Michigan Football Predictions: Why Ondre Pipkins Will Be a Great Wolverine

The Michigan Wolverines are on their way back to prominence and one of the most important players on the Wolverines' future rosters will be defensive tackle Ondre Pipkins.

He is an elite defensive tackle prospect from the Wolverines' 2012 recruiting class.  He has the mix of positional intelligence and athleticism to become Michigan's best defensive lineman and help build an elite Wolverines defense.

Pipkins was one of the best defensive tackles in the nation in high school, recruited by the country's top football programs.  Those programs include Florida, USC and Michigan State. ESPN gave him a 4-star 80 rating and ranked him the 16th best player at the defensive tackle position for the 2012 class. But, as his YouTube clips attest, he plays above that rating and has a chance to be one of the very best defensive linemen in college football with a few years of development.

His strengths are size, pure athleticism and toughness.  Pipkins is a 6'3", 320-pound behemoth who actually moves very quickly at the line of scrimmage.  He is extremely strong and quick off the ball, usually able to latch on to his opponent and protect his gaps.  Pipkins is a good tackler and able to be disruptive in the backfield when he breaks free of the offensive line.  He also has a good motor, so high school teams were often forced to triple-team him.  If Pipkins can draw those same double- and triple-teams in college, Michigan's excellent linebackers will be able to run freely.

The biggest concerns are his durability issues and a need to get a bit stronger.  Despite his size, Pipkins could improve his conditioning.  If he does, then he will become even more explosive and reduce his risk of future injury.   

Pipkins is also Michigan's best prospect at a crucial position where the Wolverines lack depth. Ryan Van Bergen and Mike Martin, Michigan's 2011 defensive tackle starters, graduated. So Pipkins' development is essential to the team's success, and he will get regular playing time in his first season.

When you put it all together, Pipkins is an elite prospect who projects to be Michigan's best defensive tackle for years to come.  Nothing is ever guaranteed, but Pipkins has all the tools and will get the coaching he needs to become a great Michigan Wolverine.