Bruce Feldman released his annual college football Freaks List, and a Wolverine claimed the top spot.

The Athletic employs Feldman, but his career as a college football insider stretches across decades, including nearly two decades of curating the Freaks List.

"My premise was to spotlight the players who generate buzz inside their programs by displaying the unique physical abilities that wow even those who observe gifted athletes every day," Feldman said. "The Freaks list is compiled with the help of many coaches, players, and sports information directors, as well as NFL scouts from all over the nation."

Three different players from Michigan's 2022 roster made the cut, including certified Freak Mazi Smith sitting on the throne.

"The 6-foot-3, 337-pound senior has rare power and agility. So rare, in fact, it's hard to find the right superlative to begin with," Feldman said.

In his visit to Ann Arbor, Feldman watched as Smith repped 325 pounds on the bench press 22 times and close-grip benched 550 pounds. Smith is so strong that U-M Director of Strength & Conditioning Ben Herbert had to hire a private company to alter a machine so they could add more weight specifically for the mammoth interior lineman.

His athleticism separates him from being a Freak to being thee Freak.

"Smith clocked a 4.41 shuttle time, which would've tied the best by any defensive tackle at this year's NFL Scouting Combine, and it would've been better than any defensive tackle weighing 310 pounds or more in the past decade," Feldman wrote. "His 6.95 3-cone time would've been by far the fastest among defensive tackles in Indianapolis. The fastest was 7.33. Smith's 60-yard shuttle time is 11.90."

Herbert told Feldman that Smith is the strongest defensive lineman he's seen in 25 years in the business.

Despite not being a recognizable name outside Michigan circles, Welschof's trimmed weight and international athletic profile make him an intriguing choice as a potential breakout star for the Wolverines in 2022.

Another reason for intrigue? He's the seventh-most freak-ish player in college football, according to Feldman.

"Welschof has been on our radar since before he arrived at Michigan. European super scout Brandon Collier has been buzzing about him and his Freakish ability for years. Back then, Welschof was a 6-6, 220-pound former champion moguls skier from Germany doing backflips on his skis and walking 50 yards on his hands," Feldman wrote. "Since arriving in Ann Arbor, Welschof has dazzled his teammates with his athleticism."

After losing 22 pounds this offseason, the German native is all set to battle for a spot on the edge of Michigan's defense alongside seniors Mike Morris and Taylor Upshaw with competition from Jaylen Harrell, Derrick Moore, and a host of others.

Feldman notes how similarly athletic Welschof is to former Wolverine and No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson.

"The most amazing numbers posted by former Wolverine Freak Aidan Hutchinson were his shuttle times. Hutchinson did 6.73 in the 3-cone drill in Indy (sixth fastest among all players there). Hutchinson clocked a 6.54 last offseason in Ann Arbor. Herbert said Welschof ran a 6.76 this offseason. He’s also done a 4.19 in the 20-yard shuttle — only Hutchinson’s 4.15 was faster among D-linemen and linebackers in Indy. Hutchinson was the first athlete Herbert ever witnessed do a “Turkish Get-Up” with 135 pounds and no collars (to lock on the plates) in a quarter-century working in college weight rooms. This offseason, Welschof did it with a 160-pound dumbbell “like it was effortless.”

Turner went from rotational corner for most of last season to PFF's No. 6 cornerback in college football ahead of the 2022 season.

"A former three-star recruit who has made big strides in Ann Arbor, Turner’s grown from 177 pounds to 187 and is coming off a strong year," Feldman wrote. "He is the fastest guy on the Wolverines, having hit 23.07 mph on the GPS and run a 4.28 40 — out of a two-point stance, no less. His 3-cone time is even more stunning. He clocked a 6.29 this offseason, and strength coaches think he has a good shot at besting the combine record of 6.28, set in 2018 by Oklahoma’s Jordan Thomas."

As of one of the participants at Big Ten Media Days for the Wolverines, Turner has a chance to be a captain in the annual team vote.

Regardless, he is the team's top corner with a chance to be one of the NFL Draft's top corner prospects in 2023.

Just a true freshman, Grant's physical attributes, from his measurables to his testing numbers, have been all the rage during fall camp.

"Remember this name. He was only ranked a three-star recruit coming out of Indiana, but he's already generated a lot of buzz inside the Wolverines program in a few months there. At 6-4, 360, he ran a sub-5.0 40, Jim Harbaugh told The Athletic this month. Ben Herbert, the UM strength coach who has trained more than his share of Freaks, said Grant has "incredible traits" and "is likely to be a No. 1 (Freak)" down the line if he applies himself."

In the same plyo staircase test that Smith flew through in 2.82 seconds and Hutchinson in 2.57, Grant's fastest is 2.77. At 360 pounds, he's 83 pounds heavier than Hutch.

The former three-star is a freshman, folks. 18 years old. He's hardly scratched the surface.

Scary hours.

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