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DJ Turner could be Michigan Football’s breakout player of 2022

By Kyler Kregel

MADISON, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 02: DJ Turner #5 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts toward the bench after a Michigan interception in the fourth quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on October 02, 2021 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
MADISON, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 02: DJ Turner #5 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts toward the bench after a Michigan interception in the fourth quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on October 02, 2021 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) /
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Michigan football will need some new stars to replace departing players like Aidan Hutchinson and Daxton Hill, and cornerback DJ Turner could certainly be one of those new stars.

As the spring football window around college football comes to a close and the summer workout periods set in, many are left speculated as to which players will step up in the ever shifting landscape of college football.

And after losing six starters on the defense, Michigan football will need some players to step up in 2022 and become stars in Jesse Minter’s defense if the Wolverines have any hopes of replicating their 2021 success.

Why DJ Turner will breakout for Michigan football

Syndication: Detroit Free Press
Syndication: Detroit Free Press /

One player that certainly could be in line for a breakout season is cornerback DJ Turner, a soon-to-be fourth-year senior for the Wolverines out of Suwanee, Georgia. Turner rotated in from the start of last season at cornerback, sharing reps with Vincent Gray and Gemon Green, and then took over the starting role across from Gray fulltime after Green suffered an injury midseason.

Turner performed very well to close the season, garnering national recognition from media outlets such as PFF earlier this offseason, who listed him among their top-10 returning cornerbacks in college football, noting his 80.7 coverage grade, which ranked third-best for Power Five cornerbacks over that stretch, and ahead of other Big Ten cornerbacks such as Iowa’s Riley Moss, Indiana’s Tiawan Mullen, and Ohio State’s Denzel Burke.

Additionally, he also garnered some further recognition nationally from Bleacher Report, who listed him as the hidden gem of the Wolverines 2022 team: 

"From a national perspective, though, the senior cornerback is still a relative unknown. Star edge-rusher Aidan Hutchinson, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, hoarded the spotlight in 2021 as the Wolverines claimed the Big Ten and reached the College Football Playoff.Turner, meanwhile, soared from a small reserve role in the opening half of the campaign to Michigan’s best corner. He finished with 33 tackles, seven pass breakups and two interceptions.All-Big Ten recognition is an attainable goal for Turner in 2022."

And the Wolverines will almost certainly be counting on their experienced cornerbacks to help steady the defense early, as they get new pass rushers and safeties acclimated, replacing stars from the 2021 defense like Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, Daxton Hill, and Brad Hawkins.

Next. 5 Bold Predictions for Michigan football in 2022. dark

And with a different defensive player caller who will certainly add his own twist to the Wolverines defensive schemes, while keeping the basic infrastructure the same, Turner, Green, and Will Johnson emerging as a lockdown unit could certainly pay off big time for the Wolverines as they attempt to return to Indianapolis and win another Big Ten title.

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