Usually returning All-Americans aren’t fighting for snaps going into their senior season. But for Michigan defensive end John Henry Daley, that’s the situation he’s in.
“There’s no pecking order (for the defensive line) right now, and quite frankly (Daley) is fighting his way into this thing too,” Wolverines defensive coordinator Jay Hill said Aug 5.
Coming off a season where he registered 11.5 sacks as one of the most dynamic defenders in the country, it isn’t a lack of talent that could hold Daley back from a starting spot — it’s his injury progression. Daley ruptured his Achilles tendon last year in a late-season clash with Kansas State. And while his rehab is running ahead of schedule, questions still linger about the effect that the injury will have on his production.
After transferring to Utah for his junior season, Daley had a true breakout year, exponentially increasing his output from previous seasons and wreaking havoc in opposing backfields. Daley led the Utes in forced fumbles, sacks and tackles for loss, and racked up end-of-season accolades despite missing Utah’s final few games.
But with Daley’s Achilles injury happening so late into the season, questions still remain about his recovery timeline. Achilles injuries are notoriously fickle, and can often lead to reinjury and a loss of athleticism that never fully bounces back.
“John Henry Daley was a first-team All-American last year,” Hill said. “He’s a very good player. Obviously, he’s coming off a very intense rehab and that’s a tough injury. He’s about as far along in this progression as I’ve ever seen anybody with this injury, which is a tribute to John and how he works and the toughness he has.”
While Daley’s recovery seems to be going well, and he’s been given the medical all-clear, the Wolverines still remain cautious about his recovery. As both Daley and graduate safety Rod Moore are coming back from serious lower-body injuries, Hill said both stars are still on a “pitch count”.
Daley was not active for the Spring Game April 18, so there’s very little tape to go off of when evaluating his progress so far. However it is almost a given that Daley won’t be at 100% strength by the time the season opener rolls around. Still, when he suits up for Michigan for the first time Sept 5th, it won’t take long to see how his recovery process is going.
When scouting Daley, his get-off is his best attribute; he explodes off the line of scrimmage and can set himself up to win a rep just with his first step. And with the nature of his position requiring him to line up as a five-technique, his Achilles will bear a heavy load as he gets off the ball.
But among all the uncertainties of rehabbing such a traumatic injury, one positive has remained consistent: his motor.
Daley’s energy is evident on tape: second-attack sacks, swarming downfield to the ball and a tenacity to tackle anything in a different color jersey. According to Hill and the rest of the Wolverines’ coaching staff, Daley’s motor is one-of-a-kind; a rara avis trait that drove him to a breakout junior season, and the same one that has precipitated his recovery process. And if his motor is as good as his coaching staff proclaims, it’s a constant that could compensate for a decrease in physical performance.
Daley was Michigan’s highest-rated transfer portal acquisition this offseason. He was brought in to be a game-breaker, the type of player that keeps opposing offensive coordinators up at night. And even working within a “pitch count”, Daley has the chance to be the X-factor coming off the edge.
