Happy College Football 27 Day to all who celebrate! After reviving the beloved franchise in 2024, this day in July has felt like Christmas come early for fans of the sport \u2014 an appetizer to temporarily satiate our hunger for next month\u2019s opening season kickoff.<\/p>\n
In honor of today\u2019s release, let\u2019s take a closer look at the roster of the Michigan Wolverines and discuss three accurate and three inaccurate player rankings.<\/p>\n
John Henry Daley being the highest-rated player on the team is a no-brainer. He is the only returning first-team All-American on the team and is coming off a monstrous season where he finished with 11.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss in just 11 games; both of which were top-seven in the country. The fact he is coming off an Achilles injury is the only reason he isn\u2019t higher than a 92.<\/p>\n
A healthy Rod Moore is, hands down, at least a 95-caliber player. The speed, ball skills, tackling and feel for coverage make him one of the best safeties in the country. However, a full healthy Moore hasn\u2019t played in multiple years. He being the third-highest-rated player on the team is fair \u2014 although he should be second, but more on that later \u2014 and he will have a chance to outplay his ranking if he can stay on the field.<\/p>\n
Andrew Sprague is tied with center Jake Guarnera as the top-rated lineman on the team. An honor he should individually hold, but nonetheless, Sprague is quietly building a resume worthy of the next great Michigan tackle. Sprague has allowed only one sack and has taken only two penalties in 383 pass-blocking snaps over the last two seasons. His run-blocking, although still above average, could use some polish. And if it continues to improve this season, he will be in consideration for first-team All-Big Ten.<\/p>\n
Are we watching the games? Among others, Zeke Berry is ranked below Nathan Efobi and Bryce Underwood, despite being one of only two returning Wolverines named to an All-Big Ten team last year. And the only returning defensive player to do so.<\/p>\n
Berry is the third-rated corner on Michigan\u2019s team, trailing Jyaire Hill (91)\u2014 whose PR team has a future in Washington \u2014 and transfer Smith Snowden (87). Let\u2019s take a look at the numbers over the last two years for all three players:<\/p>\n
Berry: 70 tackles; 2.5 TFLs; three interceptions; 19 pass deflections; one forced fumbleSnowden (Big 12): 85 tackles; six TFLs; four interceptions; 17 pass deflections; one forced fumbleHill: 71 tackles; 8.5 TFLs; two sacks; two interceptions; 13 pass deflections; one forced fumble<\/p>\n
Does this production justify a nine-point gap to Hill or a five-point gap to Snowden, whose numbers come from a vastly inferior conference? Sure, Hill has better NFL upside because of his frame, but Berry is a positional-versatile chess piece who has flashed playing corner, nickel, and safety the last two seasons.<\/p>\n
Berry sharing the same ranking with Andrew Babalola, who has never played one snap at Michigan and is coming off a season-ending injury as a freshman, makes zero sense. This ranking is for the player we saw for the first half of the season in 2024 and not the player he has developed into since.<\/p>\n
Seriously, are we watching the games? J.J. Buchanan is Michigan\u2019s WR2 with a bullet. Put it in Sharpie, lock it in, call your Kalshi guy\u2026 It\u2019s Buchanan. Yet, he is ranked as WR3, trailing Jaime Ffrench by two points and sharing a rating with two incoming freshmen \u2014 Malakai Lee and Alister Vallejo \u2014 and a generic-name-generated kicker due to NIL restrictions. In fact, Buchanan is closer to freshman receiver Travis Johnson than he is Ffrench.<\/p>\n
*deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep breath*<\/p>\n
The numbers aren\u2019t even a conversation between the two. Ffrench has one career catch for six yards, while Buchanan was the leading freshman pass-catcher in the Big 12 last season with 26 catches for 427 yards and five touchdowns. Moreover, he put up these numbers in Jason Beck\u2019s offense, giving him a leg up on all other pass catchers on the team in terms of familiarity. With experience in the system, an uncontested power-forward receiver role, and a competent quarterback, Buchanan could finish the season closer to Andrew Marsh statistically than Ffrench.<\/p>\n
Okay, what the hell, guys? Chase Taylor is ranked the same as defensive tackle Chibi Anwunah and trails players such as wide receiver Jamar Browder, quarterback Brady Smigiel (BRADY SMIGIEL) and punter Cameron Brown. He is the fifth-highest rated Michigan linebacker in the game, despite likely being the starting middle linebacker to open the season.<\/p>\n
Taylor has the size at 6-foot-2, 237 pounds, and he has transformed his body to be ready to step into a starting role. And the only thing growing faster than Taylor is the chip on his shoulder.<\/p>\n