The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/544673
3. David Harris NEW YORK JETS, NFL Harris, 31, has been the Jets' most consistent defender since 2007, when New York drafted him in the second round. He's led the team in tackles in seven of his eight seasons, and it would have been all eight if he hadn't missed five games in 2008 with a groin injury. He reportedly played in 99.4 percent of the team's defensive snaps last season, racking up 123 tackles and has nearly 900 total tackles in his career. It was the third time in three years he meet or beat the 123 stop mark, while he also tied a career-high with 5.5 sacks. Har- ris enters 2015 with 884 total tackles. 4. Jamal Crawford LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS, NBA The king of the crossover might have lost a step, but he's still one of the league's better scorers and a guy nobody wants to try to guard off the ability. He should get better looks on offense than he did in New York's triangle offense, though — the Hawks have been looking for another scoring shooting guard and believe he can fit the bill. ZACH PUTNAM, CHICAGO WHITE SOX, MLB Putnam has quietly become a consistent option on the mound in the late innings, having overcome a rough start to lower his ERA to 3.81 in 31 appear- ances. He's allowed 22 hits in 28.1 innings and though he's blown three saves, he also has five holds — he notched 16 of the latter last season in posting a 5-3 record, a 1.98 ERA and six saves. He's also well ahead of last year's strikeout pace of 46 in 54.2 innings, having notched 42 already. JACK JOHNSON, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS, NHL Johnson, a defenseman, put together a very solid year on the blue line for the Blue Jackets, notching eight goals and 32 assists in 79 games played. His goal total tied a career best, while his assist numbers were third highest in his eight-year career. Johnson has racked up 52 goals and 178 assists in his career, and he's always been a rugged and dependable force, willing to mix it up or deliver a big hit. ANDREW COGLIANO, C, ANAHEIM DUCKS Cogliano remains a dependable and capable scorer in the league and is currently the NHL's active Ironman, having never missed a game in his eight- season, 622-game career. He scored 15 goals, added 14 assists and finished with a plus/minus of plus-5, notching two game-winning goals along with three shorthanded goals for the second straight year. It appears the former first-round pick has several good years left in him, and he will have a chance to do some damage in the postseason with a very good franchise.