Michigan Football: 5 non-starters who will have key impact in 2019

Ryan Hayes (swing tackle)

The loss of Stueber stings but because of the presence of Jalen Mayfield, who was neck-and-neck with Stueber for the right tackle job and has been since spring, it doesn’t hurt as much as it could.

At the same time though, it’s up to Ryan Hayes to make sure that another tackle injury wouldn’t be a major setback for the offensive line.

With Mayfield set to be the starting right tackle, which he may have been anyways, the job of swing tackle is now open. Stueber would have played that role well if he was healthy, but now it will fall to Hayes, a 6-foot-7 redshirt freshman who is working at both positions according to Jon Runyan Jr. who spoke to 247 sports:

"“I’m helping mold Ryan Hayes as well because he’s next up if, God forbid, anything else happens. Just in general, the tackles and the offensive line, we have a lot of senior leadership. We’re all chipping in and it’s all going really well.”"

Hayes is a former tight end that is athletic and strong. He has been working behind Runyan on the left side but if there was an injury to the All-Big Ten left tackle, it’s likely Stueber would have taken his place or maybe Mayfield. Now it will be up to Hayes.

Hopefully, he is ready, because the Wolverines are one injury away from needing him in a big way.