U-M's Junior Colson Primed For Breakout Season

He may not be a household name for Michigan fans just yet, but that will almost certainly change by the time the 2022 season comes to a close.

For a defensive unit that is looking to replace three potential first-round picks and its defensive coordinator, there's no question that the Wolverines will be looking for new faces to fill big roles. 

During our discussion with U-M's Andrel Anthony, JJ McCarthy and Donovan Edwards, I asked if there was any player they could think of - particularly on the defensive side of the ball - that was primed for a breakout season. Their response was unanimous: Junior Colson. 

"Junebug," said McCarty with a smirk on his face. 

"Of course, Junior Colson - he was already named an All-American. We know the type of style, the physicality he brings. He's one of those guys that is always bringing it." 

During his freshman campaign, Colson began to earn more and more reps on Saturdays as the season progressed. He made his first career start at linebacker during the week seven matchup with Northwestern. From there, Colson would go on to have big performances in several big matchups throughout the 2021 season, including six tackles against Michigan State (Oct. 30), a career-high 12 tackles against Penn State (Nov. 13), and five tackles as a starter against Georgia in the CFP Semifinal (Dec. 31).

For his efforts, Colson would be named Freshman All-American by the Maxwell Football Club.

The Wolverines are certainly going to need every bit of what Colson brings to the table in 2022, particularly given the fact that they'll need to replace seven key pieces of the defensive unit from 2021.