Week 10 Stock Report: Ranking Michigan Football's Top 25 Players
Michigan is 7-2 (4-2) after a fairly dominating win over Maryland in College Park last weekend. The Wolverines got things rolling in a hurry when freshman Giles Jackson took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown and never looked back. With nine games in the books, here's WolverineDigest.com's Stock Report based on in-game performance.
Sophomore defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is No. 1 again after a consistent and solid performance. The big lineman notched three tackles including a sack and a tackle for loss along with another pass deflection. Junior wide receiver Nico Collins is now No. 2 after another week of being U-M's lone deep threat in a mediocre passing attack. He only had two catches but one of them was for 51 yards giving him 65 total on the day. Senior safety Josh Metellus is in the third spot after yet another very strong outing. He led the team with nine tackles and also had two for loss. He's been consistently very good at the back of U-M's defense.
Senior offensive lineman Jon Runyan Jr. is all the way up to the No. 5 spot after being the most consistent lineman on an improving unit and has also been pretty masterful against some really talented defensive ends on the year. Linemen go pretty unnoticed unless they're screwing up and U-M's group hasn't done much of that lately. Senior guard Ben Bredeson (No. 13), senior guard Michael Owenu (No. 16), redshirt freshman tackle Jalen Mayfield (No. 19) and junior center Cesar Ruiz (No. 23) are all in the top 25 as well.
Redshirt freshman running back Hassan Haskins might now be the top running back on the roster after several 100-yard performances and a couple of touchdowns. The versatile runner carried the ball 13 times for 60 yards and a score against the Terps and has now started three games in a row.
It might not be their fault, but junior wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones and sophomore wide receiver Ronnie Bell have slid over the last couple of weeks. Peoples-Jones now sits at No. 18, while Bell checks in at No. 21. Whether it's been Shea Patterson's inability to execute on the field or Josh Gattis' apprehension to dial up downfield throws for Patterson, Michigan's passing game has been less than impressive. Because of that, the receivers are struggling. Against Maryland, Bell had two catches for 19 yards and Peoples-Jones had just two grabs for 11 yards.
Finally, senior defensive lineman Mike Danna rounds out the top 25. The graduate transfer from Central Michigan has been pretty solid all year but had a huge play against the Terps when he drilled quarterback Josh Jackson causing an errant throw and interception inside the 15 yard line. He finished the day with only three tackles, but his hit on the quarterback was the most impactful play made by the defense in College Park.
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