Michigan Football: Top 5 breakout candidates for 2017
By Ryan McNeill
Who doesn’t love a good underdog story? While nobody will be calling Maurice Hurst Jr the next Rudy, he has worked hard to move from a backup to a prominent cog in Michigan’s defense this season.
Hurst is a three-year letterman and he has appeared in 33 games along the defensive line, with four starts at defensive tackle. With Michigan losing a lot of upper classman after last season, his experience will be huge for Michigan this season.
It’s not just his experience that will be key for Michigan. Hurst contributed 73 tackles, 195 tackles for loss, eight sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup during his first three years at Michigan. Because of those numbers, he’s Mel Kiper’s top rated senior DT.
Despite the NFL hype – he passed on the NFL after last season because he wanted to return to Michigan and improve – and the preseason award lists, Hurst is someone who thrives on hype and proving people he deserves the attention and praise.
“I love it,” Hurst told The Detroit News of the preseason hype. “I love being able to listen to what other people have to say and use that as motivation. That’s my biggest thing is just being able to have whatever is being said and just try to either prove someone right or prove someone wrong. It’s all motivation to be the best player I can be.
Next: College Football: Top 50 breakout candidates for 2017
“That’s always been my goal since I’ve been here to leave my legacy at Michigan and leave my legacy in college football. That’s something I definitely envisioned, and something I’m capable of doing. It’s something I really want to make happen.”
Look for Hurst to have a monster season and cement his legacy at Michigan.