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The Five Best Linebackers Under Jim Harbaugh

The top spot is clear but it gets a little muddy after Devin Bush.

Like defensive line, there have been some really good linebackers at Michigan sa well. When looking over the list of guys who have played under Jim Harbaugh, it's pretty tough to rank a top five. 

1. Devin Bush

devin bush

Bush played sparingly as a freshman but still made some plays. He exploded onto the scene as a sophomore and took it to another level as a junior. He finished his Michigan career with 194 tackles including 19.5 for loss and 10 sacks. He also broke up 15 passes and had an interception. Because of his eye popping numbers, Bush's trophy case is bursting at the seams after a stellar three-year career in Ann Arbor. Some of his more noteworthy accomplishments include being a consensus All-American and the Big Ten Woodson-Nagurski Defensive Player of the Year in 2018. He was also a two-time Butkus Award Finalist and a Bronko Nagurski Award Finalist. 

2. Jabrill Peppers

jabrill peppers

If anyone can challenge Bush for the fullest trophy case, it's Peppers. The Swiss Army Knife racked up awards at U-M because of his versatility. He won the Paul Hornung Award in 2016 as the nation's most versatile player and also won the Lott IMPACT Trophy and was a Heisman Finalist in 2016. He was a consensus All-American that season and became the first player in Big Ten history to win three individual awards — the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year, Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year and the Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year. He was Michigan's Team MVP that year and also was a finalist for some of the nation's most prestigious awards. Peppers finished his career with 125 tackles including 21.5 for loss and four sacks. He broke up 11 passes and had a pick as well. Throw in the fact that he was also dynamic on offense and in the return game and he's likely on Harbaugh's top five list regardless of position.

3. Mike McCray

mike mccray

McCray dealt with a bevy of injuries while at U-M but really stepped up during his final two seasons in Ann Arbor. He finished his career with 162 total tackles including 30.5 for loss and 9.5 sacks. He also picked off two passes and forced two fumbles as a Wolverine. He was voted a team captain by his teammates and was the co-recipient of the 2017 Robert P. Ufer Bequest presented to the player who demonstrates the most enthusiasm and love for Michigan. He appeared in 38 career games and made 26 starts at linebacker for the maize and blue.

4. Josh Uche

josh uche

When you look at his production, and consider where he might end up being drafted later this month, you start to think that Uche might've been underutilized at Michigan. He played in 39 games but started only nine and wasn't an every-down player. Still, he racked up 56 tackles including 20.5 for loss and 16.5 sacks in limited action. He was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree and was named the team's Defensive Player of the Year last year even though he wasn't technically a starter.

5. Khaleke Hudson

khaleke hudson

Hudson played a lot of football for Jim Harbaugh. He played in 52 games and started 37 of them at Don Brown's specialized viper position. Hudson never quite recreated his stellar sophomore season that included 83 total tackles and 18.5 for loss, but he managed to total 126 total tackles including 26 for loss and 12 sacks during his time in Ann Arbor. Hudson was a three-time All-Big Ten honoree and a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year. He also leaves as Michigan's record-holder for most tackles for loss in a single game with 8.0 against Minnesota in 2017, tying a single-game NCAA record.