Wolverines elated to see two of their own drafted

Rome — Michigan quarterback Wilton Speight thinks all of the former Michigan players should have been drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Jabrill Peppers and Taco Charlton were first-round picks Thursday night. The draft continues the next two days. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has said repeatedly hopes the Wolverines can set a record for most players taken.

“I think all of them should have gone in the first,” Speight said Friday after practice. “I think (Chris) Wormley definitely should have gone and JD (Jourdan Lewis) gave one touchdown up in four years, that doesn’t make sense to me why he hasn’t gone.

“Strib (Channing Stribling), Wormley, JD should all go very quickly. I know Jake’s (Butt) got the knee, but Jake’s first-round talent, first-round mind. His football mind, his life mind, I guarantee you is far ahead of the other tight ends. They’ll all get picked up and show all the teams that passed on them they made a mistake.”

Speight said part of the reason so many former Michigan players will be drafted is the development they’ve made under Harbaugh and his staff but also credited former coach Brady Hoke.

“It’s a lot of Jim, but coach Hoke was no dummy,” Speight said. “Look at all the guys we just won with the past two years.”

Harbaugh was pleased to see Peppers, who was drafted by the Browns, and Charton taken by the Cowboys, selected in the first round.

“Now they know what the path is,” Harbaugh said. “All the hard work is just getting started. Now they have a clear vision of where they’re going and what they’re going to be doing next. Very happy for both of them. Both very deserving to be drafted in the first round.”

Defensive lineman Chase Winovich said it was not unexpected to see those two drafted in the first round.

“The only thing that wasn’t expected, people passing on other Wolverines,” Winovich said after practice. “I think there could have been even more.”

achengelis@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @chengelis