Michigan Football: Michael Barrett could be an ideal viper

Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday that Michael Barrett is now playing the viper position, which is an ideal fit for a tremendous athlete.

When Michael Barrett joined the Michigan football program, playing multiple positions was always a possibility.

But during his redshirt freshman season with the Wolverines, he moved all over, going from linebacker to wide receiver to running back. Now, the 6-foot, 220-pounder has been moved back to defense and it feels like this move will be permanent.

Barrett, who was a member of the 2018 recruiting class as a three-star, was a quarterback in high school, but one that ran a lot. His rushing numbers were extremely impressive and he seemed like a natural fit at running back.

Yet, Michigan football decided to try him out first as a linebacker and then moved him to wide receiver, as well as running back. However, Barrett never really emerged and didn’t find his way onto the field at all.

Hassan Haskins was mentioned as being part of the running back conversation, but Barrett, who threw for 4,600 yards and rushed for more than 2,600 in high school, wasn’t talked about at all, which made the announcement that was back on defense not surprising at all.

Jim Harbaugh touched on a number of position changes and he said that Barrett was back on defense playing the viper position and it got me thinking, that at least on defense, there is no better place for Barrett.

When it comes to the viper, you want a great athlete. Think Jabrill Peppers and Khaleke Hudson, both guys that had the speed of defensive backs while being tough enough to play near the line of scrimmage.

Barrett, who hasn’t played defense full-time since he was a sophomore in high school when he recorded two interceptions, seems perfectly suited for the role. He’s big enough to be a linebacker at 220 pounds, yet he has speed enough to be a wide receiver. Think about that for a second.

Even though Barrett came to Michigan football as a three-star, he’s a guy I have been intrigued by ever since his commitment. Admittedly, running back seemed like a more logical landing spot for Barrett, however, with his rare natural abilities, being a viper is just about perfect for him.

And with Michigan needing more depth at the position, with freshman Anthony Solomon coming in as one of the only other options, moving Barrett makes a lot of sense. He can take the spring to make sure the transition will work out and if he adapts well, he could see snaps there this fall.

Michigan will want to develop Hudson’s backup after all, and if it ends up being Barrett and/or Solomon, those guys will need game reps. So that’s a chance to get on the field.

It wouldn’t be shocking if Barrett moved back to the offense at some point or more specifically running back. However, if Barrett does end up staying on the defensive side of the ball, there doesn’t seem to be a better natural fit than at viper.