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Even after a 9-win season and third-place finish in the Big Ten East Division, Jim Harbaugh believes his team remains on the precipice of doing great things. Michigan's head coach appeared on "The TK Show" podcast with The Athletic's Tim Kawakami last week, another outlet that provided Harbaugh an opportunity to promote his open letter pushing for change to the college football and NFL eligibility models. But Harbaugh was also asked about his five-year run at Michigan, where he has amassed an impressive 47-18 record but is without a Big Ten title game or College Football Playoff appearance to show for it.

"It's been years of just completely pouring myself and my heart and soul into this job, coaching guys and developing players and graduating players," Harbaugh said. "It's been great years. It's been great years." Then Harbaugh continued: "Always want to do better. Striving to be the best. Right now, I think our team is kind of on the cusp. We haven't gotten over the top and into the playoffs and the championship, and that's what drives us, what motivates us every day on the field and every day working toward that goal." - Ann Arbor News

(DS#5 ILB) rSo/2021

ILB *Cameron McGrone, Michigan
News Source: Ann Arbor News
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05/16/20 - Nick Eubanks, rSr/2021, Michigan, 6-5, 245 (DS#9 TE) + More +

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer doubled down Friday on her stance on fans attending sporting events this fall: No full stadiums until a vaccine is available. "We're going to be in a new normal for quite a while," Whitmer said during her weekly news conference, "and it doesn't mean that sports is over. Sports is not over." "We need a vaccine, and we need mass quantities available to be able to test and acknowledge we have some immunity built up. We're not there yet. Until that happens, I think all the organizers of these leagues understand how important it is that we act responsibly here."

Whitmer's response echoed her comments from a radio interview Tuesday, in which she stated she doesn't think capacity crowds at events will be allowed this fall. There are more than 50,000 cases of COVID-19 in Michigan and more than 5,000 people have died. Of those deaths, more than 2,000 come from Wayne County, where Detroit's major professional teams play. Right now, Michigan's stay-at-home order runs through May 28. - Lansing State Journal

(DS#9 TE) rSr/2021

TE Nick Eubanks, Michigan
News Source: Lansing State Journal
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05/16/20 - Chris Evans, rSr/2021, Michigan, 5-11, 211 (DS#21 RB) + More +

While Michigan is set to return a packed running back room this fall, there's one member who stands above the rest when it comes to experience and versatility. Chris Evans, sidelined during the 2019 season due to off-the-field academic issues, is back and figures to be integral part in the Wolverines' offense. It's a system that relies on quarterback reads, run-pass option tags and spacing the field. And rewards athletic playmakers, like Evans. "I remember being in this conference, seeing Chris play as a freshman and seeing the impact he was able to make early on," Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis said Thursday in a conference call with reporters. "He's got a unique skillset because of his versatility, not just as a runner but his ball skills, which are pretty elite for a guy at his position."

Evans doesn't possess breakaway speed, but he does have an innate ability to make defenders miss and break tackles. His 5-foot-11, 216-pound frame made him difficult to take down from 2016 to 2018, when Evans rushed for 1,722 yards and 14 touchdowns. A former four-star recruit from Indianapolis, Ind., Evans broke onto the scene as a true freshman, rushing for 614 yards and four touchdowns. He followed it up with 685 yards and six touchdowns in 2017, though with a much larger workload, and became a threat in the passing game when he caught 16 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown. Evans, whose rushing numbers dipped some (423 yards, 4 TDs), followed up with 18 catches for 148 yards and a touchdown in 2018. - Ann Arbor News

(DS#21 RB) rSr/2021

RB Chris Evans, Michigan
News Source: Ann Arbor News
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05/13/20 - Josh Uche, Sr/2020, Michigan, 6-1, 245 (DS#7 OLB) + More +

Josh Uche believed he could have returned to Michigan for more one season. As it turns out, his coach was lobbying for it. Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown said this week on the "In the Trenches" podcast that he pushed Uche, a second-round pick of the New England Patriots in April, to return to college for a fifth year. "Selfishly, I tried to get him to come back because I thought he would be like Josh Allen from Kentucky," Brown told host Jon Jansen. "Just continuing being more veteran as an outside linebacker. But obviously, you can't argue when he's in the second round, for sure."

Allen was the seventh overall pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, thanks in part because of a Heisman Trophy caliber season in 2018 in which he was named the SEC's Defensive Player of the Year and won the national Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Uche, meanwhile, reached second-team all-Big Ten status in 2019 after really exploding onto the scene in 2018. The 6-foot-1, 245-pound linebacker only appeared in four games during his freshman year, 2016, a season he said in December was cut short by a meniscus injury. That injury potentially made him eligible to retroactively apply for a medical redshirt, granting him a fifth year and the ability to play for Michigan in 2020. "They were petitioning for it, and I think I would have gotten it," Uche told reporters in the lead up to the Citrus Bowl. "I think I did, but I didn't even follow up." - Ann Arbor News

(DS#7 OLB) Sr/2020

OLB Josh Uche, Michigan
News Source: Ann Arbor News
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05/07/20 - Shea Patterson, Sr/2020, Michigan, 6-1, 212 (DS#18 QB) + More +

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has never been hesitant to challenge the rules that govern college athletics, particularly football. During this stay-at-home time during the COVID-19 pandemic, Harbaugh has designed three proposals that could re-shape the future for college football players by giving them more control over their careers. Among the proposals, Harbaugh suggests a player can declare for the NFL Draft after any season. If he is not selected in the first 224 picks of the draft, he could choose to return to college with his eligibility intact or sign an NFL free-agent contract and move on.

Harbaugh shared his thoughts Thursday afternoon in what he titled: "An Open Letter to the College Football Community," an opportunity, he suggested, to encourage discussion of the "evolving issues facing intercollegiate football." He wrote it is not unreasonable for college football players to feel their futures in professional football are hindered "given the rules currently in place." The idea of allowing an undrafted player to return to college has support from others around college football. "Let's find a way to let them come back," Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo said. "What is a good reason we're not letting them come back? I can't think of one." - Ann Arbor News

(DS#18 QB) Sr/2020

QB Shea Patterson, Michigan
News Source: Ann Arbor News
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05/06/20 - Ben Bredeson, Sr/2020, Michigan, 6-5, 315 (DS#5 OG) + More +

Ben Bredeson thought was done with all this. As a four-year starter on the offensive line at Michigan, he never beat Ohio State. And he figured he'd leave all that baggage behind when he got drafted in the NFL. Yet when the Baltimore Ravens made him a fourth-round pick in late April, Bredeson joined a draft class that features not one - but two - Buckeyes. Including one that he'll be blocking for - running back J.K. Dobbins - whenever the Ravens are able to get together on the practice field in preparation for the upcoming season. "Listen, whenever we played them, I just heard the name, 'J.K. Dobbins,' going over the loudspeaker over-and-over again," Bredeson said on a conference call Tuesday. "So, I'm happy that I'll be blocking for him now, because he's done enough damage against me." - Detroit News

(DS#5 OG) Sr/2020

OG Ben Bredeson, Michigan
News Source: Detroit News
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05/03/20 - Shea Patterson, Sr/2020, Michigan, 6-1, 212 (DS#18 QB) + More +

More than a week after going undrafted, Shea Patterson has found a home in the NFL. The only remaining unsigned free agent from Michigan was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, his agent, Bryan Ehrlich of Priority Athletes, confirmed to MLive. Patterson joins former teammates Mike Danna and Lavert Hill in Kansas City. Danna was a fifth-round selection of the Chiefs, while Hill was signed as a priority free agent.

The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Patterson faced an uphill battle in the draft given his low grade and a lack of demand for quarterbacks. Just 13 were taken over the course of the seven-round draft, leaving five still on the board by the end. A Shreveport, La., native, Patterson turned in two productive seasons at Michigan, but never seemed to hit that next gear. He threw for 2,600 yards and 22 touchdowns, completing 65 percent of his throws, in 2018 while guiding the Wolverines to a respectable 10-3 season. - Ann Arbor News

(DS#18 QB) Sr/2020

QB Shea Patterson, Michigan
News Source: Ann Arbor News
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04/26/20 - Michael Danna, Sr/2020, Michigan, 6-2, 257 (DS#31 DE) + More +

Mike Danna, a part-time starter at Michigan who did not receive an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine, has been drafted. The defensive end from Detroit was taken in the fifth round by the Kansas City Chiefs, No. 177, on Saturday, the final day of the 2020 NFL Draft. Danna is the fifth Michigan player to be drafted, joining Cesar Ruiz (Saints), Josh Uche (Patriots), Ben Bredeson (Ravens) and Khaleke Hudson (Redskins). Danna totaled 38 tackles (three for a loss) and had three sacks during the 2019 season at Michigan, his last stop of a productive collegiate career. One that included three seasons at Central Michigan, where he earned first-team all-Mid-American Conference honors in 2018. - Ann Arbor News

(DS#31 DE) Sr/2020

DE Michael Danna, Michigan
News Source: Ann Arbor News
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04/24/20 - *Cesar Ruiz, Jr/2020, Michigan, 6-3, 307 (DS#1 OG) + More +

Michigan center Cesar Ruiz felt certain he was a first-round NFL Draft selection, and he was right. Still, he was overcome with emotion when he heard his name called in the first round and broke down crying while surrounded by family at his home in New Jersey. Ruiz was taken by the New Orleans Saints with the 24th pick in the opening round of the draft on Thursday night. Michigan players have gone in the first round for two straight years, with Devin Bush and Rashan Gary last year and now Ruiz. "It's amazing, man," Ruiz said in a television interview Thursday night, according to NOLA.com. "I've worked my whole life for this. I work my tail off every single day. Day in and day out. And it's just an amazing feeling to hear my name called by the New Orleans Saints. It's amazing."

The draft continues Friday and Saturday, and there are a number of former Michigan players waiting to find out where they will continue playing football: left guard Ben Bredeson, right guard Michael Onwenu, left tackle Jon Runyan, quarterback Shea Patterson, tight end Sean McKeon, receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones, defensive end Mike Danna, safety Josh Metellus, cornerback Lavert Hill and linebackers Josh Uche, Khaleke Hudson and Jordan Glasgow. The 6-foot-3, 307-pound Ruiz, who had a year of eligibility left, had been gradually moving up in the first round of several mock drafts. "He was one of the better interior lineman I've seen in a while," Saints coach Sean Payton told reporters. "We knew we were choosing a real good football player." - Detroit News

(DS#1 OG) Jr/2020

OG *Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
News Source: Detroit News
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04/23/20 - *Cesar Ruiz, Jr/2020, Michigan, 6-3, 307 (DS#1 OG) + More +

With the 24th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints selected offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz from the University of Michigan. The 6-4, 316 lb junior was a three-year letterman at Michigan. He appeared in 36 games during his career, making 31 consecutive starting assignments to finish his career. Ruiz was named a two-time All-Big Ten selection: second team (coaches, 2019) and third team (media, 2019) after earning third-team honors from the coaches in 2018. - NewOrleansSaints.com

(DS#1 OG) Jr/2020

OG *Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
News Source: NewOrleansSaints.com
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04/19/20 - Shea Patterson, Sr/2020, Michigan, 6-1, 212 (DS#18 QB) + More +

When it comes to 2019 Michigan football, Shea Patterson might be the most polarizing player on the team to those on the outside. While Patterson boosted his passing numbers from a season ago, throwing for 461 more yards and an additional touchdown, the efficiency just wasn't there - plus, the Wolverines won fewer games. Was he the reason for it all? That remains up for debate. He turned the ball over more than ever before in 2019 and played through an injury to start the season, certainly hampering his effectiveness and contributing to some of the Wolverines' early woes. Regardless of your opinion on Patterson, the quarterback from Shreveport, La., has moved on from his collegiate career in hopes of making the leap to the NFL. He has a late-round projection at the moment in a crowded quarterback class that includes Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovaoila, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts and many others. For now, Patterson ranks below all of them - including Nate Stanley from Iowa, who threw for fewer yards and had a lower QB rating.

Patterson's had a unique path to the NFL draft, set for Thursday for Saturday, one that few others can say they have taken. A former five-star recruit, Patterson started his career at Ole Miss, where he showed a ton of promise and threw for 2,259 and 17 touchdowns in seven games as a sophomore. But NCAA rules violations resulted in sanctions, forcing Patterson to look elsewhere. A year and four-month fight with the NCAA over immediate eligibility later, Patterson was at Michigan and cleared to play right away. His name was all over the place; some folks said Patterson would be a Heisman Trophy candidate in 2018, others projected him as the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL draft. - Ann Arbor News

(DS#18 QB) Sr/2020

QB Shea Patterson, Michigan
News Source: Ann Arbor News
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04/14/20 - Michael Onwenu, Sr/2020, Michigan, 6-3, 344 (DS#17 OG) + More +

Mike Onwenu has long been listed by Michigan as 6-foot-3 and 350 pounds, even as his weight fluctuated in college. The massive offensive lineman from Detroit peaked near 370 pounds during his time in Ann Arbor, but Onwenu has shown determination to shed some of the excess weight. That was evident earlier this offseason, when he checked in at 362 pounds at the East-West Shrine Bowl in Florida in January, the heaviest participant in the game, then shed 18 pounds in time for the weigh-in at the NFL Scouting Combine in late February. "My weight is the biggest thing for me, so I'm happy about that," Ownenu told reporters in Indianapolis. "I've always been told I have long arms (34 3/8 inches), so being measured at that, having better numbers than some people that are taller than me or weigh less than me, that's a good thing. And the interviews have been good. It's been good talking to these coaches and picking their brain, too."

Don't let Onwenu's size fool you, either. He is one of the nicest and thoughtful players in the draft class, often taking the time to pause to collect his thoughts before answering a question. And he brings a contagious smile with him to any room he's in. "I have hard work and dedication," said Onwenu, who's projected as a potential Day 3 draft pick. "As you can see, my numbers been dropping, so I'm a player. I do what I have to do. That's my mindset. Whatever it is, I have to do it." If that means playing both sides of the ball, Onwenu is open to it. The Cass Tech High School graduate played in 46 games for Michigan from 2016 to 2019, starting 35 of them at the right or left guard spot along the offensive line. But he also has experience playing nose tackle on the defensive line, giving NFL teams options in how they could utilize Onwenu's size and ability. - Ann Arbor News

(DS#17 OG) Sr/2020

OG Michael Onwenu, Michigan
News Source: Ann Arbor News
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04/13/20 - Sean McKeon, Sr/2020, Michigan, 6-5, 242 (DS#14 TE) + More +

"I'm kind of an all-around tight end," McKeon said. "I'm not just a receiver or a blocker; I can do both. I feel like I'm probably one of the best tight ends at pass-setting or pass-blocking in my draft class, just because I've had so many reps at it. I kind of worked at that last season, too." McKeon departed Michigan with 60 catches for 668 yards and and six touchdowns, a prolific college career that saw him earn honorable mention all-Big Ten from the coaches and media in 2019. Yet his best season came in 2017, his sophomore year, when he caught an impressive 31 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns. The next year, 2018, saw McKeon share targets with Zach Gentry, a long, athletic tight end who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL draft.

It resulted in a significant dip in his receiving stats (14 catches, 122 yards), though he improved as an in-line blocker. In 2019, McKeon had fewer catches (13) while missing three games due to injury, hauling in an impressive 235 yards and two touchdowns, averaging more than 18 yards per catch. Michigan's new space-oriented offense allowed him to get open more down field, where McKeon thrives most in the passing game. And much like his predecessor Gentry, McKeon offers a unique skillset that could make him a mid-Day 3 pick. - Ann Arbor News

(DS#14 TE) Sr/2020

TE Sean McKeon, Michigan
News Source: Ann Arbor News
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04/12/20 - *Cesar Ruiz, Jr/2020, Michigan, 6-3, 307 (DS#1 OG) + More +

Michigan's Cesar Ruiz and Josh Uche are among the 48 prospects confirmed to participate in the NFL's virtual draft on April 23-25, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Ruiz, an offensive linemen, is a fringe first-round possibility, while Uche, a linebacker, is projected to be a second-round pick. - Ann Arbor News

(DS#1 OG) Jr/2020

OG *Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
News Source: Ann Arbor News
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04/10/20 - Nick Eubanks, rSr/2021, Michigan, 6-5, 245 (DS#9 TE) + More +

It's been nearly three months since Jim Harbaugh spoke to reporters, but he broke his silence amid the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday. Appearing on a podcast with Jay Nordlinger, childhood friend and senior editor of the conservative National Review magazine, the Michigan football coach said he's hopeful a college football season can be played this fall. "Hope and going to prepare," Harbaugh said. "I'm not going to give it one thought that it's not going to happen, because it's like being a quarterback. I learned that it's better to be prepared and not have the opportunity, than to not prepare and your chance comes and your opportunity comes and you're not prepared to do it. "You got to not have one thought that it won't happen."

But the novel coronavirus continues to wreak havoc in the United States, infecting more than 459,000 people, killing more than 16,500, as of Thursday afternoon, according to updated numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In mid-March, the Big Ten announced the suspension of all organized team activities, and since extended the suspension to May 4, wiping out the Wolverines' spring practice schedule. Michigan's coaches have been working from home ever since, talking over the phone and electronically, while doing their best to recruit. "Doing the virtual (thing)," Harbaugh said. "God has stopped the world from spinning, but doing things from home. Calls - like I see a lot of people doing - and also, just things with my kids. With coaching, there's so many hours a day that you work - and it's pretty much 365 days a year. So, I'm trying to make memories with my kids." - Ann Arbor News

(DS#9 TE) rSr/2021

TE Nick Eubanks, Michigan
News Source: Ann Arbor News
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