Michigan Football: Who Will Be Wolverines' Starting Running Back in 2013?

Michigan wouldn't have the slightest clue who the starting running back is going to be if the season started tomorrow. There is potential all across the board, but also questions that come with that talent, which has the coaching staff scratching its head.

One running back is still recovering from an injury, others are still unproven and then there are the true freshmen who haven't even put the pads on yet.

This question will be a lot easier to answer in fall camp, but who actually wants to wait that long?

There are plenty of solid candidates to choose from, but only one that stands out among the pack.

Let's check out the players competing for the starting role and who will actually walk away with the title when the games kick off.

Fitzgerald Toussaint

Toussaint is the most experienced running back Michigan has to choose from. He topped 1,000 rushing yards in 2011 and is now entering his fifth season. However, he wasn't himself last season, rushing for only 514 yards and breaking his leg near the end of the campaign in a victory over Iowa.

Toussaint didn't do much in spring practice due to his recovery from last season's injury. He should be ready to go when fall camp arrives, though.

You know he will want to solidify himself as the go-to option on this team and, as we have witnessed before, he has the ability to be one of the better running backs in the Big Ten.

Derrick Green

One of the top prospects of the 2013 recruiting class, Derrick Green has created a lot of buzz for somebody Wolverines fans haven't even seen yet. He will make his debut in fall camp and has a great chance to walk away with the starting position if everything goes well.

Green is much more than the power running back he has been labeled as in the last few months. He runs with incredible balance, hits the hole with terrific explosion and has a lot of deceptive speed.

With his size at 6'0", 220 pounds, Green will see the field early and often—whether he is a starter or not.

Thomas Rawls

Rawls is somebody who is going to benefit greatly from Michigan leaning in the direction of a pro-style offense. He will no longer be asked to be this shifty runner who is running alongside a quarterback.

Instead, he will be able to line up behind a fullback and put those power running skills to the test.

Rawls is entering his third season and, although he hasn't shown much, he has been productive in limited playing time. He's averaged 4.5 yards per carry in his career and scored four touchdowns last season on only 57 touches.

He is a true power back who has the potential to have his best season yet for the Wolverines.

DeVeon Smith

While Green is the freshman receiving most of the hype, DeVeon Smith should not be considered chopped liver in this competition.

He will fit well in this offense due to his strong lower body and the ability to break arm tackles with ease. Smith rarely goes down on initial contact and is always a daunting task for defenses to handle. Smith also has great size at 5'11", 217 pounds.

Smith isn't going to blow by defenders, but he is a productive runner who sees the field well and gets the job done at a high level.

Justice Hayes

Hayes is the playmaker out of the bunch, as he is probably the fastest back on the depth chart. He has true home run ability and could take one the distance if a defense doesn't take proper angles on him.

As a freshman last season, he only received 18 carries. However, three of those runs produced at least 10 yards, showing just how dangerous he can be.

Michigan is going to want an every-down back capable of carrying the load, but Hayes brings something special to the group with his flashiness.

Prediction

Michigan is loaded at running back and should have no problem matching last season's figure of 183 yards a game. All of the names above will be given a chance to shine and play a valid role—and that doesn't even include dark horses such as Drake Johnson and Dennis Norfleet.

But the starter has to be Green.

While Michigan doesn't have to rush him into a starting role right away, he has everything you look for as a starter in the system Michigan wants to run. The combination of size, speed, strength and the ability to run between the tackles are all there. He has all of the tools to be a special player right away, which is why he was a top running back of the 2013 class.

Toussaint should bounce back from last season's disappointment, but he wasn't even that great when he was healthy and receiving 15-plus carries. Rawls will see an increase in touches, but isn't fast enough to hold down a starting role.

Smith and Hayes will make a case for solid playing time, but none are the complete package like Green.

Green has the look of a collegiate running back and should be given the keys to this offense once he blows the coaching staff away in fall camp.

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