Wolverine TV podcast: Michigan predictions for NFL Draft, basketball roster situation, more

TheWolverine.com’s Clayton Sayfie, Chris Balas and Anthony Broome discuss Michigan Wolverines football and the NFL Draft, and basketball’s roster situation on this week’s podcast.

Michigan football could have up to eight players taken, according to mock drafts, led by defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who’s one of three potential Maize and Blue first-rounders. We discuss where Hutchinson may go, destinations for others and which under-the-radar guys might have the best careers.

We shift focus to basketball, which received big news over the weekend that Hunter Dickinson, a 7-1, 260-pound two-time All-Big Ten performer, is back for his junior season in Ann Arbor. Freshmen Moussa Diabate and Caleb Houstan declared for the 2022 NBA Draft, and they have until June 1 to withdraw and retain their eligibility. We discuss who’s more likely to come back. We also talk about two transfer-portal targets that Michigan could bring in — Texas Tech’s Terrence Shannon Jr. and Prinecton’s Jaelin Llewellyn. Shannon visited last week, and Llewellyn is on campus as we speak.

For all of that and more, watch or listen to the Michigan podcast below.

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Highlight From This Michigan Wolverines Football, Basketball Podcast

All three hosts are Detroit Lions fans and got to watch and cover Hutchinson close up. The trio is hoping Hutchinson gets picked to the Detroit Lions at No. 2 overall, which is the most likely scenario according to Vegas odds and mock drafts.

“He could be a guy that could help turn this thing around,” Sayfie said. “You get all the negative people saying [the Lions will never be good] … well, I want the guy who’s going to give the Lions the best chance. I think Aidan Hutchinson — everyone that watched him understands what he can do. He’s not going to do it alone, but he can make a big impact, and he’s a hell of a player.”

“We’ve all followed this franchise for so many years, and I’ve been around a lot longer than you guys,” Balas said. “I got to see a playoff win. I got a banner especially made for my basement, for the playoff victory. But that’s the thing — you don’t wish the Lions upon any of these Michigan guys, and for the most part they haven’t drafted a ton of Michigan guys in the past. Guys that were there for a long time, like Jeff Backus, who went there and had a nice career but didn’t win a damn thing. You look at guys like Lamarr Woodley and guys that they passed on over the years. I wrote about Jon Jansen, too, who grew up near Detroit and said he would’ve loved to have the opportunity to change the fortunes of that franchise, although he loved what he did in Washington.”

Balas explained how the Lions took Aaron Gibson — who didn’t do much in his career — over Jansen.

“With Hutchinson, it’s different, because here’s a guy — in my opinion — who’s not going to be waiting for his next contract. He’s gonna be there, and you know what kind of a guy he is — high character, high motor, 100 percent everything you’re looking for in a player. He’s gonna give everything to the franchise he’s with. I think a guy like that can have a very positive impact, and I think it could be good for him, where he could actually help the franchise.”

Broome touched on why the former Michigan star would be an outstanding pick for the Lions or whichever team takes him.

“I’ve heard people say, well, his ceiling might only be 11 or 12 sacks a year,” Broome said. “Umm, hello, that’s a lot of sacks. And maybe he’s not Michael Strahan, with 20 sacks a year, but Aidan Hutchinson — wherever he goes, and I sincerely hope that it is the Detroit Lions from a selfish perspective. We know the guy; he checks all the boxes. He had one of the most dominant defensive seasons we’ve ever seen at Michigan. The guy was unblockable.”