UA-59049186-1 Michigan Team 137 Preview: Safety - Good if it Goes

Michigan Team 137 Preview: Safety

Back from last year (click to enlarge)

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Projected starters: Dymonte Thomas (FS), Delano Hill (SS/Rover)

Could make an impact: Tyree Kinnel (FS), Khaleke Hudson (SS)

Watch out for next year: Hudson, Jordan Glasgow (SS)

Senior Dymonte Thomas brings a big change to Michigan’s secondary, which last year enjoyed the services of the steady, if unexciting, Jarrod Wilson. Thomas has the potential to make some big plays; he also has the potential to give some up. I’m pretty certain we’ll see significantly more of the former from Thomas, who last year began to look like the guy Michigan fans hoped he’d be when he first stepped on campus. Unfortunately, he only has one year to (hopefully) be that guy, because Brady Hoke burned his redshirt for reasons. *shakes fist at Brady Hoke* I’m confident in Thomas’s ability to take that next step; he looked awfully good in the spring game. Since this will be Thomas’s last year in Ann Arbor, expect sophomore Tyree Kinnel, whose redshirt was burned for actual valid reasons, to see the field a bit in preparation of taking over the starting FS job in 2017. Kinnel played special teams for the Wolverines a year ago and was fine at it. Kinnel’s plenty athletic himself and more than capable in coverage.

Senior Delano Hill is the starter at strong safety, a.k.a. Rover in Don Brown’s system. Hill had his share of biffs last year, a couple of them were quite costly. Thomas supplanted Hill at SS last year before getting hurt. Upon his return, they split time. Hill had plenty of positive moments too, though. He was particularly strong when attacking the line of scrimmage. He’ll be asked to do that quite a bit this year. I think he’ll do fine under Brown.

Next year, expect Khaleke Hudson to assume the role of Rover. This year, expect to see him get some on-field collegiate experience. A 3-star recruit out of Pennsylvania, the true freshman projects as a less-rich-man’s Peppers. He can play all over the place on both sides of the ball. His ceiling seems very high.

Redshirt freshman Jordan Glasgow has pretty much the perfect name for a walk-on safety. Michigan has some dudes to get excited about, so I don’t expect him to become a starter, but he’s a Glasgow, so you never know.

Freshman Josh Metellus is a 3-star recruit from Florida. While plenty athletic, he needs to work on his coverage skills. Expect a redshirt.

Twitter: @KSchroeder_312

E-mail: schroeder.giig@gmail.com

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