Michigan Football: 10 Wolverines Who Could Surprise People This Spring

There is enough untapped talent on Michigan’s roster to forecast several potential surprise players during spring practice. From defense to offense to special teams, coach Jim Harbaugh has droves of unproven athletes who could make a noticeable difference.

The Wolverines’ well of linebackers and linemen has been full for some time, and one of the bunch could end up blowing away defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin in the coming weeks.

Will Ben Gedeon be the one to command attention? What about Bryan Mone? Can he fill a void up front?

Michigan’s need for a star quarterback has never been greater, so it’s fair to assume that offensive coordinator Tim Drevno and passing game guru Jedd Fisch will be on high alert during spring workouts. Finding the Wolverines’ next go-to signal-caller is one the biggest challenges facing Harbaugh’s staff.

This game is pretty simple—and really, it’s almost like picking a name from out of a hat. At the very least, the surprise tag could apply to roughly a quarter of Michigan’s roster. With that said, in order to qualify for placement in this slideshow, a player must have shown at least a little something during the past year or have noteworthy hype behind him.

Linebacker Ben Gedeon

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Ben Gedeon should be on your radar this spring.

The soon-to-be junior linebacker has a motor, and that quality will earn reps in Durkin’s defense. At 6’3” and 241 pounds, he may be better suited for the outside position. But his affinity for contact, which was evident during a huge sideline hit versus Ohio State, could work well in the middle.

The Wolverines have been great against the run for the past two years, highlighted by being ranked among the top 15 total defenses in 2013 and 2014. Gedeon, who gained a name on special teams as a freshman, is a prime pick to surprise this spring.

From surplus to starter—this spring could springboard Gedeon into the limelight.

Defensive Lineman Bryan Mone

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Bryan Mone could have a breakout 2015. But first, he must have a great spring.

The sophomore has bulked up a bit and now stands 6’4” and weighs 325 pounds. He’s made for the middle, and that’s probably where D-line coach Greg Mattison, who heavily praised Mone in 2014, will use him.

Really, Mattison praised all of his defenders; however, Mone appeared in 12 games as a true freshman—so there is certainly more around the bend for the former Salt Lake City Highland superstar. He's a cut above the rest. 

His pass-rushing abilities and focused nature could propel him up the depth chart as soon as next week. With an enormous wingspan and rock-solid foundation—in the form of 325 pounds—it would be difficult to bet against Mone, who had nine tackles and a fumble recovery in 2014.

Quarterback Alex Malzone

Never underestimate the power of hunger.

Alex Malzone, a 4-star quarterback per 247Sports, has long expressed his desire to play for Michigan, and his commitment during and after the tumultuous 2014 season should serve as a testament to his passion for Wolverines football.

There may not be a player on this year’s team who wants “it” more than Malzone, who won three state titles at Birmingham Brother Rice. The 6’2”, 200-pound freshman enrolled early and has as good a chance as anyone to assume the reins under center.

Quarterback is wide open. But a true frosh QB at Michigan? Now that'd be a surprise.

Offensive Tackle Juwann Bushell-Beatty

Other than pure size, there’s not a lot to go on with Juwann Bushell-Beatty, who was supposed to be one of the primary offensive figures of former coach Brady Hoke’s 2014 recruiting class.

Now at 6’6” and 319 pounds, Bushell-Beatty, at least physically, seems destined for more playing time.

He redshirted in 2014, so he has a year of playbook/daily operations experience to his credit. Furthermore, he’ll have his former high school coach, Chris Partridge, to potentially serve as motivation as well. Partridge joined the Wolverines as a recruiting coordinator this past offseason, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be in the ears of Bushell-Beatty or even Jabrill Peppers for that matter.

The bottom line for Bushell-Beatty is this: He’s in position to earn a starting role this spring. While teeming with talent, the O-line isn’t set in stone—no position group is even close to completion, according to what Harbaugh and his staff said during pressers this past week.

Go ahead and throw Bushell-Beatty in to the “surprise but not surprise” category. He was the No. 27-ranked offensive tackle of 2014, which gives reason to believe he’ll immediately produce once he's given the opportunity. He’s had his time to learn, and it’s now time for him apply those lessons to the field.

Wide Receiver Maurice Ways

This year will be Ways’ second spring game. He enrolled early in 2014, so he has a leg up on most of the young receivers when it comes to experience.

He’s one of the many yet-to-be-used wideouts, and the starting jobs are essentially up for grabs.  The 6’4”, 205-pound redshirt freshman generated a little buzz during workouts in 2014. Tabbing him as a potential surprise player wasn’t difficult.

With DaMario Jones, Drake Harris and Freddy Canteen in the mix, not to mention Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson, expect a beyond-close competition this spring. Ways has the size and hands to make things happen. 

Defensive Lineman Matt Godin

The former Detroit Catholic Central star defensive end has yet to have his moment of Zen with the Wolverines; however, he could soon find success under Harbaugh, who said he’s adopting a fresh approach when it comes to evaluating talent this spring.

As a redshirt sophomore in 2014, Godin was on the brink of a No. 1 job—he appeared in 14 games and notched his first career interception versus Northwestern. He’s a rabid pass-rusher with the trademark high motor that Mattison loves.

Durkin should love it, too.

Those types of guys get reps at Michigan, and Godin’s momentum from this past season should serve him well throughout this spring and fall.

Defensive Back Dymonte Thomas

Thomas was the No. 71-ranked player and No. 11-ranked safety of 2013. The hype remains the same—he’s just yet to do anything.

As a sophomore in 2014, he showed off powerful tackling every now and then. He had a career-high five tackles during a home loss to Maryland and finished the year with 27—not bad totals for a rarely used defensive back.

Michigan has had a sturdy defensive backfield for a few years now, and that’s one of the reasons why Thomas hasn’t seen much time on the field. Now that Ray Taylor is gone, a job is available. Thomas, a 6’1”, 191-pound junior, could serve as an adequate replacement.

Other highlights from 2014 include a forced fumble during a win over Miami (Ohio) and five tackles during Week 1’s 52-14 routing of Appalachian State. He was also All-Academic in the Big Ten, meaning he’s likely smart enough to pick up on lesson plans quickly. He’ll need to be at his peak as secondary coaches Mike Zordich and Greg Jackson figure out who’s who among the safeties and corners.

Defensive Lineman Henry Poggi

The former Baltimore Gilman star was the No. 11-ranked defensive tackle of 2013 but redshirted during his first season on campus. However, he was lumped into the next-men group by Mattison this past season. As mentioned, the D-line is bursting at the seams with highly rated but unused talent.

Poggi is just another name on the list. At 6’4” and 273 pounds, he could fit nicely at the weak- or strong-side defensive end positions, which were recently vacated by Brennen Beyer and Frank Clark.

Poggi appeared in six games in 2014.

Fullback Brady Pallante

Swapping positions might prove to be exactly what the 6’0”, 276-pound sophomore needs to get reps in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines are loaded on the D-line, but they could use some help in the backfield.

Pallante’s sheer size should complement Tim Drevno’s power-running game. Having a reliable situational fullback never hurts, especially when said team is looking to reassert itself in the trenches.

Punter/Kicker Kenny Allen

Allen is the best kicker/punter to emerge from the Flint area in years.

He had interest from Alabama and Oregon, among others, but chose to walk on at Michigan. He’s another guy who’s been patiently waiting for a chance to shine, and this spring could finally be his day.

The former Fenton star has an accurate, cannon-like right leg. Range has never been an issue for him, actually; he frequently booted 40- and 45-yard field goals as a high school junior.

He’s only had six punts at Michigan. But he’s averaging 51 yards each time his foot crushes the ball. The Wolverines need someone to take over for kicker Matt Wile and/or punter Will Hagerup.

Allen, who appeared in 11 games in 2014, is the special teams’ best-kept secret. It’s probably time to let him to do his thing.

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter at @AdamBiggers81.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer via press conference, press release or other media availability. 

Stats and other related information were pulled from ESPN player pages and MGoBlue team bios. Recruiting information via 247Sports.