Depth Chart By Class Updated Comment Count

Brian

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[Eric Upchurch]

An updateable version of this lives under useful stuff in perpetuity, but we bump a new copy of it to the front page annually to remind people it exists. Now it's more important than ever because it actually contains redshirt information, unlike the official roster.

Note that Otis Reese is unsigned and has not made it to the "freshmen" column; all other recruits have, even also-unsigned Ronnie Bell, because he's indicated his recruitment is not open and he would have signed except for his Missouri State basketball LOI.

Positional designations can be fuzzy, of course.

MICHIGAN FOOTBALL DEPTH BY CLASS 2018

Position

Commits

Freshmen
(c/o 2022)
Sophomores
(c/o 2021)
Juniors
(c/o 2020)
Seniors
(c/o 2019)
QB
(5)
    
B. Peters* S. Patterson
RB
(7)
    

K. Walker*
O. Samuels  

C. Evans K. Higdon
FB
(3)
VanSumeren
    
J. Wangler*
WR
(5)
K. Crawford  
Slot
(4)
 
N. Schoenle*#
TE
(7)
    
N. Eubanks*
S. McKeon*
TJ Wheatley*
Z. Gentry*
OT
(8)
    
    
J. Bushell-Beatty*
OG
(5)
J. Honigford*
C. Filiaga*
A. Vastardis*#    
 
C
(1)
 
    
C. Ruiz  
    
DT
(4)
  D. Jeter* M. Dwumfour*
    
L. Marshall*
NT
(3)
 
P. Paea*     A. Solomon
    
B. Mone*
SDE
(5)
C. Hinton   
C. Kemp* R. Gary
 
WDE
(5)
S. Herron L.Vilain* R. Johnson*
K. Paye
R. Jones*
SLB / Viper
(3)
    
J. Uche* K. Hudson N. Furbush*
ILB
(6)
C. Thomas J. Ross D. Gil
D. Bush Jr.
CB
(7)
M. Sims
Gem. Green
L. Hill B. Watson*
FS
(5)
    
J. Kelly-Powell
B. Hawkins
    
SS
(2)
 
    
J. Woods
J. Metellus
J Glasgow*#
 
P/K/LS
(2)
 
    
    

Q. Nordin*
B. Robbins
W. Hart*#
C. Cheeseman*#
 
 
Total
    4 32
    25
18
    12

projected starters in bold, returning starters in italics.
walk-ons denoted with # unless they've clearly graduated from that distinction,
redshirts denoted with *, burned redshirts for freshman with !.
   

Allotted: 87+1/85

Recruits: TBD after signing day.

Like "YMRMFSPA" in this site's recruiting profiles, it doesn't say Kaleb Ringer is Sam Sword or even that we think he's a future Sam Sword, just that if he were to reach the outer bounds of reasonable expectation a senior starting Ringer may resemble Sword. For most the original recruiting YMRMFSPA is listed, though I've updated many of the upperclassmen to reflect renewed expectations.

Comments

jalenwestman

January 5th, 2018 at 12:36 PM ^

Would be surprised if Watson and Bunting come back next year. Beatty, Marshall, and Furbush might have to win spots in the Spring. Can see those 3 leaving if they are not starters.

CalifExile

January 5th, 2018 at 1:00 PM ^

I wonder. There are 91+1 names up there. I think I know 4 who don't have scholarships, giving us the 87+1 Brian cites. I see 2 fifth years that I doubt will be extended. That leaves us over 85 if Reese signs. Even if a couple of underclassmen are encouraged to transfer it will be hard to find spots for the recruits who are still being pursued if Watson, Marshall and Furbush are all brought back. I think the coaches would like to have all of them, but maybe not as much as some of the players being recruited.

jalenwestman

January 5th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^

I assume Watson wants to play in the pros. He will go to a school where he can start and play every down (as will all these guys (excluding Chase)). Watson is the 3rd CB right now with Thomas and JKP basically right there with him. Harbaugh will take that spot for the 2018 class and give him a thanks with a handshake.

SeattleWolverine

January 5th, 2018 at 1:25 PM ^

Agree on Watson, Bunting and Marshall.

 

I know JBB is...well, yeah. But he was still at least enough in the mix to start this year. Given the paucity of proven OTs it seems like the one spot where you least want to kick someone to the curb is the position where you are most desperate for any serviceable solution. I mean I get what you're saying, but he's probably still at least in the two deep as one of our 4 best OTs with Cole gone. 

jalenwestman

January 5th, 2018 at 2:01 PM ^

If JBB (assuming he is still on the team) wins a starting spot (or keeps it) in the Spring, he will be back. He if he is 2nd string, I think he will leave on his own. Oline is going to be a major battle in the Spring, time for guys to stop sucking.

We do need bodies at Oline, but JBB is going to do what is best for him also.

jalenwestman

January 5th, 2018 at 3:49 PM ^

I guess we would define full-time starter differently. Not experience, better younger player. Furbush is a nice guy to have if you have room or no prospects. He's not a Chase and he's not a guy we go "Oh! if we didn't let Furbush go we would have won a title." He's just a guy, not a dude.

I could be wrong, but I think the coaches are hoping a younger guy can fill his role. Or maybe Don Brown wants to use him as the slow linebacker to cover a fast RB in his defense.

kaz

January 5th, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^

It would have to be a minor disciplinary reason he was out, not a major one.  But you're right, we are discussing wanting them back as players.  Whatever he did to draw the ire of the coaches may override that.  That he did it and hurt our bowl game chances by getting in trouble when we needed him pretty badly

jalenwestman

January 5th, 2018 at 2:15 PM ^

I wouldn't say we are kicking veterans to the curb. We know what Furbush is and what he can do. Couple things working here, 1) Furbush is in his last year and is going to want to play every down. 2) Uche needs to be on the field this year and he is going to be a stud. If they are close, even, or Uche is better. I think Furbush is not on the team next year.

If spots are tight(and it appears they are), Furbush spot is an easier spot to replace than OT or DT.

Kevin14

January 8th, 2018 at 2:59 PM ^

No Watson or Furbush.  Watson looked good in the time he had and Furbush was certainly a contributor.  Seems like both contributed more than Marshall.  Must say something about the coach's opinions of the depth of those positions. 

Oddly enough, Furbush and Mone more or less substituted for each other last year before Soloman took over.  Furbush was always a solid special teams contributor, too.  

jalenwestman

January 5th, 2018 at 9:43 PM ^

That’s what it looks like to me. Easiest fix is 5th year guys that can’t improve that much from where they are at.

Really interested to see what they do with the linebackers this Spring. Also interested in Hawkins as a safety. We should be crazy fast and athletic on defense next year.

corundum

January 5th, 2018 at 12:37 PM ^

Having three projected starters at tackle can't be a good thing, especially when the returning 'starter' is eligible for a firm handshake.

Please let one of the freshman be good.

TheTeamTheTeam…

January 5th, 2018 at 1:02 PM ^

I also had questions about the 3 starting tackles....mostly why are there 3 projected starting tackles? Is it because two of the three are freshmen and that’s a precarious situation or is it because one is a possible non renewed fifth(though we need as many Tackle bodies as possible at the moment). Or and this is the wildest scenario...is it an accident

kaz

January 5th, 2018 at 1:28 PM ^

The bowl game may have influenced that.  I believe the bolds aren't supposed to be more than as best guess the way things appear to be now.

The extra (e.g. 3 tackles) being it's really down to those and paring down from there is effectively random so let's just bold them all

kaz

January 5th, 2018 at 1:30 PM ^

Yeah, no way I'm giving up on him.  And it wasn't our intention to play him this year.

But we have to acknowledge that wow, there is reason to be concerned though.  His punting got worse and worse until we had to replace him.

Hopefully that experience this year will help him pull it together next year

kaz

January 5th, 2018 at 1:33 PM ^

This isn't the NFL, he won't be cut.  Worst case is he's not invited back for a fifth year after three more years.

If you mean he'll be counseled out, that's possible.  But after this year if he left, it seems it would be difficult to get a scholorship elsewhere.  Would he leave a scholorship and go somewhere else as a walk on?

BlueinOK

January 5th, 2018 at 2:18 PM ^

You must not understand college athletics. Scholarships get cut every year at every level. I work at a D2 school and there's many players that get the "Well you can stay, but you won't have any athletic aid next year."