ANN ARBOR, Michigan — The Michigan Football Team ended another year of spring practice with Saturday’s Maize-Blue scrimmage. As the Wolverines turn the page from their memorable 2021 season to their 2022 season, they’re doing so with much fanfare and optimism but are looking for replacements for some key departing players.
Who could be in line to cast these roles? After Saturday’s open scrimmage and weeks of practice, we feel comfortable creating these projections in our first depth chart projections of 2022. We looked at them beforehand projected offensive depth map. Below we take a look at the Wolverines’ redesigned defenses, and evaluate the starters, backups, and other names to keep an eye on.
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Some reminders of this depth chart and what it means:
– On defense, we’re sticking with the basic 4-2-5 set Michigan used last season. But because the Wolverines mix and match personnel so much, we list three backups at the end, tackle, linebacker, and safety, to reflect that flexibility.
– We assume full health with this forecast unless one player is ruled out for the season (no one is currently).
– We don’t count players who aren’t on campus yet.
– This is a snapshot, not a forecast. We may have an inkling of who can make a jump by September, but we find it more valuable to assess where things stand now.
– There are no AND or OR links in our depth charts. Our job is to decode between tight fights and figure out who we think has the lead. Our descriptions explain the role that backups will play.
– Players’ classes are for what they will be in the fall. Redshirt designations are based on the NCAA’s four-game redshirt rule, not the extra year the NCAA is granting following the COVID-19 pandemic.
– Starters and backups are the traditional two-deep. Next Up is our list of players we think might legitimately be fighting for meaningful snaps right now.
– Players not listed are players who we feel are not currently in the mix for a two-deep or key rotation role (anticipated redshirt or special teams only player). This can change at any time before the fall camp arrives.
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Okay, let’s get to the projections
Defensive tackle