2018 class thoughts
with a lot of conversation, predictions, etc. in other threads, I thought I would bring it to one central thread
class size is looking to be 21-25
with a max 25 class in 2017 (plus 5 back dated to 2016), 25 looks to be the max
with expected departures mentioned here and TTB we could take 21 in the class and be at 88 on signing day (you can go 3 over) based on a majority of the 2017 RS Seniors not getting invited back - could always change of course
as far as positionally, my best guess is:
1 - QB (DTR or Shough - with DCaff and Peters might be hard to get DTR)
2 - RB - Christian Turner getting CB's
3 - RB - Tavion Thomas (who go to OSU who already have 2 RB commits?)
4 - WR - only 1 in this class with 5 last class - St. Brown, Babb, Dotson or Schwartz
5 - TE - Mallory
6 - TE - Jordan, Ruckert, Muhammed, Epps, others
7 - TE -
8 - G - Ekiyor
9 - T - Mayfield
10 - T - Ryan Hayes
11 - OL - Ghirmai, Dunlap or Faalele
12 - DT - Fryday
13 - DT - Togiai, Michael Thompson or someone
14 - SDE - Hutchinson
15 - DL - Hardy, Booker, or Perkins
16 - LB/S - Reese
17 - LB - Gant, Demens,
18 - DB - Sims
19 - DB - Simon
20 - DB - ITR
21 - DB - Faustin
spots 22-25 would depend on which other players leave to create these open slots
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edit
adding here so people see it
http://mgoblog.com/content/michigan-depth-chart-class-0
assume Drake Johnson does not get his 6th year to put us at 85
lose Shelton Johnson, Alex Malzone and Grant Perry = 82
2017 is the last year for O'Korn, Isaac, Poggi, Hill, Cole, Kugler, Hurst, McCray = gets us to 74
no 5th year for Ways, Harris, JBB, Marshall, Furbush, Wangler and Watson gets us to 67
class size of 21 puts us at 88 which is the max allowable at signing day
also, Mone could turn pro as well
leaving
Technically, Michigan has a maximum of 9 spots opening up due to expiring eligibility, and Alex Malzone transferring would open up a 10th scholarship.
http://mgoblog.com/content/michigan-depth-chart-class-0
assume Drake Johnson does not get his 6th year to put us at 85
lose Shelton Johnson, Alex Malzone and Grant Perry = 82
2017 is the last year for
O'Korn, Isaac, Poggi, Hill, Cole, Kugler, Hurst, McCray = gets us to 74
no 5th year for Ways, Harris, JBB, Marshall, Furbush, Wangler and Watson gets us to 67
class size of 21 puts us at 88 which is the max allowable at signing day
But then you're discounting future transfers in the next year in a half. This spring we had three alone. There are probably going to be more as guys like Kingston Davis in the 2016 and 2017 class see that they're stuck behind people.
Those guys are all in their 4th year already? Time flies and I am getting old
I'd be shocked if all of Ways, Harris, JBB, Marshall, Furbush, Wangler and Watson didn't get 5th years. JBB is still in competition for a starting spot, we have no proven WRs as of now so there's a decent chance one if not both of Ways and Harris earn a 5th year, and our lack of dpeth on defense right now means any of the rest of those guys can earn a 5th year. I'm sure we'll see a few of those guys leave, but assuming all of them are gone is probably not gonna happen.
doubt he returns
if Furbush and Wangler are backups with Anthony and Singleton coming in I doubt they get 5th years
with 8 other WR in the 2016 and 2017 classes I doubt Ways returns - Harris could stay and Mone go pro - roster size would be the same
if Watson is behind Hill, Long and Thomas at CB I doubt he returns
the bottom line is we have tons of talent and if a 5th year senior isn't starting and we need the scholarship spot it is unlikely they return
nice 5th year guy, or higher ceiling freshman?
we have 7-8 LB's that will be freshman and sopomores in 2017 so as sopomores and juniors do we need a 5th year senior as a backup (as an example)
if Watson has been surpassed by Ambry Thomas, David Long and Lavert Hill, he's down to the 4th CB at best
so it depends on if it is an area of really solid depth or not
WR and LB are VERY deep as is DL
If Ulizio, Filiaga, Stueber are all ahead of JBB, maybe the spot isn't saved for him
a lot depends on the depth at the position
Eh. We brought back Kugler as a 5th year who has hardly played. Drake Johnson and Isaac figure to be like 4th and 5th stringers yet are back as 5th/6th. Tried to get a 6th for Clark who wasn't really a starter. There's value to experienced depth if they can at least be on the 2 deep. I get where you are coming from on the older guys, but you might be overvaluing all of these new recruits. You've already got Anthony and Singleton ahead other guys, based on...their recuiting profiles? Sure, JBB is pretty meh, but a guy who starts games as a sophomore and is rumored to at least be in competition for a starting spot and certainly on the 2 deep as a junior isn't the type of guy who gets kicked to the curb as a senior.
On the flip side, there will be unanticipated attrition and depth chart losses.
we took 30 players in the 2017 class (pretty much the max) and will be under 85 scholarships anyway so Michigan didn't need Kugler to move on
next year? the 85-cap will dictate class size up to the 25 max number
We brought back Kugler because the depth at OL is scary. Jeremy Clark absolutely would have started somewhere. We absolutely need all of our 5th year guys in 2017. Next year we'll be deeper and most of those guys aren't key players. Maybe one or two are asked back.
the point is we are not hearing much about most of those guys starting - if they are being beaten out by younger players on the roster there is a decent chance they move on
scholarships. Glasgow and Wrobolewski look likely and there are several other good candidates.
I understand they aren't guaranteed, but you still want to leave room for some on the 85 man roster. We've had several scholarship walkons pretty much every year. Not just seniors being rewarded with an open one. There's no reason to think 2018 will be different. That goes hand in hand with Harbaugh's walkon recruiting.
April 10th, 2017 at 10:09 AM ^
"I understand they aren't guaranteed, but you still want to leave room for some on the 85 man roster."
It's not an 85-man roster. It's a 105-man roster to start fall practices (and more after that), and I would argue that you DON'T want to leave room for walk-ons to get scholarships. Walk-ons getting scholarships means that you've whiffed on players and/or players have been injured. Having walk-ons who are good enough to be scholarship players is a luxury.
And while there's at least one guy who fits that description every year (Kovacs, Kerridge, the Glasgows, etc.), if we're being honest, most walk-ons who earn scholarships are good-but-not-great players. The hope is that at a place like Michigan, you're not counting on someone like Kovacs (who went undrafted and spent some time in the NFL as a backup) to be a key player, but instead you're plugging in a guy who can be big enough, fast enough, smart enough, etc. to be all-conference, get drafted in the first few rounds, etc.
Regardless, life isn't cut-and-dried. Things are always going to happen to trim a team's number of scholarship players down below the limit, so it's going to be very rare that you can't offer any scholarships to walk-ons.
Guys have transferred and more will before 2018.
at LB you mean gant?
I'd take 5 OL and 1 RB because we are already deep at RB and not very deep at OL, we are in on better OL prospects than RB, and Harbaugh likes to do those jumbo sets.
I realize we got Gary and Solomon but I'm talking war daddy anchor NG type guys. Hot, sweaty walk around on 20 degree day with a light hoodie on and be perfectly comfortable guys. Come to Michigan fellas. COME TO MICHIGAN.
April 10th, 2017 at 12:44 AM ^
Plus 1 for "War Daddy Anchor NG Type Guys".
...for this MGoBoard Class, regardless of what year (including an actual thought or two):
April 10th, 2017 at 12:11 AM ^
we have tons of depth
T - Filiaga, Stueber, Newsome, Ulizio, Honigford
G - Bredeson, Ekiyor, Onwenu, Runyan, Spanellis, Hall
C - Ruiz - and I think Runyan also plays C
plus any more recruits
Tons? That barely fills out a two deep, and most of those guys haven't played.
Ideally you want somehwere around 15 OL on the roster at all times.
plus 3 more recruits = 15
and we're talking 2018 season, not 17
I think it will be good.