The start to Jim Harbaugh's tenure as the Michigan Wolverines' head coach has been like his khakis ... bland. Despite a 28-11 record, Harbaugh's squad has lost back-to-back bowl games and has a 1-5 record against bitter rivals Michigan State and Ohio State.  

However, his ability to attract top talent started to show its teeth last season, and the program's junior class is loaded with NFL talent. 

Rashan Gary is the headliner, Harbaugh's first enormous get on the recruiting trail, but there are a handful of pro-ready players on the defensive side of the ball ... and big-time transfer Shea Patterson will be under center. 

Let's dive into Michigan's premier 2019 NFL Draft prospects. 

Rashan Gary, DL

Gary was the No. 1 overall recruit in the country in the class of 2016 according to 247 Sports, and he's lived up to the billing in his first two seasons with the Wolverines. He'll begin the 2018 season as my No. 3 overall prospect in next year's draft.

Gifted with a unique body type, long arms, and immense athleticism, the 6-foot-5, 287-pounder can play anywhere on the defensive line, which bodes well for his future in the nickel-heavy NFL. Bruce Feldman listed Gary at No. 1  on his "freak" list, a distinction given to Saquon Barkley and Myles Garrett before the last two college football seasons.

Gary isn't an edge-bending outside rusher, and he's not a space-eating defensive tackle. He's somewhere in between, and he's primed for a monster year anchoring Michigan's defensive front. He had 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2017 during most of which he played as a 19 year old.

He could stand to get a bit stronger up top, and he showcased a diverse arsenal of pass-rushing moves last season he needs to rely on more frequently as a junior. Gary is the guy you want to utilize on twists, and he's outstanding chasing down ball-carriers from the backside.

With another productive season in Ann Arbor, Gary should hear his name called in the top half of the first round in the 2019 Draft. 

Chase Winovich, EDGE

Winovich is an all-effort edge-rusher who leans on his relentless motor to make an impact near or behind the line of scrimmage. He's noticeably limited athletically, but that shortcoming hasn't really hampered his play at the collegiate level, although it could hold him back at the NFL level, and will almost assuredly be the main knock on his resume as a prospect next draft season.

Winovich had 73 tackles, 19.0 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 2017. He sets a very strong edge, always fights hard to work through blocks, flashed an effective swipe move, and never believes he's out of the play.

His bull rush has been hit or miss thus far in his career with the Wolverines. With more strength, that move could be a go-to for him because his legs never stop churning. On the same line as Gary, Winovich will likely have a big statistical season on a loaded Michigan defense and land somewhere on Day Two of the 2019 Draft.

Devin Bush, LB

Spring-loaded movements allow Bush to be magnetized to the football. He finished 2017 with 95 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, and seven pass breakups.

The soon-to-be true junior is shorter than your typical off-ball linebacker at 5-11, but at 232 pounds, he's a compact thumper with consistent tackling ability. Because of his twitchiness and the urgency at which he plays the position, Bush not only is super-difficult to block, but he can mirror the movements of running backs as they wiggle through the line of scrimmage. 

Unsurprisingly, his frame and physical skills make him an ideal "new-age" coverage linebacker too, more than capable in zone and reliable in man coverage against ball-carriers, smaller tight ends, and even some slot receivers. 

The main concern I have with Bush is two-fold; he lacks length and isn't strong enough to beat blocks at times. He uses his hands well to dispatch them in some instances, yet he's going to need to be more powerful at the point of attack to take on lead-blockers at the NFL level. Behind Gary, Winovich and Co., Bush should eclipse the 100-tackle mark and continue to be a difference-maker in coverage. With the way the NFL is trending, I don't think Bush sneaking in the first round of the 2019 draft is totally out of the question. 

Khaleke Hudson, LB/S

Hudson was a blitzing rocket in Don Brown's defense in 2017, as he burst onto the scene in his sophomore season with 77 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, two picks, and nine pass breakups. Like Bush, Hudson is defender with the precise skill set desired and needed in the increasingly pass-happy, spaced-out NFL. 

At 6-0, and 205 pounds, he has requisite safety size but thumps like a linebacker and is an explosive hitter due to his twitchy click-and-close ability. Because of his freakish athletic talents, his defense coordinator will feel comfortable leaving him on the field on all three downs, as he can match up with wideouts, cover plenty of ground from the deep middle, and be a formidable run-halting presence. 

Also like Bush, Hudson is in for another stat-sheet filling season for the Wolverines and could find himself going in the first round whenever he declares. 

Lavert Hill, CB

Hill is the best cornerback in the Big 10. Though not a menacing figure at 5-11 and a shade under 180 pounds, he has the complete toolbox to thrive in 2018 and when he gets to the professional level. 

From balanced and effective press-man work, to downfield speed, to quick-twitch movements, to a feisty nature when attacking the football in the air, Hill doesn't really disappoint in any area. In 2017, the ball was hardly thrown his way, yet he mustered seven pass breakups, two interceptions, five tackles for loss, and 24 total tackles. 

He's a willing run-defender too, I just don't know he'll hold up in that area once he reaches the NFL. I have him as an early third-rounder now mainly due to his size limitations, but I won't be shocked if he moves closer to Day One in the 2019 Draft because he's a talented athlete, will be a benefactor of Michigan's tremendous defensive front in 2018 and is already refined from a technical standpoint.  

Shea Patterson, QB

The wild-card of Michigan's 2019 prospects, Patterson was once the No. 1 pro-style quarterback recruit in the country according to 247 Sports. He had moments of looking the part during last year as Ole Miss' starter but often appeared overwhelmed by repeated pressure. 

He completed 63.8 percent of his passes with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions at 8.7 yards per attempt but his season was cut short on October 21 after he suffered a torn PCL against LSU. 

At 6-1 and 205 pounds, Patterson doesn't have classic NFL quarterback size. His arm strength is good and his release his quick. He's not a wildly inaccurate quarterback either but, like most younger, somewhat inexperienced signal-callers, Patterson could sharpen his decision-making skills. 

It's reasonable to expect Harbaugh to get the most out of the talented junior, and if the gun-slinger improves his pocket presence en route to finally stabilizing Michigan's quarterback spot, he could be a hot commodity in the 2019 Draft.