Big Ten Media Days are underway in Indianapolis. This year, Jim Harbaugh has chosen four seniors to represent the Wolverines. In the past, these choices can sometimes be a preview of future captains for the upcoming season. Let's take a look at the four players, their careers at Michigan, and why their leadership has earned them this honor.

Cade McNamara is the last man standing from last year's leadership group that guided Michigan to a Big Ten Championship. Along with captains Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Ross, McNamara and Hassan Haskins were seen as the team's core leaders.

McNamara was the starting quarterback for Michigan in 2021 but saw freshman JJ McCarthy earn more meaningful snaps as the season progressed. McNamara has not been named the starter for 2022 and is expected to compete with McCarthy for the starting job this fall.

McNamara is the first quarterback Jim Harbaugh has brought to Big Ten media days. If McNamara is elected a captain he would be the first QB captain for the Wolverines since Devin Gardner in 2014.

Mazi Smith is the only returning starter for Michigan's defensive front. With Hutchinson, David Ojabo, and fellow DT Christopher Hinton off to the NFL.

Smith started and played in all 14 games for the Wolverines in 2021. A force inside, Smith's ability to attract multiple linemen on the inside helped free Hutchinson and Ojabo's pass rush. In 2022, Michigan will expect Smith to lead the defensive line and impact the passing game more by generating his own pressure.

Defensive tackle is not a rare position for a Michigan captain with Carlo Kemp serving as captain in 2019 and 2020. Another former captain that Smith has been getting comparisons to is 2017 captain Maurice Hurst. If Smith can have an impact close to what Mo had, then big things are coming for the senior DT.

Erick All chose to return to Ann Arbor instead of declaring for the NFL Draft after having a breakout season at TE.

All has had high expectations since arriving in Ann Arbor when Jim Harbaugh declared All could be one of the best tight ends to play at Michigan. After putting it together last season, the rest of the football world agrees with Harbaugh, including the Mackey Foundation who put All on the Mackey Award Watch List for 2022.

The expectations of All, who can play more like a large wide receiver at times, are drawing comparisons to another former Michigan captain TE, Jake Butt.

DJ Turner was one of the better stories of the 2021 Michigan Wolverines. Turner was a top recruit from IMG Academy and he came to Ann Arbor with expectations of being the next great lockdown corner. In his first two seasons, however, Turner was struggling to make an impact and saw only limited action in the secondary in 2020.

2021 was a breakout season for Turner as he rose from a member of the two-deep to starting CB2 to one of the best statistical cover corners in the Big Ten by season's end. He is the clear CB1 for the 2022 Wolverines and will be instrumental to new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter's plan to create pressure on the quarterback with excellent pass coverage.

Turner took a huge step on the field last season and word out of camp is he has also taken a big step off the field as a leader. If named a captain, he would be the first cornerback since Courtney Avery in 2013 to earn the honor.

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