The 2015 season is rapidly approaching, and it is time to take a deep dive into the Michigan Wolverines. Jim Harbaugh has, justifiably, taken the lion's share of the focus in advance of his debut campaign, but Michigan's roster is quite interesting in its own right, and there is a certain level of mystery to the proceedings.
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In this space, we will continue our preview with a glance at the linebacking corps. In the first installment, we took a look at the secondary, and you should feel free to stay tuned as we move through the remainder of the depth chart. Let's go.
Starters
Joe Bolden, Desmond Morgan, James Ross III
Because of Michigan's changing defensive philosophy, we'll be grouping the linebackers together, but there is no question that these three will get the start against Utah provided that they are healthy. Bolden recently was named as the best player on the Michigan roster by one prominent publication, and while he may not live up to that billing, the senior is a safe bet to exceed 100 tackles while playing extremely well.
Morgan missed the lion's share of the 2014 season as a result of a hand injury, but he is a three-year contributor that enters the 2015 campaign as a fifth-year senior who is ready to play. In the case of Ross III, he will likely be asked to serve in the "rover" role this season. The 232-pound linebacker took a step back in 2014 after a very strong 2013 season, but the new defense should suit his strengths well, and this trio is expected to be lights-out as a veteran unit.
The Rest
Royce Jenkins-Stone, Ben Gedeon
Jenkins-Stone is almost certainly going to see extended playing time, especially if Ross III falters in any way. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound senior made two starts a year ago and Jenkins-Stone has performed admirably in a reserve role over the last few seasons.
Gedeon has also been thrust into high-impact duty over the past two years, and he may be the first player off the bench in the event of injury (or ineffectiveness) from Bolden or Morgan. The 241-pound junior doesn't possess the same upside as his counterparts, but Gedeon is more than capable of playing sound defense in plugging gaps from the second level.
