and a look at key players from each: 1. Michigan (35) Unsurprisingly, a bulk of the Wolver- ines' players are Michigan natives. U-M heavily recruits its own backyard, and many walk-on athletes also join the club from within the state's borders. On offense, redshirt sophomore line- man Ryan Hayes (Traverse City) has solidified himself as the starting left tackle, while freshman running back Donovan Edwards (West Bloomfield) is looking to crack the rotation during his first year on campus. Headlining the crop of in-state talent on defense is Athlon Sports third-team preseason All-American defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (Plymouth), a junior. He and redshirt junior linebacker Josh Ross (Southfield) are two anchors in the front seven. Meanwhile, redshirt sophomore cornerback Vincent Gray (Rochester) started all six games last season and is battling to reclaim that job this year. 2. Ohio (9) Ohio has always been an important state for Michigan, with some of the program's most re- nowned players (Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard, etc.) and coaches (Bo Schembechler, Gary Moeller, Jim Harbaugh, etc.) having been from the state. Sophomore tight end Erick All (Fairfield) showed flashes last season, and he's the favorite to start at tight end this year, while redshirt freshman offensive lineman Nolan Rumler (Akron) enjoyed a big spring game and is pushing for playing time at guard. Redshirt junior punter Brad Robbins (Westerville), who led the Big Ten in yards per punt a year ago (45.3) burst back onto the scene and emerged as the starter after Will Hart struggled in week one. T3. Connecticut (8) Michigan has a pair of significant contributors from Connecticut in sophomore wide re- ceiver Cornelius Johnson (Greenwich) and redshirt junior offensive lineman Andrew Stueber (Darien), and some others who could emerge this fall. Johnson is projected to start out wide, while Stueber is expected to once again be a starter in the trenches — he has played both guard and tackle during his career. Redshirt sophomore tight end Luke Schoonmaker (Hamden) hasn't made a large impact to this point, but he is second on the depth chart behind All. T3. Florida (8) Interestingly enough, all eight of Michigan's players from Florida reside on the defensive side of the ball, and two are slated to be impact players this season. Redshirt sophomore defensive end Taylor Upshaw (Bradenton) gained valuable experience last season while Hutchinson and Kwity Paye were out with injuries, and he is set to start on the edge. Also at defensive end, redshirt freshman Mike Morris (Belle Glade) made a move in the spring and has sprung himself into the two-deep, with new defense under coordinator Mike Macdonald proving to be a nice fit for him. T3. Massachusetts (8) Another New England state makes the list, with former defensive coordinator Don Brown, a Massachusetts native, having prioritized the Northeast during his five seasons in Ann Arbor (2016-20). Freshman offensive lineman Zak Zinter (North Andover) is a lock to start at either center or guard, after being thrust into action and performing admirably in 2020. Sophomore wideout Mike Sainristil (Everett) is at the top of the depth chart at slot receiver, and freshman tight end Louis Hansen (Needham) has a good chance to see time in his first year. Defensively, freshman Kalel Mullings (West Roxbury) has risen into the two-deep and is competing for a starting job at inside linebacker. — Clayton Sayfie Aidan Hutchinson's Name Popping Up In First Round Of Mock Drafts Michigan junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson decided to come back for another season in Ann Arbor because he wants to get the Wolverines back to their "winning ways," following a tough 2020 season in which the team posted a 2-4 record and he himself suffered an ankle injury that held him out of the final three games. By returning to school, he forwent the NFL Draft, with many believing he would've been selected by a professional organization this past spring. Now, he's one of the top edge defender prospects in college football and has another year to prove he is the next high draft pick from U-M. Six different 2022 mock drafts released shortly after the 2021 event had Hutchinson listed as a first-round pick next spring. He was tabbed anywhere from No. 2 overall (by WalterFootball.com) to the final pick in the first round, No. 32 overall (Pro Football Network). "Improving his pass-rush production would help Hutchinson, but he is a phenomenal run defender who flashes an ability to get to the quarterback," Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball. com wrote. ESPN.com's Todd McShay slotted Hutchinson No. 8. "[He] was creeping up my 2021 board before suffering a frac- tured leg in November and returning to school for another sea- son," McShay wrote. Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports believes it was the right move for Hutchinson to come back for another year of college, projecting him to hear his name called at No. 24. "We were glad Hutchinson returned to school because we thought he needed to continue to improve his game before de- claring for the draft," he wrote. "He has the size and bulk for the part; now he just needs to play with more consistency." Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report thinks Hutchinson would be a nice piece to line up opposite of an elite pass rusher, such as the Cleveland Browns' Myles Garrett. Sobleski has Hutchinson off the board at No. 26 to the aforementioned franchise. "Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson fits the profile of what Cleveland looks for in its first-round selections," he write. "He plays a pre- mium position at a pipeline program and won't turn 22 until four months after being drafted. "The 6-6, 269-pound defensive end is powerful at the point of attack and would provide a physical presence opposite Garrett." While The Athletic's Dane Brugler pegged Hutchinson at No. 28, he will be watching closely this fall, not- ing that the projec- tion hinges on how he recovers from injury. "Hutchinson was considered a border- line first-rounder last fall before a fractured leg ended his season and forced him to return to school," Brugler wrote. "He is on pace to be fully healthy for the fall, and scouts will be in- terested if he shows the same pre-injury lower-body agility and upper-body power." — Clayton Sayfie Hutchinson was projected as a first-round pick in at least six mock drafts that have been released since the 2021 event wrapped up. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Redshirt sophomore Ryan Hayes has locked down the starting left tackle job, and he will be one of the most impactful Michigan natives for the Wolverines this fall. PHOTO COURTESY U-M ATHLETICS