Michigan football has been taking part in spring practice for over a week and here are some of the things we have learned so far about the Wolverines.
Among college football powers, Michigan football is one of the first teams to take part in spring practices and it’s been an exciting start.
Jim Harbaugh met with the media last week and shed light on the Michigan football roster, as well as a number of position battles and other things.
Michigan doesn’t allow open practices, except in limited settings. The program does put out videos and things that allow us to pick up bits and pieces, plus program insiders are able to glean some information too.
The biggest thing in the spring is the actual spring game, which will be a football game similar to last year for Michigan football. We’ll learn a lot that day.
For now, here are five things we have learned so far this spring about Michigan football.
This Michigan football team is loaded
Just an overarching observation is that this feels like Jim Harbaugh’s most complete team. There are about 10 players leaving that will be playing in the NFL next season but Michigan football has pretty good replacements for just about all of them.
Last year, the Wolverines had to replace Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo and actually ranked higher in terms of their total defense.
Looking up and down the depth chart, there isn’t a real weakness. You could point to the No. 2 cornerback job but as we move the second thing we have learned this spring, is that’s not going to be an issue.
The Wolverines are loaded and that’s all there is to it.
Amorion Walker is going to start at cornerback
I know that some people didn’t necessarily believe Jim Harbaugh when he said he thinks of Amorion Walker as the starting cornerback, just because Harbaugh tends to talk that way.
However, I don’t think he was doing his usual coach speak. Harbaugh is pretty blunt about guys. He was right about Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant last season and when the first game of 2023 comes around, it’s going to be Amorion Walker and Will Johnson as the starting corners wth Mike Sainristil in the slot.
There’s a reason Nick Saban offered Walker as a cornerback. He’s got unbelievable quickness plus he’s 6-foot-4. Athletically, he can do it all and that’s why it wouldn’t be shocking to see him still have a role on offense.
Harbaugh has done that with special talents before like Jabrill Peppers. I realize it’s early with Walker and we’ll see how things look but I’d be stunned if he didn’t wind up as the corner opposite Will Johnson based on everything we have heard so far this spring.
Michigan is stout up front…again
When Harbaugh met the media he was pretty giddy when he talked about the offensive and defensive lines. We did learn that LaDarius Henderson won’t be joining Michigan football until the summer and that Drake Nugent, the former Stanford center that’s expected to start at center next season for the Wolverines, will miss the spring.
There’s no shortage of offensive line competition though. Even if the Wolverines didn’t land those transfers, there would be some stiff competition.
Jeffrey Persi and Trente Jones are trying to prove they are starting tackles while Raheem Anderson, Greg Crippen, and Giovanni El-Hadi are also in the mix on the interior.
Just one offensive line that could start next season, without transfers, would be Karsen Barnhart, Keegan, Anderson, Zinter, and Jones. That’s a damn good starting five and when you add some of the other guys to the mix, you realize how loaded the O-line is once again.
At the same time though, the defensive line might be just as deep. Mazi Smith was an animal last season and a top 50 pick in the draft in my opinion.
Yet, Michigan football has so much talent — Graham, Grant, Kris Jenkins, Rayhaun Benny — I don’t know that Mazi will be missed all that much.
When Michigan used to consistently beat Ohio State under Lloyd Carr, the Wolverines dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. It’s how Michigan won the past two years and that strength doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.
An elite tight-end group
At the end of last season, it was pretty clear that Colston Loveland was due for a breakout campaign in 2023.
Loveland had 20-yard plus receptions in each of the last four games of the season. He caught a 45-yard touchdown against Ohio State and made a ridiculous jump ball grab in the Big Ten title game against Purdue. Oh, and he was just a freshman.
Luke Schoonmaker is one of the guys that’s going to be in the NFL next season, but so far, Indiana transfer AJ Barner is looking up to the task of being his replacement.
The Wolverines love to use multiple tight ends and Barner, having played multiple years in the Big Ten is as close to a proven thing as you can get in the portal. He’s 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, and has caught 42 passes over the last two seasons for the Hoosiers.
Everyone talks about Donovan Edwards and Blake Corum being an elite duo and they should. But in terms of tight ends, Michigan football might have a tandem as good as any in the Big Ten. For his part, Barner has turned heads in spring ball so far and nobody should be the least bit surprised.
EDGE/LB aren’t weaknesses
Last season, some Michigan football fans viewed linebacker as a weakness. Some still do. But it’s not, especially after the addition of elite transfer Ernest Hausmann.
If you aren’t that excited about Hausmann or don’t get the hype, got watch the final 4-5 games of Nebraska last season and you’ll see why his addition was massive for the Wolverines.
Even if he wasn’t added, Michigan was plenty strong at linebacker. Michael Barrett coming back was huge and Junior Colson has All-American potential in my book. I’ve said that since day one.
There’s also Jimmy Rolder, Nikhai Hill-Green, and Micah Pollard. The position is set going forward and should be a strength in 2023, just like the pass rush should be.
Braiden McGregor closed the season strong and was outstanding against Ohio State. Derrick Moore is going to have a breakout season and a guy that’s not talked about enough is Jaylen Harrell, who made contributions in the last two Ohio State wins.
McGregor, Harrell, Moore, and Josaiah Stewart give Michigan more than enough to work with on the edge and there are more young, talented players like TJ Guy pushing to emerge.
The next step is seeing everything on display during the spring game, but right now, Michigan football fans should feel pretty good about the Wolverines’ roster.