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College Football Week 3: NFL Draft big board rankings

By Nathaniel Reeves

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Sam Darnold #14 of the USC Trojans scrambles with the football during the first half against the Stanford Cardinal at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Sam Darnold #14 of the USC Trojans scrambles with the football during the first half against the Stanford Cardinal at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MI – SEPTEMBER 24: Dymonte Thomas #25 and Maurice Hurst #73 of the Michigan Wolverines walk to the side lines during the first quarter of the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated the Penn State 49-10. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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Maurice Hurst

DT, Michigan

Hurst will be counted on to lead a Wolverines defense that lost a ton of talent to the NFL, and is off to a terrific start in what’s shaping up to be an impressive senior season.

The space-eating defensive tackle made his presence felt in Michigan’s 36-14 victory over Cincinnati on Saturday with three solo tackles. That followed a much more noteworthy performance in a dominant outing against Florida to open the season, when Hurst racked up five tackles, including one stop behind the line of scrimmage.

Hurst emerged as a reliable rotation player for the Wolverines as a sophomore in 2015 and continued to be an defender on a stacked Michigan defense last year. With 11 tackles for loss, five sacks, a pass breakup and a forced fumble on his 2016 resume, Hurst likely could have jumped to the NFL, but chose to return to Ann Arbor for his senior year.

At 6-foot-2 and 280 pounds, Hurst has the ability to occupy blockers as an effective run defender. What separates Hurst as a potential top-20 pick is his quick first step that allows him to get to the quarterback in pass rush, making him one of the more productive all-around defenders in college football.

Hurst will hope to continue his promising senior campaign when Michigan hosts Air Force on Saturday afternoon.

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