The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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72 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2021 MICHIGAN IN THE PROS City Chiefs: Coming off a 29-tackle, six- sack season in which he helped lead his team to the AFC championship, but is enduring a tumultuous offseason … Charged July 9 with one felony count of possession of an assault weapon, stem- ming from a March 13 arrest … Also facing potential fallout from a June ar- rest, which involved another alleged weapons possession … Head coach Andy Reid said July 23 that Clark is ex- pected at training camp, but the team is equipped to go without him this year if needed. • Rashan Gary (2016-18), LB, Green Bay Packers: Started in four of his 15 2020 contests and totaled 34 tackles with five sacks … Now competing to surge ahead of Preston Smith — who started 13 contests and recorded 42 tackles and four sacks last season — on the depth chart at outside linebacker. • Brandon Graham (2006-09), DE, Philadelphia Eagles: Widely viewed as a lock to start at right defensive end, after beginning all 16 games last season and posting 46 tackles, 13 stops for loss and 8.0 sacks on the way to his first-ever Pro Bowl bid … His top competition is Ryan Kerrigan, who signed with the team this offseason after generating 17 tackles and 5.5 sacks as a reserve for the Washington Football Team in 2020. • Taylor Lewan (2009-13), OL, Ten- nessee Titans: Missed all but five games in 2020 due to a torn ACL, but is expected to be a full-go during training camp … Expected to reclaim his start- ing left tackle. • Jourdan Lewis (2013-16), CB, Dal- las Cowboys: Started 13 of 15 games while serving as the Cowboys' nickel corner last season, and is expected to play the same role once again in 2021 after signing a three-year contract ex- tension this offseason … Veteran An- thony Brown is trying to lock down the second outside cornerback spot (Trevon Diggs is solidified as the top corner), with rookies Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright — both of whom will have a crack at unseating Lewis — on his heels. • Kwity Paye (2017-19), DE, India- napolis Colts: Selected by the Colts in the first round of the 2021 draft at No. 21 overall … Viewed as the favor- ite to start at left defensive end, with third-year Kemoko Turay, third-year Ben Banogu and fifth-year Al-Quadin Mu- hammad all fighting to carve out roles of their own and take the job from the rookie. • Jabrill Peppers (2014-16), S, New York Giants: The returning starter at strong safety and punt returner, Pep- pers, a special teams captain, is coming off a career year in 2020 … On the sea- son, he notched 91 tackles, eight tack- les for loss and 11 passes broken up. • Chase Winovich (2014-18), DE, New England Patriots: Viewed as the backup to veteran Kyle Van Noy — who rejoined the club after a one-year stint in Miami — at the Sam linebacker spot heading into training camp, and an offseason injury won't help his cause … Underwent hernia surgery in Febru- ary and began camp on the physically unable to perform list, with no time- table for a return currently out there … Started nine of his 16 contests last season and recorded 48 tackles and 5.5 sacks. ❏ Josh Uche • NFL The Patriots linebacker was tabbed at No. 4 in ESPN.com's ranking of the 15 second-year players most likely to become a star. "Uche has quickness and good hands to detach from offensive linemen on pass plays and good hip movement to get around the cor- ner," the website noted. Franz Wagner • NBA Heading into the NBA Draft July 29, Wagner is widely viewed as a lottery pick. ESPN.com projects him to come off the board at No. 9 to the Sacramento Kings as of three days prior to the event and mentions him in consider- ation as high as No. 4. The Kings are actually the team where six of the 12 experts included in NBA.com's consensus mock draft released July 24 peg him to land. Jimmy Kerr • MiLB The former Michigan baseball standout (2016-19) now in the Detroit Tigers' farm sys- tem was promoted from Low-A Lakeland to the High-A West Michigan Whitecaps in July, a big step in his career. "The first goal was to spend a summer in West Michigan and it's really cool to finally be here," Kerr told The Detroit Free Press. — Clayton Sayfie HEADLINERS Former Michigan athletes in the news this month Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary may have officially notched just 34 tackles and five sacks last year, but NFL Next Gen Stats recently revealed he actually finished ninth in the league for disruption rate (causing a hurry, pressure or sack) among players with at least 250 pass-rush snaps (15.1 percent). PHOTO BY EVAN SIEGLE/COURTESY GREEN BAY PACKERS