A Complete Breakdown Of Michigan's 2020 Football Roster By Position

Both the Michigan Wolverines' football team and college programs in general will be faced with a unique personnel situation moving forward, with the NCAA Division 1 Board of Directors having ruled in August to give an extra year of collegiate competition to all fall athletes.

Players who would have been seniors and fifth-year seniors in 2020, for example, can now return to their respective schools once again in 2021, with their presence not counting against their team's 85-scholarship limit.

Attempting to predict what Michigan's roster will look like come next fall is incredibly difficult, seeing as how we don't know which veteran athletes will take advantage of this new rule and return to Ann Arbor, and which will move on and begin their pro careers.

Below is a look, however, at what U-M's current roster looks like and a layout of the team as a whole if they were to somehow hit the gridiron this fall, and takes into account the recent departures of redshirt sophomore right Jalen Mayfield and senior cornerback Ambry Thomas to the NFL.

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Michigan's quarterback room should be in outstanding shape for years to come, especially once Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star J.J. McCarthy joins the fold prior to the 2021 campaign.

Both redshirt junior Dylan McCaffrey and redshirt sophomore Joe Milton could potentially each still be around in 2021, with one of the two heavily expected to win the starting job the next time the Wolverines take the field.

McCaffrey and Milton were each four-star prospects out of high school, as was Cade McNamara, who will be a redshirt freshman the next time Michigan hits the gridiron.

Just like with the quarterback situation above, Michigan's running back room looks to be in phenomenal shape for the foreseeable future as well. Fifth-year senior Chris Evans and senior Ben Mason — a fullback — will be the only bonafide veterans of the group, with the position's top two contributors — Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins — residing as a sophomore and redshirt sophomore, respectively, in 2020.

Freshman Blake Corum is expected to be a contributor from day one in a Michigan uniform, making it especially exciting to think about what an explosive youngster like him could accomplish in five on-field seasons in a the winged helmet.

Whether or not senior Nico Collins chooses to stick around for the ensuing campaign will be the primary topic of conversation surrounding Michigan's wide receiver group. The unit as a whole is loaded with youth, with five of the seven members standing as sophomores or younger in 2020.

It seems unlikely that Collins would stick around for two more seasons, but junior Ronnie Bell certainly could, which would continue Michigan's potency at the position alongside the likes of current sophomores Giles Jackson, Cornelius Johnson and Mike Sainristil.

Fifth-year senior Nick Eubanks seemed quite open to the idea of playing either a winter or spring season when he spoke to the media two weeks ago, which would give U-M a much-needed veteran presence at the spot.

Redshirt sophomore Luke Schoonmaker and sophomore Erick All will likely be the primary contributors at tight end following Eubanks' departure, though both of them are thin on experience.

They have just three combined receptions but are both expected to eventually become productive pass catchers, while freshman Matt Hibner is thought to someday excel as both a blocker and a pass catcher at the position.

Redshirt sophomore right tackle Jalen Mayfield's early departure to the NFL was a blow here, with U-M now having to replace all five of its 2019 offensive line starters. It's safe to assume redshirt sophomore Ryan Hayes and redshirt junior Andrew Stueber — the two most experienced players along the offensive front — will earn starting jobs the next time the Wolverines hit the field, despite the fact they have just four combined starts between them.

Having an extra year may not pay more dividends at any other spot than it will along the offensive line, seeing as how position coach Ed Warinner faces a complete rebuild with nine of his 14 scholarship players standing as redshirt freshmen or younger.

Senior Kwity Paye and junior Aidan Hutchinson have not yet announced whether they'll stick around in Ann Arbor or pursue their NFL dreams, with the state of the position as a whole largely resting on their shoulders.

Experience is close to nonexistent behind the aforementioned duo, with redshirt junior Luiji Vilain being the next most experienced player of the bunch (despite the fact he has hardly ever seen the field at U-M).

If Paye and Hutchinson both choose to return for at least one more season, it would allow the youngsters behind them on the depth chart to be brought along more gradually and not be thrown into the fire long before they're ready.

Sophomore Chris Hinton's parents had expressed in the past their son may not play in 2020 due to health concerns, which would be a significant blow to the defensive tackle spot as a whole.

Fifth-year senior Carlo Kemp receiving a retroactive redshirt for his freshman campaign of 2016 and being allowed to come back was a massive boost for the position, with the 2019 captain recently telling the media his focus is on helping Michigan win the next time it takes the field (and not the NFL).

Kemp's vocalized love for U-M and uncertain pro future make him the perfect candidate to potentially return to Ann Arbor not only in 2020, but also in 2021 in what would basically be a sixth-year senior season.

This group is in very good shape heading into 2020, despite the losses of Khaleke Hudson, Jordan Glasgow and Josh Uche from last year's squad. Redshirt junior linebacker Josh Ross' return from injury should provide the unit with a boost, while redshirt sophomore Cam McGrone appears primed to become one of the best linebackers in the Big Ten, and perhaps even the country.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect surrounding the depth is what the coaches will do with redshirt freshman David Ojabo, who was converted over from defensive end; early reports have indicated him serving a role similar to the one Uche played the last few years.

Senior Ambry Thomas' early departure to the NFL was a significant blow here, as it leaves redshirt sophomore Vincent Gray as the only cornerback on the roster with any significant game experience.

It remains to be seen whether or not Gray is ready to serve as Michigan's No. 1 cornerback, but even bigger concerns lie at the position opposite him. Redshirt freshman D.J. Turner seems to be the most likely candidate to earn the starting job, with freshman Andre Seldon perhaps having a leg up on landing the team's nickelback role.

There are no concerns whatsoever with the starting duo, with senior Brad Hawkins and sophomore Daxton Hill making up arguably the best safety tandem in the entire Big Ten.

Hill possessing an extra year down the road is a nice luxury, but is unlikely to come to fruition when considering the immense pro potential he has. Depth behind the aforementioned duo is inexperienced but quite talented, with three of the expected backups (redshirt freshman Quinten Johnson and freshmen Jordan Morant and Makari Paige) having been rated as four-star prospects out of high school.

It's feasible that several of Michigan's specialists take advantage of the extra year they've been given and return once again in 2021, including fifth-year senior kicker Quinn Nordin and fifth-year senior punter Will Hart.

NFL futures can be spotty for special teamers, and none of the players on the chart above have seen their bodies take a beating during their college careers. U-M is already in an envious spot with its kickers and punters, and could continue to be for the next several years.

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