The Wolverines Most Likely To Skip A Potential Spring Season

The Big Ten, along with the Pac-12 and other conferences, have postponed all fall sports and will explore the possibility of playing in the spring.

Those decisions leave players across the country with decisions to make. We've seen it already with redshirt sophomore right tackle Jalen Mayfield, projected as a first-round pick by some, bolting for the NFL this week.

Do they play? Opt out of the spring and wait for the fall? Leave school and train for the NFL Draft?

Those are the questions the players and their families are facing. Meanwhile, there's plenty of questions to be answered by leaders in college and pro sports in the (hopefully) near future, such as when a potential spring season would begin and if the NFL would move back its draft to accommodate players who do compete in the spring.

Another key issue is what the NCAA will decide to do with eligibility. Nothing is set in stone, but the Division I Council recommended that the board of directors grant student-athletes impacted by the coronavirus pandemic an extension of their five-year period of eligibility and an additional season of competition if they participate in 50 percent or less of the maximum number of competitions allowed in each sport under NCAA rules.

Here, we turn our attention to the Michigan football players who have pressing decisions to make and break down who is most likely to skip the spring season if (and that's a big if) it comes to fruition.

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In ESPN expert Todd McShay's most recent mock draft, he had senior Nico Collins as the sixth wideout selected in 2021 at No. 18 overall. That's the first projection showing Collins off the board in the first round.

At 6-foot-4, Collins would've been drafted last season had he chose to leave, but he opted to return to Ann Arbor to hone his skills and take one more shot at winning championships for the Maize and Blue. It appears as if he's regarded as an even higher pick this time around, which is huge for Collins and makes it an easier decision to go all-in on NFL Combine preparation starting, well, immediately.

Unfortunately for Wolverines' fans (and quarterbacks) who enjoyed seeing Collins come down with jump balls, they've likely seen the last of it in The Big House.

Senior defensive end Kwity Paye was primed for a breakout senior season before the cancellation. The Athletic's Bruce Feldman pegged Paye as the 'No. 1 freak in college football,' citing his athletic ability that he's displayed during combine drills at Michigan workouts as the primary reason why.

PFF tabbed Paye as the No. 6 edge prospect in the 2021 draft, saying he'll be picked "relatively high," while also noting that the 2020 season was going to be extremely important for his stock.

"No one on this list had more to gain from the 2020 season than Paye, and, in turn, no player had more to lose by it being canceled," PFF's Michael Renner wrote when assessing edge defender prospects. "... It will be interesting to see if Paye participates in the Senior Bowl, as he needs live reps to up his stock."

While Paye is currently working out with the Wolverines, at least for the time being, it's more than likely he moves on to the next level, though his mind isn't made up just yet.

"COVID messed everything up," Paye told the Detroit Free Press this week. "I feel like I’m NFL ready. Last year, I could’ve been alright, but this year, I feel prepared for sure.”

Senior cornerback Ambry Thomas is another who could've benefitted greatly from one final season in Ann Arbor. He'll likely get drafted if he leaves, but his stock could have risen mightily with the opportunity to put more on film as a senior. Maybe the lack of fall football will entice him to either play in a spring season or return for the fall of 2021.

On top of that, Thomas was primed for a leadership role this season. He proclaimed after Michigan's loss to Alabama in the Citrus Bowl that he was determined to bring more accountability to the club in 2020.

"Going into next year, I see what we really have to work on and what has to be brought to light," Thomas said. "Everyone has to get held accountable on their mistakes, and that's something that we really didn't do this year. When somebody messes up, we usually say, 'OK, next play.' Everyone has to be held accountable. Next season that's something we really have to emphasize."

Will his unfinished business in Ann Arbor be enough for him to return? Only time will tell.

All options are on the table for junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, his father, Chris, said last week about what his son may choose to do next. An unprecedented time calls for deep consideration of each and every choice he has in front of him.

Hutchinson broke out last season as a sophomore, with 68 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, six pass breakups, four quarterback hurries, and two forced fumbles on the year. He was ready for more in 2020.

"I was expecting Aidan to have a big year," Chris Hutchinson said on 97.1 The Ticket's The Morning Show. "The way he’s changed his body … he was ready to take the Big Ten by storm and potentially set him up to succeed and fulfill his goals of being a first-round draft pick."

Even if there is a spring slate, Hutchinson could choose to opt out and play for the Wolverines in 2020. He could also join Mayfield as being an early entrant in the NFL Draft, forgoing his final season of eligibility for the Maize and Blue. He was another with much to gain from a season this fall.

What Hutchinson will choose to do may be the most difficult to predict out of each of the players listed.

Fifth-year senior defensive tackle and returning captain Carlo Kemp was granted one final year of eligibility after last season. He's viewed as undersized at his position and as one who still needs to prove more before an NFL club takes a chance on him.

The case of fifth-year senior tight end Nick Eubanks is an interesting one, too. He has shown flashes of brilliance as a pass catcher down the field, posting 25 catches for 234 yards and four touchdowns in 2019, but 2020 was set to be his year as 'the guy' at the tight end spot for the Wolverines, a final campaign to put it all together.

We could imagine both Kemp and Eubanks as Wolverines who would consider playing in the spring in hopes they impresses scouts and front offices enough to be taken in the NFL Draft. As it stands now, they're fringe prospects on the outside looking in.

Either could play in the spring, sit out and wait for the fall or declare for the pros now and take their shot.

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