The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 37 U-M staffer Biff Poggi in 2023 before transferring again to Colorado. KRIS JENKINS EDGE ★★★ One of the tone-setters for the U-M defense, Jenkins appeared in 44 games with 32 starts and was a team cap- tain during the 2023 season. He was a two-team All-Big Ten selection and a second-team All-American during the national championship season. He was picked in the second round of the NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. AARON LEWIS EDGE ★★★ Lewis enrolled early in 2020 but decided to transfer that summer. He wound up at Rutgers, nearer to his hometown of Williamstown, N.J. He has been named an honorable mention All-Big Ten performer for the Scarlet Knights in each of the last two seasons. BRAIDEN MCGREGOR DL ★★★★ McGregor suited up in 38 games and made 18 starts as a Wolverine, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and media in 2023. He started all 15 games during last season's run to the national title and tied Harrell for the team lead with 9 tackles for loss, including 4.5 sacks. WILLIAM MOHAN LB ★★★ Mohan appeared in one game and re- corded a tackle in 2020 before trans- ferring to Tennessee in 2021. He was dismissed from the Volunteers' program after a domestic assault arrest in 2022. JORDAN MORANT S ★★★★ Morant did not play in 2020 and saw action in eight games, mostly on special teams, in 2021. He transferred to Missis- sippi State in 2022 and has appeared in 25 games with the Bulldogs since then. RJ MOTEN S ★★★★ Appeared in 29 career games with 15 starts at safety, making 10 of those starts in 2022. Moten recorded 31 tackles with 2.5 for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 2 quarterback hurries and 1 interception. He transferred to Florida in 2023 and switched to inside linebacker, notching 8 tackles in seven games (one start) last fall. KALEL MULLINGS LB ★★★★ Mullings has played in 43 games with 22 appearances on defense and 15 at running back in his career. The bruising runner is expected to get his fair share of carries as the No. 2 back alongside Don- ovan Edwards during the 2024 season. MAKARI PAIGE S ★★★★ Paige is one of Michigan's key veter- ans and returning starters on the 2024 roster, returning to Ann Arbor for a fifth season. He recorded 41 tackles with 2 passes defended, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry last year. JEFFREY PERSI OT ★★★★ Did not see game action in 2020 before appearing in a pair of games at left tackle in 2021. Persi played in all 14 games in 2022 and started his first career game at Rutgers. He is competing for the start- ing right tackle job with Andrew Gentry heading into the 2024 season. OSMAN SAVAGE LB ★★★★ Savage entered the transfer portal be- fore ever suiting up for a game at Michi- gan. He spent two seasons at Alabama A&M, playing in five career games. ANDRE SELDON JR. CB ★★★★ Played in one game in each of his two seasons at U-M before transferring to New Mexico State in 2022 and Utah State this past offseason. He died in an appar- ent cliff-diving incident on July 21, 2024. DAN VILLARI QB ★★★ Redshirted with no appearances his first year before appearing in four games in 2021. He completed 1 of 3 pass at- tempts for 26 yards and added 41 rush- ing yards. Villari transferred to Syracuse in 2022 and converted to tight end in 2023, recording 20 receptions for 180 yards and 3 touchdowns. CORNELL WHEELER LB ★★★ Did not see game action in 2020 and transferred to Kansas the following off- season. He saw action in all 12 games last season with the Jayhawks, record- ing 28 tackles. ROMAN WILSON WR ★★★★ Came into the 2023 season with 59 career receptions for 916 yards and 8 touchdowns before his breakout cam- paign last year. He started all 15 games in 2023 with 48 catches for 789 yards and 12 touchdowns, in addition to a 10-yard rushing score. His play earned him second-team All-Big Ten honors and he was a catalyst in the Rose Bowl win against Alabama. He was picked in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. ZAK ZINTER OT ★★★★ The unanimous first-team All-Amer- ican and team captain in 2023 ended his career making 42 starts in 45 ca- reer games as a part of two Joe Moore Award-winning offensive lines. He was a three-time All-Big Ten selection dur- ing his time in Ann Arbor. Zinter went down with a broken leg in the Ohio State game but was still selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. ❏ * On3 Industry Ranking REPORT CARD Players in Class: 23 On3 Industry Ranking: 10th Players Still At Michigan: 3 Just a trio of players remain from the class heading into their fifth season with the program in Mullings, Paige and Persi. Each will play a prominent role this season with Paige leading the way as a starter and Mullings and Persi firmly in the two-deep depth chart at their respective positions. Five members of the class were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, led by Jenkins, the No. 49 overall pick (second round) to the Cincinnati Bengals. TOP CONTRIBUTOR TO DATE RB Blake Corum: He had his breakout season in 2021 before becoming a program legend during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. After knee surgery knocked him out of the postseason in 2022, he came back for one more year, pro- claiming he had "unfinished business." He did what he said he would do, leading the team to the CFP championship and etching his name in the U-M record books as a program legend. UNSUNG HERO S Makari Paige: Back for a fifth season in Ann Arbor, Paige has quietly been a stalwart in the secondary for the Wolverines. The two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten performer 's leadership and calm demeanor will be leaned on heavily during the 2024 season. READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT THIS FALL RB Kalel Mullings: Mullings started his career as a linebacker before playing both ways and eventually transitioning full-time to running back. He has been a depth piece and special teamer most of his career, but he is expected to play a prominent role in the Michigan run game this fall, bringing the "thunder" to complement Donovan Edwards' "lighting" speed game. A-