12. Ryan Hayes
There’s no player on this list that we expect to move up more than Ryan Hayes. Just not this season.
Hayes acquitted himself well as the surprise starter at left tackle in the first two games of 2019 — with Jon Runyan Jr. out with injury — and it’s been a long road for the former Traverse City (MI) tight end to physically get to the point where he could play the highlight offensive line position.
We’ve been told over the course of his career that he has the tools to be an all-time great at Michigan, but that he just needed to physically get there. That said, he might be there now, but we think it’ll take more than one year of starting for him to truly reach his future potential.
Where we see him as of now?
Fifth or sixth-round in 2021, but has the capability to be a first-round pick in 2022.