Michigan Football Week 1 Spring Practice Report

Head coach Jim Harbaugh took the Michigan football team to Bradenton, Florida, for the first week of spring practice, and plenty of news emerged from IMG Academy.

Although the Wolverines are months away from taking the field for the regular-season opener, they have two glaring weaknesses on the roster at quarterback and linebacker.

Harbaugh provided some insight into how the staff is handling the vacancy at quarterback, which will be carefully tracked throughout the offseason. However, the major update unexpectedly came from the defensive side of the ball.

Quarterback Competition

According to Nick Baumgardner of MLive, the trio of John O'Korn, Wilton Speight and Shane Morris regularly took equal reps with the starting offense. Freshmen Brandon Peters and Alex Malzone also handled some first-string snaps.

Not that a decision is expected anytime soon; offensive coordinator Tim Drevno reiterated that identifying the winner of the competition is "a feel deal" for the coaches, per Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press.

Although O'Korn is considered the favorite, Speight earned the staff's trust last season and leaped Shane Morris on the depth chart. Peters will likely redshirt, but early returns are encouraging for the 6'5" gunslinger's future.

"You look at him when he walks out, he's a beautiful looking specimen," Drevno said, according to Snyder.

Harbaugh, Drevno and passing-game coordinator Jedd Fisch will undoubtedly be thorough and not rush to a decision. A key—yet not foolproof—indicator of progress to watch for during the coming weeks is how the reps are divided.

Where in the World Is Jabrill Peppers?

Tony Ding/Associated Press

It appears Jabrill Peppers' 2016 campaign will be a season-long game akin to a childhood favorite, "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?"

Last year, in addition to returning kicks and punts, Peppers lined up at safety, cornerback, nickelback, running back and wide receiver. Baumgardner noted the versatile star has added linebacker to his repertoire.

Per Angelique S. Chengelis of the Detroit News, Harbaugh said "everything's a possibility" for Peppers.

"

He plays at an athletic level that is so very, very high. We saw what he can do last year in terms of picking up a new position. It's seamless for him. He's very intelligent, is so competitive, he's got it all. Athletic ability and awareness, you would say those are the two most important things after sheer competitiveness. He's got all those three things at the highest level.

"

Following a season that included 45 tackles, 10 passes defended, eight receptions and two rushing touchdowns, Peppers is only building a more exciting future.

Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod said contributions at linebacker will only help the redshirt sophomore's potential chase for the Heisman Trophy.

Early Enrollees Look Promising

Including Peters, Michigan had seven 2016 signees enroll early. True freshmen don't always get the chance to contribute immediately, but reports suggest a few should make an impact right away.

Sam Webb of Scout said wide receiver Ahmir Mitchell "is physically ready to compete with college defensive backs." Webb also called linebacker Devin Bush Jr. the "biggest hitter" after the Wolverines' first padded practice.

Baumgardner highlighted Kareem Walker and Kingston Davis as strong and sturdy running backs but added that tight end Sean McKeon could use some weight.

Harbaugh recently pointed out Carlo Kemp as a freshman who "seems like he's been here a couple years," according to Snyder.

Odds and Ends

As expected, redshirt freshman Grant Newsome was initially the new member of the first-string offensive line. Patrick Kugler also logged extra action with the starters as both a guard and center, per Baumgardner.

Ralph Russo/Associated Press

Oft-injured linebacker Mike McCray turned some heads during the opening week. "He looks really good out there," All-American cornerback Jourdan Lewis said of McCray, according to Webb.

Michigan's updated roster revealed Zach Gentry, a 4-star quarterback prospect in 2014, has officially converted to tight end. It's a smart move for the redshirt freshman because he'd likely never take a meaningful snap under center. Plus, at 6'7", his upside—quite literally—is appealing.

Harbaugh wants the Wolverines to organize a similar trip next year, per Jason Dill of the Free Press. "We even have some thoughts on doing this again for next year and how we can make it even better," Harbaugh said.

ACC and SEC personnel can't pen strongly worded letters to NCAA brass fast enough.

All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.