The first thing I like about Michael is his 4.13 GPA he lists on his Twitter profile, that is really impressive. On the field, Michael had a strong season with 104 tackles and 7 sacks. Michael has some college interest, but only one offer at the moment. Michael’s strength is his excellent first step at the snap. His burst gives him an advantage on slower offensive linemen – there are several times where he is untouched into the backfield because of his speed off the snap. Michael then shows good closing speed to get to the ball, and good tackling technique to finish plays off in the open field.

Hughes is as disruptive a speed-rushing defensive tackle as you’ll ever see, and he’s among the class leaders in tackles despite playing exclusively with his hand in the dirt as a three-technique. Hughes is both a dynamic pass-rusher and strong run defender. He’s playing his best ball at the moment and has gotten better as the season has gone on.

Hughes was magificent Thursday, finishing the game with two sacks and nine solo tackles while living in the backfield. He’s not the biggest guy, but he has great length and is able to use it to keep offensive linemen at bay. I’m impressed not only by how he rushes the passer, but also with how he plays the run.