Seven best players from Michigan football's 7-0 start

Michigan Wolverines football is 7-0 for a second straight season for the first time since 1973-74. The Maize and Blue have had several standout players help lead the team to an undefeated start heading into a bye week and a matchup with Michigan State on the other end of it. We break down the team’s top seven players to this point.

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1. RB Blake Corum

Michigan junior running back Blake Corum has been the heartbeat of the offense and one of the best players nationally, a Heisman Trophy contender. He leads the country with 13 rushing touchdowns and is second with 901 rushing yards.

Corum has picked up 57 first downs, which leads the nation’s rushers, and had 23 runs of 10-plus yards, ranking tied fifth.

Best Performance: The Michigan running back carried a sometimes out of rhythm offense to a 34-27 win over Maryland Sept. 24. He ran a career-high 30 times for 243 yards and 2 scores, including one in the fourth-quarter to all but seal the victory.

2. EDGE Mike Morris

Michigan has a “no-star defense,” according to head coach Jim Harbaugh, a sentiment that the players have also embraced. The unit has been stellar regardless, and there are actually a few stars who have emerged, starting with senior EDGE Mike Morris.

At 6-foot-6, 292 pounds (40 pounds heavier than the average weight for a Michigan scholarship EDGE, 251.9 pounds), Morris has flashed the perfect blend of speed and power.

It took him a few games for the production to come, but he’s now had at least 1 tackle for loss in each of the last four outings, turning up the heat once Big Ten play began. He has 4 sacks in that stretch, too, and 5 for the season, which ranks tied second in the conference. Eight of his 15 tackles have come behind the line of scrimmage, showing just how disruptive he’s been.

Morris is also tied ninth in the country among edge rushers with 27 quarterback pressures, per Pro Football Focus (PFF).

Best Performance: We’ll have to give it to his game against Iowa, a 27-14 win Oct. 1 in which he had 2 second-half sacks to help seal the game. But he’s had some other great performances, including notching 8 pressures at Indiana, a career high, and 6 versus Maryland, when he also knocked quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa out of the game for a spell with a big hit.

3. QB J.J. McCarthy

Michigan sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy won the starting job after the second game versus Hawai’i and has taken a step forward each week.

He’s the nation’s most accurate passer with a 77.1 completion percentage and been especially good at short passes, connecting on 85 of his 94 attempts within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. He’s thrown for over 200 yards on three occasions, including in two Big Ten games, and totaled 9 touchdowns with 2 interceptions.

Best Performance: Michigan put the game in McCarthy’s hands after sitting tied 10-10 at halftime at Indiana Oct. 8, and he answered the bell. He put up 304 passing yards, marking his first 300-yard day, with 3 touchdowns and 1 pick in the end zone. McCarthy also rushed 4 times for 26 yards.

4. WR Ronnie Bell

Michigan graduate wide receiver Ronnie Bell being back and better than ever wasn’t just offseason fodder — it’s become a reality.

It’s no surprise he’s leading the Wolverines in targets (45), receptions (35) and receiving yards (429) with 1 touchdown. But it was certainly no guarantee after returning from an ACL injury and other receivers emerging. Bell has been Mr. Reliable with 21 first downs, often open on big downs.

Best Performance: Bell racked up a career-high 11 receptions with 121 yards in the win over Indiana, making some of the game’s biggest plays to keep drives alive. He had 5 first downs in the 31-10 victory.

5. DT Mazi Smith

Michigan senior defensive tackle Mazi Smith has taken on constant double teams, and while that sometimes doesn’t lead to stuffing the stat sheet, he’s shown up there, too. Smith is third on the defense with 27 tackles, 2.5 of which went for a loss of yardage, with a half-sack and 1 quarterback hurry.

Despite playing in 300 snaps compared to 544, Smith is only 10 tackles shy of his 37 stops made in 2021.

Best Performance: Michigan’s defense wasn’t making many plays, especially early, against Maryland Sept. 24, but Smith made a huge third-down tackle for loss and posted a career-high 8 stops for the game from his nose tackle spot.

6. DB Mike Sainristil

Michigan senior defensive back Mike Sainristil has been more than serviceable and better than good — he’s actually been a standout after transitioning over from wide receiver just before spring practice.

Sainristil is making an impact against the run and quick-game pass, and as a cover man from his nickel position. He’s totaled 24 tackles, including 34 for loss and 2 sacks, and had 4 pass breakups. In coverage, per PFF, he’s allowed only 17 receptions for 198 yards and no touchdowns on 27 targets.

Best Performance: There are plenty to choose from, but the far and away winner was his 8-tackle day against Maryland that included 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 1 pass breakup. He got the better of Maryland slot receiver Rakim Jarrett, a future NFL player, who had 4 receptions for 12 yards.

7. C Olusegun Oluwatimi

The entire offensive line works together as a unit, which makes it a special group, but graduate center Olusegun Oluwatimi gets the nod if we have to single out just one.

He’s been the main communicator in the middle, identifying fronts and making sure the protections are solid. He and his stellar guards have been great with double teams and have gotten great push all season long.

His overall PFF grade (76.2) ranks 15th nationally among centers, and he’s given up just 3 pressures and no sacks all year. He’s leading an offensive line that paves the way for 3.5 rushing yards before contact per attempts, excluding short-yardage situations, per Sports Info Solutions.

Best Performance: Oluwatimi was fantastic at Iowa, but how could we not go with Michigan’s 418-yard rushing day against Penn State Oct. 15, a 41-17 domination? Oluwatimi and Co. opened up gaping holes for the running backs and McCarthy, and they took full advantage.

Just missed the cut

• Graduate tight end Luke Schoonmaker

• Graduate cornerback Gemon Green

• Senior cornerback DJ Turner

• Junior right guard Zak Zinter

• Junior wide receiver Roman Wilson

• Graduate left tackle Ryan Hayes

• Senior left guard Trevor Keegan

• Sophomore linebacker Junior Colson

• Sophomore safety Rod Moore

• Sophomore running back Donovan Edwards