Replacing Three Wolverines Who Played A Ton In 2022

Michigan is completely stacked across the board, but that doesn't mean that Jim Harbaugh doesn't have to replace some big time contributors.

Michigan returns 81% of its total production from the 2022 season, which is a ton, but some really good players are now gearing up for life in the NFL. Because of that, some newcomers are going to need to step up and play a lot more snaps than they did last year. Three Wolverines in particulars played as many snaps as anyone on the team last year and will definitely have to be replaced in several ways.

1. DJ Turner — 746 snaps

No one played more snaps than Turner during the 2022 season. Turner always played fast while in Ann Arbor, but it was 4.26 official 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine that really turned heads. He can obviously run and he proved to the Michigan coaches that he can cover all types of receivers as well. He had a pick six and a scoop and score while in Ann Arbor, showing that he's dangerous with the ball in his hands as well, and should translate nicely to the next level. The blazing fast cover man was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round, 60th overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft, which pairs him back up with former Wolverine Daxton Hill.

Luckily for Michigan, a future first rounder in Will Johnson played 488 snaps in 2022 — good for 8th on the team and the second most by any cornerback. Johnson is CB1 heading into the 2023 season and is already viewed as one of the best covermen in all of college football. Turner was fast and clearly valuable, but the Wolverines will not miss a beat with No. 2 in the No. 1 spot.

2. Mazi Smith — 632 snaps

Christopher Breiler

Big, strong, fast, athletic and dependable. Those traits describe Mazi Smith perfectly and are the reasons why he played 632 snaps in 2022, which is a ton for a 330-pound interior defensive lineman. To put it into perspective, there were three other defensive tackles selected in the first round — Georgia's Jalen Carter at No. 9, Pittsburgh's Kalijah Cancey at No. 19 and Clemson's Bryan Bresee at No. 30. During the 2022 season, Carter played 392 snaps, Cancey played 454 and Bresee played just 330. To put it bluntly, Smith is a beastly workhorse that you can count on. Smith finished the year with 48 tackles including 2.5 for loss and a half a sack. The numbers aren't necessarily eye popping, but Smith as a prospect is and that's why he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the first wound with the 26th overall pick. 

Replacing him is going to be tough, but luckily for Harbaugh and Co. a couple true freshman defensive tackles played a lot of snaps last year as well. Mason Graham logged 303 snaps, while Kenneth Grant played 104 of his own. Throw in an extremely versatile guy like Kris Jenkins, who played 536 snaps and can definitely play head up over a center if you need him to, and you have plenty of capable and experienced bodies to throw into the interior of a defensive line in order to replace Mazi.

3. Gemon Green — 463 snaps

Gemon Green didn't get drafted, but he did sign an undrafted free agent deal with the New York Giants but will have an uphill battle to stick in a crowded cornerback room. Still, he played a lot for Michigan last year but did begin to lose some ground to charging freshman Will Johnson. By the end of the year, Johnson was on the field with Turner more than Green was. However, now both Green and Turner are gone leaving a spot wide open opposite Johnson.

Enter UMass transfer Josh Wallace. The former Minuteman committed to Michigan in late-June immediately giving the Wolverines an experienced, NFL-prospect type of player to go opposite rising star Will Johnson. During his time at UMass, Wallace played more than 2,000 snaps. Last year, he really shined, which is why he decided to test out the portal. During the 2022 season, Wallace had two interceptions and seven pass breakups. All told, Wallace has racked up 140 tackles, three interceptions, and 28 pass breakups during his time in Amherst. Ironically, Wallace's best statistical season last year was under first-year UMass head coach — Don Brown. Now, he'll rock the winged helmet and should be able to more than fill in for a departed Green.