Joel Klatt Way Too Early Top 10 For 2022

Maybe, but we return the core on an offense that could legitimately be far better than this years. The only thing holding us back from being scary offensively, was the ability to take the top off of a defense and the pieces are there to be able to do that next season. If OSU and their blue chips improve on D, which they should, than these rankings are pretty much spot on. 

Like the East German Judge, I hope Frames Janklin never changes. 

On the defensive side, a school like Michigan can’t replace Hutch and Ojabo. That said, if you look at the three levels, there is optimism.

The D-line has a lot of pieces to work with. Morris, Upshaw, Jenkins, Smith, Welschof, Harrell all played significant snaps. Those are legit players. There is potentially good depth as well with Benny and McGreggor. All of them, except maybe Welschof, are at points in their careers where they could take a big step forward. Good coaching will get that group to be a very good unit, even if they don’t have the superstar talent.

Ross made at least one huge play/game because of his experience and instincts. That will be sorely missed. He also was limited athletically. Colston will continue to get better and could blow up. Hill-Green played pretty well flashing some of that same big play capability Ross had and has more athletic upside. Depth is a little concerning here, but the recruiting rankings are a positive for the next gen.

Dax Hill was awesome and can’t be individually replaced. Hawkins was a nice safety blanket but he also had physical limitations. Rod Moore earned his starting spot and he will keep getting better. Moten played a lot of snaps and Makari Page earned first guy in for garbage time reps. Again, individual play may not stand out as much, but collectively, it could be a more athletic group which has good experience. 
DJ Turner earned his starting spot. Gemon Green has a lot of experience. I think the Turner, Green, McBurrows trio of CB’s has higher potential than the Turner, Green, Gray trio from this year. More athletic and more experienced. 
 

Notice, that is a complete defense with depth, athleticism, and experience without a single Freshman or completely unproven player other than McBurrows. Maybe some younger less played guys step up, but that will be a luxury not a necessity. 

I still really like Michigan's defense up the middle, which is where it all starts. Smith, Jeter, Colson, NHG, Moore, Moten. With some good athletic depth behind those guys like Jenkins, Morris, Barrett, and Paige.

Look for a guy like Will Johnson to come in and potentially make an impact at nickel as well. He played safety his Sr. Year, and can play anywhere in the secondary. I think Colson will be an impact guy as well, and a guy they can move all over the place for blitzes.

No.  Hard to replace.  Really good player.  But...the drop-off will be a lot less than for the Hutchinson replacement, I would guess. 

And...at Alabama, yeah they replace a guy like Dax without noticing.  Michigan is not at that level.  To be fair, maybe 3 schools can reload at all defensive positions without really noticing.  

That said, I think Michigan will have a pretty good D in '22, at least my mid-October, assuming staff stay in place, etc....

He’s already headed to Notre Dame…

Graduate students aren't transfers. Its wrong to use the term graduate transfer. They need to use the portal but they are graduate students with remaining eligibility. They only need admission to a graduate program, not to transfer credits. Baldwin and Jones had graduated from Jackson State and Coastal.

Lets say someone wants to transfer after their sophomore year. They may have 70 credits with summer school. UM will accept 30-40 credits and tell them:

• If we admit you, you will have to attend an extra year to make the 30+ credits up.
• You have to retake these 15 credits in your intended major you already passed. 
• You have to retake freshman english/writing as a Junior even though you have already taken and passed higher level classes with writing requirements and already passed freshman writing at your prior institution.

Even if accepted, most athletes will opt for a school that isn't this burdensome. Baldwin is an example of this. He transferred from Morgan State to Jackson State after his sophomore year. He had to sit a year do to the present transfer rule not yet existing ... but he graduated from Jackson State after 2 years. Had he tried to transfer to Michigan from Morgan he likely would have been admitted as a sophomore in credits at best, not a junior, requiring a 5th year for his degree. He'd receive zero scholarship for that year unless redshirting his 3rd of 4th year of eligibility and the football team isn't going to redshirt Jr transfers. Players will transfer someplace they can finish their degree under scholarship, not someplace they can't. 

Won't work that way going forward.  It has already started with Caleb Williams. 

Guys that blow up before junior year are going to be open to moving in the transfer portal and increasing NIL $$$.

Obviously, they won't all be as good as Williams.  But going forward teams that are serious about winning are going bolster weaker position groups with transfer guys that blow up in lesser programs earlier in their careers.