20 For 20: Which Sophomore Makes The Biggest Leap?

Players often make a huge jump from freshman to sophomore year. Which sophomore makes the biggest leap for the Wolverines in 2020?

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Michigan's 2019 recruiting class was ranked No. 8 in the country according to 247Sports.com and a few guys saw the field as rookies last year. In 2020, several are expected to make a big jump and contribute in a major way. Which true sophomore do you think steps up the most? Let's look at the candidates...

We heard a ton about tight end Erick All last year throughout the spring and fall but it never materialized on the field. All played in 11 games as a true freshman but finished the year with just one catch for 10 yards. With Sean McKeon off to the NFL and Mustapha Muhammad out of the program via transfer, All is one of probably three tight ends who will play this fall, along with Nick Eubanks and Luke Schoonmaker. Because of that, he'll have to be more involved than he was last year and that should result in a pretty big jump.

It's tough for offensive linemen to crack the lineup as freshmen, which is why only one played for Michigan last year. Karsen Barnhart was the only true freshman offensive lineman to see the field last year and it was rare. Offensive line coach Ed Warinner likes Barnhart a lot, which could turn into playing time for the Paw Paw native. Barnhart was listed at 6-4, 301 as a true freshman, so he's now big enough to contribute. Throw in his versatility and athleticism and he's got a shot to earn one of the top five spots up front. Barnhart's classmate, Zach Carpenter, seems to be the odds on favorite to win the starting center job at this point. At 6-5, 320 pounds he's definitely big enough and has been billed as the strongest lineman on the team. 

Daxton Hill is my pick for breakout sophomore. He's obviously supremely talented as a former five-star recruit and top safety in the country. Down the stretch he wasn't coming off the field for Michigan and he likely won't in 2020 hardly at all. In limited playing time as a freshman, Hill showed what made him such a coveted high school prospect. He's extremely fast, smooth and rangy and is a natural playmaker. He recorded 36 tackles, including three for loss, and also had an interception and two fumble recoveries. People often talk about that "it" factor, and Hill has it. I think he blows up in 2020 and stuffs the stat sheet all over the field.

Michigan is going to be thin in the middle of its defensive line, which is why Christopher Hinton and Mazi Smith need to step up in a big way. Hinton finished the season playing a lot and is ready for a starting role. Smith, on the other hand, only made an appearance in one game and really needs to find another level. Hinton finished the year with 10 tackles in 2019. I actually expect that number to potentially triple in 2020. Carlo Kemp, for instance, recorded 40 tackles last year from his defensive tackle position and Hinton is better than Kemp, at least in terms of athleticism and size, but as a sophomore he's still figuring it out. Smith is the heaviest defensive lineman on the team at 305 pounds, so it would be nice if he can take a massive jump. If he can, U-M's defensive line is suddenly in much better shape than it looks to be on paper right now.

With Donovan Peoples-Jones off to the NFL and Tarik Black on his way out via transfer, Giles Jackson, Cornelius Johnson and Mike Sainristil are all going to put up better numbers than they did as freshmen by default. Jackson and Sainristil had nearly identical numbers during their rookie campaigns. Jackson was technically more productive with nine catches for 142 yards and a score and an additional 70 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Jackson also had a kick return touchdown against Maryland. Sainristil finished with eight catches for 145 yards and a touchdown. Both showed a ton of ability in the open field and are poised for big jumps in 2020. Johnson only had four catches for 61 yards and a touchdown but at 6-3, 209 pounds, he brings something different to the field than the smaller Jackson and Sainristil, which could mean a different set of snaps for him.

Potential viper candidate Anthony Solomon is a wildcard. He played in 11 games as a true freshman mostly on special teams. He only recorded one tackle on the season so a bump is pretty much inevitable. Will he battle for the starting viper position? It's possible. It seems to be Mike Barrett's to lose but we haven't seen much of him there either. He played in all 12 games but recorded just seven tackles in his own right.

I left running back Zach Charbonnet off the list on purpose because I just can't see a big jump simply because he was so good as a freshman. I don't think he'll have a year that's much more productive and actually wouldn't be surprised if it took a hit due to Chris Evans' return. I still think he'll be very good, but don't see him taking the big leap some of these other guys might.

Who is your pick? Which player makes the biggest jump and what does that look like? Comment below!!!