Five Michigan draft picks who will have the biggest impact as rookies

A consensus first-team All-Big Ten selection this past season, Smith anchored a Wolverines defense that ranked seventh in the country in rushing defense and captained a Wolverines team that achieved an undefeated regular season and won the Big Ten Championship for the second year in a row.

Smith should be a day one starter who immediately improves the Cowboys pedestrian run defense. 

2. DJ Turner II - Cornerback - Cincinnati Bengals

After losing two starters in cornerback Eli Apple and safety Jessie Bates III, the Bengals sought to replenish their secondary in the draft, and began by selecting Michigan speedster DJ Turner II in the second round.

Turner turned heads at the combine, posting a ridiculous 4.27 in the 40-yard dash, which is the fourth fastest since 2003.

Turner will join fellow Michigan alum Dax Hill (the Bengals first round selection in last year's draft) in Cincinnati's secondary, which finished last season 26th in pass defense.

Expect Turner to see the field early and often—at nickel, on the outside or both.

3. Jake Moody - Kicker - San Francisco 49ers

Yes, the 49ers selected a kicker in the 3rd round. Yes, Moody is the third highest kicker drafted since 2005. And yes, history would suggest that drafting a kicker this high (or at all) is a terrible idea.

And yet, the 49ers decided to draft Jake Moody with the 99th overall pick. 

Based on head coach Kyle Shanahan's analysis, it actually seemed like a pretty simple decision: "The majority of kickers go in the fourth round. We didn't have a fourth round pick and [Moody] was not going to be there in the fifth round."

It's a risky move that will garner relentless criticism should it backfire, but the 49ers should take solace in drafting a kicker who won the 2021 Lou Groza Award and hit 52/60 (87%) field goals during his last two seasons in Ann Arbor.

4. Olusegun Oluwatimi - Center - Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks used their fifth round selection on Oluwatimi, a consensus All-American last season who took home the Outland and Rimington trophies, awarded to the best collegiate interior lineman and center, respectively. 

Some scouts were concerned with Oluwatimi's limited lateral quickness and ability to block in space, but he should have a chance to be Seattle's starting center as a rookie—the two options currently on their roster (Evan Brown and Joey Hunt) have a combined 23 career starts at the position.

5. Mike Morris - Defensive End - Seattle Seahawks

Drafted in the fifth round just three picks before Oluwatimi, Mike Morris should get an opportunity to attack the quarterback in his rookie season. 

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll confirmed that Morris will line up primarily as a defensive end, noting: "He'll play on the guard and play on the tackle, but he's going to have his hand on the ground for the most part."

Morris is a game-wrecker who notched 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss as a senior last season. He should fit in seamlessly in Seattle.