The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Top Five Players Heading Into The Season Four of the five players on this list last year are gone, but those replacing them all have the potential to be high NFL Draft picks next year. Our picks for best of the best donning the maize and blue in 2024: 1. Junior defensive tackle MASON GRAHAM The Rose Bowl defensive MVP was arguably the best sophomore defensive tackle in Michi- gan history, dominating on the interior line. The first-team All-Big Ten selection (coaches) and second-team All-American (Sporting News) missed two games with a broken thumb but played even better when he returned with a huge cast on his hand. His play in his first game back, a night drubbing of Minnesota, drew praise nationally after he finished with 6 tackles, including 5 solo, 2 for loss and 1 sack. Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked Graham as the top returning defensive tackle in college football this season after ranking him as the fourth-most valuable defensive tackle in the nation a year ago. 2. Junior cornerback Will Johnson After excelling as a freshman in 2022, Johnson emerged as a lockdown corner a year ago and is now considered one of the best in the country at his position. Johnson allowed just a 29.1 passer rating into his coverage as a sophomore (fifth nationally), and PFF named him the best cornerback returning to college football in 2024. On six targets against NFL first-round picks Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State) and Rome Odunze (Washington) last season, Johnson allowed just 3 catches while also notching an interception. 3. Junior defensive tackle Kenneth Grant Though Graham is No. 1 on the PFF list of defensive tackles, Grant isn't far behind at No. 6 overall. He notched 29 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 5 pass breakups, an interception and 23 quarterback pressures. His 78.4 PFF pass-rush grade was a top-15 mark among defen- sive tackles as well. All that came as the third man in last year in a rotational role behind Gra- ham and Kris Jenkins. Grant should dominate this year with added reps as a full-time starter. 4. Junior tight end Colston Loveland Loveland's combination of size, speed and hands make him the No. 1 returning tight end in the country according to PFF. He finished last season as the fourth-most valuable FBS tight end, per PFF's wins-above-average metric. His 88.7 per- cent open-target rate placed him in the 97th percentile for all tight ends in the country. Sherrone Moore has promised to make him a focal point of the offense and find ways to get him the ball early and often after a season in which he caught 45 passes for 649 yards (fifth nationally among tight ends) and 4 scores. PFF projects the junior from Idaho will be a 2025 first-round NFL Draft pick. 5. Senior running back Donovan Edwards Defenses frustrated Edwards for much of his junior year in which he ran for 497 yards and averaged 4.2 yards per carry, and he took a step back from his sophomore year (991 yards, 7.1 average in 2022). He never complained, though, and he finally enjoyed his junior coming-out party with 104 yards and two 40-plus yard touchdown runs in the 34-13 national championship game win over Washington. He's been in Blake Corum's shadow at U-M, but now all eyes will be on him. Can he carry the load? Top Five Players To Watch Michigan had several players waiting their turn last year behind future pros … now, they'll get their chance to play. Here are five to watch given their play this spring: 1. Junior defensive end DERRICK MOORE Moore has patiently waited his turn behind some elite ends, but now it's his turn to be "the man" on the edge. He emerged last year to notch 5 sacks, including a big one in the Rose Bowl win over Alabama, and he was in on the game-winning stop of Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe on the defining fourth-and-3 play. Moore has all the tools to be an NFL standout, and now he'll get the reps he's wanted the last few seasons. 2. Sophomore wide receiver Fredrick Moore The lanky pass catcher turned in an impressive spring game per- formance with a short pass turned into 48-yard touchdown, showing off his speed. Teammates have compared him to former Alabama receiver Jerry Jeudy given his ability to get behind defenses. He needs to get stron- ger, but he appears to have a bright future. 3. Sophomore cornerback Jyaire Hill DJ Waller Jr. earned the most playing time of the freshmen last year, but many believed Hill had the most upside. He just needed to mature and get in the playbook a bit more. Hill made strides in that area this spring. Sherrone Moore said he has all the tools to be one of the next Michi- gan greats if he can put it all together. 4. Junior offensive tackle Andrew Gentry The 6-7, 327-pounder looks better every time we see him. He's get- ting back into game shape after a two-year mission out of high school. He's also adding to his strength and looking the part of a potentially dominant right tackle, which he showed plenty this spring. The No. 63 overall prospect and No. 7 offensive tackle in the 2020 class has patiently waited his turn, but now it appears he's ready to break out. 5. Junior safety Zeke Berry The junior played primarily on special teams last year, but he's in position to win the nickel spot after an outstanding spring. Teammates have marveled at his athleticism since he arrived in Ann Arbor — now, the football skills are starting to match it. He can play safety, too, and we expect him to contribute significantly in the secondary. 32 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW PHOTO BY DOMINICK SOKOTOFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER