The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 39 selection excelled with a 4.33-second av- erage hang time (second nationally) and 44.3 yards per attempt. The versatile spe- cialist booted touchbacks on 66 of his 99 kickoffs, and he also served as the holder on all placekick attempts last fall. TAVIERRE DUNLAP RB ★★★ He was mentioned by head coach Sher- rone Moore after spring practice as com- peting for the third running back spot on the depth chart behind senior Donovan Edwards and graduate Kalel Mullings. Dunlap has carried 21 times for 118 yards in 21 career games. DONOVAN EDWARDS RB ★★★★ He's had a pair of long touchdown runs in two of the biggest games in program history — 75 and 85 yards in a 45-23 win over Ohio State in 2022, and 41 and 46 yards in a 34-13 victory over Washington in last season's national championship game. Having waited patiently behind Blake Corum and others, Edwards is now slated to have an even more prominent role this season. Edwards has racked up 1,162 rushing yards, 714 receiving yards and 18 total touchdowns in his career. GIOVANNI EL-HADI OL ★★★★ For someone with only three career starts, El-Hadi has significant experi- ence, with playing time in 30 contests and 483 offensive snaps logged. The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder is expected to start at right guard this season after biding his time behind Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter on the depth chart. DOMINICK GIUDICE OL ★★★ Switched from defensive line to offen- sive line in 2023, appearing in three games last season and eight for his career. Giu- dice is vying for two-deep status on the depth chart. TJ GUY EDGE ★★★ Has flashed in backup duty with 16 tackles and 2 sacks in 23 outings. He's in the projected two-deep at edge, behind senior Josaiah Stewart and junior Derrick Moore, and is expected to be a significant factor in 2024. LOUIS HANSEN TE ★★★ Played in three games from 2021-22 at Michigan before transferring to UConn. He saw action in 10 tilts with two starts for the Huskies in 2023, finishing with 2 catches for 33 yards. JAYDON HOOD LB ★★★★ Competing for a backup spot at line- backer this season, after earning playing time in 12 outings and registering 13 tack- les with 1 forced fumble in 2023. IKE IWUNNAH DT ★★★ Hasn't played in any games during his career, but defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said in late July that he's "in great shape" and "crushed" the condi- tioning test. JA'DEN MCBURROWS CB ★★★ Currently entrenched in a battle for the Wolverines' starting nickel back role, with junior Zeke Berry being his top compe- tition. The 5-foot-11, 194-pounder was second on the depth chart at the position behind Mike Sainristil last season, play- ing in 11 games and logging 182 defen- sive snaps, 7 tackles, 2 stops for loss and 1 interception. He's played in 15 career contests. J.J. MCCARTHY QB ★★★★ Finished his career with a 27-1 record as Michigan's starting quarterback, before becoming tied as the Wolverines' high- est-drafted signal-caller in history (Forest Evashevski, 1941), going No. 10 overall to the Minnesota Vikings this spring. In 2023, McCarthy was named first-team All-Big Ten and became U-M's first-ever winner of the Griese-Brees Big Ten Quar- terback of the Year award, completing 72.2 percent of his passes for 2,991 yards and 22 touchdowns. He ranks fourth in program history with 482 career comple- tions and sixth with 6,226 passing yards. TYLER MCLAURIN EDGE ★★★ Didn't see game action in 2023 and has played in only five games during his ca- reer. ROD MOORE S ★★★★ The Clayton, Ohio, native "called game" against Ohio State last season, notching the interception with 25 sec- onds to go that sealed a 30-24 victory. The 2023 third-team All-Big Ten standout has started 27 of the 37 games he has played in to date. Moore totaled 48 tackles and 2 picks last year, after notching 71 tack- les and a team-leading 4 interceptions in 2022. He burst onto the scene with four starts as a freshman in 2021, making 32 stops in 11 total games. He suffered a se- vere knee injury this spring and appears doubtful to play at any point during the regular season. GEORGE ROOKS DT ★★★★ Spent two seasons at Michigan, ap- pearing in nine games, prior to transfer- ring to Boston College. He started all 12 clashes at defensive tackle for the Eagles in 2023, compiling 29 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks, 4 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. ❏ * On3 Industry Ranking REPORT CARD Players In Class: 22 On3 Industry Team Ranking: 15th Players Still At Michigan: 16 A generational quarterback, an elite linebacker, a legend-in-the-making at running back and loads of talent elsewhere, the 2021 class — much of which was recruited dur- ing the COVID-19 pandemic — panned out, to say the least. While McCarthy and Colson have moved on to the NFL and four others have trans- ferred, there are still plenty of skilled athletes from this group on the roster and set to make their mark on the 2024 season. TOP CONTRIBUTOR TO DATE QB J.J. McCarthy: One of the best quarter- backs in Michigan history — "the best," per for- mer head coach Jim Harbaugh — McCarthy led the Wolverines to two straight Big Ten titles and a national championship as the starter. He took the offense to a new level and came up clutch in big moments the last two seasons, after starring in a less-prominent role as a freshman. UNSUNG HERO DT Rayshaun Benny: He played behind a slew of elite defensive tackles last season but still made his mark, including with a massive forced fumble that was recovered by graduate safety Makari Paige to begin the second half at Penn State. He was disruptive with 5.5 tackles for loss on the season, too, and he's set to once again add depth on the interior of the line this fall. READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT THIS FALL OL Greg Crippen and Giovanni El-Hadi: Both are in similar situations, possessing the talent to start but having faced an uphill battle to do so in prior years with so many future NFL players in front of them. Both stuck it out and will be rewarded this season. In all likelihood, Crippen and El-Hadi will be the starters at center and right guard, respectively, and their coaches and teammates are expecting big things. A