The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1511544
64 THE WOLVERINE ❱ DECEMBER 2023 ❱ MICHIGAN IN THE PROS selection … Inactive in Week 10, his first game with his new team … Caught 8 passes for 97 yards and returned 13 punts with a 6.5-yard average in seven games for the Browns before the move. • Jabrill Peppers (2014-16), DB, New England Patriots: Opened all 10 affairs for the 2-8 Patriots, ranking fourth on the team with 59 tackles, add- ing 4 behind the line of scrimmage … Leads the team with 6 pass breakups and has recorded 1 interception and a forced fumble. • Brad Robbins (2017-22), P, Cincinnati Ben- gals: Punted in all nine games for the 5-4 Bengals, averaging 45 yards per attempt (tied for 29th in the league) … Pinned the opponent inside its own 20-yard line on 11 of his 43 punts. • Cesar Ruiz (2017-19), C/G, New Or- leans Saints: Started nine of 10 games at right guard for the 5-5 Saints. • Jon Runyan (2015-19), G, Green Bay Packers: Opened all nine clashes at right guard for the 3-6 Packers. • Luke Schoonmaker (2018-22), TE, Dallas Cowboys: Targeted on 9 oc- casions but only has 3 catches for 14 yards and 1 touchdown in nine games for the 6-3 Cowboys. • Mazi Smith (2019-22), DT, Dallas Cowboys: Saw time off the bench in all 9 tilts, totaling 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 1 quarterback hit. • Ambry Thomas (2017-20), CB, San Francisco 49ers: Put up 19 tackles, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble and a fumble recovery in eight appearances as a backup for the 6-3 49ers. • DJ Turner II (2019-22), CB, Cin- cinnati Bengals: Started the last five games after playing as a backup in the previous four for the 5-4 Bengals … Tied fourth on the team with 3 pass break- ups and has made 19 tackles … His 57.6 PFF coverage grade ranked second among the six rookie cornerbacks with 200-plus coverage snaps through Week 9. • Josh Uche (2016-19), LB, New England Patri- ots: Missed Weeks 7 and 8 with a foot injury but returned for the last two games … Played in eight outings, making two starts, for the 2-8 Patriots, registering 6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 2 sacks and 4 quarterback hits. FORMER WOLVERINES IN THE NBA Through Nov. 12 • Kobe Bufkin (played at U-M from 2021-23), G, Atlanta Hawks: Played in two games, total- ing 1 point and 2 rebounds in 4 minutes, before fracturing his thumb Nov. 3 … Expected to miss 8-10 weeks. • Moussa Diabate (2021-22), F, Los Angeles Clippers: Appeared in six games off the bench for the 3-6 Clippers, recording 2.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per clash and shooting 57.1 percent from the field. • Tim Hardaway Jr., (2010-13), G, Dallas Maver- icks: Averaging 28.5 minutes off the bench in 10 games for the 8-2 Mavericks … Registering 17.6 points per game (third on the team) to go along with 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists … Connecting on 42.4 percent of his field goal attempts and 38 percent of his three-point tries. • Caleb Houstan (2021-22), G, Orlando Magic: Played in four tilts, totaling 12 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist … Shooting 4-of-9 from the field for the 5-4 Magic. • Jett Howard (2022-23), G, Orlando Magic: Totaled 12 minutes in three appearances, scoring 2 points on 1-of-4 shooting from the field. • Caris LeVert (2012-16), G, Cleveland Cavaliers: Saw action in eight games with one start for the 4-5 Cavaliers, posting 18.8 points (second on the team), 4.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists (third) per contest while shooting 41.6 percent overall and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. • Isaiah Livers (2017-21), F, Detroit Pistons: Suf- fered a Grade III left ankle sprain during an Oct. 2 practice and was expected to be reevaluated in late November. • Jordan Poole (2017-19), G, Washington Wiz- ards: Started all nine games for the 2-7 Wizards, checking in second on the team with 16.4 points per outing, adding 3.4 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals … Shooting 41.7 percent overall and 30 percent on threes. • Duncan Robinson (2013-17), F, Miami Heat: Building off his strong performances in the post- season, helping the Heat to the NBA Finals last season, Robinson is averaging 12.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per tilt in 10 appearances with two starts for the 6-4 Heat … Connecting on 35.7 percent of his three-point attempts, averaging 2.5 makes from deep per night. • Franz Wagner (2019-21), F, Orlando Magic: Opened all nine outings and is second on the team with 18.6 points per contest … Ranks third on the Magic in both rebounds (5.8 per game) and as- sists (3.2). • Moritz Wagner (2015-17), F/C, Orlando Magic: Came off the bench in every tilt so far, posting a career- best 12.3 points per contest and also contributing 4.4 rebounds … Currently enjoying career highs in field goal per- centage (64.7) and three-point shoot- ing percentage (36.8). FORMER WOLVERINES IN THE NHL: FIVE STARS OF THE MONTH Through Nov. 12 • Kyle Connor (2015-16), LW, Winni- peg Jets: He ranks tied for third in the NHL and atop his team with 11 goals for the 7-5-2 Jets. He's added 6 assists through 14 games, with his 17 points checking in tied 17th in the league. Connor was named the No. 1 star of the week by The Hockey News on Nov. 12, for recording 5 goals and 3 assists for 8 points in a three-game span. • Adam Fantilli (2022-23), C, Co- lumbus Blue Jackets: He ranks fourth among NHL rookies with 9 points, posting 4 goals (tied for third) and 5 assists (fourth) through 15 outings for the 4-7-4 Blue Jackets. As of Nov. 13, he had the fourth-best odds (+2000) for the Calder Trophy, handed to the league's top newcomer, per SportsBettingDime. • Quinn Hughes (2017-19), D, Vancouver Ca- nucks: He leads all NHL defensemen with 23 points, and it's not close. The next-best mark from a defender is 17 from Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman. His 18 assists are tied atop the team, and he's tied for second on the 11-3-1 Canucks with 23 points. • Dylan Larkin (2014-15), C, Detroit Red Wings: He's pacing the Red Wings with 17 points on 12 assists and 5 goals through 15 appearances. He "gutted it out" while playing through an upper- body injury over the last few games, too, with the captain leading the 8-5-2 Red Wings, who stand third in the Atlantic Division. • Zach Werenski (2014-16), D, Columbus Blue Jackets: He's registered 7 assists and 1 goal for 8 points through 13 outings. He has 34 shots on goal, 19 blocked shots and a minus-1 rating. ❑ Duncan Robinson was averaging 12.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 10 games, including two starts, for the 6-4 Miami Heat. PHOTO COURTESY MIAMI HEAT