The fullback position in the NFL has been fading for years, but only in the last decade has it neared the brink of total extinction.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Jim Harbaugh said Ben Mason made an impassioned pregame speech before Michigan football’s victory over Minnesota, then went out and backed it up. Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines looks on in the second quarter of the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium on October 24, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. “Ben was penalized -- and probably rightfully so -- but it was a tremendous block, tremendous, tremendous block on a tremendous player.”Mason was named one of seven team captains for Michigan during the preseason, and before the opener, he had a few words for his teammates. “Ben Mason kind of called up the team pregame ... and what he said was, ‘Joe (Milton), this is your night. Just a tremendous game by Ben Mason."

He sat outside the top 120 offensive tackles and was only No. The biggest transfer addition for Michigan this season came from an unlikely source: a former three-star defensive end who grew into a force at Central Michigan. The 2016 Michigan recruiting class was loaded with stars, such as Rashan Gary, Devin Bush, David Long and Ben Bredeson. McKeon was the lowest-ranked offensive player in the class but became a solid two-way offensive player. In 2018, Dwumfour finished with 19 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks in 10 games.