PFF names three Michigan football players in top 50 of 2023
The 2023 season is fast approaching and much of the hype is starting to gather around Ann Arbor, as Michigan football is poised to go on another run.
After two-straight Big Ten Championships and College Football Playoff appearances, the Wolverines return boatloads of talent, more returning at key positions than any other championship contender.
PFF is looking forward to the season by counting down the top 50 players in college football. Three Wolverines made the cut, starting with the team’s highest-profile player.
4. RB BLAKE CORUM, MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
Corum made history last season. His 96.2 grade didn’t just lead all players in the country, it was the highest by a Power Five player since PFF began charting college football in 2014.
Each of the three players behind him was a top-five draft pick. Corum likely won’t join them since he plays running back, but it’s a sign of the elite company that he’s in, regardless.
At No. 4, Corum is listed as the top-ranked running back by PFF, ahead of No. 22 Quinshon Judkins at Ole Miss, Arkansas RB Raheim Sanders at No. 35, Oregon’s Bucky Irvings at No. 37, No. 43 Braelon Allen, and No. 44 Trey Benson at Florida State.
The next player to make the cut is an emerging star entering his second year/
21. CB WILL JOHNSON, MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
Johnson entered Ann Arbor as a top-20 recruit in the 2022 class, and even that was selling him short. The true freshman’s 91.1 grade in man coverage led all Power Five cornerbacks last season. His 88.2 overall grade also tied for the highest mark by a Power Five true freshman, with the player one spot behind him on this list.
Johnson is listed as the third-best cornerback at No. 21, with Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinistry at No. 7 and Penn State corner Kalen King at No. 11. After having only started in the tail end of the season, there’s still a lot more to show for the former five-star, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him cement himself as even better than advertised.
The next player on the list is an emerging star entering his senior season who’s getting a ton of NFL draft hype this offseason.
45. DI KRIS JENKINS, MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
Jenkins is a dominant run-stuffer in the middle of Michigan’s defensive line.
The junior’s 31 run-defense stops were tied for the most in the nation among interior defensive linemen, and his positively-graded run-defense rate was third among Power Five interior defensive linemen.
Ahead of Jenkins are No. 8 Jer’Zhan Newton of Illinois and Cincinnati’s Dontay Corleone at No. 41.
Jenkins is getting mocked in the first round of the NFL draft. ‘The Mutant’ was even compared by The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman as a Georgia-type of player.
Who’s missing?
While there are only five quarterbacks on the list (Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jordan Travis, Michael Penix Jr., and Bo Nix), we do feel that J.J. McCarthy could have made the cut, and if Michigan is going to do what’s expected, then its quarterback will need to be in the top group.
Donovan Edwards at running back also could have made the cut, but given that he’s splitting time with Corum, it’s not surprising he didn’t.
Zak Zinter would have been a worth inclusion as the team’s starting right guard; as would Drake Nugent at center. In fact, the author, Max Chadwick, told us on the Locked On Wolverines Podcast that he has Nugent as the No. 1 center in college football.
Who could make the cut at year’s end?
Our odds-on favorite is tight end Colston Loveland, who is garnering internal comparisons to Georgia’s Brock Bowers — No. 2 on this list.
Junior Colson has all the potential to be one of the nation’s top linebackers, but he needs to progress after a somewhat regressive year in 2022.
Safety Rod Moore has the potential to establish himself as the nation’s best at his position.
An offer for Wolverines fans
For the best local Detroit news, sports, entertainment and culture coverage, subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.
