Which Players Does Michigan Need A Breakout Season From Most?
In the process of replacing so much depth on both sides of the ball from 2019, Michigan football is tasked with finding not only new starters but quality depth players at a host of positions.
Without Shea Patterson under center, Michigan will need a new starting quarterback heading into the new 8+1 schedule. With Nico Collins' status still unknown for this season, could the Wolverines have a new No. 1 wide receiver on the outside? Then on the defensive side, the NFL raided Michigan's defenders, so there will be a lot of green names on that side of the ball as well.
1. Joe Milton
This may seem like an obvious selection and far from a hot take, but quarterback has been the one position that has seemingly held Michigan back from College Football Playoffs contention for the last several years. With a new starter taking the first snap of the season for Michigan's offense, Joe Milton will be relied upon to guide the offense from the jump.
Over the offseason, Milton has earned rave reviews for not only his arm strength (which everyone was already aware of) but also his work ethic and his commitment to learning the details of the quarterback position. Former Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner went in depth with Wolverine Digest about how good Milton has looked over the offseason, and that word has seemed more like the consensus as of late.
But without Dylan McCaffrey backing up Milton this year, the quarterback room really only has Milton as a player capable of leading the U-M squad to a Big Ten title this year. Yes, Cade McNamara has drawn positive reports as well but not nearly to the extent that Milton has.
2. Ryan Hayes
Filling some holes on the offensive line early on, Ryan Hayes first broke into action last season by starting at left tackle against both Middle Tennessee State and Army. After that, Hayes popped into 10 more games and even extended his duties to the right tackle position, and he acquitted himself well in those efforts.
In 2019, Michael Spath delivered mid-season grades for Michigan after the first handful of games had been played, and he awarded Hayes a B for his efforts. For a player that was making his first and subsequently second start of his career that season, a B is more than an acceptable performance level. But with four starting spots up for grabs this year, Hayes will have to increase his effort even more to help stabilize Michigan's offensive line.
With Mayfield set to continue at left tackle, Hayes will have the right tackle position all to himself heading into the season. In fact, Hayes mentioned that he would probably be starting at left tackle had Mayfield not chosen to return, so that shows just how highly the Wolverines staff thinks of him.
3. D.J. Turner
Hailing from IMG Academy, D.J. Turner had high expectations as soon as he stepped on Michigan's campus, and the youngster is expected to contribute in a much more meaningful role this year. When the 2020 season rolls around in a little over a month, the Wolverines will assuredly be without Lavert Hill and Josh Metellus in the secondary this year, but there is doubt that Ambry Thomas will be part of Michigan's team as well after opting out. Given that much talent might not be available, the Wolverines are in dire need of breakout performances in the defensive backfield, and Turner will likely be asked to provide just that.
Though he is a second-year player that will likely retain freshman eligibility after playing in only four games last season, Turner has consistently received praise from U-M defensive coordinator Don Brown over the offseason. Back in March and then again in May, Brown spoke about Turner's impact with the media, and he has set the stage for what could be a coming out party.
To corroborate those references, Brown has also highlighted Turner as a Dude of the Day earlier in fall camp, so he's continuing to build hype during practice as of late. Playing opposite Vincent Gray, Turner will have an opportunity to compete for the No. 2 cornerback spot, and whoever wins that job will be counted upon to deliver some more Dude of the Day performances once the season rolls around.
Which players do you need to see take a step forward this season? Do you agree or disagree with these selections? Let us know!