Two second-year defensive starters become All-Americans
Though he’s certainly capable and in the running for this one, we’re not putting senior cornerback Ambry Thomas here — though we think he could have a Jourdan Lewis-esque senior campaign.
The two players we particularly have an eye on are redshirt sophomore linebacker Cam McGrone — who showcased a Devin Bush-like sideline-to-sideline propensity — and sophomore safety Daxton Hill, who just got his feet wet in 2019 as a true freshman.
Both have superior athleticism and instincts, but only played verified true college football for the first time last year. We’ve seen how big of jumps players can take going from their first year of contribution to their second. Both have incredible talent and will be circled on every opponent’s game plan. The good news for the Wolverines is that the defense should once again be loaded, with very few weak points — which will help both show out that much more.
This might be the biggest reach, given it’s essentially saying both will be the best at their positions in 2020, but given their potential, we think they have a good shot.