Michigan football: 5 bold predictions for 2020

Michigan football bold prediction No. 4: Andre Seldon is a huge addition on defense

For all of the faults that Michigan has had under Harbaugh, it’s hard to fault his defenses. Unless they’re playing Ohio State in the regular-season finale, the Wolverines have consistently been tough to put points on. And a big part of that success has been the players they’ve brought in like a factory in the secondary who are capable of being put on their own island and succeeding in coverage.

When you look at the defensive back group for the 2020 season, though, there are some questions marks. One of the biggest of those is at the nickel spot where, put simply, there isn’t a returning player who has the experience or even the ideal body type to step into that role and succeed right away. That could open the door for freshman Andre Seldon.

A 4-star freshman and a top-175 recruit from the 2020 class, Seldon would’ve been a much higher-rated prospect if not for his size deficiencies. He’s got great speed and twitch along with a phenomenal feel and instincts for the cornerback position. The issue is that he’s just 5-foot-8 and 154 pounds.

Hopefully after putting on a little more weight, Seldon is ideally suited to slot inside at the nickel role and do so upon his first snaps in Ann Arbor. With how much the Michigan defense relies on the defensive backs, his performance will be critical. But if his high school tape is any indication, he has the goods to get into that role and thrive.