Michigan had seven players named to Pro Football Focus’ Big Ten Offensive and Defensive Teams of the Week after their performances in U-M’s 27-20 overtime win at Indiana.
Leading the way for the second straight week is fifth-year senior defensive tackle Maurice "Mo" Hurst Jr. who also made the PFF National Team of the Week. He posted a 97.4 rating out of 100, good for second highest in the nation. Last week he led the country with a 98.0 rating against Michigan State.
“Maurice Hurst is probably the best player in the country regardless of position right now,” PFF Analyst Josh Liskiewitz said. “There’s no other way to put it at this point.”
Liskiewitz is responsible for much of the site’s Big Ten content and has scouted Michigan numerous times this season.
“He’s just dominant in every single phase,” Liskiewitz said. “He reminds me of Gerald McCoy when he was at Oklahoma in that he’s just completely unblockable up front. Explosive first step and guys just can’t stay with him.”
McCoy was the No. 3 overall pick in 2010 by the Tampa Bay Bucs.
He said that the one issue for Hurst is that he doesn’t always finish consistently, but that the rest of Michigan’s defense is so good that it is able to clean up when Hurst can’t. In the NFL, he views Hurst as a 4-3 three technique defensive tackle, similar to what Aaron Donald plays for the Los Angeles Rams.
Michigan State senior center Brian Allen is one of PFF’s highest rated centers in the nation, and Liskiewitz said Hurst “chewed him up and spit him out.”
“I would be stunned at this point if he wasn’t a top 15 pick,” Liskiewitz said. “When we do our next batch of top 32 draft prospects, he’s probably going to be No. 1 overall. Especially considering the quarterback play has been a disappointment throughout the country.”
At worst, he said he’d be top five in those rankings next week.
“Maurice Hurst has been as dominant as any player in the country at his position,” Liskiewitz said. “That’s a premium position as far as the NFL is considered. Solomon Thomas is nothing compared to Maurice Hurst, and he went No. 3 overall last year.”
Hurst isn’t the only Michigan player that has improved his draft stock. Redshirt junior defensive end Chase Winovich, who also made this week’s PFF Big Ten Defensive Team of the Week with a rating of 88.9, has become a top 100, day two NFL prospect according to Liskiewitz.
“I think he’s just turned himself into a hell of a player,” Liskiewitz said. “He’s one of the better tackling defensive ends in the entire country.”
The other five Michigan players that made the team this week are sophomore offensive guard Michael Onwenu (81.6), junior running back Karan Higdon (83.3), sophomore linebacker Devin Bush Jr. (87.3), sophomore cornerback Lavert Hill (88.0) and junior safety Tyree Kinnel (83.6).
It’s the second time this season that Onwenu, Bush, Winovich and Kinnel have made the team. Hurst has made it five times.
Onwenu has stood out on tape to Liskiewitz. He struggled “majorly” in run blocking against Florida and had pass blocking problems versus Cincinnati, but has turned it around since then and has given up only two quarterback hurries.
“He’s completely turned around,” Liskiewitz said. “He’s pretty consistently been Michigan’s best run blocker.”
PFF’s ratings are based on a variety of factors each week. Analysts watch every snap of every game and give scores on each play. If a player does his job, and does not go above or below expectations, they get a zero. If they make a solid play, they get a small markup and a larger markup for an excellent play.
On defense, hurries and stops are large factors as is how quickly a player beats his block. For example, if Winovich beats his block quickly and forces the opposing quarterback to scramble to the other side where he is sacked by sophomore defensive tackle Rashan Gary, Gary gets a small markup, while Winovich gets a larger one because the reason Gary was able to get the sack was due to Winovich’s play. There are other statistical factors as well.
A stop is counted if a tackle is made within three yards on first down, less than 50 percent of the yardage needed for a first on second down and is given if a tackle is made forcing fourth down. More information can be found on PFF’s website.
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