Michigan Football: Summer Enrollees Who Could Make Immediate Impact

Judging on the spring game, Michigan Wolverines early enrollees Alex Malzone and Brian Cole, a pair of in-state talents, should compete for meaningful reps this fall.

Malzone, a 4-star quarterback out of Brother Rice in Michigan, and Cole, a 4-star athlete out of Saginaw Heritage in Michigan, each showed a flash of something during the annual spring scrimmage.

They each have earned considerable praise from teammates and coaches, too. They're worthy of attention. But they're not the only ones—there is a handful of potential impact freshmen sprinkled about Michigan's 14-man 2015 recruiting class.

Zach Gentry, a 4-star quarterback, is one such candidate. At 6’7” and 230 pounds, the former Albuquerque Eldorado (New Mexico) star will enter Michigan with ready-to-go collegiate size, a set of wheels (4.68-second 40) and an arm to match.

Anything but steady, the quarterback situation is of obvious concern for the Wolverines. Following the spring game, head coach Jim Harbaugh tabbed Shane Morris as the No. 1 starter—but that was just for the time being.

As of now, the job is “wide open”—a phrase often used by Harbaugh, passing game coordinator Jedd Fisch and offensive coordinator Tim Drevno during spring availability—and is guaranteed to no one, regardless of tenure or circumstances.

Locking down a quarterback is just one of many priorities for Michigan, which needs a true, reliable starter in order to progress past the "hope" phase.

Already leaving scouts impressed as the “late bloomer” with immense potential, Gentry could be the answer for Harbaugh's new Michigan in 2015. If not, he'll likely, at the very least, insert himself into starter talks for 2016.

Both outcomes seem generally positive for Gentry, who could make an instant impact by simply challenging Morris, Malzone and Wilton Speight for a spot on the two-deep this season. But he doesn't necessarily have to win the top job to make a mark in 2015.

And neither do the rest of Michigan's potential impact summer enrollees, as Tyree Kinnel, Karan Higdon, Shelton Johnson, Keith Washington and Tyrone Wheatley Jr. each have the skills to dodge a redshirt and offer something substantial this fall.

During spring media sessions, secondary coaches Mike Zordich and Greg Jackson each spoke of improving their defensive backs' physical play. They like their personnel, but they'd like to get more out of them.

At 6’0” and 205 pounds, the 4-star safety Kinnel certainly has the size to assist in that regard.

Versatile, intelligent and quick and already gaining attention from coaches, Kinnel could easily find his way into the two-deep this fall. The only guaranteed No. 1 spots belong to Jabrill Peppers, a nickel, and Jourdan Lewis, the best cover corner on the team.

The door is open for at least one spot in the secondary, just like it is at the running back position—the backfield is far from secure. As of today, Derrick Green and De'Veon Smith appear to be the leaders of the pack. But that's by default. Ty Isaac, a redshirt sophomore transfer from the USC Trojans, may end up becoming the top option.

In all likelihood, Green, Smith and Isaac will compose the main trio, but don't rule out Higdon—the 5’10”, 190-pound Floridian may just end up as a situational back or, dare it even be suggested, crack to the top three.

Drake Johnson, a redshirt junior, is coming off another ACL injury, so it could be some time before he pushes the competition. Justice Hayes just graduated and plans to play elsewhere. Although rarely used, Hayes saw action as a reliever. If he shows out during camp, Higdon could get those reps—and maybe more—this season as a true freshman.

At one time, Shelton Johnson appeared to be on his way to the Florida State Seminoles, one of college football's heavies. However, he made the late decision to play for the Wolverines, a team with two of the best defensive minds in the NCAA: defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin and D-line coach Greg Mattison.

With their guidance, the 6’5”, 220-pound defensive end out of Florida may progress to two-deep status within just a few weeks. Now that Frank Clark and Brennen Beyer are gone, Durkin and Mattison will be on the hunt for aggressive pass-rushers.

Luckily for Durkin, Mattison has already groomed a troop of D-liners, so there is no real sense of urgency when it comes to developing Johnson. He'll either see the field this year, or he won't. Having Johnson contribute early would be great from an (his) experience standpoint, but shelving him may be of great benefit in the long run.

File Johnson under the “able” category, though.

On national signing day, Harbaugh gushed over Washington's athletic prowess. At 6'2" and 170 pounds, Washington is built to torch the field as a return weapon or receiver. He's capable of dabbling in the secondary if needed, too. Versatility in any form is usually a good thing, and that's why Washington should be viewed as a potential impact freshman.

He may get stuck behind Peppers and others in the return game. And really, the Wolverines have a logjam of unused receivers to sift through prior to Week 1 against the Utah Utes. He may not get immediate reps there, either.

But why not Washington? He has the ultimate “I'll show you” attitude, evidenced by his impromptu 40-yard dash in front of Durkin and Harbaugh prior to signing, per MLive's Nick Baumgardner:

"

They didn't believe him, but Washington wasn't having it. He looked them both straight in the eye and basically told them not to question him.

"They told me they had heard I was pretty fast, and I told them I'd run a 4.3," Washington recalls. "And they were like 'we don't believe you.'

“So I just said, OK, I'll run one for you right now outside. Let's go."

"

Washington is probably not the only recruit to display that type of confidence, but it's that type of confidence that leads to success. Visualizing him doing something worthy of having his name called on TV this season isn't out of the realm of sensibility.

The son of the running backs coach and Michigan legend, Wheatley enters Michigan with a clear path to playing time: Jake Butt, the team's No. 1 tight end, is coming off an ACL injury and needs time to fully recover—that's fully recover, not just enough to get on the field.

Plus, Devin Funchess, the former starting tight end/receiver, skipped his senior year to hop in the NFL draft. That worked in his favor, as the 6’5”, 230-pounder was selected in the second round by the Carolina Panthers.

Michigan needs another reliable big target. Butt is 6’6” and 249 pounds. A.J. Williams, the other candidate, is 6’6” and 285 pounds. Wheatley is 6’6” and 260 pounds, fitting both size and position requirements.

And he can play defensive end; he may not have to do so at Michigan but having two-way knowledge helps.

Open the door for Wheatley this fall. He should be in there as an instant contributor.

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

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer via press conference, press release or other media availability. All recruiting information comes by way of 247Sports.