Mock Draft Roundup: Where Wolverines are at one month before Draft Day

Mar 27, 2023 - 4:00 PM

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We are officially less than one month away from the NFL Draft and several Michigan Wolverines are hopeful of hearing their name called. All their pro days are in the books and they have each done everything they can to show out on the football field. Now, it’s a waiting game for each of these guys as teams configure their draft boards and schedule meetings with players across the country.

Maize n Brew compiled all the latest mock drafts and player rankings from the national media, so here is where some of them could be headed.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper

• TE7: Luke Schoonmaker
• OC4: Olu Oluwatimi
• DT5: Mazi Smith
• OLB9: Mike Morris
• CB6: DJ Turner
• K2: Jake Moody
• P4: Brad Robbins

The most significant mover here is Mike Morris, who is going in the wrong direction. Just a few weeks ago he was Kiper’s OLB4 and was popping up as a second- or third-round pick.

However, after a poor showing at the NFL Combine and at his Pro Day, people are questioning where he is going to play. Morris hasn’t shown the speed necessary to play on the edge in the NFL. He ran a 5.08 40-yard dash. which was even slower than the 4.95 he ran at the NFL Combine. To put that into perspective, Wisconsin’s Keeanu Benton ran a 5.08 at 309 pounds, who is 30 pounds heavier. Morris will likely have to put on weight and play on the inside if this is the kind of speed he is showing off.

The Ringer’s Danny Kelly

No. 46 overall prospect: Mazi Smith

“Smith has a wide, square build with a powerhouse lower half. A former four-star prospect out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, he ranked as the no. 11 defensive tackle in his class and the 105th player overall, per 247Sports. He was a two-year starter for the Wolverines, tallying 88 tackles, 6.0 TFLs, and a half sack in 35 games. He put together his best season in 2022, grabbing 48 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and a half sack and adding 25 pressures while ranking among the top 10 interior linemen in PFF’s stops metric (32 tackles that constituted a failure for the offense).

“Smith can be frustratingly inconsistent. There are times when he pops too upright at the snap, opening himself up to blockers and allowing himself to get knocked off the line or sealed away from the play. He is too often blown off his spot or washed down the line of scrimmage. He never posted high-end stats.”

NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah

No. 26: Dallas Cowboys - DT Mazi Smith

“Smith has generated a lot of buzz in personnel circles for his combination of athleticism and power. His best football is ahead of him and he’d fill a need in Dallas.”

NFL.com’s Charles Davis

No. 30: Philadelphia Eagles - DT Mazi Smith

“The Eagles never neglect the trenches. Fletcher Cox is back on a one-year deal, but Javon Hargrave left in free agency while veterans Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph remain on the open market. Jordan Davis is headed for a bigger role, but he wasn’t a full-time player as an NFL rookie or during his time at Georgia. Smith fills a need at defensive tackle.”

Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald

No. 23: Minnesota Vikings - DT Mazi Smith

“Mazi Smith didn’t work out at the combine, but he’s still a high-upside defensive tackle that would be a nice dice roll for the Vikings at this point in the draft.”

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter

• No. 56: Jacksonville Jaguars - DT Mazi Smith
• No. 68: Denver Broncos - CB DJ Turner

PFF’s Trevor Sikkema

• No. 52: Seattle Seahawks - DT Mazi Smith
• No. 101: San Francisco 49ers - C Olu Oluwatimi

USA Today’s Curt Popejoy

• No. 50: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - CB DJ Turner
• No. 61: Chicago Bears - DT Mazi Smith

Takeaways

It looks like the consensus is still out on Mazi Smith, but he will very likely be the first Wolverine selected. Despite an impressive NFL Combine, it appears DJ Turner is still behind a few others at his position and could be a second- or third-round pick.

This tight end class is one of the deepest in years and although he has had numbers off the charts physically, Luke Schoonmaker will probably find himself drafted in the middle rounds.

Olu Oluwatimi is likely in a similar draft range as Schoonmaker, which is surprising with the accolades he received in college.

Last but not least is Morris. Odds are he falls to Day 3 now after his combine and Pro Day showings. It may not be the range we expected following his Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year award-winning season, but his production last season should be enough for him to hear his name called at some point during the draft.