Lindy's predicts MVP, emerging star, top newcomer for Michigan football in 2022
Michigan Wolverines football has loads of returning talent on offense, mixed with a potential impact player from an incoming freshman class that was ranked top-10 nationally on the On3 Consensus. It’s not a shock that, when Lindy’s predicted Michigan’s most valuable player, emerging star and top newcomer for the 2022 season, all three selections were from the offensive side of the ball.
Michigan brings back 87 percent of its production on offense per ESPN.com’s calculations, a mark that ranks 13th in the country and first in the Big Ten. The Wolverines are also set to add graduate wide receiver Ronnie Bell back into the mix.
Bell tore his ACL in last season’s opening game but has worked diligently on his recovery and is cleared to participate in summer workouts and fall camp. He’s racked up 1,380 receiving yards and five touchdowns for his collegiate career, heaving led Michigan in receiving yards in both 2019 and 2020.
All things considered, an offense that put up 35.8 points per game last season should be even better. A huge reason for that, per Lindy’s, is projected most valuable player senior quarterback Cade McNamara. The publication added a caveat, though, saying that the MVP will be ‘whoever ends up being the primary quarterback.’ And therein lies the biggest storyline of the Michigan offseason.
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McNamara and sophomore J.J. McCarthy will compete for Michigan’s starting signal-caller job during fall camp and perhaps into the season. The Wolverines open up with four consecutive home games, three of which are against non-Power Five programs, which could serve as a good opportunity to experiment.
“McNamara completed 210 of his 327 passes last season for 2,576 yards and 15 touchdowns with six interceptions,” Lindy’s wrote. “But he hasn’t been able to shake the impressive McCarthy, and all this will be revisted in fall camp, with the Wolverines looking for the best complement to what should be a prolific rushing attack.”
That rushing attack will be led by a pair of running backs who are aiming to be the nation’s top duo. Junior running back Blake Corum ran for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, while sophomore Donovan Edwards was a jack-of-all trades, especially after breaking out late in the season.
Edwards impressed as both a runner and pass-catcher, adding a different element out of the backfield. That’s a primary reason why Lindy’s listed him as Michigan’s emerging star of the season.
“He flashed last season just how special he can be at times (five-yard average, three touchdowns on 35 carries),” Lindy’s wrote. “Against Maryland, he had 170 receiving yards on 10 catches, showing that he’s more than just a dynamic runner. Now that his workload will increase, he’ll have the opportunity to show more of the breadth of his capabilities.”
‘Dynamic’ was also a word used to describe Michigan freshman wide receiver Darrius Clemons this spring. An early enrollee, Clemons stood out and may be too good to keep off the field. He hauled in three catches for 52 yards, including a leaping, 35-yard touchdown grab, in Michigan’s April 2 spring game.
Lindy’s pegged him as Michigan’s top newcomer, despite being the fourth-highest ranked recruit in the Wolverines’ 2022 class at No. 114 overall, which says a lot about just how much buzz he created in the spring.
“The former four-star receiver from Portland (Ore.) showed off his speed, ability to catch the ball and big body in the spring game,” Lindy’s wrote. “He joins another youngster, sophomore Andrel Anthony, with WR1 kind of potential.”
