Land of 10 has embarked on a series of “Next Generation” articles, a project that aims to bring our readers greater insight into the class of 2017 signees. Land of 10 Michigan writers Rachel Lenzi and Kevin Goheen are hard at work visiting this year’s Michigan incoming class of freshmen to show you more than their 40-yard dash times and recruiting rankings. Rachel sat down with defensive lineman James Hudson last week. The series will debut in March.

ORCHARD LAKE, Mich. – I went to visit linebacker Josh Ross of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s on Monday. Josh is a Michigan legacy. He certainly isn’t the unwanted kind like Kent “Flounder” Dorfman in “Animal House,” where everyone boos and throws garbage at his picture. Ross remembers watching older brother James play at The Big House from 2012-15 and is excited to put the lessons learned from big brother to use there himself.

Following in an older sibling’s footsteps isn’t easy, but Ross doesn’t see it as a burden. He did the same thing at St. Mary’s, where both James and Josh were two-time members of the Detroit Free Press Dream Team. James led St. Mary’s to a Division 3 state championship as a senior. Josh and St. Mary’s won a third straight title last November. It was the program’s fourth in six years, a stretch that began with James’ senior season.

“Before I got here he showed me all the ropes, he told me all the stuff I’d have to go through,” Josh said about James. “Even right now for Michigan, he’s telling me all the stuff I’ve got to work on, the stuff I’ve got to do when I get in there. I would definitely say I’m following in his footsteps just because there’s not a lot of people that get that opportunity to have an older brother that they can look up to and follow them wherever they go.”

James played as a true freshman at Michigan and ended up playing in 50 games with 21 starts. Younger brother is going to get an opportunity to play his first season as well. Michigan lost 10 of 11 starters on defense from last year’s team.

Josh said he understands the chance he’ll be getting better than most. He had a role model in his older brother.

I’ll have more on Ross and the bond he has with his older brother and his family in his Next Generation profile. Be sure to look for it and profiles on other members of Michigan’s 2017 recruiting class when the series begins the week of March 5.