ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan is going to need to reload once again when it comes to the defense with departures like Rashan Gary, Chase Winovich, and Devin Bush impossible to ignore. Those players waiting their turn are going to have to step up as their time is now to start to become a force on the field. Some have waited years for this chance, others are coming onto campus and already leaving big impressions.

One of them is defensive tackle Mazi Smith.

Defensive tackle Donovan Jeter is a player coming into his own in his own right this spring, but he sees a lot of potential in Smith as a player, while noting there’s some of himself in the freshman.

“There’s a lot of potential for all of us, the whole defense the whole team,” Jeter said. “But Mazi, he’s still young. He’s supposed to be in high school right now, but I feel for him because I tell him all the time, ‘I was you, I was in your exact same position’. With him, it’s just going to become how fast he can pick up the speed of the game because Mazi dudes like a monster.”

Jeter is blown away by what Smith is as a player and believes he can be something really special on this defensive front.

He notes how far ahead of him he is at the same time in his career, as he already has one crucial component to his game down.

“Wanna talk about a monster,” Jeter said. “The first day like upper body (training) — I’m one of the strongest benchers on the team and he’s making the weight I’m doing look light. I’m sitting there like, ‘Maybe I need to re-evaluate myself!’ He’s coming in just moving weight. He’s so far ahead of the curve he doesn’t know it yet so every day I’m in his ear: ‘When you’re ready to dominate, you’ll dominate.’ He has great potential he’s just so big and strong.”

When asked if Smith could come in and contribute Week One, Jeter had no hesitation about his answer, while also giving him a relatively lofty comparison.

“Yes, 100 percent,” Jeter said. “At all times, Mazi is the strongest person on the field. At all times. When he’s on the field, nobody is stronger than him. I think (Bryan) Mone and Mazi are the strongest people I’ve ever been around on the football field. Mazi’s technique is off but he’s still putting people two yards in the backfield.”