Michigan Football: Underclassmen with Best Chance to Earn Starting Spot in 2017

As Jim Harbaugh prepares for his third season as Michigan’s head coach, the Wolverines are in excellent shape. In two seasons, Harbaugh is 20-6 in Ann Arbor and had his new team in contention for a College Football Playoff bid in November until narrow losses to Iowa and Ohio State derailed those hopes.

Michigan fans have high expectations, but meeting or exceeding the heights of the Harbaugh era’s first two seasons could be challenging. Graduation and NFL draft departures have wracked the Wolverines’ depth chart, and only five starters from 2016 are projected to return this fall.

Competition and opportunity will abound during spring and preseason practice, and a number of underclassmen are poised to take advantage. Here’s a look at seven key underclassmen who could snag starting roles and become prominent contributors for Michigan this fall.

LB Devin Bush

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Devin Bush made an impact on special teams last fall and figures to carry it over to defense.

Michigan has multiple vacancies in its starting linebacker corps, and defensive coordinator Don Brown needs young players to show that they’re ready for greater responsibility.

One of those players? Sophomore Devin Bush.

Bush gained experience last fall as a reserve linebacker and special teams standout, and he will move forward in his second season on campus.

He made 12 tackles and flashed skills as an aggressive tackler, and he has good speed and technique. He is ready to become a real difference-maker as a starter on the weak side, which could help alleviate Brown’s worries.

RB Chris Evans

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Chris Evans is ready to seize Michigan's lead tailback role this fall.

Michigan’s run game wasn’t great in 2016. Hampered at times by an inconsistent offensive line, the Wolverines struggled to make consistent yardage on the ground, averaging 4.8 yards per rush attempt. The graduation of leading rusher De'Veon Smith, who had 846 rushing yards and 10 scores, only adds to the uncertainty in 2017.

However, that opens the door for Chris Evans. As a freshman, Evans rushed for 614 yards and four touchdowns on 88 carries, averaging an impressive 7.0 yards per carry with a pair of 100-yard games. Evans is solidly built at 5’11”, 200 pounds and is capable of claiming the lead role in Michigan’s running attack.

Karan Higdon and Kareem Walker will also challenge for time, but Evans should be the clear top dog on the ground in Ann Arbor.

DE Rashan Gary

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Rashan Gary should show why he was such a prized recruit in 2017.

Perhaps the most obvious candidate to emerge as a starter? Look no further than one of the most talented players on the roster. Michigan made waves when defensive lineman Rashan Gary signed with the Wolverines on 2016’s national signing day as the nation’s top overall recruit. Gary got his feet wet as a reserve last fall and performed solidly, playing in all 13 games (with no starts) and making 27 tackles, five tackles for loss and a sack.

"If you said to him, what was your freshman year like, he'd probably (grumble)," Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown told Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press. "But he's really gotten a lot better. He's playing at a very high level right now. I'm really excited about his future."

He has an excellent frame at 6’5”, 290 pounds and possesses versatility, capable of starting at defensive end or defensive tackle. He has great pass-rush skills and athleticism and should take a leap forward in his development as a sophomore, showing everyone why he was so heavily recruited. Gary is a lock to start on Michigan’s defensive line and likely excel.

CB Lavert Hill

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Lavert Hill is poised to grab a starting role in Michigan's secondary.

Michigan returns only one defensive starter and no starters in its secondary. It’s a reserve’s dream, although you can bet the competition will be fierce. Expect Lavert Hill to be in the mix for a starting role.

Hill made just nine tackles as a freshman but slid easily between safety and cornerback, making a start at free safety against Michigan State. He figures to make a push to become a starting cornerback. Hill still needs to gain weight but has great cover skills and should expand the reserve role he carved out for himself last fall in a big, big way.

He’ll face competition from freshman early enrollees Benjamin St-Juste and Ambry Thomas, but expect Hill to find his way into the starting lineup one way or another.

LB Josh Metellus

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Josh Metellus is ready to step into a bigger role with Michigan's defense.

Jabrill Peppers played only two full seasons at Michigan after a leg injury forced a redshirt as a freshman. But he made an indelible impact in his brief time on campus, standing out as a linebacker, defensive back, kick returner and even a running back/receiver. It’s hard for one or even two players to replace Peppers’ production now that he is off to the NFL, but someone has to try.

On the defensive side of the ball, sophomore Josh Metellus will get a shot. Last fall, Metellus served as a backup safety, making 15 tackles with a sack. But like Peppers, he can fit in as a hybrid strong-side linebacker or a safety.

He is a physical player and a good tackler with a 6’0”, 204-pound frame. Metellus will likely figure significantly into Michigan’s overall defensive plans.

WR Donovan Peoples-Jones

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Donovan Peoples-Jones is already on campus and working to secure a starting role.

Wilton Speight is returning as Michigan’s starting quarterback, but he will need to develop chemistry with some new targets in the passing game. The graduation of Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson, who combined for 92 catches, 1,362 yards and nine touchdowns, leaves plenty of holes in the receiver corps, as no one with more than 16 catches or 183 receiving yards is set to return.

This will create competition, and it’s the perfect opportunity for true freshman receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. The Detroit native is a 5-star prospect and the nation’s No. 1 receiver prospect per Scout.com. He stands 6’3”, 190 pounds and possesses excellent athleticism, speed and leaping ability.

Peoples-Jones is already on campus and will go through spring practice with his new teammates.

It’s a huge chance for him to seize a starting role before summer even hits. It’d be a stunner if he didn’t play a significant role in the passing game in 2017.

TE Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

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Tyrone Wheatley should emerge as a key player in Michigan's offense in 2017.

When former Michigan and NFL star Tyrone Wheatley returned to campus as an assistant coach, his son, talented tight end Tyrone Wheatley Jr., followed him. The senior Wheatley’s second Michigan stint didn’t last long; he left last month after two seasons to take an assistant position with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.

But the younger Wheatley’s influence on the program is only beginning. He had just two catches for 35 yards as a freshman but figures to see his role greatly expand as a sophomore. All-America tight end Jake Butt, who had 46 catches for 546 and four scores as a senior, has graduated.

It’s Wheatley’s turn to step into the spotlight for the maize and blue, and while fellow sophomore Devin Asiasi will challenge him, figure that the younger Wheatley will make his father proud this fall.