Michigan Football: Projecting the 2012 Depth Chart After National Signing Day

Joel GreerFeb 10, 2012

Michigan fans have always displayed incredible support for their football program, but the hiring of Brady Hoke a year ago ushered in an era that might be unprecedented in school history.

Almost immediately, ex-players, the university staff and alumni also bought into what Hoke was creating.

More proof of the new-found support was the immediate sellout of September's season opener at Cowboys Stadium. Just under 25,000 tickets were sold before there was even a public sale.

Fortunately, tickets are still available through a variety of ticket brokers.

Michigan completed the 2012 season with a victory over arch-rival Ohio State and a Sugar Bowl triumph over Virginia Tech.

The momentum continued Feb. 1, as the Wolverines completed National Signing Day with a consensus Top-10 recruiting class.

The class is expected to pay instant dividends as nearly a half-dozen players are expected to see action as true freshmen.

Let's take a look at how the depth chart should look when Michigan travels to Arlington, Texas, to face defending national champion Alabama.

Offense

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The biggest upheaval on the offensive side of the ball will be on the line of scrimmage.

Missing up front is All-American center David Molk and steady right tackle Mark Huyge.

Redshirt freshman Jack Miller is expected to beat out last year's backup, Rocko Khoury, for the starting job, but freshman Kyle Kalis might be ready to jump into a tackle slot, so the line would have to be juggled.

Michael Schofield would move back to his original left guard spot, Kalis would take over at right tackle and Ricky Barnum would move to center.

How Barnum does at spring practice will determine what happens this fall.

The quarterback and running back positions should remain intact, but depth will be a problem at wide receiver.

Roy Roundtree and Jeremy Gallon will start at wideout, with Vincent Smith likely moving from running back to the slot. The two freshmen recruits, Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson, will get an opportunity to solidify the wide receiver depth..

At tight end, it's Brandon Moore's job to lose, with the backup being up for grabs. Freshman A.J. Williams was expected to press Moore for playing time, but he's been listed at 275 pounds, which is an indication he might be quickly growing into a tackle.

Quarterback

Denard Robinson: 6’0”, 195 lbs, Sr.

Devin Gardner: 6’4”, 205 lbs, Jr.

Russell Bellomy: 6’4”, 189 lbs, Fr.

Fullback

Stephen Hopkins: 6’0”, 228 lbs, Jr.

Joe Kerridge: 6’0”, 231 lbs, So.

Sione Houma, 6'0", 215 lbs, Fr.

Running Back

Fitzgerald Toussaint: 5’10”, 195 lbs, Jr.

Thomas Rawls: 5'10", 219 lbs, So.

Stephen Hopkins: 6’0”, 228 lbs, Jr.

Vincent Smith: 5’6”, 172 lbs, Sr.

Justice Hayes: 5'10", 176 lbs, RS Fr.

Wide Receiver

Roy Roundtree: 6'0", 177 lbs, Sr.

Jeremy Jackson: 6’3”, 198 lbs, Jr.

Amara Darboh: 6'2", 200 lbs, Fr.

Wide Receiver

Jeremy Gallon: 5'8", 185 lbs, Jr.

Jerald Robinson: 6’1”, 206 lbs, So.

Jehu Chesson: 6'3", 175 lbs, Fr.

Slot Receiver

Vincent Smith: 5'6", 172 lbs, Sr.

Drew Dileo: 5'10", 172 lbs, Jr.

Justice Hayes: 5'10", 176 lbs., RS Fr.

Tight End

Brandon Moore: 6'5", 255 lbs, Sr.

Ricardo Miller 6' 4", 234 lbs, So.

Mike Kwiatkowski, 6'5", 255 lbs, Jr.

Left Tackle

Taylor Lewan: 6’8”, 295 lbs, Jr.

Erik Gunderson: 6'8", 312 lbs, Jr.

Ben Braden 6' 6", 319 lbs, Fr.

Left Guard

Ricky Barnum: 6’3”, 292 lbs, Jr.

Chris Bryant: 6’4”, 341 lbs, RS Fr.

Kristian Mateus 6’7”, 285 lbs, So.

Center

Jack Miller: 6’4", 263 lbs, RS Fr.

Rocko Khoury: 6’4”, 287 lbs, Sr.

Joey Burzynski: 6'1" 284 lbs, So.

Right Guard

Patrick Omameh: 6’4”, 300 lbs, Jr.

Elliott Mealer: 6’5”, 315 lbs, Jr.

Blake Bars, 6'5", 275 lbs, Fr.

Right Tackle

Michael Schofield: 6’7”, 299 lbs, Jr.

Kyle Kalis: 6'5", 305 lbs, Fr.

Erik Gunderson: 6’8”, 312, Jr.

Defense

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Like the offense, the concern on defense is in the trenches. Defensive end Craig Roh is the only returnee to the front four.

Freshman Ondre Pipkins has more than a good chance to start at one of the tackle spots, while a pair of freshmen ends, Chris Wormley and Tom Strobel, will be battling for playing time.

Every starter returns at linebacker and in the secondary, but expect freshmen linebackers Kaleb Ringer, Joe Bolden and Royce Jenkins-Stone to play early.

Safety Jerrod Wilson should be the first freshman off the bench in the secondary.

Weakside Defensive End

Craig Roh: 6’5”, 269 lbs, Sr.

Frank Clark: 6'2", 228 lbs, So.

Tom Strobel: 6'5", 265 lbs, Fr.

Nose Tackle

William Campbell: 6’5”, 320 lbs, Jr.

Ondre Pipkins: 6'2", 320 lbs, Fr.

Richard Ash: 6'3", 301 lbs, So.

Tackle

Quinton Washington: 6’4”, 302 lbs, Jr.

Kenny Wilkins: 6’3”, 280 lbs, So.

Chris Rock, 6'5", 265 lbs, RS Fr.

Strongside Defensive End

Jibreel Black: 6’2”, 260 lbs, Jr.

Nathan Brink: 6'5", 263 lbs, Jr.

Chris Wormley: 6'5", 250 lbs, Fr.

SAM Linebacker

Jake Ryan: 6’3”, 230 lbs, So.

Cam Gordon: 6’3”, 222 lbs., Jr.

Brennen Beyer: 6’3”, 225 lbs, So.

Royce Jenkins-Stone: 6'2", 215 lbs, Fr.

MIKE

Kenny Demens: 6’1”, 248 lbs, Sr.

Mike Jones: 6’2”, 224 lbs, Jr.

Kaleb Ringer: 6'1", 225 lbs, Fr.

WILL

Desmond Morgan: 6'1", 220 lbs, So.

Brandin Hawthorne: 6'0", 214 lbs, Sr.

Joe Bolden: 6'3", 230 lbs, Fr.

Antonio Poole: 6'2", 212 lbs, RS Fr.

Cornerback

Blake Countess: 5'10", 176 lbs, So.

Raymon Taylor: 5'10", 169 lbs, So.

Delonte Hollowell: 5'9", 164 lbs, So.

Cornerback

J.T. Floyd: 6’0”, 185 lbs, Jr.

Courtney Avery: 5’11, 170 lbs, So.

Terry Richardson: 5'9", 160 lbs, Fr.

Strong Safety

Jordan Kovacs: 6’0”, 197 lbs, Sr.

Marvin Robinson: 6’2”, 200 lbs, Jr.

Tamani Carter, 5'11", 175 lbs, RS Fr.

Free Safety

Thomas Gordon: 5’11”, 208 lbs, Jr.

Josh Furman: 6’2”, 208 lbs, So.

Jerrod Wilson: 6'2", 190 lbs, Fr.

Special Teams

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Last-minute recruit Dennis Norfleet should add some punch to the kickoff and punt-return teams. The Detroit M.L. King speedster, who's been timed at 4.39 in the 40, could also see some time in the slot and at running back.

At this point, Matt Wile will continue handling punts and kickoffs.

Brendan Gibbons, one of the surprise stories of 2011, will be the field-goal kicker.

Punter

Matt Wile: 6’2”, 208 lbs, So.

Will Hagerup: 6’4”, 210 lbs, Jr.

Kickoffs

Matt Wile: 6’2”, 208 lbs, So.

Field Goals

Brendan Gibbons: 6’1”, 227 lbs, Jr.

Punt Returns

Jeremy Gallon: 5’8”, 185 lbs, Jr.

Drew Dileo: 5’10”, 172 lbs, Jr.