The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2022 THE WOLVERINE 39 ing out last year. He started 11 of his 13 contests and earned All-Big Ten honorable mention recognition. He slimmed down this offseason and has made strides, accord- ing to his coaches and teammates, toward a big campaign. QUINTEL KENT WR ★★★ A medical condition ended his playing career before it got going at Michigan, but the Wolverines still honored his scholarship even though the NCAA does not require programs to do so. As of August, he was listed in the student directory. CADE McNAMARA QB ★★★★ Did not see game action during his fresh- man campaign, before making four ap- pearances with one start in 2020, when he completed 43 of 71 passes for 425 yards and 5 touchdowns with 0 interceptions, also rushing for 1 score. He took over the starting job late that year and hasn't given it up since, connecting on 210 of his 327 throws for 2,576 yards and 15 scores with 6 intercep- tions along with 1 rushing touchdown in 14 games during the 2021 Big Ten champion- ship season. He's battling with sophomore J.J. McCarthy for the starting job during fall camp and potentially into the season. MIKE MORRIS Edge ★★★★ Did not see game action his first year, and played in only one clash in 2020. He started four of his 14 games in 2021, making 17 tackles including 1 for loss and 2 pass break- ups. He'll likely start this fall and has beefed up to 292 pounds in order to play multiple defensive line positions. GABE NEWBURG DE ★★★ Did not play last season and made only four appearances in three seasons at U-M (all in 2020), before medically retiring this offseason. DAVID OJABO LB ★★★★ Named U-M's Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year as a freshman when he redshirted and did not play in any games. The Nigerian-born, Scotland-raised player appeared in all six games in 2020, totaling 1 tackle. He was one of college football's top breakout players in 2021, earning second- team All-America honors from the Associ- ated Press. He started six of his 14 outings and made 35 tackles, including 12 for loss, 11 sacks, 8 quarterback hurries and 3 pass breakups. He tore his Achilles tendon at Michigan's pro day last spring but still was drafted in the second round (45th overall) by the Baltimore Ravens. JALEN PERRY CB/S ★★★★ Redshirted his first year and has combined to play in 11 contests his next two seasons. He has bounced back and forth between cornerback and safety but has settled in at the former ahead of the 2022 season. NOLAN RUMLER OL ★★★★ He played in two career games (one in 2020 and one in 2021) after redshirting his first year. He hit the transfer portal midsea- son last October and will suit up for Kent State this fall. MIKE SAINRISTIL DB/WR ★★★ Started once and appeared in 13 games during his freshman year, catching 8 passes for 145 yards and 1 touchdown, before opening three contests and appearing in all six in 2020, when he racked up 7 catches for 82 yards and 2 scores. He started five of 14 outings in 2021, when he caught 22 passes for 312 yards and 2 touchdowns. He's now splitting time between defensive back — where he figures to play a big role this season — and slot receiver, though Harbaugh recently revealed 80 percent of his practice reps are coming on defense. MAZI SMITH DL ★★★★ Through his first two seasons, he totaled seven appearances and 3 tackles, with 1 for loss. Last year, though, he started all 14 out- ings and made 37 tackles, including 2.5 for loss, 4 pass breakups and 4 quarterback hur- ries. He's now one of the leaders on the de- fense and the lone returning starter on the front line. Smith was ranked No. 1 by Bruce Feldman of The Athletic on his annual top- 100 list of the most athletic "freaks" in college football headed into the 2022 season. ANTHONY SOLOMON LB 4 He made 11 special teams appearances as a freshman, played in four games the next year and saw time in eight games as a junior, before transferring to Arizona this past offseason. JACK STEWART DL 3 Never appeared in a game during his three seasons at U-M and transferred to Connecticut this offseason. CHARLES THOMAS LB ★★★ He appeared in two games in 2019 and transferred before the 2020 season began. He's yet to have landed to play football at another school. DJ TURNER CB ★★★★ Redshirted and played in four tilts in 2019, before making another four appearances in 2020. He broke out last season, earning an All-Big Ten honorable mention nod. He started eight of 14 games and registered 33 tackles, 9 pass breakups and 2 intercep- tions. Turner led all Big Ten cornerbacks with an 83.3 overall coverage grade in 2021. He's a lock to start on one side of the field this fall and has emerged as a leader on defense. JOEY VELAZQUEZ LB ★★★ A two-sport athlete who also plays out- field for the U-M baseball team, Velazquez played in one game on special teams in 2019, none in 2020 and eight in 2021, pri- marily on special teams. He was a contribu- tor to U-M's Big Ten championship teams on the gridiron and the diamond last year. Velazquez is on the outside looking in at a starting job again this fall but is closer to defensive playing time. ❏ REPORT CARD Players In Class: 26 On3 Consensus Team Ranking: 7th Players Still At Michigan: 12 This group has it all — a first-round pick in Hill, a surprise standout in Ojabo, a star who transferred in Charbonnet, solid starters like All, Keegan, McNa- mara, Sainristil, Smith and Turner who could elevate even further this fall, and some who still have time to become forces. Overall, U-M hit on this class, with many becoming impact players. A- TOP CONTRIBUTOR TO DATE S Daxton Hill None shined as bright as Ojabo last season, but Hill was a standout from the day he stepped on campus and became a first-round pick (Ojabo would've been a first-rounder, too, had he not injured his Achilles at pro day). He moved all around the defense and will do so in the NFL with Cincinnati, too. UNSUNG HERO QB Cade McNamara Still not as appreciated as he should be for helping lead U-M to the 2021 Big Ten title, McNamara is an outstanding leader who has taken ownership of the offense. Regardless of whether or not he starts every game in 2022, he set a high bar last season and took U-M to new heights. READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT THIS FALL OL Trente Jones A role player in the past, Jones is ready to break out this fall. The athletic line- man took the pole position in the right tackle battle back in the spring and, from the sounds of it, isn't going to give it up in fall camp.