Pro Football Focus Puts Just One Wolverine On Top 50 Players List

Michigan definitely has talent, but does it have a stockpile of high-end talent? Not according to Pro Football Focus.

Michigan has recruited well over the last several cycles, and there are certainly talented players on the roster, but a lot of them are pretty unproven. Because of that, Pro Football Focus identifies only one Wolverine as a top-50 player in the country — Aidan Hutchinson.

Pro Football Focus sees a lot of potential in Hutchinson and lists him as the No. 29 overall player in the entire country.

Hutchinson played only three games in 2020 before suffering a season-ending injury, but the Wolverine seemed to be on his way to taking that next step forward on a mere 149 snaps (82.5 PFF grade). With a clean bill of health, he is quite easily among the best all-around defensive linemen in college football.

The 6-foot-6, 269-pounder is versatile, has incredible power behind his hands and is one of the more polished players at the position. For proof, look at his 2019 outing against Iowa when he became one of the few to post wins against 2020 Super Bowl champion Tristan Wirfs.

Hutchinson produced an 83.6 run-defense grade and 27 run stops along with a 76.0 pass-rush grade and 46 total pressures in 2019. Still, he never really put together a dominant performance from start to finish. We need to see more elite outings in 2021, and he easily has the potential to make that happen.

The senior is back after suffering a season-ending injury last year and is poised for a breakout season under new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. Hutchinson has been good during his three years at Michigan, but many believe he was handcuffed by playing the anchor position in Don Brown's scheme. Now freed up in a more aggressive base 3-4 approach, Hutchinson could really blow up in 2021. 

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If it were up to me, I'd have junior safety Daxton Hill somewhere on the list as well. As a former five-star prospect, Hill has all of the tools to be great in the back of Michigan's revamped defense. He's long, sticky in coverage, and might be the fastest defender on the team. I've heard nothing but great things about him and his approach since last season ended and many feel like he's ready to explode in his third year. 

Beyond those two, I do think it's tough to even argue that anyone else belongs on the list. There are just too many questions marks on both sides of the ball and surrounding the coaching staff. Several players could surprise, but putting them inside the top 50 ahead of the season is a tough sell.