DETROIT — Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program, even with the transfer portal allowing programs to change their fortunes in a real hurry. Especially as freshmen are more and more starting to enroll early and get a kick start on their college careers, it allows younger players to see the field earlier than they perhaps had in the past.
On Saturday, fifth-year Michigan defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny helped lead drills at Semaj Morgan’s youth camp, and looking back on spring ball, there are two true freshmen who enrolled early who have impressed him.
“I want to give you a few,” Benny said. “I’m going to go somebody young — I’m going to say Jamar Browder. On defense, give me Jordan Young. I think those guys will be able to help the team and just be future stars and really make a name for themselves here. “
So, what is it about the wide receiver and safety that have made an impression upon him?
Jamar Browder is a familiar standout name from spring ball
Browder was arguably the hype beast of spring ball in Ann Arbor, getting mentions by his teammates immediately after the first of the 15 practices. However, in the spring game, he didn’t quite produce — mistiming two jumps on fade balls thrown by quarterback Bryce Underwood.
Still, Benny is excited about the potential of the 6-foot-5 wideout from Florida, noting that he has all the potential in the world and has shown his ability during practice.
“Big wide receiver, he’s a go-getter,” Benny said. “I was about to say, you just put it up here, (he’s) going to get it. That’s something I took notice of early, within, like, this short time frame. Just a little bit more coaching and a little bit more technique, he’s going to be a problem.”
Considering that Michigan is hoping to enhance its passing game, it will need some younger receivers to step up. But what about the other side of the ball?
Jordan Young is making a name for himself
Perhaps the most underrated of the trio of safety signees, Jordan Young was the only one who enrolled early. Kainoa Winston and Elijah Dotson might have gotten more publicity than the former Clemson commitment from North Carolina, but Young has gotten acclimated by arriving on campus during the winter months.
Though there’s a lot of depth ahead of him — Rod Moore, Brandyn Hillman, TJ Metcalf, Mason Curtis, and Jaden Mangham are all poised to see time this year — Young was making plays in practice and impressed Benny greatly in spring.
“Well, I’m not a DB. I’m not the best at scouting DBs,” Benny said. “But, something that caught my attention, he was getting to the ball, he was intercepting the ball, disrupting the ball, getting the interceptions, PBUs. And, I don’t know, I just think that’s a good thing to see, especially for a D-lineman, you know, that makes me happy.”
Given that Michigan has liked to get younger defensive backs involved early, it’s a positive sign that Young is making plays already. Rod Moore, Will Johnson, and Jo’Ziah Edmond all saw playing time in their freshman campaigns, though the former two actually started games whereas Edmond was a reserve. But if Young can find his way on the field in year one, it might not say as much about the depth as much as he’s a player that the Wolverines want to prepare for a bigger role sooner than later.
Freshmen who could also rise up the ranks
Michigan has a lot of freshmen who are poised to see early playing time beyond Browder and Young. Of course, quarterback Bryce Underwood is expected to start, but other players such as wide receiver Andrew Marsh, linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, and cornerback Shamari Earls are expected to be in the rotation once the season comes. All three enrolled early, as well.
But there are others who haven’t made it to campus just yet who could be impact players right away. Freshman running back Jasper Parker and edge rusher Nate Marshall both have skill sets that could be utilized once they make it to campus, as could Parker’s high school teammate, wide receiver Jacob Washington.
Any program, nowadays, needs a good mix between veteran leadership and playmaking ability, along with supplemental transfers and emerging young players. And it appears as if the Wolverines have those in spades.
Source link
