The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2022 THE WOLVERINE 37 finishing with 62 tackles, including 16.5 for loss, and a program-record 14 sacks. He was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, a consensus All-American, consensus pick for first-team All-Big Ten and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. He was picked No. 2 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft and will line up for his hometown Detroit Lions. JALEN MAYFIELD OL ★★★★ Played in three games in 2018, before starting all 13 contests at right tackle in 2019, earning an All-Big Ten honorable mention from the coaches. He left the team to train for the NFL Draft once the Big Ten postponed the 2020 season but he returned when the campaign was re- instated, playing in two clashes before an injury held him out of the rest of the team's games. He was taken by the At- lanta Falcons in the third round in 2021. CAMERON McGRONE LB ★★★★ Redshirted with one appearance in 2018. He broke out in 2019, totaling 66 tackles, 9.5 for loss and 4 sacks, receiving an All-Big Ten honorable mention nod. He started five games in 2020, collecting 26 tackles, 2 for loss and a half-sack before declaring for the NFL Draft. He was chosen by the New England Patriots in the fifth round. JOE MILTON QB ★★★★ Played in four games in each of his first two seasons, combining to throw for 117 yards and 1 touchdown. Started five of six contests in 2020, completing 80 of his 141 pass attempts for 1,077 yards with 4 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He transferred to Tennessee the following offseason and started two of his eight ap- pearances in 2021, throwing for 375 yards and 2 touchdowns. JAKE MOODY K — Connected on 35 of his 43 career field goal attempts, with a long of 52 yards. He earned consensus All-America honors and was named the Lou Groza Award winner (nation's best kicker) in 2021. He led the team with 125 points, the second-highest single-season total in program history, and he went 23-of-25 on field goals with a program-record 56 PAT kicks. He's back for one more season in a winged helmet and was named a first-team preseason All-American by Lindy's. MUSTAPHA MUHAMMAD TE ★★★★ Redshirted his first season, played in two games in 2019 and then transferred. He made the move to New Mexico High- lands but never appeared in any games. He is now retired from football. LUKE SCHOONMAKER TE ★★★ Played in one contest his first year and contributed off the bench in 2019. He caught 2 passes for 54 yards in the lat- ter campaign. He saw time in all six 2020 outings but didn't register any statistics. A year ago, Schoonmaker started 10 games and appeared in all 14, notching 17 recep- tions for 165 yards and 3 touchdowns, which tied for the team high. That per- formance level led to honorable mention All-Big Ten honors for him in 2021. MYLES SIMS CB ★★★★ Redshirted his first season and an- nounced his transfer in the spring of 2019. He landed at Georgia Tech, where he has appeared in 29 games with five starts. He has totaled 56 tackles and 9 pass break- ups in three seasons. CHRISTIAN TURNER RB ★★★★ Played in three games in 2018, rushing for 99 yards, before racking up 171 yards and 1 touchdown in 10 games in 2019. He saw time in one game on special teams in 2020, then transferred to Wake Forest. There, he totaled 506 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns in 2021 and should be a key piece to the Demon Deacons' offense this year. TAYLOR UPSHAW EDGE ★★★ Redshirted in 2018 and has appeared in 24 games with two starts since, with 27 tackles, 7.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. He's one of the top players at his position heading into the 2022 campaign, with a strong chance to start. BEN VANSUMEREN RB/LB ★★★ Redshirted and played in four games his first year. Saw the field 11 times from 2019-20, rushing 5 times for 20 yards be- fore switching to linebacker, where he made 7 tackles the latter season. He trans- ferred to in-state rival Michigan State, where he recorded 12 tackles in 2021 and remains on the roster this year. JULIUS WELSCHOF EDGE ★★★ Played just one game in his second sea- son after redshirting in 2018. Welschof made 6 tackles with a half-sack in 2020 and registered 13 stops, including a shared sack, in 2021. He moved from the interior of the defensive line to edge this offseason and is in the mix for playing time at his new spot. ❏ REPORT CARD Players In Class: 20 On3 Consensus Team Ranking: 20th Players Still At Michigan: 9 Not even close to everyone from this group panned out, but the likes of Hutchinson and Haskins — U-M's two most valuable players from last season — led the Wolverines to great heights in 2021 and boost the class' status. Four of them have become NFL Draft picks with more on the way in Bell, Hayes, Schoonmaker and poten- tially others. Plus, the nine who stuck around for their fifth years should play big roles this season. This group has outplayed its ranking to this point. B+ TOP CONTRIBUTOR TO DATE EDGE Aidan Hutchinson Hutchinson's 2021 season was legend- ary, not only on the field but as a leader. Behind-the-scenes stories regarding his work ethic and how others followed him explain how U-M was able to turn things around last season and why he may help the Detroit Lions do the same in the years to come. In April, he became U-M's highest-ever drafted defender (No. 2 overall to his hometown team). UNSUNG HERO K Jake Moody Moody's 23 made field goals in 2021 are second behind only Remy Hamilton (25 in 1994) for the most in a single sea- son in school history, and he sits sixth on the career list with 40 from 2018-21. Moody has been steady and consistent, and all U-M could ask for in a kicker. READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT THIS FALL EDGE Julius Welschof He's down 22 pounds and has had a tremendous offseason by all accounts. Welschof is a great athlete who checked in at No. 7 nationally this year on Bruce Feldman's annual list of the top 100 "freaks" in college football. Welschof has flashed at times but now has the oppor- tunity, including potential snaps, to put it all together.