Michigan
Michigan National Guard Event: First Off The Bus Team
There’s extra to soccer than top, weight, velocity and power, however a whole lot of instances, the fellows who’ve the rarest mixture of these traits, shine on the sphere. At a spot like Michigan, the roster is affected by spectacular wanting athletes, however typically some prospects stand out even amongst their fellow Wolverines. We acquired an opportunity to see these guys up shut and private through the Michigan Military Nationwide Guard occasion on Saturday, and the next 5 gamers made the “First Off The Bus Staff” forward of the 2022 season.
1. Junior Colson
As a real sophomore, there won’t be a extra spectacular wanting prospect on Michigan’s roster. The second-year backer seems to be bulkier than his listed 225 kilos and at 6-2, he is put collectively from head to toe. As you’ll be able to see within the pic above, he is positively acquired a linebacker’s neck and in 12 months two, the pinnacle on high of it ought to be crammed with data and knowledge that can permit him to interrupt out in a serious means.
Colson is coping with some kind of damage on what seems to be his proper thumb as evidenced by a small, barely light solid. Hopefully, the scale and situation of the solid means it is going to come off quickly because the gamers gear up for fall camp. Colson goes to be instrumental in a Michigan protection that should change extremely productive gamers like Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo and Josh Ross. Throw in the truth that Jesse Minter is in 12 months one as Michigan’s defensive coordinator and Colson’s significance goes up one other notch.
2. Mazi Smith
Now a senior, Smith has formed his physique in a means that ought to permit him to play a ton of snaps this fall. He is able to be a pacesetter, and, for a similar causes listed above when referencing Colson, he must be. He is been on the sphere loads for Michigan already and can most likely set profession highs in snaps in 2022. Now listed at 326 kilos, Smith’s arms barely match into what was seemingly a minimum of a 2X Nationwide Guard shirt.
3. Mike Morris
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Additionally coming into his senior season, Morris is an imposing determine at 6-6, 280 kilos. At one level through the day’s festivities, he tried to squeeze into the cockpit of a helicopter. It was fairly troublesome for the massive fella, which was made much more troublesome by his hair, which really acquired caught in some cords. Ultimately he made it into the seat, however after watching him wrestle to get in there after 5-10, 185-pound Mike Sainristil did so with ease, it actually put into perspective simply how massive Morris is.
4. Zak Zinter
As soon as described as the perfect general participant on the crew by former offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, Zinter seems to be like he is simply shopping for his time earlier than he performs within the NFL for about 15 years. Now coming into his junior season, Zinter has been enjoying vital snaps since he was a real freshman. Listed at 6-6, 320 kilos, Zinter is clearly a heavy dude, however he is acquired nice proportions and a really athletic decrease construct, which permits him to do all the things a guard must do in a run-heavy offense. He was a serious a part of Michigan’s Joe Moore Award successful offensive line final 12 months and ought to be much more vital in 2022.
5. Jaylen Harrell
It isn’t on a regular basis you see a 6-4, 242-pound linebacker in a working again quantity, however that is precisely what Harrell is in his No. 32 jersey. He performed in all 14 video games final 12 months with 4 begins as a real sophomore and appears poised to have a monstrous 2022 marketing campaign. As my decide to be Michigan’s sack chief through the upcoming season, I anticipate Harrell to play how he seems to be — like a beast.
Honorable Point out: Erick All
At 6-4, 245 kilos, All is not at the same time as massive as fellow tight finish Luke Schoonmaker, who’s listed at 6-5, 250 kilos, however as a former outsized extensive receiver, No. 83 seems to be incredible as he prepares for his senior 12 months. I would be prepared to guess he is heavier than his listed weight, and now that the bodily has utterly caught up with the aggressive mentality that is at all times been there, All might get away in 2022 as a go catcher and blocker. Even on a bum ankle we noticed the athleticism and velocity in opposition to Penn State final 12 months, so of us ought to be very optimistic concerning the 2022 model of Erick All.
Michigan
Top Michigan in-state recruits of all time and how their careers went
The Michigan Wolverines locked up the highest recruit in Michigan football history on Thursday evening with the commitment of five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood. He carries a ton of accolades to Ann Arbor, including the highest rated recruit in the state of Michigan’s football history on 247Sports.
From Benny Friedman, to Anthony Carter, to Brandon Graham and Aidan Hutchinson, there is a long list of Michigan football legends that came from the state of Michigan. As Underwood gets settled into Ann Arbor in the near future, we take a look at some of the top Michigan in-state recruits of all time and how their careers went.
1. Charles Rogers – WR – Class of 2000
Before Underwood, the top-rated high school player to come out of the state of Michigan was wide receiver Charles Rogers. Rogers went to Saginaw High School and had a 0.9988 rating.
Rogers went to Michigan State and cemented himself as one of the best college wide receivers of all time. From 2000-02, Rogers broke the school record for most touchdowns in a career with 27, breaking the record held by former Spartans wide receiver and baseball legend Kirk Gibson, as well as the school record for most receiving yards in a single game with 270. He also broke Randy Moss’ NCAA record of 13 consecutive games with a touchdown catch
During Rogers’ junior season, he put up 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns, winning the Biletnikoff Award and Paul Warfield Trophy as the season’s outstanding college football receiver. He was a unanimous All-American.
The Detroit Lions drafted Rogers No. 2 overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. While his NFL career was known by many as an extreme let-down, Rogers will forever be remembered as an all-time great Spartan.
2. Dante Moore – QB – Class of 2023
Dante Moore is still waiting for his career to blossom. Moore attended Martin Luther King High School in Detroit, where he earned a 0.9980 rating as the No. 4 player in the 2023 class. He went to UCLA, but had a rough first season with 1,610 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Moore entered the transfer portal and is now with the Oregon Ducks, sitting behind Dillon Gabriel this season. He is expected to take the reins next year for Dan Lanning’s offense. Moore’s career is still young, but he was another example of the growing pains that come with starting a true freshman quarterback.
3. LaMarr Woodley – LB – Class of 2003
LaMarr Woodley was the highest in-state recruit to commit to Michigan before Underwood, earning a 0.9972 rating out of Saginaw High School in 2003. Woodley was named a captain in 2006 and he broke out for the Wolverines. Woodley collected 12 sacks as a senior and won the Lombardi Award as the best lineman, offensive or defensive, in the country. His 12 sacks led the Big Ten and was eighth in the nation. After his senior season, Woodley was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a unanimous All-American.
After his Michigan career, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Woodley with the No. 46 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Woodley played in 110 NFL games, making 58 sacks, 229 solo tackles and nine forced fumbles. WooHeley played for the Steelers from 2007-2013, the Oakland Raiders in 2014, and finished his career with the Arizona Cardinals in 2015.
4. Kelly Baraka – RB – Class of 2001
There were many success stories on this list, but running back Kelly Baraka was the one outlier. Baraka was a consensus five-star from Portage Northern High School. With a 0.9940 rating, he was supposed to be the next great running back to play at Michigan…but that never happened.
The former high school All-American was arrested twice for marijuana possession before his freshman year and was suspended for the season by then-head coach Lloyd Carr. Still, he was set to return for the 2002 season and bring a style of speed Michigan hadn’t seen in the backfield since Tyrone Wheatley. That never happened, though, and Carr eventually kicked him off the team because of his off-field issues.
5. Brandon Graham – ILB – Class of 2006
Brandon Graham had all the accolades in the world coming into his freshman year at Michigan. At Crockett Vocation Tech in Detroit, Graham was named to the USA Today All-America first team, and was the Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year. He had a 0.9930 rating as a five-star. Graham became the first player from the state of Michigan to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Graham had a dominant career at Michigan. Graham became the first defensive player in school history to be voted Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player twice (2008, 2009), he shared the 2009 Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten’s MVP, and he was named to the 2008 All-Big Ten second team and 2009 All-Big Ten first team.
In four seasons in Ann Arbor, Graham posted 138 tackles, 56 tackles for loss, 29.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries and three pass breakups. His 56 TFLs and 29.5 sacks rank second in Michigan history, and he is tied for second at Michigan in career forced fumbles.
After an outstanding career with the Wolverines, the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Graham 13th overall in the 2010 draft. Graham is still playing at a high level for the Eagles 14 years later, and he has 2.5 sacks in 2024 at 36 years old.
Michigan
LOOK: Valiant, Bryce Underwood launch merchandise shop for Michigan Football fans
Michigan landed the biggest fish of them all on Thursday night when Bryce Underwood stunned the world when he announced he was flipping his commitment from LSU to the Wolverines. It sent shockwaves around the country and Michigan is trending for several key recruits who might come into the fold with Underwood staying home.
But for those pessimistic fans — or rival fans clinging to hope he doesn’t come to Michigan — it appears the deal is as good as done. Valiant and Underwood revealed a new ‘Bryce Underwood Shop’ where fans will be able to preorder Underwood merchandise as soon as he signs his Letter of Intent on December 4.
There are currently four options to choose from. You will be able to order a signed trading card, or a choice of two different T-shirts.
At the bottom, Underwood has a message to Michigan fans:
Hey, I’m Bryce Underwood, a quarterback from Michigan, and I’m so pumped to take the next step in my football journey at the University of Michigan! During my high school career, I was lucky enough to lead my team to multiple state championships, and I’m proud of the records we set along the way. Football has always been my passion, and I’m grateful for the recognition and opportunities it’s brought me. Now, I can’t wait to represent the Maize and Blue and give everything I’ve got for this amazing program and its fans!
This will be one hot shop when it opens on December 4.
– Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI –
WATCH: Bryce Underwood launches ‘Hometown Hero’ Michigan commitment video
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Predicting every Big Ten football final score in Week 13
Michigan
Michigan flips Belleville QB Bryce Underwood from LSU. What does this mean for the Wolverines?
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