The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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38 THE WOLVERINE ❱ SEPTEMBER 2024 BY CLAYTON SAYFIE T he 2021 class came to Michigan intent on helping the team turn around its fortunes after a 2-4 campaign in 2020. Quarterback J.J. Mc- Carthy, running back Donovan Edwards and linebacker Junior Colson even etched "15-0" in sidewalk cement near campus before their freshman season, and then made that a reality by finishing unde- feated with a national championship last season. All three — and others from the 2021 haul — played key roles. The class is 40-3 since arriving in Ann Arbor, with three Big Ten championships and the aforementioned national title. Recruiting Name Pos. Stars* RAHEEM ANDERSON OL ★★★★ The 6-foot-3, 318-pounder has seen action in six outings over three seasons and is competing for the starting center job this fall. ANDREL ANTHONY WR ★★★ Anthony will be remembered for his 6-catch, 155-yard and 2-touchdown per- formance at Michigan State in 2021, but he totaled only 19 receptions in two sea- sons with the Wolverines before trans- ferring to Oklahoma. He was leading the Sooners with 429 receiving yards through six outings in 2023 prior to suffering a season-ending ACL injury. He's expected to start for OU this fall. KECHAUN BENNETT EDGE ★★★ Has played in 15 career clashes, total- ing 3 tackles. He's vying for a spot in the 2024 edge rotation. RAYSHAUN BENNY DT ★★★★ Broke out as a junior in 2023, tallying 27 tackles with 5.5 for loss and 1 sack, 2 pass breakups and a forced fumble. He was injured in the Jan. 1 Rose Bowl but is back healthy and practicing, set to play a big role up front. TRISTAN BOUNDS OL ★★★ Has appeared in just five games in three seasons, including once on special teams in 2023. JUNIOR COLSON LB ★★★★ From Haiti to Nashville to Ann Arbor and now Los Angeles, the two-time sec- ond-team All-Big Ten selection became the No. 69 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to the Chargers. Colson lived up to his billing as an elite recruit, leading the Wolverines in tackles each of the last two seasons (101 in 2022 and 95 in 2023). He won the Lott IMPACT Trophy as college football's "defensive best in character and performance" and was the second inside linebacker selected in this year's draft. GREG CRIPPEN OL ★★★★ Was supplanted by two incoming transfers in consecutive years, Olusegun Oluwatimi (Virginia) and Drake Nugent (Stanford), but is projected to start at cen- ter in 2024. Oluwatimi won the Outland (best interior lineman) and Rimington (top center) trophies in 2022, while Nu- gent was a finalist for the latter in 2023. Crippen has seen action in 16 games, in- cluding nine a year ago. CRISTIAN DIXON WR ★★★★ Transferred to Central Missouri this offseason, following three seasons of being buried on the Wolverines' depth chart, with only six appearances. TOMMY DOMAN P ★★★ Became Michigan's full-time punter in 2023, and the third-team All-Big Ten 2021 CLASS REVIEW WINNERS The 2021 Class Helped Michigan Reach Championship Heights Quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings, became the first Michigan quarterback to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since former head coach Jim Harbaugh was taken by the Chicago Bears No. 26 overall in 1987. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL