I don't know how many Michigan fans truly appreciate how talented Cole Cabana is. That guys senior highlights are nuts. Nathan Efobi and Jason Hewlett are also next level athletes.
Maybe I'd feel differently if we had stopped them on 3rd & goal but this is a terrible way to go down on defense in my opinion. I know it's easy as a fan to be overly critical of conservative play calling but I don't understand how we win this game if we don't make Stroud uncomfortable.
JJ McCarthy's inability to find anyone open for what seemed like 10 seconds on some plays was truly shocking. Everything else was fine, including some missed deep shots. You would assume our players will tighten things up and fine tune as the season rolls along. But either McCarthy couldn't handle the pressure of the moment, couldn't read the field to save his life, or our talented receivers couldn't get open against an average-at-best Maryland defense because the play calling was atrocious. Hard to tell without the all-22 tape.
I don't think your criticism about the key positions that were missed on is entirely unwarranted. Our coaching staff legitimately missed out on prospects at both DT and CB who would have boosted this class. But considering we failed to land a true star at QB, it's unbelievable the 2018 recruiting class so thoroughly crushed its ranking (and again, we still haven't seen the best from a number of recruits in this class). I never got the feeling 2019 or 2020 were necessarily similar to 2018 but the last two recruiting classes both feel like they were wildly underrated IMHO.
I'm still a huge Matt Campbell fan. I'm also confident Bill O'Brien is going to be a good college head coach. But give me Josh Gattis. This seems like an easy call to me.
He leaves Michigan in much better shape than the mess he inherited when he got here. As has been said by others, this past season was the best since 1997. Bittersweet legacy for sure but definitely a positive one.
I'm still partial to Matt Campbell. Wouldn't be upset with a Rhule or Aranda hiring I suppose but I would be genuinely excited if Josh Gattis took over.
Brad White is a great call Seth! He would have me pumped heading into next season. The Athletic suggested a couple of guys on Baltimore's defensive staff, for continuity's sake. Plus, Harbaugh would have the inside scoop on all of them.
Maybe he's not a hot enough name but Mike Tressel is kind of intriguing. Just finished coaching Cincinnati's defense. Was an assistant for a long long time at Michigan State, so he's familiar with the recruiting territory. Son of Jim Tressel.
I think we're going to look back and be shocked at how much the 2021 and 2022 recruiting classes outperformed their rankings. We obviously have glimpses of this already with the 2021 class considering how many true freshmen flashed incredible potential.
Jimmy Rolder is the one member of the 2022 class that's tough to gauge because his highlight reel is limited. But the plays he does make on there are eye popping. If Kenneth Grant can turn a lot of raw potential into actual production (you can never be sure how motivated these monster DT's are beforehand), then we're going to have studs all over the place from this class.
One thing I have confidence in is Harbaugh's eye for DC talent. Love him or hate him, Durkin was a hot enough name to become a Big Ten HC and was recently hired to be Texas A&M's DC. Don Brown was a terrible fit long term but his first couple of seasons were phenomenal. And of course MacDonald was a home run.
The awkward part is that both Elston and Clinkscale are due to become coordinators given their career arch, particularly Elston. But both of them are so good as position coaches and recruiters that my gut tells me we don't really want them to move to an unproven position and then fill their vacated role with a lesser position coach.
As has been suggested, perhaps a co-DC role for Elston is in the offing. There are still plenty of fish in the sea but it'll be tough replacing Macdonald regardless.
Obviously, this is good news. I'm not concerned about Darrius Clemons or Zeke Berry dropping, with the former being ranked too high before according to my untrained scouts eye and the latter clearly being a stud who is a slam dunk top 100 prospect. If On3 wants to look foolish regarding Berry, that's their choice. Grant and Rolder are the ones who stand out most to me because we desperately need someone Grant's size to pan out in the near future and because Rolder's tape looks awesome but is limited to him mostly moving downhill.
In 2019 and 2020, we clearly had a talent problem, at least to some extent. In 2021, we had an overall talented defense..... that looked like butt against an SEC powerhouse..... because the construction of that talented defense wasn't ideal.
Obviously, Michigan can use more talent on defense given the results of the last three years. Remember when we all thought 2021 would suck because we had no confidence in our defense heading into the season? But the talent deficiency wasn't the whole story in the playoff game.
His coordination and fluidity really stand out on film. In this sense, he reminds me a lot of a smaller version of Schoonmaker, with an obvious difference being he is actually playing TE for his high school team and thus will come in less raw than Schoonmaker.
Mike Elston is one of the few defensive line coaches who appears to have a national reputation. From a recruiting and player development standpoint, he seems to be among the best of the best.
I'm licking my chops at this schedule. The Big Ten is always a bear no matter what but we could be in for another really good season the way things are set up.
It's silly for men to care that much one way or another since this does not effect us directly. But it's sad that questions can't even be raised for female athletes to respond to based on how they feel. Bad faith arguments have been put forth time and time again about various LGBTQ issues. That doesn't mean all LGBTQ arguments/questions are done in bad faith.
I really do believe Jim Harbaugh (assuming he stays) that this season was just the beginning. He's finally figured out the college game. He finally has the right staff in place. I'm unbelievably bullish on our last two recruiting classes and 2023 might be the best one yet. The future could not be brighter at Michigan.
We've just had two really strong recruiting classes. Plenty of veterans are going to get passed up from the 2019 and 2020 classes. The scholarship count will more than work itself out.
I don't know how the nickelback position doesn't get filled by a cornerback. The only reason Daxton Hill played the position is because he was basically a cornerback masquerading as a safety. Basically, you need a ton of athleticism at the nickelback position, even if size gets sacrificed, and you need someone who has the willingness of a safety in the run game.
I can't for the life of me understand why any Michigan fan would root for Alabama and not Georgia in this contest. How much better would you feel about our loss to Georgia if Alabama also gets smacked around?
I would love to see a creative defensive coach use Vincent Gray as a tight end coverage specialist. He supports the run with a safety mentality, so he shouldn't be a liability in the run game compared to having a safety cover a tight end. And his size would come in handy in this role.
HARBAUGH ISN'T LEAVING MICHIGAN IF HE CAN HELP IT!!!!! He wants to stay in Ann Arbor, provided Michigan is a great job in 2022. If Warde doesn't step up in terms of contract and support (including something more formal regarding NIL), then Harbaugh is going to go back to the pros.
This is all terribly transparent. Fan consternation needs to be directed at whether the University of Michigan wants to have a puncher's chance at competing with the big boys or not. We're never going to outbid the SEC but we also can't get slaughtered either. This SHOULD be doable.
This entire post is perfect. In sum, Harbaugh loves coaching at Michigan and doesn't necessarily want to return to the NFL, particularly the meh situations he might be offered. But if Michigan can't accept transfers like other major programs and if Michigan isn't willing to pony up so we can have a competitive NIL cash pile, then why should Harbaugh fight tooth and nail just so he can maybe have a shot at winning his own division every other year? The guy wants to win.
A lot of this game came down to two factors IMO. First, we needed superior quarterback play and instead found ourselves facing a version of Stetson Bennett even his own mother wouldn't recognize. Second, Michigan acted like the team that hadn't been here before and was just happy to be invited to the party. That happens when you are the first preseason unranked team to make the playoffs. Georgia's staff knows what it takes from previous experience and Georgia's players wanted to punish someone, anyone for what happened in the SEC championship game.
Sorry to be pedantic but that doesn't seem right to me. Under Harbaugh, we've always had more scholarship players on defense than offense because we don't keep that many wide receivers or offensive linemen on scholarship. Not sure why this is but it's been pretty consistent for years.
So if we have roughly 44 scholarship defenders each season, and almost 50% of the starting defenders are defensive backs, then 19 would be a perfectly reasonable allotment for the secondary.
Disagree that 19 is too many defensive backs. We essentially start 5 and it's a position you can never have too many quality players. That being said, given the ridiculous strength of our incoming DB class and the established starters returning, more transfers are inevitable.
I really think our defensive tackles are going to surprise as a group next season, even with Chris Hinton moving on. I know we are all emotionally scarred from 2019 and 2020 but I expect big things from this group next year.
Also, I'm not sure it makes sense to move a player Michigan really likes at one position over to nickelback just because we have a hole there. If Rod Moore is best at safety and there isn't another awesome safety to fill his shoes next season, then why move him for a year only to stunt his growth at the position we actually want him to play? The same is true for Will Johnson. I agree D.J. Turner could be good at nickelback but we just barely got him up to speed at cornerback.
Ja'Den McBurrows is actually a really intriguing possibility at nickelback. The only hesitation would be if we see more attrition at cornerback, which is possible. Jordan Morant also feels like a possibility against run heavy teams or teams with a great receiving tight end.
I would be surprised but perhaps not shocked if Daxton Hill doesn't go pro. And if he does, I don't think Rod Moore is going to play nickel because I think he's a better fit at safety. And if that's the case, then we're looking at Eamonn Dennis, who hasn't played, or true freshman Kody Jones sliding into the starting role. Or perhaps a grad transfer.
I'm also fascinated to see how the depth chart at edge shakes itself out. Can't imagine either Upshaw or Morris will be insurmountable competition. But it's anyone's guess as to who rises to the top.
I like Nikhai Hill-Green. We are fortunate to have him. But that being said, it would be nice if one of the more athletic linebackers could break through next season
Doesn't seem like the best move considering how much he could have improved his draft stock (in theory) but he has knowledgeable people around him so tough to question the decision too much.
It also might be a case where Hinton sees how talented guys like Jenkins and Benny are and isn't 100% positive he is going to be a surefire starter if he stays.
I hate it when players leave school prematurely. Staying another year so you can legitimately improve your draft stock is a smart decision, not a bad one. The financial difference as well as the additional chances higher draft picks are afforded by NFL teams is something a lot of people overlook.
That being said, there are certainly players in which this logic does not apply and David Ojabo is probably one of them.
D.J. Turner is going to be absolutely legit next season and Myles Pollard is a baller no matter what his ranking may be. The idea that he's not a great get in the '22 class because of his bizarre ranking is laughable. The same is true for Ja'Den McBurrows in the '21 class.
We've recruited at least two top 250 cornerbacks who were overrated by the services. Outside of top 50 players, the rankings tend to have plenty of glitches. Watch the tape and don't worry about stars.
There's no way to put together a defense that can handle the elite of the elite without special talent at cornerback and/or defensive tackle. That's the bottom line. You also have to have athletic linebackers who know what they are doing. Josh Ross and a true freshman Junior Colston do not fit the bill.
I feel good about our defensive tackles and cornerbacks next season. And I feel pretty good about our linebackers if Colston takes a leap with the mental aspect of the game. But this season it wasn't good enough unfortunately.
I'm not sure where people are coming from regarding Oluwatimi. He would be a *huge* addition to our team. We don't know that Zinter would be all that effective at center. There's a good chance he is much better at guard. And Crippen is a redshirt freshman that isn't named Cesar Ruiz. I'm sure Crippen would be passable as a starter next season. Maybe even a little better than passable. But Oluwatimi sounds like a surefire All-American.
As for edge, we certainly don't have anyone we can bank on but there are a ton of intriguing options and Michigan might be better off letting those options sort themselves out rather than triggering 1-2 early transfers who may turn into something great for another team down the road.
I think the OP positional grades are really good across the board. However, I do have a problem with the concept of grading positional groups in recruiting just as a matter of principle. What if Will Johnson were the only defensive back we landed in the entire class? Would we deserve a C+ grade? On the flip side, what if we landed 10 defensive backs with only decent ceilings? Is that an A- group?
For what it's worth, I like looking at how many "filler" players there seem to be (Quintel Kents of the world) and how many players with legit star upside, with positional value taken into account. I obviously wouldn't call out specific recruits in a brand class as looking like fillers but I will just say this is the first class under Jim Harbaugh where it seems like every single prospect has legitimately high upside and thus is someone we should be genuinely excited about taking. Most classes have at least a couple guys who seem to fit this description but not the 2022 class.
I also think at least half of this class has serious Big Ten First Team potential (Johnson, Moore, Sabb, Morris, Clemons, Berry, Loveland, Graham, Orji, Grant, Walker, Gentry, Pollard, Lorenzetti, etc). Very special class, particularly if one of the two quarterbacks rises to the level of starter.
Edge is going to be a fascinating position. Morris and Harrell seem more like situational players at this point, albeit on completely different ends of the spectrum. There's a lot to like about Upshaw but at the end of the day, I think he lacks bend and he doesn't have a great get off. My guess is by midseason, one of McGregor/Guy/Bennett/Moore is starting for us on the edge. I also think we're going to be utilizing more 5 man fronts, which gets Harrell on the field. Also, Barrett is going to be playing over Hill-Green more often than not, though I think both guys are quality players.
I do have one bold prediction, which is that Moore is going to stay at free safety and one of Seldon, Dennis, or Jones will start at nickelback. I respectfully disagree with Brian and Seth about the nickelback position. It's basically a small, quick cornerback who is willing to throw his body around. I don't think we're looking for a safety to play the position. I think Michigan was just spoiled with having a decent sized cornerback who masqueraded as a safety (Daxton Hill). That's not going to be the norm moving forward IMO.
This tells me Michigan is serious about incorporating the quarterback in the run game for the foreseeable future. When is the last time we had two quarterbacks in the same class?
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I don't know how many Michigan fans truly appreciate how talented Cole Cabana is. That guys senior highlights are nuts. Nathan Efobi and Jason Hewlett are also next level athletes.
Maybe I'd feel differently if we had stopped them on 3rd & goal but this is a terrible way to go down on defense in my opinion. I know it's easy as a fan to be overly critical of conservative play calling but I don't understand how we win this game if we don't make Stroud uncomfortable.
JJ McCarthy's inability to find anyone open for what seemed like 10 seconds on some plays was truly shocking. Everything else was fine, including some missed deep shots. You would assume our players will tighten things up and fine tune as the season rolls along. But either McCarthy couldn't handle the pressure of the moment, couldn't read the field to save his life, or our talented receivers couldn't get open against an average-at-best Maryland defense because the play calling was atrocious. Hard to tell without the all-22 tape.
I don't think your criticism about the key positions that were missed on is entirely unwarranted. Our coaching staff legitimately missed out on prospects at both DT and CB who would have boosted this class. But considering we failed to land a true star at QB, it's unbelievable the 2018 recruiting class so thoroughly crushed its ranking (and again, we still haven't seen the best from a number of recruits in this class). I never got the feeling 2019 or 2020 were necessarily similar to 2018 but the last two recruiting classes both feel like they were wildly underrated IMHO.
I'm still a huge Matt Campbell fan. I'm also confident Bill O'Brien is going to be a good college head coach. But give me Josh Gattis. This seems like an easy call to me.
He leaves Michigan in much better shape than the mess he inherited when he got here. As has been said by others, this past season was the best since 1997. Bittersweet legacy for sure but definitely a positive one.
I'm still partial to Matt Campbell. Wouldn't be upset with a Rhule or Aranda hiring I suppose but I would be genuinely excited if Josh Gattis took over.
Putting the nature of the content aside, this OP is phenomenal. Take a bow MightyMatt13. Wish I had more than one upvote.
Brad White is a great call Seth! He would have me pumped heading into next season. The Athletic suggested a couple of guys on Baltimore's defensive staff, for continuity's sake. Plus, Harbaugh would have the inside scoop on all of them.
Maybe he's not a hot enough name but Mike Tressel is kind of intriguing. Just finished coaching Cincinnati's defense. Was an assistant for a long long time at Michigan State, so he's familiar with the recruiting territory. Son of Jim Tressel.
I think we're going to look back and be shocked at how much the 2021 and 2022 recruiting classes outperformed their rankings. We obviously have glimpses of this already with the 2021 class considering how many true freshmen flashed incredible potential.
Jimmy Rolder is the one member of the 2022 class that's tough to gauge because his highlight reel is limited. But the plays he does make on there are eye popping. If Kenneth Grant can turn a lot of raw potential into actual production (you can never be sure how motivated these monster DT's are beforehand), then we're going to have studs all over the place from this class.
One thing I have confidence in is Harbaugh's eye for DC talent. Love him or hate him, Durkin was a hot enough name to become a Big Ten HC and was recently hired to be Texas A&M's DC. Don Brown was a terrible fit long term but his first couple of seasons were phenomenal. And of course MacDonald was a home run.
The awkward part is that both Elston and Clinkscale are due to become coordinators given their career arch, particularly Elston. But both of them are so good as position coaches and recruiters that my gut tells me we don't really want them to move to an unproven position and then fill their vacated role with a lesser position coach.
As has been suggested, perhaps a co-DC role for Elston is in the offing. There are still plenty of fish in the sea but it'll be tough replacing Macdonald regardless.
Obviously, this is good news. I'm not concerned about Darrius Clemons or Zeke Berry dropping, with the former being ranked too high before according to my untrained scouts eye and the latter clearly being a stud who is a slam dunk top 100 prospect. If On3 wants to look foolish regarding Berry, that's their choice. Grant and Rolder are the ones who stand out most to me because we desperately need someone Grant's size to pan out in the near future and because Rolder's tape looks awesome but is limited to him mostly moving downhill.
I don't understand the negative reaction to my other post or burtcomma's post for that matter. Seems like he brought up a nice point.
In 2019 and 2020, we clearly had a talent problem, at least to some extent. In 2021, we had an overall talented defense..... that looked like butt against an SEC powerhouse..... because the construction of that talented defense wasn't ideal.
Obviously, Michigan can use more talent on defense given the results of the last three years. Remember when we all thought 2021 would suck because we had no confidence in our defense heading into the season? But the talent deficiency wasn't the whole story in the playoff game.
His coordination and fluidity really stand out on film. In this sense, he reminds me a lot of a smaller version of Schoonmaker, with an obvious difference being he is actually playing TE for his high school team and thus will come in less raw than Schoonmaker.
Mike Elston is one of the few defensive line coaches who appears to have a national reputation. From a recruiting and player development standpoint, he seems to be among the best of the best.
I'm licking my chops at this schedule. The Big Ten is always a bear no matter what but we could be in for another really good season the way things are set up.
It's silly for men to care that much one way or another since this does not effect us directly. But it's sad that questions can't even be raised for female athletes to respond to based on how they feel. Bad faith arguments have been put forth time and time again about various LGBTQ issues. That doesn't mean all LGBTQ arguments/questions are done in bad faith.
I really do believe Jim Harbaugh (assuming he stays) that this season was just the beginning. He's finally figured out the college game. He finally has the right staff in place. I'm unbelievably bullish on our last two recruiting classes and 2023 might be the best one yet. The future could not be brighter at Michigan.
This news will probably be underappreciated by the majority of fans. But Robbins' return is actually a significant boost to our team next season.
We've just had two really strong recruiting classes. Plenty of veterans are going to get passed up from the 2019 and 2020 classes. The scholarship count will more than work itself out.
I don't know how the nickelback position doesn't get filled by a cornerback. The only reason Daxton Hill played the position is because he was basically a cornerback masquerading as a safety. Basically, you need a ton of athleticism at the nickelback position, even if size gets sacrificed, and you need someone who has the willingness of a safety in the run game.
I can't for the life of me understand why any Michigan fan would root for Alabama and not Georgia in this contest. How much better would you feel about our loss to Georgia if Alabama also gets smacked around?
I would love to see a creative defensive coach use Vincent Gray as a tight end coverage specialist. He supports the run with a safety mentality, so he shouldn't be a liability in the run game compared to having a safety cover a tight end. And his size would come in handy in this role.
Dang it, the typo has already been corrected. Now my joke won't make any sense.
We'll never get another player that "farted stour" games ever again.
HARBAUGH ISN'T LEAVING MICHIGAN IF HE CAN HELP IT!!!!! He wants to stay in Ann Arbor, provided Michigan is a great job in 2022. If Warde doesn't step up in terms of contract and support (including something more formal regarding NIL), then Harbaugh is going to go back to the pros.
This is all terribly transparent. Fan consternation needs to be directed at whether the University of Michigan wants to have a puncher's chance at competing with the big boys or not. We're never going to outbid the SEC but we also can't get slaughtered either. This SHOULD be doable.
This entire post is perfect. In sum, Harbaugh loves coaching at Michigan and doesn't necessarily want to return to the NFL, particularly the meh situations he might be offered. But if Michigan can't accept transfers like other major programs and if Michigan isn't willing to pony up so we can have a competitive NIL cash pile, then why should Harbaugh fight tooth and nail just so he can maybe have a shot at winning his own division every other year? The guy wants to win.
Michigan was blessed to have Daxton Hill this year, to say the least. The time has come for him to live his dream.
Nothing but love for this guy! Hope he kills it at the next level!
A lot of this game came down to two factors IMO. First, we needed superior quarterback play and instead found ourselves facing a version of Stetson Bennett even his own mother wouldn't recognize. Second, Michigan acted like the team that hadn't been here before and was just happy to be invited to the party. That happens when you are the first preseason unranked team to make the playoffs. Georgia's staff knows what it takes from previous experience and Georgia's players wanted to punish someone, anyone for what happened in the SEC championship game.
Sorry to be pedantic but that doesn't seem right to me. Under Harbaugh, we've always had more scholarship players on defense than offense because we don't keep that many wide receivers or offensive linemen on scholarship. Not sure why this is but it's been pretty consistent for years.
So if we have roughly 44 scholarship defenders each season, and almost 50% of the starting defenders are defensive backs, then 19 would be a perfectly reasonable allotment for the secondary.
Disagree that 19 is too many defensive backs. We essentially start 5 and it's a position you can never have too many quality players. That being said, given the ridiculous strength of our incoming DB class and the established starters returning, more transfers are inevitable.
I don't mind playing "scholarship survivor" (great term) but perhaps that's a minority opinion.
I really think our defensive tackles are going to surprise as a group next season, even with Chris Hinton moving on. I know we are all emotionally scarred from 2019 and 2020 but I expect big things from this group next year.
Also, I'm not sure it makes sense to move a player Michigan really likes at one position over to nickelback just because we have a hole there. If Rod Moore is best at safety and there isn't another awesome safety to fill his shoes next season, then why move him for a year only to stunt his growth at the position we actually want him to play? The same is true for Will Johnson. I agree D.J. Turner could be good at nickelback but we just barely got him up to speed at cornerback.
Ja'Den McBurrows is actually a really intriguing possibility at nickelback. The only hesitation would be if we see more attrition at cornerback, which is possible. Jordan Morant also feels like a possibility against run heavy teams or teams with a great receiving tight end.
I would be surprised but perhaps not shocked if Daxton Hill doesn't go pro. And if he does, I don't think Rod Moore is going to play nickel because I think he's a better fit at safety. And if that's the case, then we're looking at Eamonn Dennis, who hasn't played, or true freshman Kody Jones sliding into the starting role. Or perhaps a grad transfer.
I'm also fascinated to see how the depth chart at edge shakes itself out. Can't imagine either Upshaw or Morris will be insurmountable competition. But it's anyone's guess as to who rises to the top.
I like Nikhai Hill-Green. We are fortunate to have him. But that being said, it would be nice if one of the more athletic linebackers could break through next season
Jenkins and Benny look like future studs. Perhaps that future is next season, assuming Jenkins continues to add weight.
Doesn't seem like the best move considering how much he could have improved his draft stock (in theory) but he has knowledgeable people around him so tough to question the decision too much.
It also might be a case where Hinton sees how talented guys like Jenkins and Benny are and isn't 100% positive he is going to be a surefire starter if he stays.
The buzz is that Moore might actually become a Mo Hurst type of DT down the road. That might be his position ultimately.
I hate it when players leave school prematurely. Staying another year so you can legitimately improve your draft stock is a smart decision, not a bad one. The financial difference as well as the additional chances higher draft picks are afforded by NFL teams is something a lot of people overlook.
That being said, there are certainly players in which this logic does not apply and David Ojabo is probably one of them.
D.J. Turner is going to be absolutely legit next season and Myles Pollard is a baller no matter what his ranking may be. The idea that he's not a great get in the '22 class because of his bizarre ranking is laughable. The same is true for Ja'Den McBurrows in the '21 class.
We've recruited at least two top 250 cornerbacks who were overrated by the services. Outside of top 50 players, the rankings tend to have plenty of glitches. Watch the tape and don't worry about stars.
There's no way to put together a defense that can handle the elite of the elite without special talent at cornerback and/or defensive tackle. That's the bottom line. You also have to have athletic linebackers who know what they are doing. Josh Ross and a true freshman Junior Colston do not fit the bill.
I feel good about our defensive tackles and cornerbacks next season. And I feel pretty good about our linebackers if Colston takes a leap with the mental aspect of the game. But this season it wasn't good enough unfortunately.
I'm not sure where people are coming from regarding Oluwatimi. He would be a *huge* addition to our team. We don't know that Zinter would be all that effective at center. There's a good chance he is much better at guard. And Crippen is a redshirt freshman that isn't named Cesar Ruiz. I'm sure Crippen would be passable as a starter next season. Maybe even a little better than passable. But Oluwatimi sounds like a surefire All-American.
As for edge, we certainly don't have anyone we can bank on but there are a ton of intriguing options and Michigan might be better off letting those options sort themselves out rather than triggering 1-2 early transfers who may turn into something great for another team down the road.
These are all great YMRMFSFPA's. That comp for Kody Jones might be a little rich but otherwise, well done!
Amorion Walker reminds me so much of a taller Andrel Anthony. That dude was a recruiting steal!
Jimmy Rolder is a more athletic version of Josh Ross.
Keon Sabb hopefully turns into an Isaiah Simmons clone. That's the archetype Michigan is shooting for.
I know this is a stupidly high comp but Colston Loveland is a poor man's Antonio Gates.
Kenneth Grant looks like a Haloti Ngata/Vita Vea type player (another stupidly high comp)
Alex Orji has Lamar Jackson type upside (though that's obviously a long shot)
Myles Pollard reminds me of Vincent Gray with better athleticism
Mason Graham reminds me of Cameron Hayward (don't throw rocks at me for making an OSU comp)
I think the OP positional grades are really good across the board. However, I do have a problem with the concept of grading positional groups in recruiting just as a matter of principle. What if Will Johnson were the only defensive back we landed in the entire class? Would we deserve a C+ grade? On the flip side, what if we landed 10 defensive backs with only decent ceilings? Is that an A- group?
For what it's worth, I like looking at how many "filler" players there seem to be (Quintel Kents of the world) and how many players with legit star upside, with positional value taken into account. I obviously wouldn't call out specific recruits in a brand class as looking like fillers but I will just say this is the first class under Jim Harbaugh where it seems like every single prospect has legitimately high upside and thus is someone we should be genuinely excited about taking. Most classes have at least a couple guys who seem to fit this description but not the 2022 class.
I also think at least half of this class has serious Big Ten First Team potential (Johnson, Moore, Sabb, Morris, Clemons, Berry, Loveland, Graham, Orji, Grant, Walker, Gentry, Pollard, Lorenzetti, etc). Very special class, particularly if one of the two quarterbacks rises to the level of starter.
Another great post TK. Thanks for your thoughts!
Edge is going to be a fascinating position. Morris and Harrell seem more like situational players at this point, albeit on completely different ends of the spectrum. There's a lot to like about Upshaw but at the end of the day, I think he lacks bend and he doesn't have a great get off. My guess is by midseason, one of McGregor/Guy/Bennett/Moore is starting for us on the edge. I also think we're going to be utilizing more 5 man fronts, which gets Harrell on the field. Also, Barrett is going to be playing over Hill-Green more often than not, though I think both guys are quality players.
I do have one bold prediction, which is that Moore is going to stay at free safety and one of Seldon, Dennis, or Jones will start at nickelback. I respectfully disagree with Brian and Seth about the nickelback position. It's basically a small, quick cornerback who is willing to throw his body around. I don't think we're looking for a safety to play the position. I think Michigan was just spoiled with having a decent sized cornerback who masqueraded as a safety (Daxton Hill). That's not going to be the norm moving forward IMO.
This tells me Michigan is serious about incorporating the quarterback in the run game for the foreseeable future. When is the last time we had two quarterbacks in the same class?
Great news! Honestly, he kind of looks like a taller version of Andrel Anthony on tape.