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Fact or Fiction: Kalel Mullings is Michigan’s best running back
Rivals rankings director and national transfer portal analyst Adam Friedman is joined by national recruiting director Adam Gorney, Scott Greene of TerrapinSportsReport.com and Josh Henschke of TheMaizeandBlueReview.com to tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
1.
Arch Manning and Nico Iamaleava at No. 1 and No. 2 in the 2023 Rivals250 could be the best No. 1 and No. 2 ever.
Friedman: FICTION. Nico Iamaleava is in his first year as a starter and Arch Manning has played significant time in just one game so far but both have a chance to be picked near the very top of the first round of the NFL Draft when their time comes. They’re both insanely talented but it’s a little early to say they’re the best 1-2 in the history of the Rivals250. Vince Young and Haloti Ngata, Ernie Sims and Reggie Bush, Adrian Peterson and Ted Ginn Jr., Rashan Gary and Dexter Lawrence, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields – those are just some of the incredible combinations that have sat atop previous Rivals250s. Manning and Iamaleava could end up in that conversation but they’re not there yet.
Gorney: FICTION. There is a very good chance that Nico Iamaleava and Arch Manning are drafted very high and have great college and NFL careers. We loved both quarterbacks a couple recruiting cycles ago even though they’re very different and that’s why we had them so highly rated. This is not a knock on them at all to say fiction here but I’m going to side with the 2018 class of Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields here. Not only did both of them have phenomenal college careers as well but they backed it up by going No. 1 and No. 11, respectively, in the NFL Draft and both are starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Manning and Iamaleava look to be on their way to greatness but Lawrence and Fields are already there.
2.
Malik Washington should return to the Rivals250.
Friedman: FACT. Malik Washington was at one point ranked as high as No. 122 in the Rivals250 but his performance thus far during the season warrants a move back up the rankings. The Maryland commit has had a stellar start to the season, leading his team to wins over Archbishop Hoban in Ohio, Dematha in Maryland, Archbishop Stepinac in New York and conference rival McDonogh. Washington has made multiple elite throws in each of his games so far this season, displaying more consistent accuracy than he showed in the camp setting during the offseason. The playmaking abilities the dual-sport standout brings to the field are obvious but it’s been really impressive to see how he’s been able to scramble to buy time before throwing a strike down the field.
Greene: FACT. Washington should absolutely return to the Rivals250. In fact, based on Spalding’s start to the season, he might need to be bumped up from where he was previously.
Spalding is off to a 4-0 start which includes a win over national power DeMatha and a pair of 45-0 blowouts the past two weeks, including their most recent win over top league opponent McDonogh. Depending on where you look, they are among the top 10 high school teams in the country right now.
Washington is arguably the top athlete in the DMV, having starred this past year in both football and basketball, he performed well at the Elite 11 over the summer and is now poised to lead the Cavaliers to a third straight league title. Put it all together and he absolutely belongs back in the Rivals250.
3.
Kalel Mullings is Michigan’s best running back.
Friedman: FICTION. The stats are the stats and Kalel Mullings has the clear edge there but Donovan Edwards is the more talented back. Is he playing to his potential? Absolutely not. Should the Wolverines abandon Edwards? Not a chance. Expectations for Edwards this season were probably set a little too high. The commercial success (e.g. landing on the cover of the NCAA Football video game) Edwards has achieved did not equal the level of success he’s had on the field throughout his career but his skill set and physical gifts should keep him atop the Michigan depth chart.
Henschke: FACT. The stats and the film speak for themselves, Kalel Mullings should be RB1 right now for the program. What’s worked so well for Michigan in previous years is the “thunder and lightning” pairing which was typically saved for Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. Mullings is quickly looking to be the thunder for the Wolverines with Edwards still capable of being a home run hitter. Edwards found more of a rhythm this week and should continue to see his play improve as the Wolverines go back to focusing on establishing the run, there will be times where Edwards looks like the Edwards of old. However, it’s clear that Mullings should be the guy who gets the majority of the carries as he’s the most consistent in picking up the tough yards.
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