Ben Boulware - DT - Winston Salem (NC) Oak Grove: Boulware is a 6'5", 305 lb. tackle prospect with this Michigan visit as the only official visit on his schedule, but he also has offers from the likes of Georgia, South Carolina, USC, and lots of others. He's a 3-star, the #57 defensive lineman, and #501 overall.
Chace Calicut - S - Houston (TX) North Shore: Calicut is a 6'3", 190-pounder with Georgia, Ole Miss, and Texas official visits, along with this official to Michigan. He's a 4-star, the #13 safety, and #162 overall. There are three crystal balls in place and they're all for Texas.
Andre Clarke - CB - Richmond (VA) Hermitage: Clarke is a 6'1", 175 lb. player who's listed as a cornerback in some places and as a safety in others. He's a 4-star, the #16 safety, and #177 overall. He has already taken official visits to SMU and Kentucky, and he has one coming up to Miami. This is an official visit.
Mansfield (TX) Lake Ridge OT Felix Ojo (image via X)
2026
Nick Abrams II - LB - Owings Mills (MD) McDonough: Abrams is a 6'2", 215 lb. prospect with official visits set for Alabama and Oregon, and he has already visited Georgia. He's a 4-star, the #17 linebacker, and #251 overall. This is an official visit.
Khary Adams - CB - Towson (MD) Loyola Blakefield: Adams is a 6'2", 175-pounder with official visits to Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, and South Carolina, along with Michigan. He's a 4-star, the #9 cornerback, and #75 overall. This is an official visit.
McHale Blade - DE - Chicago (IL) Simeon: Blade is a 6'4", 245 lb. edge prospect with officials to Purdue and Wisconsin under his belt, and this is his last scheduled official visit for the time being. He's a 4-star, the #21 defensive lineman, and #169 overall. He attends the alma mater of Chris Bryant, Michigan's Director of High School Relations. This is an official visit.
Name: Avery Gach Height: 6'5" Weight: 287 lbs. High school: Franklin (MI) Groves Position: Offensive guard Class: Freshman Jersey number: #74 Last year: Gach was a senior in high school (LINK). TTB Rating: 77
Gach committed to Michigan despite being a Michigan State legacy, and that not only takes some intelligence, but also some guts. I guess it should be pretty obvious that the Wolverines are the better choice given both options, but some people aren't able to grasp it. Michigan pursued Gach because he's tough and aggressive, envisioning a return to the physical offensive lines that led the way for Michigan's rushing offense from 2021-2023, and Gach has the mindset to be able to play for a line like that.
Gach is rated in the 247 Composite as an interior offensive lineman (4-star, #15 IOL, #279 overall) but some sites rank him as a tackle. I think his feet are too slow laterally to make tackle an option, so he's likely limited to guard or perhaps center. But he definitely has the tenacity to be a physical finisher on the interior as a run blocker. He did some good things in the spring game as an early enrollee, but he still needs to learn some technique, play lower, and add some weight to his 287 lb. frame. He is likely headed for a redshirt, but if one of the early season games turns into a blowout, I could see him getting a few snaps to prepare him for the future.
Name: Julius Holly Height: 6'4" Weight: 224 lbs. High school: Alpharetta (GA) Alpharetta Position: Defensive end Class: Freshman Jersey number: #37 Last year: Holly was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 9 tackles and 1 tackle for loss while playing in just two games due to injury. TTB Rating: 76
Holly has flown somewhat under the radar as a recruit even though he's a 4-star (#36 edge, #403 overall) in the 247 Composite. He took official visits to Georgia, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M before committing to Michigan at the end of last July, so he was pursued by some heavy hitters. Various college coaches must have seen something in him.
Unfortunately, Holly's senior season was cut short by injury, so he was only able to play in two games. MGoBlue lists him at 6'4", 224 lbs. after he was listed at 6'3", 230 lbs. during his recruitment, so he comes in a little bit taller and leaner than expected. The height is welcome, but the light weight is something that registers as a red flag for any chance of contributing as a freshman. At the Big Ten level, guys who are 224 pounds would get tossed around, so Holly is a virtual lock to redshirt this season.
Name: Chase Taylor Height: 6'2" Weight: 213 lbs. High school: Stockbridge (GA) Stockbridge Position: Linebacker Class: Freshman Jersey number: #29 Last year: Taylor was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 62 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 4 pass breakups, and 3 quarterback hurries. TTB Rating: 58
Taylor was recruited to Michigan to play inside linebacker, and he committed when he was listed at 201 pounds. It takes a lot of projection to see a 201 lb. player and think he'll be a Big Ten inside linebacker, where the normal playing weight is anywhere from 235-245 pounds. Sometimes long and lean players are 200 pounds and can project to tight end or outside linebacker because they're 6'5" or 6'6" and have a lot of room for growth, but at 6'2" there's not quite as much real estate to add beef.
A true senior highlight reel could not be found for Taylor for the 2024 season, so there are a few highlights from a handful of games. Based on what I saw in those clips, I still think Taylor has a long way to go, even though MGoBlue now lists him at 213 pounds. Taylor seems a little bit slow to make plays, and he doesn't always finish tackles the way I'd like to see for a future Big Ten inside linebacker. He can at times come downhill, lower his hips, and make a solid impact, but those plays just seem too few and far between. Based upon those senior clips, I lowered Taylor's TTB Rating from 69 to 58, and I think he's a pretty surefire redshirt in 2024 since he's so light.
Denver (CO) Mullen tight end Mason Bonner committed to Michigan on Thursday. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Colorado, Florida, Miami, Penn State, and several others.
Bonner is listed at 6'6" and 200 lbs.
RANKINGS ESPN: 3-star, 79 grade, #17 TE-H On3: 3-star, 89 grade, #21 TE Rivals: 3-star, 5.6 grade, #44 TE 247 Sports: 3-star, 88 grade, #34 TE
Name: Benny Patterson Height: 6'4" Weight: 245 lbs. High school: Newburgh (IN) Castle Position: Defensive tackle Class: Freshman Jersey number: N/A Last year: Patterson was a senior in high school. He made 70 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries. TTB Rating: 78
Patterson was a somewhat late flip in the class of 2025, picking the Wolverines on November 1, 2024, after being committed to Cincinnati. I never did a commitment post for him because I was busy at that time of year and didn't circle back, so this is basically the first you're hearing about him much on TTB.
MGoBlue's commitment bio for Patterson lists him at 6'2", 240 lbs. while 247 Sports lists him at 6'4", 245. Maybe I should have gone with a listed 6'3", 242.5 pounds up above, but the general idea seems to be that he's in the 240s. Has he added weight since his senior football season ended? That's likely. How much? Nobody knows.
In general on Patterson's senior film, I see a quick and athletic defensive lineman who does not have a ton of technique or strength. His stance is inconsistent, he tends to stand straight up on his first step, and he sometimes shocks an offensive lineman with his hands, but he tends not to do much with his hands after that if the initial blow doesn't work. The bright side is that it often works because he's a Division I-level athlete, but the down side is that he'll have a lot to learn at the college level because those guys will keep fighting - and they won't have to fight very much because Patterson is only 242.5 pounds.
Most guys with Patterson's skills and body type end up playing defensive tackle. Greg Mattison would take Patterson and turn him into a pretty solid 3-technique by 2027. Whether Patterson lasts that long on Michigan's roster is a question mark, considering the transfer portal era. Regardless, he has potential if he sticks around, but he's going to need a couple years to get up into that 290 pound range where he can be a viable option. If he can do that and maintain some of his quickness, he has a chance to be a very good player. But the most likely option for 2025 is for him to eat a high amount of calories and watch from the sideline on Saturday afternoons.
Billings (MT) West tight end Matt Ludwig committed to Michigan on Tuesday. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, and lots of others.
Ludwig is listed at 6'4" and anywhere from 230-240 pounds. As a junior in 2024, he caught 53 passes for 822 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also ran for 149 yards and 2 touchdowns as a short yardage wildcat QB.
Name: Kaleb Schlecht Height: 6'4" Weight: 195 lbs. High school: Ann Arbor (MI) Skyline Position: Wide receiver Class: Redshirt sophomore Jersey number: #89 Last year: I did not rank Schlecht. He did not play in any games. TTB Rating: N/A
Remember before the internet really existed and some guys just popped up on Michigan's roster and you had no idea who they were and there was really no way to figure it out?
Well, Kaleb Schlecht is here to remind you.
Kaleb Schlect doesn't have any Hudl highlights posted, except for a few basketball plays, mostly showing him being a lanky defender.
When I looked up Kaleb Schlecht on Twitter/X, he thankfully had a football highlight video linked, so I clicked on it. I thought maybe Google had just failed me.
The video showed a 6'0" running back, which is not the same as a 6'4" wide receiver.
So I double-checked the link, and Kaleb Schlect had simply re-posted his younger brother Ayden's Hudl highlights.
That's Kaleb Schlecht's singular Twitter/X post since he signed up in January 2024.
So to sum up what I know about Kaleb Schlecht, here are Ayden's Schlecht's junior football highlights:
Name: Joshua Nichols Height: 5’10” Weight: 205 lbs. High school: Detroit (MI) Loyola Position: Safety Class: Redshirt junior Jersey number: #36 Last year: I ranked Nichols #96 and said he would be a backup safety and special teamer (LINK). He did not play. TTB Rating: N/A
Nichols has spent the past few seasons as a scout team player, never seeing the field on a fall Saturday. He has made some appearances during spring games and does not appear to be ready for Big Ten competition, so his role is likely going to stay the same as a practice player.
While Michigan lost Makari Paige to graduation after the 2024 season, they brought in reinforcements and have guys waiting in the wings. Former starter Rod Moore will hopefully be ready for the 2025 season, and former Michigan State starter Jaden Mangham is also on hand. Meanwhile, Brandyn Hillman has made some strides, Mason Curtis has been a pleasant surprise, and Arkansas transfer T.J. Metcalf has a good amount of experience, too. The group hasn't played together much, but there are a lot of solid pieces for defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan to piece together a back end.
Name: Zach Ludwig Height: 6’2″ Weight: 217lbs. High school: South Park (PA) South Park Position: Linebacker Class: Redshirt freshman Jersey number: #43 Last year: I ranked Ludwig #128 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted. TTB Rating: 55
Ludwig was recruited to Michigan at a time when Ben Herbert, Ludwig's uncle, was Michigan's strength and conditioning coach. Ludwig was listed at 202 pounds last season, a good indication that he would not be ready to play in year one. That held true as the season came and went without his seeing the field.
Now we come out of spring with Ludwig still on the roster, listed at a slightly more reasonable 217 pounds. By weight alone, that's still probably going to keep him off the field at linebacker. Special teams could be an option, but we're likely looking at another season of him watching from the sidelines.
Name: James Kavouklis Height: 6'1" Weight: 284 lbs. High school: Tampa (FL) Berkley Prep Position: Center/Long snapper Class: Redshirt junior Jersey number: #64 Last year: I ranked Kavouklis #123 and said he would be a backup center (LINK). He did not see game action. TTB Rating: N/A
Kavouklis joined Michigan's team in 2022 and promptly played in the blowout against UConn. That's a pretty swift start for a true freshman preferred walk-on.
He has since gone on to play zero games in 2023 and 2024.
Kavouklis doubles as a long snapper, but he has been hovering around 280 pounds, and it's tough to be a long snapper at such a weight. The punt snapper usually has to get downfield and help with punt coverage, and a 280-pounder is unlikely to have the speed or open-field athleticism to make that optimal for a coverage unit.
Michigan lost long snapper Will Wagner, but former starter Greg Tarr is still on the team. Michigan brought in Dan Rosenberg, a transfer from Holy Cross, but Rosenberg is also exploring other options. Whether Rosenberg is still here in the fall is difficult to say, so perhaps Kavouklis should be ranked higher, but this is the new age of college football.
Name: Shomari Stone II Height: 5'8" Weight: 190 lbs. High school: Washington (DC) St. John's Position: Safety Class: Redshirt junior Jersey number: #41 Last year: I ranked Stone #122 and said he would be a backup defensive back (LINK). He did not play in any games. TTB Rating: N/A
Stone is entering his fourth year of college and his third year on the team, as he was not a part of the program in the fall of 2023. Stone was a preferred walk-on in 2022 and happens to be the son of Washington, D.C.-area television news anchor Shomari Stone.
Unfortunately, Stone does not seem to have a clear path to playing time. He's undersized and is playing a position where Michigan has loaded up with depth pieces over the past couple off-seasons. It's going to be a struggle for him to get on the field yet again in 2025.
Name: Bobby Kanka Height: 6'4" Weight: 299 lbs. High school: Howell (MI) Howell Position: Defensive tackle Class: Freshman Jersey number: #99 Last year: Kanka was a senior in high school. TTB Rating: 57
Kanka committed to Michigan all the way back on August 1, 2023, so at this point, it has been almost two years since he pledged to the Wolverines. He went through his junior and senior seasons committed to the program, though he did field other interest when there was some uncertainty surrounding Michigan's coaching situation. Overall, he stayed pretty rock solid as a local kid.
Kanka played some tight end on offense, but he was most known for being a defensive lineman. As a senior, he was listed at 6'4", 285 lbs. by Howell and is now listed at 289 pounds on Michigan's roster after enrolling this winter. Viewers of the spring game probably saw Kanka getting pushed around fairly easily a few times. Aside from that, I think Kanka's senior film showed a guy with a slow first step and a penchant for standing up too high at the snap. I think he'll need a lot of work and some reshaping of his body before he gets on the field at Michigan, and in some ways, I think he looks more like an offensive lineman. This is most likely a developmental year for Kanka behind a rather deep group of defensive tackles.
Name: Drew Hickmott Height: 6'2" Weight: 200 lbs. High school: Ortonville (MI) Brandon Position: Wide receiver Class: Redshirt freshman Jersey number: #35 Last year: I did not rank Hickmott. He did not play in any games. TTB Rating: N/A
Okay, well, in my "research" for this post, I went on Drew Hickmott's Twitter and found out he's looking to transfer. On April 24, 2025, he had posted his highlights/info as a transfer receiver. He did the same thing back in December and was still on the spring roster, so to be honest, I have no idea if he'll be with the program in the fall.
But. Here he is, anyway. Hickmott is a second-year player who did not play during his first year. He was a perfectly fine receiver at a small school and had over 1,600 receiving yards as a senior a couple years ago, but Big Ten football is a different deal. He's probably not going to play a role at Michigan if he stays, at least not in 2025. Still, kudos to the walk-ons who want to be a part of a great football program!
Name: John Weidenbach Height: 6'0" Weight: 215 lbs. High school: Naperville (IL) Benet Academy Position: Linebacker Class: Redshirt sophomore Jersey number: #59 Last year: I did not rank Weidenbach. He did not play in any games. TTB Rating: N/A
Weidenbach was a preferred walk-on linebacker in the class of 2023 and is the grandson of former Michigan athletic director Jack Weidenbach. Jack, who passed away a little over a year ago, would be proud of his grandson, as John has pushed back against the NCAA's attempt to limit roster sizes (LINK).
The NCAA wants rosters to be limited to 105 athletes for FBS teams, and to be honest, John would probably be on the chopping block if Michigan had to nail down its 105 most talented players. So this would be an important topic for him, along with numerous other players around the country. John has been on the team for two seasons and has not seen the field, and just based on his high school film, I would not expect that to change much during his time in Ann Arbor.
Name: Tomas O'Meara Height: 5'10" Weight: 183 lbs. High school: Ann Arbor (MI) Gabriel Richard Position: Running back Class: Redshirt freshman Jersey number: #36 Last year: I did not rank O'Meara. He was not on the team. TTB Rating: N/A
The first entry for 2025 is student body walk-on Tomas O'Meara. O'Meara is a 5'10", 183-pounder who played at local school Gabriel Richard. He last played football during the fall of 2023 when he was a running back and safety, earning second team all-state honors.
Below are O'Meara's senior highlights, and he makes some nice runs and defensive plays against the so-so competition. With the depth at running back and the inexperience at the college level, O'Meara is unlikely to play a meaningful role for Michigan this fall.
Every year since 2009, I have counted down from the least important player on that year’s roster to the most important player, including starters, scholarship players, preferred walk-ons, special teams players, student body walk-ons, and everyone in between.
In case you want a look back at last year’s list, here it is (LINK). The top two players, Will Johnson and Colston Loveland, both got hurt, and it's probably not a coincidence that the team struggled mightily at times, even though there were also other deficiencies.
YEARLY DISCLAIMER: The countdown is by the player’s importance to the team, not his overall talent. A talented player at a deep position won’t necessarily be missed a lot if he gets injured, but an injury to a moderately talented player at a thin position could be devastating. For example, I had cornerback Ambry Thomas ranked at #2 in 2020 because he was the team's only proven cornerback. Naturally, he opted out of the season and the team as a whole was an unmitigated disaster. Meanwhile, first round pick Kwity Paye was #6 because more talent was returning on the defensive line.
I had to wait an extra week this year to watch the spring game on TV, and I was also waiting to see if the house settlement would reduce rosters to 105, but it doesn't look like we'll get any clarification on that anytime soon.
If you appreciate the content here at TTB, please consider making a donation via Paypal. Thanks to Stephen, David, Tony, and Rich for their recent donations!
Hoover (AL) Hoover defensive end Tyson Bacon (4-star, #34 DL, #297 overall) decommitted from Tennessee. Michigan has been in constant contact with Bacon and may have been one of the reasons for his decommitment.
OFF THE BOARD
Greenwood (AR) Greenwood quarterback Kane Archer (3-star, #34 QB, #619 overall) committed to UCF.
Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier linebacker Ja'Kobe Clapper (3-star, #29 LB, #399 overall) committed to Notre Dame.
Nashville (TN) Christian quarterback Jared Curtis (5-star, #1 QB, #2 overall) committed to Georgia.
Newbury Park (CA) Newbury Park quarterback Brady Smigiel committed to Michigan on April 26. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State, among others, and he was previously committed to Florida State.
247 Sports lists Smigiel at 6'6" and 205 pounds. As a junior in 2024, he completed 219/336 passes for 3,521 yards, 49 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions while also rushing 89 times for 435 yards and 11 scores. Altogether, he has been responsible for 165 touchdowns, thrown 28 interceptions, and thrown for 11,222 yards as a three-year varsity starter.
Washington (DC) St. John's defensive end Tariq Boney (image via Rivals)
Washington (DC) St. John's defensive end Tariq Boney committed to Michigan a little over a week ago, picking the Wolverines over offers from Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and West Virginia, among others.
Most years I like to take a stab at a mock NFL draft. Everybody else is doing it, so why not me? This draft should be particularly interesting for Michigan fans, because the program could set a school record with four (4!!!) first round picks in the form of Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Will Johnson, and Colston Loveland (in no particular order other than alphabetical).
1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward - QB - Miami Why? He seems to be the consensus choice here, and Tennessee has all but announced the pick already.
2. Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter - CB/WR - Colorado Why? Cleveland needs a lot of help, but there are no quarterbacks worth taking here. Hunter fills a couple holes. Personally, I think he should be a cornerback and moonlight at wide receiver, because it's easier to find good receivers than it is to find elite corners. It's also tough to mostly be a wide receiver and then be ready for whatever a defense throws at you if you're only a part-time cornerback. If you have special packages on offense, the offense gets to dictate how and when that package is used, instead of the other way around.
3. New York Giants: Abdul Carter - DE - Penn State Why? I actually don't love this pick here because I don't see it as a huge need for the Giants, but they get a chance to pick a player who some people think is the best player in the draft (or second best behind Hunter). In some ways, it could be a good "value" pick even though it's still a top-three choice.
Princeton transfer running back John Volker committed to Michigan on Monday morning. Volker visited Michigan toward the end of last week.
Volker is listed at 6'0", 215 lbs. and was a captain for the Tigers. As a redshirt junior in 2024, he ran for 514 yards and 6 touchdowns. Altogether, he played in 29 games at Princeton with 245 carries for 1,183 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also caught 31 passes for 273 yards and 2 touchdowns. (Oddly, both career touchdowns came as a freshman, when he had his lowest receiving output with 4 catches for 96 yards.)
UMass transfer running back C.J. Hester committed to Michigan on Saturday. He had visited for the spring game.
Hester is listed at 5'11" and 195 lbs. As a freshman at Western Michigan in 2023, he ran 29 times for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns in seven games. He then transferred to UMass in 2024, ranking as the team's second leading rusher with 119 carries for 529 yards and 4 scores across eleven games. Coming out of Cincinnati (OH) Wyoming in 2023, he was a 247 Composite 3-star, the #113 running back, and #1702 overall.
I think Hester's size is exaggerated; he's probably closer to 5'9" than 5'11". And I don't think he's 195 pounds, or at least he wasn't during the 2024 season. But he does run tough. His numbers aren't great, but he was playing for UMass, one of the worst FBS teams. There are several highlights of him running through tackles and fighting for extra yardage, and that's a step up in a way from the type of tackle-breaking ability Donovan Edwards showed over the past few seasons. That's not to say that Hester is a better overall running back, but at least Hester has the ability to fight through tackles. Hester also has a little bit of wiggle and a little bit of quickness, but he's not going to be a breakaway threat like Edwards.
Overall, Hester is a notch below Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes, and that's probably the best Michigan can hope for from someone committing from the portal at this point in the cycle. Michigan has Marshall and Haynes and then a bunch of unproven players, including redshirt freshman Micah Ka'apana and a couple freshmen.
Hester would be the only player other than Jibreel Black, who finished his college career in 2013, to play for Michigan out of Cincinnati (OH) Wyoming.
Michigan landed a punter in the transfer portal in the form of former Missouri punter Luke Bauer.
Bauer is a 6'5", 207 lb. former walk-on who joined the Missouri program in 2020, the COVID year exemption making it irrelevant for his eligibility. He then sat on the bench in 2021 and 2022 before becoming the starting punter in 2023 and 2024. He punted 49 times for 2,047 yards (41.8 yards/attempt) in 2024 and punted 22 times for 927 yards (42.1 yards/attempt) in 2023. In addition, he completed a pass on a fake punt against Kentucky in 2023, resulting in a 39-yard touchdown.
Michigan needed to replace former starting punter Tommy Doman, who transferred to Florida this off-season. The move to Bauer seems to be a downgrade, but we'll see; he may not even win the starting job, since Mississippi State transfer Hudson Hollenbeck looked solid in the bowl game against Alabama, punting 6 times and averaging 46.2 yards/attempt. Doman averaged 42.6 yards/attempt last year, down from 44.3 in 2023.
Michigan now has options at punter, at least. The potential roster limits might make it difficult to carry several potential punting options, but word coming out of bowl practices and spring ball was that tight end Marlin Klein was the backup punter to Hollenbeck. Obviously, relying on your starting tight end to be a backup punter is fraught with issues, including fatigue, injury, etc.
Bauer would be the first player to play for Michigan from St. Louis (MO) DeSmet since 1980.
Newbury Park (CA) Newbury Park QB Brady Smigiel (image via SI/Rene Morales)
2026
Khary Adams - CB - Towson (MD) Loyola Blakefield: Adams is a 6'2", 175-pounder with officials planned for Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, and South Carolina. He's a 4-star, the #10 cornerback, and #76 overall.
J.J. Finch - DT - Indianapolis (IN) Warren Central: Finch is a 6'3", 260 lb. prospect who's the son of former Michigan commit Jerimy Finch, a safety who played for Florida and Indiana. The younger Finch is a 3-star, the #43 defensive lineman, and #435 overall. Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee are slated to get official visits, and Michigan is trying to join that list.
Brody Jennings - CB - Jacksonville (FL) Mandarin: Jennings is committed to Michigan. He's a 4-star, the #23 cornerback, and #269 overall.
Fifth year senior defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows has decided to enter the transfer portal for his final season.
McBurrows is listed at 5'11" and 194 lbs. on Michigan's roster. He played four games as a freshman in 2021 and then missed 2022 with an ACL injury. He played in fifteen games in 2023 and 2024, totaling nineteen appearances throughout his career. McBurrows was also involved in the infamous tunnel brawl with Michigan State when he tried to help fellow defensive back Gemon Green.
At various times in his career, McBurrows has been thought to be a key contributor, especially at the nickel position. However, injuries and the performances of other players have prevented him from being a major factor. Last year the nickel spot was won by Zeke Berry initially, and then safety Makari Paige won the role during the second half of the year when Berry moved to outside corner. That was probably McBurrows's best chance to play significant moments, but his season ended due to injury after the first four games.
McBurrows has one season of eligibility remaining (though with his injury history, he could eventually apply for a sixth year and would probably get it). Overall, he made 13 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 pass breakups, and 1 interception in his career at Michigan, and that one pick came against the dastardly MSU Spartans in 2023, a year after they attacked him in the tunnel.
Redshirt sophomore Jason Hewlett has decided to enter the transfer portal.
Hewlett is a 6'2", 227 lb. linebacker who played in nine games, mostly on special teams and all of them in 2024. He made 2 career tackles after redshirting in 2023.
Hewlett was committed to Cincinnati at one point in the process but Michigan swooped in and stole him. I gave him a TTB Rating of 81 when he came out of Youngstown (OH) Chaney (LINK) listed at 6'4", 220, but the fact that he's two inches shorter than that and has only put on seven pounds in two years did not bode well for his playing much in 2025.
This makes ten players from the class of 2023 who have already transferred, where Hewlett joins LB Semaj Bridgeman (Michigan State), RB Cole Cabana (Western Michigan), CB Cam Calhoun (Utah/Alabama), WR Karmello English (West Georgia), OG Amir Herring (Kansas), LB Breeon Ishmail (Purdue), LB Hayden Moore (Wasington), K Adam Samaha (North Carolina), and CB D.J. Waller, Jr. (Kentucky). All the linebackers from the class (Bridgeman, Hewlett, Ishmail, Moore) have transferred as the linebacker room has seen some coaching turnover in that time, going from Chris Partridge to Rick Minter to Brian Jean-Mary.
Nick Abrams II - LB - Owings Mills (MD) McDonogh: Abrams is a 6'2", 215 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State, and others. He's a 4-star, the #15 linebacker, and #213 overall.
McHale Blade - DE - Chicago (IL) Simeon: Blade is a 6'4", 245-pounder with offers from Florida, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, and Notre Dame, among others. He's a 4-star, the #21 defensive lineman, and #185 overall.
Davion Brown - WR - Richmond (VA) Trinity Episcopal: Brown is a 6'3", 185 lb. wideout with officials set for Duke, Georgia, Penn State, and Virginia Tech. He's a 4-star, the #29 wide receiver, and #180 overall.
Dallas (TX) Parish Episcopal wide receiver Jaylen Pile committed to Michigan back in October of 2024. I did not do a write-up on him at the time, but he picked the Wolverines over offers from Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, and Tennessee, among others.
Pile is listed at 6'0" and 175 lbs. As a junior in 2024, he caught 63 passes for 1,367 yards and 19 touchdowns. He's the son of former Virginia Tech and NFL safety Willie Pile.
Roanoka (VA) North Cross CB Jaziel Hart (image via QB Hit List)
2026
Tariq Boney - DE - Washington (DC) St. John's: Boney is a 6'2", 230 lb. prospect with offers from Auburn, Georgia, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, and Texas A&M, among others. He's a 3-star, the #76 edge, and #916 overall.
Anthony Davis, Jr. - LB - Loganville (GA) Grayson: Davis is a 6'2", 200-pounder with officials set to Alabama and Auburn, and he also has offers from Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, USC, and others. He's a 4-star, the #20 linebacker, and #297 overall. With 105 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 1 interception as a junior in 2024, he has been invited to the Under Armour All-American Game.
Jaziel Hart - CB - Roanoke (VA) North Cross: Hart is a 5'11", 170 lb. prospect with officials set for Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech. He's currently unranked but with his offer list, he definitely should be.
Jacksonville (FL) Mandarin defensive tackle Brian Harris (3-star, #58 defensive lineman, #552 overall) was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'4", 290 lb. prospect who's listed as an edge in some places and looks pretty svelte, but his listed size of 6'3"-6'4" and 280-290 pounds suggests he'll end up as an interior defensive lineman. Harris visited Michigan last week. He has officials set up to Auburn, North Carolina State, South Carolina, Stanford, and West Virginia.
Tupelo (MS) Tupelo defensive end JaReylan McCoy (4-star, #13 defensive lineman, #119 overall) was offered by Michigan, and he also visited Ann Arbor this past weekend. He also has offers from Auburn, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, and Texas, all of whom will receive official visits. Michigan has not landed a Mississippi prospect since Jeremy LeSueur over twenty years ago, so I won't get my hopes up.
Odebolt (IA) Odebolt-Arthur athlete Jaxx DeJean (5-star, #3 ATH, #21 overall) was offered by Michigan. If the name sounds familiar, that's because he's the younger brother of former Iowa Hawkeye defensive back Cooper DeJean, who recently had a pick-six for the Philadelphia Eagles against Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. Jaxx is a 6'6", 205 lb. prospect with offers from Iowa, Kansas State, UAB, and UNLV.
Denver (NC) East Lincoln tight end Jaxon Dollar (unranked) was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'5", 208-pounder with offers from Cincinnati, Florida State, Penn State, and South Carolina.
Sacramento (CA) Grant Union tight end Rahzario Edwards (unranked) was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'6", 210 lb. prospect who has fielded offers from Florida, Ole Miss, Oregon, Stanford, Tennessee, and USC, among others.
Kory Amachree - RB - Haslett (MI) Haslett: Amachree is a 6'0", 195 lb. prospect with officials set to Indiana, Michigan State, Northwestern, Pitt, and Purdue. He's a 4-star, the #28 running back, and #367 overall. Michigan is in one some of the top few backs in the nation, but they could potentially turn to some other targets if the likes of Javian Osborne and Savion Hiter don't work out.
Simeon Caldwell - S - Jacksonville (FL) The Bolles School: Caldwell is a 6'3", 185-pounder with officials set for Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and USC. He's a 4-star, the #7 linebacker, and #95 overall in the 247 Composite. He could potentially outgrow the safety position and end up at linebacker on the next level.
Chace Calicut - S - Houston (TX) North Shore: Calicut is a 6'3", 190 lb. prospect with officials set for Michigan, Texas, and Washington. He's a 4-star, the #14 safety, and #168 overall.
RETURNING PLAYERS: Kechaun Bennett (RS Sr.), Rayshaun Benny (RS Sr.), T.J. Guy (RS Sr.), Ike Iwunnah (RS Sr.), Tyler McLaurin (RS Sr.), Derrick Moore (Sr.), Chibi Anwunah (RS Jr.), Joey Klunder (RS Jr.), Alessandro Lorenzetti (RS Jr.), Trey Pierce (Jr.), Enow Etta (RS So.), Aymeric Koumba (RS So.), Devon Baxter (RS Fr.), Edgard Lugopayi (RS Fr.), Dominic Nichols (RS Fr.) NEWCOMERS: Damon Payne (RS Sr.), Tre Williams (RS Sr.), Julius Holly (Fr.), Travis Moten (Fr.) DEPARTURES: Mason Graham (NFL Draft), Kenneth Grant (NFL Draft), Josaiah Stewart (NFL Draft)
OUTLOOK: Ahhhhh . . . defensive line. This is the place where Michigan fans can all take a deep breath of the happy, fresh air, where things are all fine and dandy. Michigan has had a long line of quality defensive linemen who have been fun to watch, going back years, including Chase Winovich, Maurice Hurst Jr., Ryan Glasgow, Kwity Paye, etc. More recently, we've seen Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, Kenneth Grant, Josaiah Stewart, and Mason Graham star on the defensive line. Last year it was Graham and Grant - both of whom are projected to be 1st rounders - who really held down the middle of the line, stymying Ohio State's rushing attack and helping Michigan preserve that sweet, sweet, 13-10 victory.
This year Michigan might have to hold its breath a little bit.
With Graham and Grant off to the NFL, Michigan has to hope someone will develop at defensive tackle who doesn't have a great track record yet. Rayshaun Benny has already played great at times, and barring injury, he should once again be a force. Otherwise, it will be up to fifth year senior Ike Iwunnah (7 tackles, 1 tackle for loss in 2024), junior Trey Pierce (7 tackles), redshirt sophomore Enow Etta (4 tackles, 0.5 sacks), and a couple transfers to get it done inside. Luckily, the transfers were pretty good recruits. On the not-so-great side, they weren't super productive at their previous stops. Alabama transfer Damon Payne (14 tackles, 0.5 sacks) and Clemson transfer Tre Williams (14 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks) are not stars like Graham and Grant, but they're veteran additions.
The most impressive aspect and the biggest sign for hope is that this is a veteran-heavy position group. Altogether, the defensive line room boasts seven (7!!!) fifth-year seniors and four fourth-year players, the latter group including a couple former walk-ons in Joey Klunder and Chibi Anwunah. At a position in the trenches where physical maturity is at a premium, if you can't win with pure talent, it's at least good to have size, strength, and mental maturity.
On the edges, Michigan will miss Josaiah Stewart, an undersized player who won a ton of his matchups and played tougher than his 6'1", 245 lb. frame would indicate. But rising senior Derrick Moore (23 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks) and fifth year senior T.J. Guy (32 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks) both played well in the bowl game against Alabama; Moore came on in that game after being pretty quiet throughout the regular season, but Guy was solid for most of the year. Those two players should lead the way, but Michigan did not land any reinforcements in the transfer portal and will need to count on some young players to rotate in and find some success.
Redshirt sophomore Aymeric Koumba looks the part, and Michigan brought in a really talented trio in 2024 with Lugard Edokpayi, Devon Baxter, and Dominic Nichols. Nichols looked like he belonged, making 3 tackles in five games (one was the bowl game, so he preserved his redshirt). But there's plenty of opportunity here for help at the edge positions to step up in the spring and stake a claim for playing time this fall.
Overall, this is a veteran group that should be solid and deep. In fact, I can't think of a Michigan team that has had this much experience. The real question is the top-end talent and whether someone who will step up who can make consistent big plays in crunch time, something guys like Mason Graham, Josaiah Stewart, Aidan Hutchinson, and others have been able to do.
Favour Akih - RB - Delaware (OH) Rutherford B. Hayes: Akih is a 6'0", 190 lb. prospect with officials visits set for Miami, Pitt, and USC. He's a 4-star, the #15 running back, and #205 overall. He will be on campus on March 18.
Mason Bonner - TE - Denver (CO) Mullen: Bonner is a 6'6", 200-pounder with offers from Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Texas Tech, and others. He has official visits set for Michigan and Minnesota. He's currently ranked as a 247 Sports 3-star and the #38 tight end in the class. He will be in Ann Arbor most of next week, from March 17-20.
Trenton Henderson - DE - Pensacola (FL) Catholic: Henderson is a 6'4", 225 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and others. He's a 4-star, the #8 EDGE, and #79 overall. He has official visits set for UF, FSU, 'Bama, Vandy, and Auburn, so Michigan is playing a little from behind to try to get an official visit set up. He will be in Ann Arbor on the 17th.
[caption id="attachment_22250" align="aligncenter" width="460"] Drew Henson (image via Detroit News)[/caption]
This was originally posted on March 17, 2017. It has been updated following the 2024 season.
Sports fans love to debate the greatness of players and rank them in order from most revered to most despised. And while despised probably doesn't fit any of these players, since they played for the University of Michigan, we all have our favorites. I have endeavored to achieve the un-possible: Rank all of Michigan's starting quarterbacks.
Okay, that's too tall of a task for me right now. I'm working up to it. So I'm only going back to 1995, which was the beginning of the Lloyd Carr era. That's the earliest full coaching tenure where I can count on my recollections of Michigan football. I was a big fan of Bo Schembechler, Gary Moeller, and the Michigan Wolverines before then, but I'll be damned if I say I was aware enough to understand what was happening on the field.
This ranking only takes into account what the quarterbacks achieved wearing the winged helmet. High school highlight tapes and NFL performance aren't taken into account. (After all, we can agree that Tom Brady is far and away the best quarterback who ever played the game of football, and that includes Uncle Rico.)
So if you were starting a season with your pick of any Michigan QB since 1995, which one would you take?
RETURNING PLAYERS: Peyton O'Leary (RS Sr.), Joe Taylor (RS Sr.), Amorion Walker (Sr.), Logan Forbes (RS Jr.), Fredrick Moore (Jr.), Semaj Morgan (Jr.), Kendrick Bell (RS So.), Channing Goodwin (RS Fr.), I'Marion Stewart (RS Fr.) NEWCOMERS: Donaven McCulley (RS Sr.), Anthony Simpson (RS Sr.), Andrew Marsh (Fr.), Jamar Browder (Fr.) DEPARTURES: C.J. Charleston (graduation), Tyler Morris (transfer to Indiana)
OUTLOOK: Michigan's receivers did not have a banner year in 2024. Part of it may be a chicken-or-egg situation with the poor quarterback play: no receiver was going to have a great year with Davis Warren and Alex Orji throwing the ball, and not many quarterbacks were going to have great passing numbers throwing to what Michigan put out there at receiver. Tight end Colston Loveland led Michigan's team in receptions (56), yards (548), and touchdowns (5). By comparison, the leading wideouts in each category were Semaj Morgan (27 catches), Tyler Morris (248 yards), and Morris again (2 touchdowns).
Morris headed for the greener pastures of, uh, Bloomington, Indiana, this off-season, so it's a pretty complete overhaul of the receiving group. Morgan is back, but he had a measly 139 yards and a paltry 5.2 yards per catch. That's not an indictment of Morgan's talent, but Michigan's overall inability to push the ball downfield, set up screens appropriately, and generally call an offense. I have more faith in new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey than the departed Kirk Campbell, so I expect Morgan to benefit significantly. But he has yet to prove that he can be a downfield threat.
The prize of Michigan's transfer efforts at receiver is Indiana transfer Donaven McCulley, a 6'5", 203 lb. possession guy who caught 48 passes for 644 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2023. While he doesn't have a ton of downfield speed, he's the type of big target with experience that Michigan lacked out wide in 2024. He can probably be penciled in as a starter this fall.
Other unknowns include the quick Fredrick Moore (11 catches, 148 yards, 1 TD in 2024), former walk-on and possession guy Peyton O'Leary (10 catches, 102 yards, 1 TD), former quarterback Kendrick Bell (7 catches, 70 yards), and reed-thin speedster Amorion Walker (3 catches, 34 yards). The most intriguing of those is Walker, who is 6'3" and 182 lbs. Once penciled in as a starting cornerback by Jim Harbaugh - and briefly at Ole Miss in the spring of 2024 - he spent last year at receiver. If corners don't get a hand on him, he can run real fast; if corners do get a hand on him, he can fall down real fast.
One of Lindsey's tasks will be to figure out which veteran receiver can play a good-sized role in the offense and provide some help for some limited quarterbacks: QB Mikey Keene is limited by his stature, and QB Bryce Underwood is limited by his inexperience. But another task will be to figure out what roles can be played by freshman Andrew Marsh, incoming UMass transfer Anthony Simpson, and freshman Jamar Browder. Marsh comes in with some questions about his overall speed, but he reportedly finds a way to make things happen. Simpson is a bit of a screen and gadget guy, but he could be fun to watch. And Browder is a 6'3" guy with some upside, but he's probably somebody who needs to bake in the oven for at least a season.
Overall, Michigan has an array of pieces. While last season was similar at receiver to the 2023-2024 Michigan basketball team that got Juwan Howard fired because he couldn't construct a roster, this year could be closer to the 2024-2025 Dusty May version of the basketball team: a well constructed squad probably lacking championship potential.
RETURNING PLAYERS: Greg Crippen (RS Sr.), Giovanni El-Hadi (RS Sr.), Connor Jones (RS Jr.), Brooks Bahr (RS So.), Nathan Efobi (RS So.), Evan Link (RS So.), Blake Frazier (RS Fr.), Jake Guarnera (RS Fr.), Luke Hamilton (RS Fr.), Ben Roebuck (RS Fr.), Andrew Sprague (RS Fr.) NEWCOMERS: Lawrence Hattar (RS Sr.), Brady Norton (RS So.), Andrew Babalola (Fr.), Kaden Strayhorn (Fr.) DEPARTURES: Raheem Anderson (transfer to Western Michigan), Tristan Bounds (transfer to Arizona), Andrew Gentry (transfer to BYU), Dominick Giudice (transfer to Missouri), Myles Hinton (NFL Draft), Jeffrey Persi (transfer to Pitt), Josh Priebe (NFL Draft)
OUTLOOK: Michigan really struggled up front in 2024, the first year under new offensive line coach Grant Newsome. They did seem to make some progress late in the year, but it was too late to salvage anything but a couple surprise victories against Ohio State and Alabama. The top performer up front was Myles Hinton, a mammoth Stanford transfer. Transfer left guard Josh Priebe struggled at times, and from the center to the right tackle was a travesty for much of the year. Greg Crippen and Dominick Giudice played hot potato with the reins of the center position for the entire year, Giovanni El-Hadi performed disappointingly at right guard, and redshirt freshman Evan Link posted multiple PFF grades of 0.0 in pass protection.
There has been a lot of turnover on the offensive line, with seven players either moving on to the NFL (Hinton, Priebe) or transferring. Giudice, Andrew Gentry, and Jeffrey Persi all had significant starting or playing experience, and all three decided to play elsewhere, leaving somewhat of a void in the remaining offensive line.
The bowl game against Alabama featured Link at left tackle and freshman Andrew Sprague at right tackle, and that may be the configuration we see to begin the spring. Link looked more comfortable on the left side, and Sprague showed some promise at right tackle, especially from an attitude perspective. Add in an off-season of strength and conditioning, and Sprague should be ready to roll.
As for new faces for 2025, Ferris State transfer Lawrence Hattar could possibly be penciled in to start at guard; he's a fifth year player with lots of starting experience at the Division II level. Andrew Babalola is a 5-star prospect who's big enough and athletic enough to compete for playing time at one of the tackle positions. Junior college transfer Brady Norton has potential down the road, but he's probably a developmental guy at this point.
A couple other players who have been rumored to be in contention for playing time are redshirt junior Connor Jones and redshirt sophomore Nathan Efobi. Redshirt freshman Blake Frazier has been mentioned as having potential if he can get/stay healthy, and redshirt freshman Ben Roebuck had college-ready size when he arrived in 2024. All of those players are huge question marks since we haven't really seen them on the field except during spring games.
Overall, the offensive line is a group with a lot of individual talent, but very little cohesion from playing together. Center Greg Crippen and offensive guard Giovanni El-Hadi have spent lots of time together as two fifth year seniors, but the rest of the players are either young or new to the system. It's probably a pipe dream to hope for a return to the Joe Moore Award-level play we saw in 2021 and 2022, but it's going to be very disappointing if Michigan can't perform better in the trenches than they did in 2024.
Owings Mills (MD) McDonogh linebacker Nick Abrams II (4-star, #19 LB, #223 overall) was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'2", 215 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, and Penn State, among others.
Durham (NC) C.E. Jordan defensive tackle Noah Clark (4-star, #30 DL, #254 overall) was offered by Michigan. He has official visits set up for Duke, North Carolina State, South Carolina, Virginia, and Virginia Tech, so Michigan has some work to do here if they want to catch up. He made 75 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 4 sacks as a junior in 2024 and looks like a future nose tackle for someone.
White (GA) Cass OG Bear McWhorter with Sherrone Moore (image via Rivals)
White (GA) Cass offensive guard Bear McWhorter, a 2026 prospect, committed to Michigan on Friday. The former Arkansas commit also had offers from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and numerous others.
McWhorter is listed at 6'3.5" and 295 lbs. on 247 Sports.
Michigan had nine players compete at (or at least show up to) the 2025 NFL combine. Here are the results for the participants:
RB Donovan Edwards
5'11", 205 lbs.
30" arms, 10" hands
4.44 forty-yard dash
38.5" vertical
23 bench press reps
DT Mason Graham
6'3 1/2", 296 lbs.
32" arms, 9 1/8" hands
24 bench press reps
DT Kenneth Grant
6'4", 331 lbs.
33 1/2" arms, 10 1/8" hands
22 bench press reps
OT Myles Hinton
6'7", 323 lbs.
34 1/8" arms, 10 1/4" hands
31.5" vertical jump
4.96-second 20-yard shuttle
CB Will Johnson
6'2", 194 lbs.
30 1/8" arms, 9 1/4" hands
TE Colston Loveland
6'6", 248 lbs.
32 3/4" arms, 10" hands
RB Kalel Mullings
6'1 1/2", 226 lbs.
31 3/4" arms, 10" hands
DE Josaiah Stewart
6'1", 249 lbs.
31 7/8" arms, 9 1/2" hands
LS William Wagner
No measurements publicly available
I was hoping to see more players participate in drills, but the growing trend is for players to wait for their pro days (or not work out at all). It would have been fun to see Kenneth Grant run the 40-yard dash and for Will Johnson to do a variety of drills, etc., but alas, we're left to wonder.
Michigan did have running back Donovan Edwards test, and his results were pretty outstanding:
Donovan Edwards is a RB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.60 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 78 out of 1909 RB from 1987 to 2025.
OUTLOOK: Michigan had one of the best tight ends in college football in 2024 in the form of Colston Loveland, who should be a first round draft pick in April. Loveland was by far Michigan's leading receiver (56 catches, 582 yards, 5 touchdowns) despite playing in a subpar passing game, and his numbers were significantly hurt by the fact that the quarterbacks couldn't get him the ball when he was open downfield.
Marlin Klein caught the fifth most passes on the team in 2024 and filled in for Loveland. Klein isn't nearly the fluid athlete that Loveland was and doesn't have as natural of receiving abilities, but he's a 6'6", 247 lb. player with good straight-line speed and decent blocking ability. He caught 13 passes for 108 yards and 0 touchdowns a season ago.
The other huge returning contributor is 6'2", 240 lb. Max Bredeson, who plays a fullback/H-back role. Bredeson caught just 3 passes for 24 yards, but he's a devastating blocker who sets the physical tone on offense. New offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey may have to adjust some of his schemes to incorporate a heavy dose of Bredeson. I think Lindsey is pretty flexible as a coach, but he seems less inclined to use multiple tight ends as frequently as Jim Harbaugh-type offenses did.
Rising sophomore Hogan Hansen came out of nowhere to catch 7 passes for 78 yards and 1 touchdown in 2024 while playing in ten games. It's not clear exactly what type of role he'll play since his body (6'5", 236) and skills haven't really developed yet, but what is clear is that the coaching staff likes him and he will probably see a heavier role in 2025.
Walk-on Hoffman is Bredeson's backup, and both Marshall and Tonielli are going into their third years without playing much. Prieskorn was hurt toward the end of the season, and my guess is he will not participate fully in spring ball. The lone freshman in the class is Eli Owens, who was listed at 6'1" and 243 lbs. coming out of high school before enrolling early. He has mentioned how much he wants to fill the role of Bredeson down the road, so he may end up battling Hoffman for playing time this spring after enrolling early.
Overall, Michigan has a solid group of tight ends, but no real stars in the receiving game. Bredeson may prove to be the best of the bunch because of his blocking ability, but there's still some intriguing potential with Klein's athleticism, Hansen's early flashes, etc. One to watch may be Tonielli, who got some buzz last spring but never got an opportunity on Saturdays. It should be a good overall unit, but the crew overall is a bit of an unknown.
