Michigan Football: 3 Wolverines who could utilize extra eligibility

[caption id="attachment_77176" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] . (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)[/caption]rn The NCAA is granting a blanket scholarship waiver for all players participating in fall sports and these Wolverines could take advantage of the ruling. rnThings have been really confusing with everything going on in college sports, but this week, the NCAA did a good thing by granting all fall athletes an extra year of eligibility . For some Michigan football players, this could be a big deal.rnrnThe ruling states that even if you play in the 2020-21 season, whether or not the season is actually in the fall or the spring, players will still be eligible to return next season, and returning seniors won't count against the scholarship limit.rnrnSo for instance, a fifth-year senior could play in the fall season for Michigan football, even if it technically happens in the winter or spring, he would still be able to return and play for the Wolverines next season, if he chose to do so.rnrnThis was said to address the issue of players being worried about playing in a season that wouldn't have a national championship or that could be shortened. Plus, there is the risk involved with COVID-19, so whatever happens, players will get an extra year if they want.rnrnFor the Wolverines, this might not be as beneficial as you might think. It could certainly help with depth purposes and it will stop some players from getting pushed out the door before getting the full experience they deserve.rnrnHowever, there is a trio of redshirt seniors this could benefit in a very real way and we will cover those three guys here starting with Carlo Kemp .rnrn[nextslide teaser="Carlo%20Kemp" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_77815" align="aligncenter" width="3200"] (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Carlo Kemp rnLast year, Carlo Kemp was actually a really solid presence for Michigan football defensively and he was eighth on the team in tackles 40. He also was credited with 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.rnrnKemp is listed as a graduate student on the Michigan roster, but under the new NCAA ruling, he could play this winter/spring and next fall if he wanted to.rnrnIn theory, it could give Kemp two more chances to audition for the NFL draft. One of the biggest questions right now, is whether or not, players like Kemp, who play in a winter or spring season would be eligible for the NFL draft or not.rnrnThe early entrant deadline last year was in January, so it's hard to see how that would work unless the draft and other dates were pushed back.rnrnIf not for this waiver, Kemp would have to decide whether to play this spring, sit and play next fall or just declare for the NFL draft, which could still be an option.rnrnYet, he really needed another strong season to boost his draft stock. So whether that comes in the winter, next fall, or both, it's a good chance to build on what he did back in 2019.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Eubanks%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_75198" align="aligncenter" width="3200"] . (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Nick Eubanks rnEubanks is another Michigan football player who has NFL ambitions. He considered entering the draft last year but decided to return for his senior season.rnrnYou wonder if he knew then, what he knows now if his decision would be different?rnrnThe reality is that even if Eubanks did go the NFL after last season, he wasn't going to be a super high draft pick. He caught 25 passes for 243 yards and four touchdowns, which is a solid season, but not enough to boost him into a top-100 selection.rnrnThis season could maybe him a chance to do that. Eubanks should be the guy at tight end with Sean McKeon now gone to the league, so he's the No. 1. He also has a knack for big plays.rnrnHe does need to be more consistent and if he's unable to do that in the spring/winter season, he could take another season to elevate his draft status.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Chris%20Evans%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_76389" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Chris Evans rnAnother player who could really benefit from this rule is Chris Evans, who wasn't able to play in 2019 due to academics.rnrnYet, Evans earned his way back on the Michigan football team for what would be his senior season of eligibility. Had the NCAA not acted, he would have been forced to choose between a shortened season or waiting until next fall to play.rnrnAnd who knows, he still may have to wait until next fall to play. But the big thing is Evans can play in the shortened season and if he does well, then maybe he can declare for the draft or the supplemental draft, we don't know how that will work.rnrnBut if he is rusty or gets injured after a few games, he would still have the chance to come back to play in the fall of 2021.rnrnThe problem is that if Michigan lands a guy like Donovan Edwards, that will mean that the backfield is even more crowded.rnrnOn the other hand, Evans who has averaged 5.7 yards per attempt on 304-career carries and 9.8 yards per reception on 40 catches, can still produce, even in a limited role.rnrnHe has proven that he doesn't need to get 15-20 carries a game to be effective and that was even before Josh Gattis was calling the plays. Now, Evans should be utilized even more as a receiver.rnrn[story_link_next description="Top%2010%20Michigan%20receivers%20of%20all%20time%20" url="https://gbmwolverine.com/2020/04/05/michigan-football-top-10-time-wolverine-wide-receivers/" /]rnrnMaybe Evans will show enough in the shortened campaign to go to the draft, if those players are allowed, but if not, he will have the chance to stick around and improve his value in 2021.rnrn

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Michigan Football: 3 Wolverines who could utilize extra eligibility

Carlo Kemp

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