Michigan football roster: Who's coming, going in 2017
Free Press sports writer Mark Snyder combs through Michigan football's 2017 roster outlook:
Quarterback
Who’s back: Starter Wilton Speight, Brandon Peters, John O’Korn, Alex Malzone.
Who’s gone: No one.
Uncertain: Shane Morris (considering grad transfer).
Who’s coming in: Dylan McCaffrey (four-star recruit).
Analysis: Though he didn’t finish the season with momentum, Speight makes this the team’s most stable position. He’ll have to get used to facing pressure like he did in the Orange Bowl, but his ability to create in those circumstances previewed what’s to come. It’ll be his job to lose because Jim Harbaugh wants continuity and Speight has shown high upside. But he’ll have to rediscover his downfield accuracy that he showed earlier in the year.
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Running backs
Who’s back: RB Karan Higdon, starting FB Khalid Hill, FB Henry Poggi, RB Chris Evans, RB Kareem Walker.
Who’s gone: Starting RB De’Veon Smith.
Uncertain: RB Ty Isaac.
Who’s coming in: O’Maury Samuels (four-star recruit), Kurt Taylor (three-star).
Analysis: There is talent here and, though U-M relied on Smith for years, leaning on the young players may force the running game to be more dynamic as Evans showed in the Orange Bowl. Can any of those backs protect Speight? We’ll see. But having Hill return with another off-season of production makes it an interesting, diverse group.
Tight ends
Who’s back: Ian Bunting, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., Devin Asiasi, Zach Gentry.
Who’s gone: Starter Jake Butt.
Who’s coming in: None.
Analysis: Losing Butt was inevitable but his injury in Friday’s game gave a look at the future and Speight seemed comfortable hitting Bunting and Wheatley on critical third downs, and they seemed comfortable making tough catches. Can they sustain that for a whole game like Butt? Asiasi may be the most multidimensional of them all, even if a little shorter, and we could see more multi-tight end sets early in the season as the receivers and new line get comfortable.
Receivers
Who’s back: Kekoa Crawford, Eddie McDoom, Drake Harris, Maurice Ways, Nate Johnson.
Who’s gone: Starter Jehu Chesson, starter Amara Darboh.
Uncertain: Grant Perry.
Who’s coming in: Donovan Peoples-Jones (five-star recruit), Tarik Black (four-star), Brad Hawkins (three-star).
Analysis: Darboh and Chesson were the experienced stalwarts, but they were not explosive game-changers this season. There were flashes but not regularly. With McDoom’s speed and Crawford’s talent and range, there’s hope for Speight, but Peoples-Jones likely will need to be an impact player quickly — tough for a freshman not used to blocking — for this group to have explosive potential. Chesson and Darboh may not have broken games open, but Darboh was essential for keeping the chains moving and having Speight’s trust. Who will take on that role is unclear. Perry could play a big role — if his legal situation allows him to stay on the team.
Offensive line
Who’s back: Starting C Mason Cole, starting G Ben Bredeson, T Nolan Ulizio, T Juwann Bushell-Beatty, T Jon Runyan, G Michael Onwenu.
Who’s gone: Starting G Kyle Kalis, starting T Erik Magnuson, starting T Ben Braden.
Uncertain: G/T David Dawson, C Patrick Kugler, T Grant Newsome.
Who's coming in:C Cesar Ruiz (four-star recruit), T Kai-Leon Herbert (four-star), T JaRaymond Hall (four-star), T Andrew Stueber (three-star), T Joel Honigford (three-star).
Analysis: The line was supposed to dominate with so many seniors but rarely showed that against equal or more talented competition and was crushed by Florida State’s front. Will turning most of it over be a help? There is talent adding Onwenu to the mix, but unless one of the freshmen can enter and hold down a spot immediately, this could be a major concern for protecting Speight.
Defensive line
Who’s back: DE Chase Winovich, DE Rashan Gary, DT Maurice Hurst, DT Bryan Mone, DE Lawrence Marshall, DE Ron Johnson, DE Shelton Johnson, DE Carlo Kemp, DT Michael Dwumfour,
Who's gone: Starting DL Chris Wormley, starting DT Ryan Glasgow, starting DE Taco Charlton, starting DT Matt Godin.
Who's coming in: Luiji Vilain (four-star recruit), Donovan Jeter (four-star), Corey Malone-Hatcher (three-star), James Hudson (three-star), Deron Irving-Bey (four-star), Philip Paea (three-star), Kwity Paye (three-star),
Analysis: Michigan’s most productive position will have a new starting unit. Hurst’s decision to return to school is a major boost, but even though he and Gary, Money and Winovich have played significant snaps, they won’t have the relief that they gave this year’s group as reserves. It’ll be harder to get pressure with four rushers with this group.
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Linebackers
Who’s back: Starter Mike McCray, Noah Furbush, Devin Bush Jr., Elysee Mbem-Bosse, Josh Uche, Devin Gil, Wyatt Shallman.
Who’s gone: Starter Ben Gedeon.
Uncertain: Starter Jabrill Peppers.
Who’s coming in: Drew Singleton (four-star recruit), Jordan Anthony (four-star), Josh Ross (four-star), Ben Mason (three-star).
Analysis: McCray’s return makes a big difference because otherwise it could have been turning over the whole unit. Few expect Peppers to return and, though he had his flaws at the position, his speed allowed U-M to cover ground. As Josh Metellus and Furbush showed in his place, it’s not quite the same. Bush will have to make a big leap and U-M will have to get instant production out of one or two of the incoming freshmen, even though there’s a lot to handle at the position.
Secondary
Who’s back: S Tyree Kinnel, CB LaVert Hill, CB David Long, S Josh Metellus, S Khaleke Hudson, S Jordan Glasgow, CB Brandon Watson.
Who’s gone: Starting CB Jourdan Lewis, starting CB Channing Stribling, starting S Dymonte Thomas, starting S Delano Hill.
Uncertain: CB Jeremy Clark
Who's coming in:CB Ambry Thomas (four-star recruit), S Jaylen Kelly-Powell (four-star), CB Benjamin St-Juste (four-star), S J’Marick Woods (three-star).
Analysis: Losing all four starters from a unit that played at a high level most of the season — the Orange Bowl excepted — will be challenging and while teams would barely test this secondary, next year’s will be so raw it’ll be under heat from Day 1. Having young cornerbacks would be difficult, but replacing an All-America corner (Lewis) and an All-Big Ten corner (Stribling) is even more. Kinnel's experience at safety and Watson at both safety and corner is the stabilizer, even if they're not among the highest rated.
Kicker/punter
Who’s back: Quinn Nordin, Ryan Tice.
Who’s gone: Starter Kenny Allen.
Who's coming in: None.
Analysis: Losing Allen is a massive blow, one of the biggest on the team. He ended the season as one of the Big Ten’s best punters – a spot where he could carve out an NFL career given how he improved – and made his final 15 field goals at U-M. Having him do both helped this year’s team but now U-M has to replace both at once. Nordin supposedly has the talent but wasn’t ready to take either job this year to ease the burden on Allen. He’ll have to handle at least one with no questions or U-M’s special teams could be a mess.
Contact Mark Snyder: msnyder@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark__snyder.
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