The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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24 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2022 Morris and Jenkins spelled him effec- tively. Just as importantly, the Wolverines avoided significant injuries up front. Smith was the talk of camp last year, and he lived up to the hype in earn- ing the Richard Katcher award for the team's top defensive lineman/outside linebacker. He notched 37 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss while often taking up double teams and was outstanding in the middle of the defense. The redshirt sophomore arrived in the best shape of his life last fall and has taken another step in 2022. Behind him, Jenkins and redshirt freshman Rayshaun Benny seem ready to make significant contributions this year, as well. Jenkins came on and pro- vided key depth last year, while Benny was a top-200 prep recruit. The 6-5, 292-pound Benny showed some signs in the three games he played that he could be a good one, and drew rave re- views from Hinton when he spoke to reporters about his replacements at the NFL Combine. Graduated linebacker Josh Ross, meanwhile, agreed with Harbaugh that Morris could be ready for a huge leap. He heaped praise upon him from Indianapolis. "Just his athleticism. He's going to be a guy behind the Aidan Hutchinson spot, the edge spot," Ross said. "That's a very, very athletic, big body on that edge that can really move and set it. He's dynamic on the edge." Ross even called him "ridiculous" as a player, meaning it in a good way, of course. "People don't even know it yet, be- cause of who he played behind and him still learning the ropes and getting bet- ter," Ross added. "He got a lot better from two years ago to last year. That dude's about to be elite. People are go- ing to know his name real soon." Defensive Line: Tackle Mazi Smith — Smith had a breakout season a year ago when the team needed him most, and he's back to build on it. He's working on his lead- ership now, adding to his technique under outstanding new line coach Mike Elston and ready to dominate in 2022. Last season, Smith shared that he writes down his annual goals at Michigan, whether they pertain to on-field results or personal objectives. He's doing the same thing this year, knowing he still has more to give. "Sometimes my goals are related to foot- ball, sometimes just related to how to carry myself as a person," he said. "So long as I'm working on who I am, the football will take over." And he's matter-of-fact about it. Even when head coach Jim Harbaugh was flirt- ing with the NFL, Smith kept his eyes on his aims. "[There's] work still got to get done, so I don't see how much that's got to do with me," Smith said. "I've just got to go in the weight room and work hard; come out to practice, work hard." Linebackers: Junior Colson — "Devin Bush-like" is how Colson has been described, and if he's three-fourths the player the former consensus All-American was at Michigan, you'd have something pretty special. Colson started seven of 14 games as a true freshman and showed outstanding athleticism and instincts. He finished fourth among all defenders with 61 tackles, and while he didn't notch a sack (only a half in 2021), he could be used as a blitzer this year and be a weapon. He's got outstanding speed and instincts, and is just scratching the surface of his potential. Veteran Michael Barrett will likely line up next to him more this year, and he's played a lot of football. Colson, though, should be the straw that stirs the drink in the middle of the Michigan defense. Secondary: Cornerback DJ Turner — Vincent Gray had a really solid bounce-back season in 2021, while Daxton Hill was versatile and played everywhere in the secondary. Both were huge pieces of the success the unit had, but Turner emerged as Michigan's best cover corner. Turner entered the Ohio State game with a coverage grade of 83.5, according to Pro Football Focus. That was No. 1 among Michigan defensive backs and ninth in the country among Power Five players with at least 247 coverage snaps (the number Turner had logged heading into the game). His opponent passer rating (39.8) ranked second nationally under the same measures. Turner was targeted more than any other Wolverine in a 42-27 win over Ohio State, yielding nine catches for 141 yards on 14 targets, but still had a solid game against the Buckeyes' elite receivers. He's primed for a big season. — Chris Balas Michigan's Top Player At Each Level Heading Into 2022 Junior Colson has been compared to former consensus All-American Devin Bush Jr. and was named a 2021 Freshman All-American by the Maxwell Football Club. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN