Michigan Football: 5 Wolverines who will break out on defense

Thomas will see significant snaps at corner

With the loss of David Long to the NFL draft and the graduation of nickel corner Brandon Watson, Michigan football is going to have some work to do at corner and one of the players that should step into a significant role is Ambry Thomas.

Last season, Thomas came into his own as a return specialist and returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the opening game against Notre Dame. However, he also made big strides as a defensive back too and even though he will have some fierce competition, he should be a top-3 corner on the depth chart next season.

Vincent Gray is a name to watch and another corner, along with a bunch of other young defensive backs, who could try to push Thomas out of the lineup. Yet, Don Brown mentioned Thomas during bowl practices and during limited action last season, he did record seven tackles, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble.

Like Gray, Thomas is a bigger corner at 6-foot and we all know he can run. He might be pushed for playing time but he will be a key part of the defensive backfield and his transition to being a full-time player on defense should be smooth.