2026 Season Countdown: #51-55

 

Channing Goodwin (image via Detroit News)

#51. Aisea Moa - LB - North Ogden (UT) Weber: Moa is a 6'2", 238 lb. fifth year senior who is the older brother of Michigan freshman wide receiver Salesia Moa. Aisea spent three years at BYU before transferring to Michigan State in 2025, where he made 12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 pass breakups. (He made 2 of his 12 tackles in the Michigan game.) He played for new Michigan defensive coordinator Jay Hill when he was at BYU, so he has some familiarity with the system as well as some playing experience (27 total games played during his four years). He does not appear to be in the running to start at linebacker, but he will probably play some special teams and should be able to help in the linebacker room as the inexperienced group learns Hill's system.

#52. Channing Goodwin - WR - Charlotte (NC) Providence Day: Goodwin is a 6'1", 197 lb. redshirt sophomore who started six games in 2025. It's odd for a half-season starter to drop so precipitously from where we might expect a returning starter to be, but Michigan has upgraded its wide receiver corps. Goodwin had 12 catches for 148 yards last season and did some nice things at times, and I admitted at one point last year that he seemed to be faster than he looked when he was coming out of high school. But the talent in the position group has been upgraded with transfers J.J. Buchanan (Utah) and Jaime Ffrench (Texas), along with freshmen Salesi Moa and Travis Johnson. Goodwin seems like a fairly reliable player who should be able to jump in the game adequately in case of an injury or two, or just to give someone a breather, but he doesn't seem to have game-changing ability.

#53. Travis Moten - DT - Louisville (KY) Fern Creek: Moten is a 6'6", 315 lb. monster of a human who's a bit of a question mark at this point. He has the requisite size to be a force, but he only played in one game last season, his first year of college. Michigan needs some players to step up at defensive tackle, especially if Utah transfer Jonah Lea'ea hasn't been able to add weight and/or won't be able to hold up inside for the Wolverines. Michigan also has other options like Benny Patterson and Deyvid Palepale who are unproven, and the team needs someone from that cluster of players to emerge as a rotational player in 2026.

#54. Eli Owens - TE - Alcoa (TN) Alcoa: Owens is a 6'1", 244 lb. redshirt freshman who has said all the right things - he wants to be a team player and wants to emulate former Michigan fullback/tight end Max Bredeson. The biggest question is whether Michigan will employ fullbacks and tight ends in the same way they did under Jim Harbaugh and Sherrone Moore. Owens even took over the #44 jersey from Bredeson, but the transplanted Utah staff used a "Rhino" - a backup defensive lineman or offensive lineman - as an extra tight end last year, and they averaged having 5.5 offensive linemen per snap in 2025. Owens is likely to be a backup to Jalen Hoffman, so I don't have high expectations for Owens to be a major factor in 2026, but he should be in the mix to play on special teams.

#55. Jamar Browder - WR - Jacksonville (FL) Santaluces: Browder is a 6'5", 215 lb. sophomore who played in seven games as a freshman last season. Despite playing a fair amount, he did not make any receptions. Michigan brought in several new receiving targets (see Channing Goodwin's blurb above) and Browder was already behind a few guys, so he will probably not see a ton of playing time in 2026. His biggest asset - mini tight end size at 6'5", 215 - may be something the offensive coaching staff could use in some jumbo sets or down near the goal line, but I expect him to play fewer snaps this year than last year.

2026 Season Countdown: #56-60

 

Travis Johnson (image via X)

#56. Bobby Kanka - DT - Howell (MI) Howell: Kanka is a 6'4", 305 lb. second-year player who has quietly emerged as someone I think might start making some contributions in 2026. While I wasn't high on him coming out of high school, he has added some good weight and looks like someone who could play some backup snaps. I'm not expecting him to be a starter or work his way into the regular rotation, but playing some snaps to rest the top few guys isn't out of the question, depending on the game situation. Michigan does need some players to emerge at defensive tackle, and Kanka is in the mix.

#57. Travis Johnson - WR - Chesapeake (VA) Oscar Smith: Johnson is a 6'2", 185 lb. true freshman who enrolled early and immediately looked good for the Wolverines, according to practice reports. A 4-star, the #18 wide receiver, and #125 overall in the 2026 class, he has the recruiting pedigree to be an early contributor. His MGoBlue profile says he had "at least" 40 catches for 1,200 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2025, so that's roughly 30 yards per catch if those numbers are close to being accurate. I think Johnson will definitely play in 2026, but it's a matter of how much. The Wolverines kept Andrew Marsh and brought in J.J. Buchanan (Utah) and Jaime Ffrench (Texas), along with landing freshman transfer Salesi Moa (Utah); Moa seems to be ahead of Johnson right now, and Johnson will also have to contend with holdovers Kendrick Bell and Channing Goodwin. Johnson is more talented than Bell or Goodwin, but the experience factor may work against him.

#58. Jo'Ziah Edmond - CB - Indianapolis (IN) Northwood: Edmond has been pretty quiet through two seasons in Ann Arbor, and now he's a 6'1", 185 lb. defensive back with ten total appearances under his belt. He only played in the first two games in 2025 after playing in eight games in 2024, so perhaps there was something going on behind the scenes like a minor injury. But the depth chart behind Jyaire Hill and Smith Snowden is pretty murky, and this year would be a prime opportunity for another cornerback or two to step up. Edmond looks like he's at least behind Shamari Earls in the running for playing time, and I would have expected Edmond to have a little more weight on him by this point in his career. We're not likely to see a breakout season from Edmond, but he could emerge as a rotational corner behind the aforementioned guys.

#59. Taylor Tatum - S - Longview (TX) Longview: Tatum is a 5'10", 212 lb. redshirt sophomore who spent the past two seasons playing running back at Oklahoma. Michigan was a finalist for him back in 2024 and recruited him out of the transfer portal prior to the Sherrone Moore scandal going public. Tatum is now listed as a safety instead of a running back, and he looked decent in the spring. If Michigan were to run into depth issues at running back, it's possible that Tatum could switch positions, but for now it looks like he'll stick on the defensive side of the ball. Tatum has not been mentioned among the top few safeties, so I don't imagine he'll see significant playing time on defense, but he does offer upside with his versatility and perhaps an ability to contribute on special teams.

#60. Marky Walbridge - OT - Hanover (MA) St. Sebastian's: Walbridge is a 6'6", 285 lb. true freshman who enrolled early during the winter. He was a 4-star, the #25 offensive tackle, and #241 overall in the class. Spring practice reports mentioned him as somewhat of a pleasant surprise for someone who was supposed to be finishing his senior year of high school, and there have been whisperings that he could be the "Rhino" in Michigan's offensive personnel package that would bring in a sixth lineman as a quasi tight end. While that remains a possibility, I'm always skeptical of true freshman offensive linemen. Jim Harbaugh used to his sixth best offensive lineman as the extra guy, and I doubt that's Walbridge; furthermore, sometimes the position requires people to think on the move as defenses adjust and shift, and I would think an older player might be able to make those adjustments and recognitions a little quicker. Regardless, it's possible that we see Walbridge playing a role in 2026.

2026 Season Countdown: #61-65

 

Kendrick Bell (#10, image via Alejandro Zuniga/X)

#61. Kendrick Bell - WR - Kansas City (MO) Park Hill: Bell enters his fourth season on campus as a 6'2", 205 lb. wide receiver. After starting his career as a quarterback and then quickly transitioning to receiver, he ascended to the point in 2025 where he started one game and played in all thirteen. He made 3 catches for 54 yards on the season, including a touchdown against Texas in the bowl game. Now he seems to be a bit of an afterthought with Michigan keeping Andrew Marsh and bringing in Jaime Ffrench (Texas), J.J. Buchanan (Utah), and higher schooler Travis Johnson, among others. There's still a chance that Bell could start a game here or there in certain packages or if an injury or two happen, but he's not looked at as one of the top few options.

#62: Jonathan Brown - RB - Columbus (OH) St. Frances de Sales: Brown is a 6'3", 200 lb. running back who was an under-the-radar land (3-star, #50 RB, #804 overall) for the Wolverines in the class of 2026. Running backs coach Tony Alford took a liking to him at a football camp in the summer of 2025 and extended an offer, and Brown supposedly looked pretty good in the spring. It's probably too early to expect much from a freshman running back who is pretty tall and slight at this point, but Michigan has a solid top three at running back and then things get murky with Brown, Donovan Johnson, and walk-ons. Here I have Brown as the #4 running back, so hopefully the top three stay pretty healthy throughout the season.

#63. Jacob Baggett - K - Charlotte (NC) Providence Day: Baggett is a 6'0", 170 lb. freshman who set a North Carolina state record for touchbacks in a single season with 95 touchbacks out of 102 kickoffs. He also made 6/7 field goals and his only miss was from 51 yards. High schoolers kick off from the -40 yard line, whereas college kickers kick from the -35, so Baggett will have a slightly larger challenge to get touchbacks for the next few years. I'm not sure quite where to place him in the countdown, because he could end up as the kickoff specialist or he could never see the field at all. Returning specialist Hudson Hollenbeck has spent most of his time punting over the past couple seasons, but Michigan also brought in Pitt place kicker Trey Butkowski (zero kickoffs in 2025) and UNLV punter Cam Brown (zero kickoffs in 2025). Whether it's Baggett or one of the other three, somebody is going to be handling kickoff duties for the first time in college.

#64. Avery Gach - OG - Franklin (MI) Groves: Gach is a 6'5", 308 lb. redshirt freshman who played in five games last season, including the Cheez-It Bowl against Texas. The coaching staff seemed to like his gritty attitude and I heard him mentioned several times as someone to watch for as an up-and-comer. I think his lack of experience will hold him back from being a major contributor in 2026, but he appears to be on that next rung of players who could slide into a key role when someone ahead of him moves on or gets injured. The problem for Gach could be that the guys ahead of him are also pretty young, so he may have to wait even beyond next year before a spot opens up.

#65. Gavin Magorien - LS - Erie (PA) McDowell: Magorien is a 6'0", 202 lb. second-year college player after transferring in from Marshall over the off-season. He was Marshall's long snapper in twelve games last season, so he's rather experienced - and pretty small, by the way - for a second year college player. Michigan seems to have pumped out solid long snappers for the past several years, so this is the first time in a while where the position is a little uncertain. However, along with Magorien, the Wolverines brought in fifth-year Pitt long snapper Nico Crawford, who also spent time at Illinois and Charlotte. My guess is that the fifth-year, three-year starter will start over the second-year, second-year starter, so here Magorien is at #65 on the countdown.

2026 Season Countdown: #66-70

 

Alister Vallejo

#66. Kainoa Winston - S - Washington (DC) Gonzaga: Winston played in one game in 2025 and enters his second year as a 5'11", 204 lb. safety. He was a hyped recruit who I thought would get a little more playing time in 2025, but for whatever reason, that didn't happen. Winston now has a chance to use his speed and hitting ability with the new coaching staff and compete with a variety of safety options. I will be interested to see if defensive coordinator Jay Hill sees him more as a nickel or a safety, but Michigan has several safety/nickel types who will likely be moving on after this year (Chris Bracy, Rod Moore, Smith Snowden, etc.) and the coaches will probably start to prepare some of these young guys for more significant roles in 2027.

#67. Alister Vallejo - DT - Liberty Hill (TX) Liberty Hill: Vallejo is a 6'3", 310 lb. freshman whom a lot of people have compared to Mason Graham. Graham was a first year contributor back in 2022, but he played against better competition in high school. Vallejo (4-star, #23 DL, #212 overall) has some similar skills but may need a little more time to percolate. I expect him to work his way into the rotation this season, and it's nice to see that he's a playable size. Some defensive tackle prospects come in at around 270 pounds or so and then they just can't even see the field for a while. By the end of the season, I think Vallejo will be a pretty steady contributor as a backup.

#68. Jeremiah Lowe - CB - Lexington (KY) Frederick Douglass: Lowe is a 5'11", 180 lb. player entering his third season in a Michigan uniform. He has only played two games in his career, but he made 2 interceptions in the 2025 spring game and there's an opportunity in a revamped secondary. He could play on special teams and may find a backup role on defense. Michigan has some good players returning and brought in Smith Snowden from Utah, so there's some healthy competition for playing time in the secondary.

#69. Jamarion Vincent - CB - Waco (TX) Connally: Vincent is a 6'2", 170 lb. corner who was kind of a quiet late addition to Michigan's class. After flipping from Baylor to Michigan in late November 2025, he then enrolled early and earned some buzz during spring ball. Obviously, there were other headlines this off-season for Michigan, but normally I feel like Michigan stealing the #150 recruit late in the cycle would generate a little more excitement. His lack of bulk may hold him back in 2026, but some situational seasoning may take place to see if he can solidify a role for 2027.

#70. Manuel Beigel - OG - (CT) Choate Rosemary Hall: Beigel is a 6'5", 312 lb. player entering his third year. He spent his first two seasons playing defensive line, but the new coaching staff moved him to offensive line this off-season. If offensive line coach Jim Harding sees something in him, then that's probably a good sign that the position switch is a good idea for his development. Beigel played in seven games last season and recovered a fumble on defense. It's not clear how much of a factor he'll be in 2026 and I would guess it will be at least 2027 before we see anything significant from him on offense, but the 2025 coaching staff started to get his feet wet. It will be interesting to see if the transplanted Utah staff also tries to keep him involved.

2026 Season Countdown: #71-75

 

Malakai Lee

#71. Jaylen Pile - WR - Dallas (TX) Parish Episcopal: Pile is a 6'0", 195 lb. freshman wide receiver who caught 55 passes for 1,186 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior last season. He finished the recruiting cycle as a 3-star, the #180 wide receiver, and #1263 overall. I'm not overly high on Pile's skills, but I have no idea how he's ranked that low. His speed isn't anything special, but he does have good toughness, hands, production, etc. I don't think he'll ever be a #1 receiver for Michigan, but he could be valuable as a complementary receiver or as a returner.

#72. Markel Dabney - LB - Richmond (VA) Huguenot: Dabney is a 6'1", 225 lb. freshman who enrolled in Ann Arbor this winter. He made 68 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 1 interception on defense, and he also had 624 yards of total offense with 12 touchdowns on offense. With the linebacker room in flux, Dabney has an opportunity to get some backup snaps as a freshman and perhaps play some defense. Ranked as a 3-star, the #50 athlete, and #804 overall, he played several different positions in high school, but he should make some big improvements once he settles in at one position in college.

#73. Malakai Lee - OT - Honolulu (HI) Kamehameha: Lee is listed as a 6'7", 350 lb. true freshman. I knew he was big, but I didn't realize he would weigh that much coming into college. He has a thick, solid build, so 350 pounds on Lee looks different than on some other players, but it's still tough to get on the field early at that size. My guess is that the coaching staff will try to get him somewhere around 330. In many years Lee (4-star, #13 OT, #107 overall) might seem like someone who could slide onto the field in year one as a backup, but Michigan has a variety of more veteran options. I think the coaches will let him get his feet wet, but we're probably looking at 2027 at the earliest for any major contributions.

#74. Aden Reeder - LB - Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier: Reeder is a 6'2", 215 lb. freshman who made 47 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, and 2 pass breakups as a senior in 2025. He finished the cycle as a 3-star, the #54 linebacker, and #634 overall. Reeder has length and speed and looks like someone who could play on coverage units as a freshman, so while I don't think he will play much defense, I could see him being on the kickoff coverage unit from week one.

#75. Jordan Deck - S - Frisco (TX) Lone Star: Deck is a 6'2", 190 lb. freshman who was a 4-star, the #31 safety, and #379 overall in the 2026 class. As a senior in 2025, he made 106 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, 2 pass breakups, and 2 interceptions (one of which he returned for a 96-yard touchdown). The Wolverines have a good amount of depth at safety, but it always seems like there's a guy who plays early even when the rotation seems pretty full. Deck has a solid build and some good skills. Nothing truly stands out about him (size, speed, hitting ability, etc.), but sometimes those guys end up being really steady safeties.

2026 Season Countdown: #76-80

 

C.J. Charleston (image via X)

#76. C.J. Charleston - WR - Cleveland (OH) Gilmour Academy: Nobody really talks about this, but Charleston is a super weird eligibility story and I have no idea what's going on when it comes to why he's still on Michigan's roster. The 6'0", 190 lb. wideout started two games for Michigan back in 2024, so he has played at the Big Ten level . . . but he started his college career all the way back in 2019. Just for some context, Michigan's headliner in the 2019 class was Daxton Hill . . . who is now entering his fifth season in the NFL. Charleston played at Youngstown State prior to Michigan and is now in his third season on the Wolverines roster. He was injured last year and the plan for him this fall is unclear. I have a hard time believing he'll work his way back to a starting role, partly because the new coaching staff has upgraded the receiver room with transfers like Jaime Ffrench and Salesi Moa. But Charleston does have college playing experience and is the oldest player on Michigan's roster, so maybe that will be enough to get him on the field situationally.

#77. Nico Andrighetto - S - Mountain View (CA) St. Francis: Andrighetto is a 5'9", 190 lb. fifth year senior who has been named Scout Team Player of the Year three times during his career - on defense in 2023-2024 and on special teams in 2025. He made just 1 tackle last season but played in eight total games. We'll see if the new coaching staff will also recognize his strengths and abilities, but I figure Andrighetto will continue to be a contributor on special teams.

#78. I'Marion Stewart - WR - Chicago (IL) Kenwood: Stewart is one of those players who came in with some excitement . . . and now it seems to be getting late early. He didn't see the field in 2024 and suffered an ACL injury in 2025, so now he enters year three in college with zero playing experience. Once thought of as a potential kick/punt returner and a possible solution at slot receiver, he seems to be getting zero buzz. I'm giving the edge to Charleston (see above) when it comes to importance, but Stewart had higher upside coming out of high school. Is he healthy and can he translate the mental reps from the past couple years into doing some good things on the field this fall? My guess is that we won't see much of him in 2026, but maybe he could show up as a returner on special teams.

#79. Kaden Catchings - LB - Jackson (MS) Hartfield: Michigan's first signee out of Mississippi since Jeremy LeSueur, Catchings is listed as a 6'1", 220 lb. freshman. He made 29 tackles and 2 sacks on defense and rushed for 336 yards and 6 touchdowns on offense during his senior season. Michigan brought in several transfer linebackers (Max Alford, Aisea Moa, Nate Staehling, etc.) and has some unproven talent in the linebacker room, so the depth chart is a little bit muddy. However, Catchings is probably not going to play much this fall.

#80. Chase Herbstreit - QB - Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier: Redshirt freshman Herbstreit is listed at 6'1", 198 lbs. and appears to be well down the depth chart for the Wolverines. The son of ESPN analyst - and former Ohio State quarterback - Kirk Herbstreit, Chase fell behind true freshman Tommy Carr as soon as Carr arrived on campus this winter. With former Colorado State quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi also entering the fray this summer, it appears that Herbstreit will be no higher than fourth on the quarterback depth chart. His size, athleticism, and arm strength are only so-so, which means his path to playing time will have to come from his intellect. I don't think that will be enough for him this season, so Herbstreit will likely be a scout team guy in 2026.

2026 Season Countdown: #81-85

 

Donovan Johnson (image via Instagram)

#81. Chibi Anwunah - DT - Plymouth (MI) Christian: Anwunah is now a 6'5", 300 lb. defensive tackle after playing some tight end and defensive end earlier in his career. He has steadily bulked up over the past few years. Last year he was a defensive end who played in twelve games on special teams and one on the defensive line, so he does offer some value. It's unclear where he fits in the pecking order at defensive tackle after adding some weight from last year, and his special teams value may be diminishing as he adds weight and probably loses some quickness.

#82. Donovan Johnson - RB - Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy: Johnson is a 6'0", 215 lb. second-year player who did not see any time in 2025 due to an injury. He has had some injury problems over the past few years, and I have some concern that he won't get back to full strength. Hopefully I'm wrong. Even if healthy, he would probably be no higher than #4 on the depth chart behind Jordan Marshall, Savion Hiter, and Bryson Kuzdzal, so we probably won't see much of him this fall as he battles Jonathan Brown for snaps.

#83. Ted Hammond - DT - Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier: Hammond is a 6'5", 294 lb. redshirt sophomore who played in one game last year. Michigan has some questions on the interior defensive line this year, because they have lost a lot of talent over the past couple seasons with few surefire answers behind those players. The best interior defensive lineman this year might be Trey Pierce, who has been a solid player but hasn't done much spectacular over the past few years. Hammond has a chance to work his way into the rotation in 2026, but I think we're unlikely to see him step up, and there hasn't been any buzz about him coming out of practices.

#84. Ernest Nunley - S - Harbor City (CA) Narbonne: Nunley is a 6'0", 180 lb. true freshman who signed with Cal in December 2025 and then entered the transfer portal in the winter, eventually ending up at Michigan. He made 5 interceptions among 20 total pass breakups as a senior last fall. Nunley is pretty slight coming out of high school and probably needs to add about 10-15 pounds of muscle from his prep frame, so I'm not sure if that will have happened by this fall. But he does have some good instincts and could be someone who sneaks onto the field in some low pressure situations to get his feet wet for the future.

#85. Max Reyes - S - Southlake (TX) Carroll: Reyes is a 5'11", 203 lb. fifth year senior. He played in one game in 2024 and did not see any action in 2025, but he has shown up in the spring games and seems like someone who could make some appearances on special teams. It seems like Michigan used to have one former walk-on safety every year who would make his way onto the field on defense or maybe on special teams, but maybe those opportunities are diminishing with the new NIL and transfer rules in place.