Team 144 was special, but if you’re looking for players to get excited about on Team 145, we’ve got you covered.
Michigan fans watched some of their favorites from Team 144 get drafted into the NFL just a few weeks ago. Right guard Zak Zinter is now in Ohio playing for the Cleveland Browns , and fans are now wondering who will make an impact on the offensive line this season like he has the last couple years.
Zinter decided to come back for his senior year, even though he could have declared after 2022. He helped put Michigan in a great position to win a National Championship before breaking his leg during the Ohio State game.
There’s a reason Michigan fans started chanting, “Let’s go Zak!” during that game. Zinter wasn’t just a phenomenal talent for Michigan — he had a great personality and character that was easy to show support for.
“It was incredible, I’ve never seen anything like it in my career.”@joelklatt shares the emotional moment when thousands of @UMichFootball fans loudly chanted “Let’s go Zak” as @zak_zinter was carted off the field during an injury timeout ❤️6️⃣5️⃣ pic.twitter.com/D7Kvta7WU0
— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) November 28, 2023
This season, Michigan welcomes Josh Priebe after he transferred from Northwestern. Priebe is a graduate student originally from Niles, Michigan. He played 764 snaps last season, according to PFF, and graded out well. Nothing earth shattering, but his performance was enough to earn All-Big Ten Third Team honors.
The thing that stands out in Priebe’s game is the fact he is always looking for ways he can help the play. He had a higher grade during his junior season, and ended the season with a 72.1 according to PFF when it came to pass blocking.
You probably remember Northwestern made national headlines when the university announced it had parted ways with Pat Fitzgerald last July after a hazing investigation. Priebe didn’t just stay on the team after all that — he led the Wildcats as a captain.
Northwestern exceeded expectation last season, finishing 7-5 overall and 5-4 in conference play. Priebe’s decision to stay in the midst of a tough situation shows his potential to step up as a new leader for Michigan this fall.
There isn’t another player like Zinter — it’d be tough for anyone to be as reliable as he was for the Wolverines — but Priebe is certainly worth getting excited about in 2024.