The Michigan Football Spring Game is less than a week away on Saturday, April 1st at The Big House. Who will the players impress when they don the winged helm?
Based on several factors – press conferences, official football social media in Michigan, general buzz, as well as various reports – we have a pretty good idea of who will make the most of their opportunities this spring. So we’re taking a look at 10 players who’ve created some sort of hype and ranking them based on their viability and how much they’ll make of the buzz.
Here are 10 Michigan soccer players who seem to be spring risers and how we rank them.
QB Jack Tuttle
Photo: Isaiah Loch
It’s rare for a secured backup quarterback to make the cut, but we have to include Tuttle here. The Indiana transfer via Utah has spent most of his career as a backup and came to Ann Arbor knowing he would at least be behind JJ McCarthy. Still, Tuttle has drawn plaudits from Jim Harbaugh and his teammates throughout the process, and multiple reports suggest he may even have slipped past acting backup QB Davis Warren this spring.
DT Rayshaun Benny
Photo: Isaiah Loch
When discussing the availability of the line of defense in the spring, a name was regularly mentioned. Lastly, Kris Jenkins spoke about Rayshaun Benny (admittedly along with the other tackles), but added more detail to what he saw in the spring, saying, “He’s a beast,” Jenkins said. “He’s a beast. He comes off the ball quickly.”
He’s not the only one who said Benny made a big step forward. But from what we saw late last year, and with Mazi Smith moving on, Benny is needed on the line and it sounds like he’s risen to the occasion.
Edge Derrick Moore
Photo: Isaiah Loch
Although he hasn’t gotten much publicity this offseason, a lot is expected of sophomore edge rusher Derrick Moore. It was the subject of a significant amount of hype this past spring, and it made up for some of it last fall.
Moore was mentioned a few weeks ago by fellow edge rusher Jaylen Harrell, who stated, “Derrick is getting better every day. He’s going to be a problem. Derrick is fine.”
The Wolverines need edge rushers to improve with Mike Morris and Eyabi Okie gone. So expect — while it’s a projection based on need and scant news — expect to see more of Moore this season.
RB Benjamin Halle
Photo: Isaiah Loch
We’ve heard a couple of times how Hall has made a strong impression this spring by breaking some runs and doing so with power. What makes him a likely spring mover despite being a freshman is two things: Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards are off/limited on their injury healing, and Michigan needs a back that can run at his strength. Kalel Mullings is still working with the jams and should be more of a factor this year but if Hall, who wasn’t highly regarded as a recruit by fans, could be that bruise it would bode well for the corn and blue.
And by all reports he’s making the most of his opportunities this spring.
CB Ja’Den McBurrows
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This comes less from players and reports as much as from those who call themselves his former teammates. When we asked both DJ Turner and Gemon Green who they think would make the next move on the team this season, neither hesitated to mention Ja’Den McBurrows.
“He’s fast and he’s physical,” said Green. “I feel like he’s one of the best hitters on the team – linebackers and all. He can hit because I think like – what was that two years ago? He messed up someone’s arm at the Wisconsin game or something? Yeah, Den McBurrows is probably going to be one of my favorites — barring my brother and stuff like that.”
“Yes, definitely Yes’Den McBurrows, I can say that,” Turner said. “He got hurt in the first year, but now he’s back. He was in rehab last year but this year he’s back. He’ll definitely make noise.
“He can do anything. He can play a corner and a nickel, has really good ball skills, aggressive, tackle. So he’s definitely someone I think will turn heads this year.”
With Will Johnson out through injury this spring, McBurrows has a chance. We’ll see more soon if he made the best of it.
WR’s Semaj Morgan and Fredrick Moore
Photo: Isaiah Loch
Regularly, we’ve heard rave reviews about the work that freshman recipients Semaj Morgan and Fred Moore have been doing this spring, and how they’re likely to be early Impact players. We may cheat by including both, but when players like Roman Wilson or Mike Sainristil were asked about the young receivers, the two were always discussed in tandem.
Morgan seems to be getting a little more of the hype as he’s better prepared to fill Ronnie Bell’s vacancy. But Moore has also often won awards. Both could see the field very well early and often.
Edge Briaden McGregor
Photo: Isaiah Loch
At the start of his senior year, McGregor was strong late last year and got a hype similar to that of Mike Morris this time last spring. After Morris and Eyabi Okie left, McGregor even spoke about knowing it’s time to take a leadership role and be more productive. It appears he is making the most of his opportunity and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the spring game and beyond.
WR Tyler Morris
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While there hasn’t necessarily been that much hype surrounding Morris, the fact that he’s been featured in several social media posts related to Michigan football and was open to the media for a press conference last week speaks volumes about the fact that his role increasing this year. The sophomore, now wearing the No. 8 and fully healthy this spring, should become a benefactor of what is expected to be at least a slightly more versatile passing game. With Ronnie Bell gone, he’s likely to become one of the main targets in midfield.
DT Kris Jenkins
Photo: Isaiah Loch
Jenkins has received the treatment from his teammates that will be bestowed upon whoever is set to break out as the next great Wolverine. Last year, it was Mazi Smith who is now being mocked as a first-round NFL draft pick. The year before it was Aidan Hutchinson. While the off-season hype train isn’t always perfect, it’s a good indicator of who’s really going to break out as an international in the fall.
Additionally, Jenkins takes it upon himself to be a leader so much, which should very well help pay off not just for himself but for the team as a whole.
CB Amorion Walker
Photo: Isaiah Loch
The obvious #1 on our list is the player who’s received the most hype, from Jim Harbaugh to just about every player who rode to the podium this spring. Amorion Walker went from freshman reserve wide receiver to spring starting XI cornerback last year, with all signs pointing to him retaining that role into the fall. Harbaugh called him a unicorn, players talked about his speed, directional changes and other abilities. The only caveat is he’s still learning defense and seems a bit raw, but with time — hopefully at spring prom and fall camp — he’ll be able to be Michigan’s next great cornerback.
Story originally appeared on Wolverines Wire
