2024 Season Countdown: #1 Will Johnson

 

Will Johnson (image via Wolverines Wire)

Name: Will Johnson
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 202 lbs.
High school: Grosse Pointe (MI) South
Position: Cornerback
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #2
Last year: I ranked Johnson #2 and said he would be a starting cornerback with 50 tackles and 4 interceptions (LINK). He made 27 tackles, 1 tackle, 4 interceptions (for 80 yards and 1 touchdown), and 8 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 91

Johnson went ahead in year two and staked his claim for being one of the top cornerbacks in Michigan history. He was a First Team All-Big Ten corner and an All-American, helping to slow down some of the best receivers in the country. The 6'2", 202-pounder limited Ohio State's Marvin Harrison, Jr. to 5 catches for 98 yards when matched up over the past two seasons, and top-10 pick Rome Odunze for Washington had 5 total catches for 87 yards and 0 touchdowns in the national championship game.

Some of Johnson's highlights include jumping a Harrison slant route for an interception and returning an interception for a touchdown against Minnesota. He's been making highlight-worthy plays since the second half of his freshman year, including a mostly stellar game against Purdue in the Big Ten Championship Game in 2022. Every player is going to get beaten sometimes, but it seems like challenging Johnson is almost always a poor choice.

I had a tough time picking a #1 player this season. It came down to DT Mason Graham (who was #3), TE Colston Loveland (who was #2), and Johnson. I was recently listening to the Move the Sticks podcast with Daniel Jeremiah, who talked about a study that came out comparing defensive performance between pass rush or coverage. The results of the study showed that good coverage helps out the pass rush more than a good pass rush helps out coverage. On top of that, Michigan has decent backups on the defensive line (T.J. Guy at edge, Rayshaun Benny at DT), but even Michigan's #2 corner Jyaire Hill is unproven. If Johnson were to go down, it would likely be up to Hill and FCS transfer Aamir Hall to hold down the corner spots. Ultimately, if Johnson were to get hurt, games against Texas's Quinn Ewers, Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, and the wide receiver talent of Ohio State look a whole lot more difficult.

Prediction: Starting cornerback; 35 tackles, 3 interceptions

2024 Season Countdown: #2 Colston Loveland

 

Colston Loveland (image via SI)

Name: Colston Loveland
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 245 lbs.
High school: Gooding (ID) Gooding
Position: Tight end
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #18
Last year: I ranked Loveland #16a and said he would be a starting tight end with 35 catches for 435 yards and 5 touchdowns (LINK). He caught 45 passes for 649 yards and 4 touchdowns.
TTB Rating: 85

Loveland took a big leap in 2023 despite the presence of Indiana transfer A.J. Barner, who then got drafted and made the Seahawks roster. Always a talented athlete, I thought he might just play second fiddle to other passing targets, but he was a prime target for quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Loveland finished #3 on the team in receptions, but it was by a thin margin: WR Roman Wilson had 48 and WR Cornelius Johnson had 47. They were a three-headed monster.

Though he has yet to have a 100-yard game, he did top the 70-yard mark four times last season, including a 4-catch, 79-yard, 2-touchdown performance against Michigan State. And he went for 5 receptions and 88 yards against Ohio State.

This year Loveland will be more of a focal point for opposing defenses because no proven receivers return. There's no speedy downfield threat like Wilson who has made plays downfield (though Fredrick Moore and Semaj Morgan have potential), there's no 6'3" target on the outside like Johnson (though Amorion Walker has potential), and there's no other proven tight end like Barner (though Marlin Klein has potential). So until those players show productivity on the field, it just makes sense that other teams would do their best to limit Loveland's catches. He's been talked about as the possible #1 tight end off the board for the 2025 NFL Draft, but with a weaker cast around him, it's likely to be tougher sledding in 2024.

Prediction: Starting tight end; 40 catches for 520 yards and 4 touchdowns

2024 Season Countdown: #3 Mason Graham

 

Mason Graham

Name: Mason Graham
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 320 lbs.
High school: Anaheim (CA) Servite
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #55
Last year: I ranked Graham #9 and said he would be a starting nose tackle with 45 tackles and 4 sacks (LINK). He started thirteen games and made 36 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass breakup, and 3 quarterback hurries.
TTB Rating: 84

Graham was expected to be a huge impact player in 2023, and he did not disappoint. He was voted by conference coaches as a First Team All-Big Ten player (yeah!), by Big Ten media types as a Third Team All-Big Ten player (huh?), and by other media as Second Team All-American. And he deserved all that hype and more. After getting a PFF grade of 80.3 as a freshman in 2022, he topped it by scoring a 90.0 as a sophomore in 2023.

Graham had a cast on his arm for a chunk of the season, and he was beating Minnesota linemen to death despite being one-armed at the time. Graham is extremely quick off the ball, has powerful hands, plays with great leverage, and has the explosiveness to finish plays that other guys come close to making. Along with Kenneth Grant, Michigan's top defensive tackles are the best duo I remember in a Michigan uniform. There is no better tackle combo in the NCAA in 2024, at least.

This year could be Graham's final season in a Michigan uniform. He has been talked about as a potential first round draft pick, and I wouldn't blame him for jumping to the pros if he has another good season. The bar has already been set for all-conference and All-American accolades, so it might be hard to top that season. But Michigan has at least one season left (barring injury) to watch Graham and Grant manhandle opposing linemen. Let's enjoy it while we can.

Prediction: Starting defensive tackle; 45 tackles, 4.5 sacks

2024 Season Countdown: #4 Kenneth Grant

 

Kenneth Grant (image via Rivals)

Name: Kenneth Grant
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 339 lbs.
High school: Merrillville (IN) Merrillville
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #78
Last year: I ranked Grant #18 and said he would be a backup nose tackle (LINK). He started five games and made 29 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, 5 pass breakups, and 6 quarterback hurries.
TTB Rating: 85

Grant made some giant leaps from 2022 to 2023. While he played in a bunch of games as a freshman, he made just 8 tackles and didn't really have a signature play. Linemen usually take some time to percolate in college, and . . . boy oh boy, Grant percolated.

He percolated into a 339 lb. defensive tackle who could chase down Penn State running backs in the open field from behind.

He percolated into a guy who could get his big, meaty hands in the path of quarterbacks' passes to break up 5 attempts and intercept another one.

And he percolated into a dude who perp-walked a Washington offensive lineman back into Michael Penix's face for a sack in the national championship game.

I often hear that planet-sized, athletic defensive tackles don't grow in the midwest like they do in SEC country, but Grant is an exception. He's quick, he's fast, he's strong, he can play low, and he has good anticipation. Physically, he's among the most athletic defensive tackles Michigan has fielded in my time watching the Wolverines, right up there with long-time NFLer Alan Branch and current NFLer Maurice Hurst, Jr.

I think Michigan's offense is going to struggle at times this season without an elite passer and without savvy veteran wide receivers - plus with a whole new offensive line - so there's going to be a ton of pressure on the defense to win games or at least give the offense a fighting chance. And without much proven depth behind the defensive tackles, keeping Grant healthy will be a big step toward battling for playoff contention in 2024.

Prediction: Starting nose tackle; 35 tackles, 3 sacks

2024 Season Countdown: #5 Donovan Edwards

 

Donovan Edwards

Name: Donovan Edwards
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 212 lbs.
High school: West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield
Position: Running back
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #7
Last year: I ranked Edwards #13 and said he would be a part-time starting running back with 1,050 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, plus 30 catches for 350 yards and 4 touchdowns (LINK). He ran 119 times for 497 yards and 5 touchdowns; he caught 30 passes for 249 yards; and he completed 1/1 pass for 34 yards.
TTB Rating: 90

Well, Nostramagnus did a great job with the 2023 predictions, because I predicted Edwards would catch 30 passes and he did.

We're just going to ignore the fact that I predicted 1,050 rushing yards (he had 497) and 8 touchdowns (he had 5) and 350 receiving yards (he had 249) and 4 receiving touchdowns (he had 0).

Just ignore it.

Edwards struggled in 2023 by a lot of metrics. First, his production was way down, and his yards per carry was among the lowest of qualifying running backs in the Big Ten. He wasn't breaking big plays . . . or tackles. He supposedly started seeing a sports psychologist because of some of his on-field frustrations. And when he couldn't eke out a short yardage touchdown, he campaigned visibly to stay on the field . . . and the coaching staff still replaced him with Blake Corum to ensure they would score.

That's the bad stuff.

The good stuff is that he broke off a big touchdown run against Penn State and had two huge touchdown runs early in the national championship game (41- and 46-yarders) that set the tone against Washington. So he had his moments, but not nearly as many of them as we expected.

Now Corum is out of the way, and Edwards should be the unquestioned #1 back. He's on the cover of NCAA '25 and is rated as one of the top 50 players in the game. He got up to 214 pounds by the spring (now listed at 212) after being right around 200 earlier in his career, and the added weight/strength showed in the spring when he seemed a little more willing to try to bring the contact to defenders. A wholesale shift from finesse back to ground-and-pounder is unlikely, but if he can add a little thunder to his lightning for 2024, that would be an improvement. I have faith that Michigan's coaching staff is going to restore some of his confidence and figure out ways to help him return to his 2022 form, especially if he's on the field with run threat Alex Orji and fellow running back Kalel Mullings at times, because those are three dynamic runners that teams would have a very difficult time figuring out how to defend.

Prediction: Starting running back; 1,100 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, plus 25 catches for 225 yards and 3 touchdowns

2024 Season Countdown: #6 Josaiah Stewart

 

Josaiah Stewart (image via 247 Sports)

Name: Josaiah Stewart
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 245 lbs.
High school: Everett (MA) Everett
Position: Defensive end
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #5
Last year: I ranked Stewart #23 and said he would be a backup defensive end with 25 tackles and 4 sacks (LINK). He made 38 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, and 3 quarterback hurries.
TTB Rating: N/A

Michigan was very lucky to land Stewart in the transfer portal from Coastal Carolina last off-season. The Wolverines needed some juice at pass rusher, and they were able to find it. It's not often that players spurn a Michigan offer out of high school to become a Chanticleer, but Stewart was one who did it, so it makes sense that the Wolverines circled back to him after he had made a name for himself for Coastal. And it paid off with Stewart being a key piece of the national championship defense. After struggling a little bit against the run early in the season, he was able to steel himself, improved throughout the year, and was on the field for the game-sealing 4th down stop of Jalen Milroe in the Rose Bowl against Alabama.

This year Stewart will step into a bigger role now that Jaylen Harrell is playing for the Titans in the NFL. He has some quickness off the edge, but perhaps his best attribute is the power he possesses despite being undersized at just 6'1" and 245 pounds. His leverage advantage and toughness have been a pleasant surprise, and with another year of technique and strength work under his belt, I expect him to be even better in 2024 than he was in 2023.

Prediction: Starting outside linebacker; 40 tackles, 7 sacks

Preview: Michigan vs. Fresno State

 

Fresno State QB Mikey Keene (image via AP/David Zalubowski)

RUSH OFFENSE vs. FRESNO STATE RUSH DEFENSE
Michigan finished #55 in rushing yards (169.1 yards/game) and #52 in yards per carry (4.5) in 2023. Those aren't the world's most impressive numbers, but the consistency with which Michigan pulled off its run game was. Whether it was a good opponent or a bad one, Michigan was willing and able to run the ball. The guy on the cover of NCAA '25 is senior RB Donovan Edwards (119 carries, 497 yards, 5 TD last season), who had 41- and 46-yard touchdowns in the national championship game. He struggled for much of last year and was near the bottom of the Big Ten in yards per carry until the game against Washington. The backup is former LB Kalel Mullings, a 6'2", 233-pounder who ran 36 times for 222 yards and 1 touchdown last year. Up front the Wolverines lost their top six linemen to the NFL (four got drafted, two got signed as UDFAs); the assured starters are OG Giovanni El-Hadi, OT Myles Hinton, who transferred from Stanford prior to 2023, and OG Josh Priebe, who transferred from Northwestern this year. For Fresno State, one of the better players is fifth year senior DE Devo Bridges (6'2", 255), who had 30 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks last year. The other bookend is former 5-star USC DE Korey Foreman (6'4", 245), who has 24 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and 1 interception over three years in college. Both starting defensive tackles are sub-300 pounders. The leading returning tackler is weakside linebacker Malachi Langley (6'1", 236), who made 84 tackles and 5 tackles for loss a season ago. The Bulldogs finished #97 in rush defense (166.2 yards allowed/game) and #81 in yards allowed per carry (4.33) last season.
Advantage: Michigan

Hit the jump for more.

2024 Season Countdown: #7 Jaishawn Barham

 

Jaishawn Barham

Name: Jaishawn Barham
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 248 lbs.
High school: Baltimore (MD) St. Frances
Position: Linebacker
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #1
Last year: Barham played for Maryland. He started eleven games and made 37 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup.
TTB Rating: N/A

You might remember Jaishawn Barham from when Michigan recruited him as a 4-star linebacker out of Baltimore (MD) St. Frances back in the 2022 class.

You might also remember Jaishawn Barham from when he picked off J.J. McCarthy in the red zone of Michigan's narrow escape against the Terps in 2023.

Michigan opponents are going to remember Barham for living in their backfield in 2024.

Barham escaped Maryland after two years of playing for his home state Terrapins. It's one thing to play in your home area, but when it becomes apparent that toppling the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State is going to be tough even when the program reaches its peak, that has to be frustrating. Meanwhile, Michigan lost its top two linebackers and leading tacklers from 2023 to the NFL draft with both Junior Colson and Michael Barrett getting picked.

So there was an opening for a linebacker alongside Nebraska transfer Ernest Hausmann, who was the #3 tackler for the Wolverines last year. In steps Barham, who has earned rave reviews from all parties. Offensive line coach Grant Newsome called Barham the most gifted second-level athlete in his time at Michigan, and Newsome has been with the Wolverines through the Devin Bush era, a guy who could blitz and fly sideline to sideline. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale has praised Barham for his physicality, athleticism, and versatility.

I think we can expect to see Barham used as both an inside linebacker and an edge rusher in 2024. He's fast enough and big enough to be an edge guy (he's taller and heavier than starting outside linebacker Josaiah Stewart), but he's also athletic enough and instinctive enough to roam the middle. If Barham lives up to the hype, he could be an exciting chess piece for the Wolverines to use in a variety of ways.

Prediction: Starting middle linebacker; 65 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 interception

2024 Season Countdown: #8 Alex Orji

 

Alex Orji

Name: Alex Orji
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 235 lbs.
High school: Sachse (TX) Sachse
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #10
Last year: I ranked Orji #50 and said he would be a backup quarterback (LINK). He played in six games and ran 15 times for 86 yards.
TTB Rating: 55

Orji had a really weird odyssey last year as a quarterback, especially for one who is supposedly the heir apparent to the quarterback position. He started off the season as a deep backup who wasn't allowed to pass the ball at the beginning of the season to . . .

. . . well . . .

. . . yeah, he was just never allowed to pass all year. Not even once.

I say that with one caveat, and that's that there was a trick play - a QB pop pass call - against Alabama in the Rose Bowl where it looked like throwing the ball was a possibility, but Alabama covered it well so Orji kept it and ran. But it amounted to zero pass attempts.

Jim Harbaugh did praise Orji in the 2023 pre-season and say that Orji could be an outstanding kickoff returner.

Going into the 2024 season, Orji seems to be the betting favorite to win the quarterback position. As has been discussed here and elsewhere, Orji the freak athlete possesses a potential game-changing skill that nobody else has. None of the other quarterbacks have the arm strength of a Joe Milton or the speed of a Denard Robinson. What Orji has is a Tim Tebow-esque ability to be both a quarterback and a power runner. It remains to be seen whether Orji has the leadership or even the throwing ability of a Tebow.

Normally I would rank a starting quarterback higher than #8, but it's not clear whether Orji will even start the opener, let alone hold onto a starting job. Walk-on Davis Warren has been pushing to start, and the most experienced guy on the roster is Utah/Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle, who was the #2 quarterback in 2023 but who has been unhealthy for the majority of his career. It will be interesting to see who starts at QB and whether that guy can hold onto the job throughout the year. But even if Orji ends up as the backup, he should have a package of plays as a rushing threat.

Prediction: Starting quarterback; 1,900 passing yards, 16 touchdowns; 500 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns

2024 Season Countdown: #9 Ernest Hausmann

 

Ernest Hausmann (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Ernest Hausmann
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 235 lbs.
High school: Columbus (NE) Columbus
Position: Linebacker
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #15
Last year: I ranked Hausmann #31 and said he would be a backup linebacker (LINK). He made 46 tackles and 2 tackles for loss.
TTB Rating: N/A

Hausmann is a Nebraska transfer who Michigan was lucky to stumble into after he played his freshman year at Nebraska. With a couple solid linebackers on the roster and then some big question marks, the Wolverines needed an heir apparent to Michael Barrett and Junior Colson. In stepped Hausmann, a good-sized player who had good athleticism and got to play quite a bit under the bright lights already. He could step in as a backup in 2023 without too much pressure, and that's exactly what he did. Backing up both Barrett and Colson, he finished third on the team in tackles behind those two starting linebackers.

So this year it just makes sense that Hausmann steps in to fill their shoes. I was impressed last year with how well Hausmann moved, and he looked even bigger than his listed 237 pounds (down to 235 this year). Hausmann will be the starter at weakside linebacker (Barrett's position) while Maryland transfer Jaishawn Barham comes in to play the MIKE spot. It should be one of the better linebacker units in the conference. Wink Martindale recently said it would be either Hausmann or safety Makari Paige with the "green dot" (in-helmet communications), so that shows how much the defense is going to depend on Hausmann.

Prediction: Starting weakside linebacker; 60 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception

2024 Season Countdown: #10 Dominic Zvada

 

Dominic Zvada

Name: Dominic Zvada
Height: 6’3"
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Chandler (AZ) Valley Christian
Position: Kicker
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #96
Last year: Zvada played at Arkansas State. He was 17/22 on field goals and 41/41 on extra points.
TTB Rating: N/A

Michigan has had some solid kickers in recent years that made it to the NFL, including Quinn Nordin and Jake Moody. Last year they took a transfer in James Turner from Louisville, who made some key kicks down the stretch and might end up on an NFL roster this season. So despite having homegrown Adam Samaha and Mississippi State transfer Hudson Hollenbeck on the roster, Michigan took a swing for the fences again and landed Arkansas State's starting kicker. Zvada was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist in 2022 as a freshman, and he was still pretty solid as a sophomore, converting all of his extra points and 17 out of 22 of his field goal attempts.

I don't have a ton of confidence in Samaha, who has seemed a little shaky since arriving on campus. Michigan has a tough schedule in 2024 and might need some clutch kicks this season to either ensure victories or tie up some games late. Michigan was blowing out teams in 2023 on a weekly basis - except for Maryland, Ohio State, and Alabama - but that's not always going to be the case this fall. Zvada has a chance to swing a couple games in Michigan's favor this fall, so I think he will be a key player if Michigan is going to make a run for the College Football Playoff.

Prediction: Starting kicker

2024 Season Countdown: #11 Myles Hinton

 

Myles Hinton

Name: Myles Hinton
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 342 lbs.
High school: Norcross (GA) Greater Atlanta Christian
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #78
Last year: I ranked Hinton #45a and said he would be a backup offensive tackle (LINK). He played in thirteen games and started five.
TTB Rating: N/A

Hinton is a former elite high school recruit who struggled to realize his potential in three years at Stanford. Michigan rescued him from Palo Alto after David Shaw resigned following the 2022 season, and Hinton came in with a chance to win an offensive tackle job in 2023. It wasn't quite meant to be as Arizona State transfer La'Darius Henderson won the left tackle job and Karsen Barnhart won the right tackle job, but Hinton managed to start four games on the right side and one on the left. He was generally good as a pass blocker and improved throughout the year as a run blocker, and he even won Co-Offensive Player of the Week when he started against Maryland after Henderson got injured. Overall, Hinton was significantly ahead of Barnhart when it comes to Pro Football Focus grades, but . . . well, Michigan won the natty, so I guess they made the right choice.

I feel a little queasy about not putting any linemen in the top ten for most important players in 2024, and Hinton was a tough choice to put here at #11. I wanted to rank him higher, but lots of other spots are missing quality backups, too. I think Hinton has the potential to be a very good tackle this year, and I have high hopes for him if Sherrone Moore and Grant Newsome can help him get rid of some of the mental/technique mistakes he made at Stanford. But Michigan does have some veteran tackles vying for playing time - as well as redshirt freshman Evan Link - so I think they might be able to weather an injury to Hinton without a terribly devastating impact to the offense as a whole.

Prediction: Starting offensive tackle; Third Team All-Big Ten

2024 Season Countdown: #12 Tommy Doman

 

Tommy Doman

Name: Tommy Doman
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 215 lbs.
High school: Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s
Position: Kicker/Punter
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #19
Last year: I ranked Doman #20a and said he would be the starting punter (LINK). He punted 53 times for 2,345 yards (44.5 yards/punt), forced 26 fair catches, and pinned other teams inside their 20 a total of 18 times; he also kicked off 99 times with 68 touchbacks.
TTB Rating: N/A

Doman was a Third Team All-Big Ten selection in 2023 after playing multiple roles for the Wolverines. It's not often that someone punts and kicks off and holds for extra points/field goals, but those were Doman's roles last year. Holding is often done by a backup quarterback, and kickoffs can be handled by placekickers or dedicated kickoff guys. So it's impressive that Doman was able to master all those things at once. What else can he do?

Pass the ball?

Kick 55-yard field goals?

Decipher opponents' signals?

Michigan has an array of special teams guys to handle the various kicking and holding duties, so it's not clear what roles Doman will handle this year outside of punting. Hudson Hollenbeck dabbled in holding last year, so he could be the answer there. Dominic Zvada was brought in from Arkansas State to handle place kicking. Hollenbeck and Adam Samaha were both in the running to handle kickoffs. But this is bound to be a tougher season for Michigan than 2023 was, and Michigan's defense and special teams are going to have to make up for taking some steps back on offense. So Doman will be a key piece of those field position battles.

Prediction: Starting punter; Second Team All-Big Ten

2024 Season Countdown: #13 Derrick Moore

 

Derrick Moore (image via Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)

Name: Derrick Moore
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 256 lbs.
High school: Baltimore (MD) St. Frances
Position: Defensive end
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #8
Last year: I ranked Moore #27 and said he would be a backup defensive end (LINK). He made 34 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown, and 4 quarterback hurries.
TTB Rating: 83

Moore has been a solid player for Michigan since he arrived on campus in 2022. With his stout frame and perhaps underappreciated athleticism, he never looked out of place. From his freshman to sophomore year, he shed some weight, from the 270s to the 250s. While he notched 5 sacks last year and even scored a touchdown on a blocked punt against Maryland, he has yet to have a real signature performance. Part of that was because he was playing behind Braiden McGregor, Jaylen Harrell, and Mike Morris over the past couple seasons.

This year I expect Moore to play a little bit . . . more. He was at 410 snaps last season, which was just 5 behind McGregor (who recently made the 53-man cut with the New York Jets despite being undrafted). But Michigan has a tougher schedule and a weaker offense in 2024; they also have less depth. So I think the starters will have to play more snaps rather than taking a break in the fourth quarter of half the games. I also expect Moore's performance to improve. He and Josaiah Stewart were a nice second wave of edge players in 2023, and they also happened to be the highest graded edges on the team, but there's still room for Moore to grow as a player. Some people have talked about him being a first-rounder in the NFL draft; I don't think we've seen the consistency from him to expect that, but he should be even better in 2024.

Prediction: Starting defensive end; 50 tackles, 7 sacks

2024 Season Countdown: #14 Giovanni El-Hadi

 

Giovanni El-Hadi (image via Wolverines Wire)

Name: Giovanni El-Hadi
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 310 lbs.
High school: Sterling Heights (MI) Stevenson
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #58
Last year: I ranked El-Hadi #33 and said he would be a backup offensive guard (LINK). He played in fifteen games.
TTB Rating: 84

It seems like El-Hadi has been around forever. It seems like he's been a backup forever. And it seems like a long time ago that he started three games in place of a banged up Trevor Keegan. But it hasn't been forever. He was a part of the 2021 class and started those three games in 2022. Normally it seems like a player with El-Hadi's recruiting pedigree and talent would have been playing by at least his second year, but Michigan has had the advantage of having a veteran offensive line room for the past several seasons. El-Hadi's PFF scores were higher in 2021 and 2022 than they were in 2023, but I wonder if that's a function of feeling a little stagnant while waiting his turn.

But the time has now come for El-Hadi to be a full-time starter. Keegan and Zak Zinter, both long-term starting offensive guards, have moved on to the NFL. Along with Myles Hinton at left tackle and Josh Priebe at the other guard spot, El-Hadi is one of three solidified positions on the offensive line. The battles have continued at center and right tackle, but El-Hadi was a shoo-in. Furthermore, Sam Webb has been touting El-Hadi this off-season, including saying he would take El-Hadi as the "breakout offensive player of the year." With the way Sherrone Moore has developed offensive linemen, it might be a good bet that El-Hadi turns into an all-conference lineman this season.

Prediction: Starting offensive guard; Second Team All-Big Ten

2024 Season Countdown: #15 Josh Priebe

 Name: Josh Priebe

Height: 6'5"
Weight: 306 lbs.
High school: Edwardsburg (MI) Edwardsburg
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #68
Last year: Priebe played for Northwestern. He started all twelve games at left guard and was named Third Team All-Big Ten.
TTB Rating: N/A

Priebe is a Michigan native who started 29 games for the Northwestern Wildcats over the past four years. He played in eight games as a true freshman in 2020 and has basically been starting ever since. He had a couple rough appearances in 2023 according to Pro Football Focus, but Northwestern is not a good football program. Additionally, offensive linemen are very dependent on what's going on around them (combo blocks, communication, etc.), so it's tough to be a good offensive lineman on a bad offense. From what I've seen of Priebe, he has the tools to step in and be a solid player at Michigan.

And that's what I expect Priebe to do. Head coach Sherrone Moore has already announced that Priebe and Giovanni El-Hadi will be the starting offensive guards, and that's been the situation all camp, according to what I've heard. Despite guys like Raheem Anderson II, Dominick Giudice, Evan Link, etc. pushing for playing time, nobody seems to have been able to challenge for Priebe's spot. There was one insider report that said if Priebe had been at a place like Michigan, he would have been First Team All-Big Ten. While I think that might be going a step too far, Priebe should be a part of a solid interior offensive line in 2024.

Prediction: Starting offensive guard; Honorable Mention All-Big Ten

2024 Season Countdown: #16 Semaj Morgan

 

Semaj Morgan (image via MLive)

Name: Semaj Morgan
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 174 lbs.
High school: West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #0
Last year: I ranked Morgan #68 and said he would be a backup wide receiver (LINK). He caught 22 passes for 204 yards and 2 touchdowns; ran 4 times for 67 yards and 2 touchdowns; returned 12 kickoffs for 186 yards; and returned 3 punts for 101 yards.
TTB Rating: 76

Semaj Morgan was perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the 2023 season. Coming in as a receiver who's a little undersized without the most impressive athletic profile, it wasn't clear if he could carve out a role as a freshman. After all, he was a 3-star, the #70 wide receiver, and #501 overall in the 247 Composite. But he turned out to be one of Michigan's most exciting players overall. He broke off an 87-yard punt return against Iowa that would have gone for a touchdown if not for an outstanding chase down tackle by an Iowa safety. He caught a short pass against Indiana where he looked to be 100% cornered . . . and then he bobbed and weaved and found the end zone. Altogether, he was more elusive and creative with the ball than I expected.

Even though I think Tyler Morris will catch more passes than any other receiver, I'm ranking Morgan ahead of Morris. Overall, I think Morgan offers a variety of skills (receiving, rushing, returning) that other receivers on this squad don't have. The coaches seem to be pretty high on him, too, because they rewarded him with the #0 jersey for this season. I still have questions about whether Morgan can become a downfield threat and/or win jump balls this year like Jeremy Gallon, another short-ish receiver, used to do. But whether it's returning a punt, running a jet sweep, catching a screen, or turning a hitch into a 40-yard gain by forcing missed tackles, I think Morgan is going to be a dynamic player in 2024.

Prediction: Starting wide receiver; 33 catches for 375 yards and 5 touchdowns

2024 Season Countdown: #17 Max Bredeson

 Name: Max Bredeson

Height: 6’2″
Weight: 240 lbs.
High school: Hartland (WI) Arrowhead
Position: Tight end/Fullback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #44
Last year: I ranked Bredeson #46 and said he would be a backup tight end (LINK). He caught 2 passes for 19 yards.
TTB Rating: N/A

Bredeson was a backup fullback to converted lineman Joel Honigford in 2022, but he still managed to get 233 snaps that year. Last year he started three games but had 238 snaps in fifteen contests, which is a surprisingly small uptick in playing time considering Honigford was out of the picture in 2023. Bredeson ranked as the second-best run blocker on the team with a 78.0 grade, according to Pro Football Focus; the only person ahead of him was tight end A.J. Barner at 81.4. Bredeson's improvement from 2022 to 2023 is symbolized by going from a 63.4 as a run blocker (#17 on the team) to that 78.0 grade.

Bredeson might end up being Michigan's highest graded run blocker in 2024 now that Barner is gone, but I have a hard time ranking a fullback higher than #17. Even though Bredeson is now a captain, he's still not going to be on the field for a majority of snaps. Backup Jalen Hoffman is an unproven commodity, but Michigan can massage its personnel if Bredeson gets hurt to include other tight ends. In other words, the absence of a starting fullback shouldn't tank Michigan's offense altogether; they'll just need to make some adjustments. But when he's in there, Bredeson can be expected to destroy some defensive ends, linebackers, and an occasional safety, like he did to former Alabama (and current Ohio State) star Caleb Downs.

This is completely random, but here's Max Bredeson absolutely dominating Caleb Downs pic.twitter.com/gvdPEXnP69

— Blue By 90 (@bluebyninety) January 20, 2024

Prediction: Part-time starting fullback/tight end

2024 Season Countdown: #18 Tyler Morris

 

Tyler Morris (image via The Athletic)

Name: Tyler Morris
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 185 lbs.
High school: La Grange Park (IL) Nazareth Academy
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #8
Last year: I ranked Morris #29 and said he would be a part-time starting wide receiver with 20 catches for 240 yards and 2 touchdowns (LINK). He caught 13 passes for 197 yards and 1 touchdown, and he returned 9 punts for 88 yards.
TTB Rating: 83

Morris was often on the field in 2023 but a lot of Michigan fans probably didn't notice him much. Would you believe he only played 26 fewer snaps (344) than Donovan Edwards (370)? Morris was #14 on the team in offensive snaps, ahead of Myles Hinton, Max Bredeson, and Semaj Morgan. But with Roman Wilson, Cornelius Johnson, and Colston Loveland eating up passing targets, Morris just kind of blended into the background.

And then in the Rose Bowl against Alabama, it all changed. With the game tied 7-7 in the second quarter, Morris got matched up on a linebacker in man coverage, ran a crossing route, caught a J.J. McCarthy pass, and housed it from 38 yards out to take a 13-7 lead. In a game that was tied 20-20 at the end of regulation, that was a huge play. A couple steps slower or a drop there, and maybe Michigan's storybook season ends differently.

Michigan’s Tyler Morris hit 20.8 mph on this 38-yard touchdown. #ReelSpeed pic.twitter.com/a2I1ezXcx6

— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) January 1, 2024

Morris could very well be Michigan's #1 receiver in 2024, and reports out of practice have been positive. But this is still a player who caught just 13 balls and didn't score a touchdown until the post-season. We have yet to see how he handles more targets or whether he can shake loose from opposing teams' #1 corners, if they choose to defend him in that way. A lot of comparisons have been made to Ronnie Bell, and it would be a good thing if he can approximate Bell.

Prediction: Starting wide receiver; 40 catches for 560 yards and 5 touchdowns

2024 Season Countdown: #19 Makari Paige

 

Makari Paige (image via Twitter)

Name: Makari Paige
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 208 lbs.
High school: West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield
Position: Safety
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #7
Last year: I ranked Paige #19 and said he would be a starting safety (LINK). He made 41 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 2 pass breakups, and 1 quarterback hurry.
TTB Rating: 79

Paige was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection in 2023 after being a thirteen-game starter. He was not a flashy player, but he's an extremely steady player. His long arms help him cover some ground as a tackler where others might whiff, and he was probably better in coverage than I thought he would be, even though that's not his strength. PFF gave him a 71.4 pass coverage grade and an 86.0 tackling grade, so you can see the discrepancy. Altogether he was part of a nice combination with Rod Moore and/or Keon Sabb.

The picture at safety has completely changed in 2024. And Paige was recently named a captain. But just by coincidence, I once again ranked Paige at #19, just like last year. Rod Moore is out with a torn ACL and Keon Sabb is at Alabama, but Quinten Johnson returned for a sixth year and Michigan brought in two transfer portal starters in the form of Wesley Walker and Jaden Mangham. That gives Michigan four starting-caliber safeties on the roster this year, so if Paige were going to miss any time, the depth should help mitigate issues. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale recently said that Paige might get the "green dot" on defense (a.k.a. the in-helmet communication) or it might go to linebacker Ernest Hausmann, so I don't want to discount Paige's leadership. But the depth (or lack thereof) at some other spots has me ranking Paige as one of the lower-end starters in the countdown.

Prediction: Starting safety; 40 tackles, 2 interceptions

2024 Season Countdown: #20 Jyaire Hill

 

Jyaire Hill (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Jyaire Hill
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 185 lbs.
High school: Kankakee (IL) Kankakee
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #20
Last year: I ranked Hill #55 and said he would be a backup cornerback (LINK). He made 8 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in four games.
TTB Rating: 88

Hill was a very talented freshman in 2023, but the Wolverines had a few cornerbacks who could get the job done, including Will Johnson, Josh Wallace, and Mike Sainristil. Fellow freshman D.J. Waller also came in ready to play and passed up Hill on the depth chart. According to Sam Webb, Hill's maturity was a bit of an issue in his first year and he wasn't ready to play from a mental standpoint. Michigan does some complicated things with its coverages and Hill wasn't in his playbook enough.

For what it's worth, the good news is that Hill preserved his redshirt, so now he can be a starting cornerback at Michigan through 2028! Word out of camp is that Hill is ahead of Albany transfer Aamir Hall on the depth chart and will start the season opener opposite Will Johnson. While I like Hill's upside - thus the TTB Rating of 88 - it's nice to have a seasoned veteran in Hall to come off the bench or rotate in when possible. Once Michigan gets past those three, it will be interesting to see who steps in as the #4 cornerback. The next most experienced guys would be UNLV transfer Ricky Johnson and veteran Michigan player Ja'Den McBurrows. There might be some rough moments for Hill, but he's physical, confident, and athletic.

Prediction: Starting cornerback; 25 tackles, 2 interceptions

2024 Season Countdown: #21 Kalel Mullings

 

Kalel Mullings (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Kalel Mullings
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 233 lbs.
High school: West Roxbury (MA) Milton Academy
Position: Running back
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #20
Last year: I ranked Mullings #38 and said he would be a backup running back (LINK). He had
TTB Rating: 78

Mullings was a linebacker at Michigan for his first two-plus years on campus. But in year three, Blake Corum suffered an injury against Illinois, and Michigan needed someone to help take the load in the backfield. So Mullings - a standout high school running back - threw a jump pass against Ohio State in 2022 and gained 31 yards on 14 carries, including scoring 3 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he fumbled on a goal line attempt against TCU in the College Football Playoff, and Michigan ended up losing by six points.

Instead of reverting to linebacker for 2023, Mullings stayed on offense to compete with Donovan Edwards for the backup position. At one point during the season, Mullings had earned the #2 spot and did some good things with it. He had a ho-hum non-conference performance (4 carries, 17 yards) to start the year, but he picked it up during the Big Ten slate and never averaged fewer than 5.0 yards per carry. Altogether, he ran 36 times for 222 yards (6.2 yards/carry) and 1 touchdown, a 20-yard scamper against Nebraska. Despite playing the season at 239 pounds, he showed nimble feet, good patience, and a decent burst.

The 2024 season should be another big step in his career now that Corum is off to the Los Angeles Rams. Edwards and Mullings are the #1 and #2 backs, and while Edwards is the favorite to win the job (after all, he was on the cover of NCAA '25), Mullings can make a case to be the Thunder to Edwards's Lightning. Edwards has struggled at times and has also been injured a little bit. Over the past three years of post-COVID Michigan football, the #2 back for Michigan has averaged 813 yards per season, including 950+ yards from both Corum (2021) and Edwards (2022). I don't know that Mullings will approach 1,000 yards like those two, but he should have a pretty hefty rushing total by the end of the year while also serving as a short yardage and goal line back at times.

Prediction: Backup running back; 750 yards and 9 touchdowns

2024 Ex-Wolverine Updates: Week 0

 

Matt Hibner

For week zero, I'm only going to list the tight ends, because Matt Hibner was the only ex-Wolverine player in action. Next week I will expand this post to include other positions.

FORMER PLAYERS

• Louis Hansen (UConn): Hansen is expected to be the Huskies' starting tight end this fall. He's a 6'5", 240 lb. redshirt junior.
• Matt Hibner (SMU): Hibner, listed as the Mustangs' #2 tight end, caught 1 pass for 19 yards in a 29-24 win over Nevada. Hibner is a fifth-year senior listed at 6'5" and 251 pounds after spending his first four years of college in Ann Arbor.

FORMER COMMITS

• Andrew Rappleyea (Penn State): Rappleyea is listed as a 6'4", 250 lb. redshirt freshman and he's expected to be the Nittany Lions' third tight end.

2024 Season Countdown: #22 Zeke Berry

 

Zeke Berry (image via MLive)

Name: Zeke Berry
Height: 5’11″
Weight: 196 lbs.
High school: Concord (CA) De La Salle
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #10
Last year: I ranked Berry #43 and said he would be a backup safety (LINK). He played in eleven games and made 3 tackles.
TTB Rating: 82

There's not much to say about Zeke Berry from last year, because he barely played. Michigan had a stacked safety room, so the coaches used him on just 42 total defensive snaps - 30 against East Carolina and 12 against Michigan State. The former 4-star safety recruit has earned a lot of buzz behind the scenes for his athleticism, but he has yet to turn that into any meaningful playing time or production.

He seems poised to change that narrative in 2024. After nickel corner Mike Sainristil graduated and moved on to the NFL following last season, all eyes have been on the void left behind by his absence. Berry has popped up in almost every practice report as a standout with his speed and aggression. There has been caution not to expect him to get everyone organized like Sainristil did, and unlike last year, the backup nickel is a redshirt junior in Ja'Den McBurrows and not a redshirt sophomore Ja'Den McBurrows. I'm ranking Berry down near the bottom end of the starters because of the presence of McBurrows, but hopes are high that Berry is a star in the making.

Prediction: Starting nickel; 35 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions

2024 Season Countdown: #23 Quinten Johnson

 

Quinten Johnson (image via 247 Sports)

Name: Quinten Johnson
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 203 lbs.
High school: Washington (DC) St. John’s
Position: Safety
Class: Sixth year senior
Jersey number: #28
Last year: I ranked Johnson #36 and said he would be a backup safety and special teamer (LINK). He made 22 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 5 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 79

As a fifth year senior in 2023, Johnson seemed to be . . . superfluous. It's rare that players at Michigan stick around for a fifth year during the transfer portal/grad transfer era rather than going elsewhere for more playing time. Even though it was clear Johnson was headed for a backup role, he chose to come back. I actually felt a little bad for him since Makari Paige and Rod Moore were entrenched ahead of him, and then he was passed by the younger Keon Sabb, just a sophomore in 2023.

And then . . . the light seemed to come on for Johnson. In the last third of the season, he seemed to have figured things out. The numbers don't necessarily support that anecdotal conclusion (his PFF grades were fairly consistent), but he was making some big plays in big games, particularly a pass breakup against Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka:

Thank you Quinten Johnson pic.twitter.com/w2rBe8idAD

— JJ McCarthy Fan (@JJOneOfOne) February 2, 2024

Johnson originally chose to leave Michigan after 2023 and attempt to make it to the NFL, but Rod Moore's ACL injury and Sabb's transfer to Alabama opened the door for him to return. Instead of being almost a surefire backup, he had a real chance to earn a starting gig. Even though the Wolverines brought in Wesley Walker from Tennessee and Jaden Mangham from Michigan State, it seems like Johnson will be the starter opposite Paige, partly due to his familiarity with the defensive system.

Prediction: Starting safety

2024 Season Countdown: #24 Greg Crippen

 

Greg Crippen

Name: Greg Crippen
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 309 lbs.
High school: Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy
Position: Center
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #51
Last year: I ranked Crippen #56 and said he would be a backup center (LINK). He played in nine games.
TTB Rating: 65

Depending on how you look at it, Crippen has had one of the more frustrating careers imaginable in a Michigan uniform. After redshirting in 2021, he would have had a chance to start in 2022 . . . except Michigan brought in Olu Oluwatimi from Virginia, who won the Rimington Trophy for being the nation's best center.

So then Crippen had a chance to start in 2023 . . . except Michigan brought in Stanford transfer Drake Nugent, who was named First Team All-Big Ten and a Rimington Trophy finalist.

Now Crippen has a chance to start in 2024 . . . except Michigan brought in former 3-star defensive tackle Dominick Giudice?

Okay, so earlier today, head coach Sherrone Moore was asked about the battles on the offensive line, and Moore said the center position was coming down to Crippen and Giudice. It's surprising that Raheem Anderson wasn't mentioned (perhaps there's an injury?), and it's even more surprising that Giudice is the primary competition after taking just 25 total snaps over the past two years.

Regardless, I'm sticking with the front-runner for the starting center job, and that's Crippen. The former 4-star recruit has waited around for three years, and there have been positive comments coming from the coaches for the past two years. If Giudice is truly neck-and-neck with Crippen - and better than Anderson - then that likely means positive things for the depth of the line and not necessarily something negative about Crippen.

Prediction: Starting center

2024 Season Countdown: #25 William Wagner

 

William Wagner (image via MGoBlue)

Name: William Wagner
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 245 lbs.
High school: Alpharetta (GA) Alpharetta
Position: Long snapper
Class: Sixth year senior
Jersey number: #49
Last year: I ranked Wagner #3 5and said he would be the starting long snapper (LINK). He started all fifteen games.
TTB Rating: N/A

Wagner missed a chunk of the 2022 season due to a torn ACL and the Wolverines lost to Georgia in the College Football Playoff.

Last year Wagner was healthy, and Michigan won a national championship.

Coincidence? I think not.

You could make the argument that a long snapper shouldn't be in the top 25, but most Michigan fans probably remember Scott Sypniewski's errant snap with a bad thumb that led to an embarrassing loss to Michigan State. Luckily, Michigan does have a quality backup in Greg Tarr (who also filled in after Wagner was hurt in 2022), but special teams are going to be key in 2024. Michigan is likely to be in tighter games and has a tougher schedule than 2023, so field position and field goal kicking are going to be important.

Prediction: Starting long snapper

2024 Season Countdown: #26 Fredrick Moore

 

Fredrick Moore (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Fredrick Moore
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 181 lbs.
High school: Saint Louis (MO) Cardinal Ritter
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #3
Last year: I ranked Moore #73 and said he would be a backup wide receiver and special teamer (LINK). He made 4 catches for 32 yards while playing in thirteen games.
TTB Rating: 68

Moore was a high school speedster who wasn't needed much in 2023. With the fleet-footed Roman Wilson on the roster, the Wolverines didn't really need someone else who could stretch the field. Moore rotated in at receiver but was never much of a factor, especially in big games. The place where I thought he might help most was in the return game, but that didn't work out, either.

Based on what I saw of Moore in the spring game, though, I think he has a chance to break out this fall. Working to get open on a scramble drill, he shook loose from defensive end Aymeric Koumba in the flat (not a difficult feat in itself) and then reversed field to outrun the entire defense for a touchdown. Granted, there were a couple walk-ons and backups on the field, but Moore showed his acceleration and top-end speed. Michigan doesn't have any proven, go-to receivers on the roster, but Moore could be the guy most likely to break an 80-yard touchdown. And again, he will probably be competing for kickoff return and/or punt return duties.

Fredrick Moore showcases the WHEELS in Michigan's spring game 🏃‍♂️💨pic.twitter.com/IEnV5OBy4q

— DraftKings (@DraftKings) April 20, 2024

Prediction: Backup wide receiver and special teamer

2024 Season Countdown: #27a T.J. Guy

 

T.J. Guy

Name: T.J. Guy
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 250 lbs.
High school: Mansfield (MA) Mansfield
Position: Defensive end
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #42
Last year: I ranked Guy #60 and said he would be a backup defensive end (LINK). He made 10 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1 sack.
TTB Rating: 65

Michigan had a strong group of edge players in 2023, which kept Guy's playing time in check. Behind starters Braiden McGregor and Jaylen Harrell, the Wolverines had Derrick Moore and Josaiah Stewart. So Guy was the fifth-best edge defender on a team stacked with edge defenders. Overall, he had a solid season for being a third-stringer and managed to put together a 75.8 overall grade from PFF. Going just by PFF grades, he's the sixth best returning player from Michigan's defense behind Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Will Johnson . . .

. . . and Derrick Moore and Josaiah Stewart.

So there's an argument to be made that Michigan's sixth best defender is going to be a backup, because #3 and #4 play the same position he does.

Guy has shown flashes over his first few years, notching a couple sacks and then having a solid spring game back in April. But at least in the spring game, he was beating up on backups and freshmen. The jury is still out on whether he can do it against other teams' top-notch players, but every fall practice report has been mentioning Guy as an up-and-comer. I'm buying into the hype that he's going to turn into a solid player for 2024 and could place himself in a good spot to take over as a starter in 2025 after Stewart leaves.

Prediction: Backup defensive end; 20 tackles, 3 sacks

2024 Season Countdown: #27b Rayshaun Benny

 

Rayshaun Benny (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Rayshaun Benny
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 296 lbs.
High school: Oak Park (MI) Oak Park
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #26
Last year: I ranked Benny #25 and said he would be a backup defensive tackle (LINK). He made 27 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 2 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 81

Benny had a relatively stealthy first couple years on campus. But last year he seemed to take a leap forward and became a force on the interior defensive line. Not only did his production increase (from 13 tackles to 27), but he was pushing around offensive linemen and forced a key fumble against Penn State. So it was unfortunate when he broke his ankle against Alabama and couldn't be on the field for the national championship game.

This year Benny is going to play a bigger role as the #3 defensive tackle behind Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham. Gone are Kris Jenkins, Jr. and Cam Goode. Michigan tried to snag one or two nose tackles in the transfer portal, but they were unsuccessful. So there's a fair amount of pressure on Benny and he could be a focal point of the defensive line in 2025 if Graham and Grant decide to go to the NFL after their third year. Reports indicate Benny is back to full strength, and if he's indeed back to pre-injury form, we should see a very good performance this year.

Prediction: Backup defensive tackle

2024 Season Countdown: #28 Raheem Anderson II

 

Raheem Anderson II

Name: Raheem Anderson II
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 318 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Center/offensive guard
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #62
Last year: I ranked Anderson #48 and said he would be a backup center/guard (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: 83

According to Pro Football Focus, Michigan had 54 players take offensive snaps in 2023. Raheem Anderson II was one of those 54.

He also only took one snap.

So being ranked #28 in the countdown is a pretty lofty ranking. He could have a very significant role in 2024. Some reports have him challenging Greg Crippen for the starting center role. I'm skeptical of that take even though I thought Anderson was a superior player to Crippen coming out of high school. Crippen, after all, played 98 snaps in 2023 and the coaches said he could be the best center in the country if not for the presence of Drake Nugent.

I always thought Anderson would be limited to center because of his size, but he is up to a pretty significant weight at 318 pounds and could be the primary backup at center or guard. He might even end up as the starting center. There are a lot of directions he could go. But whether it's a role at center or as a backup interior lineman, he will probably be called upon a few times in crunch situations this year to step in for an injured player. And it's good to have a veteran backup who can be counted on rather than an inexperienced backup on the interior.

Prediction: Backup center/offensive guard

2024 Season Countdown: #29 Davis Warren

 

Davis Warren

Name: Davis Warren
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Suffield (CT) Suffield Academy
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #16
Last year: I ranked Warren #70 and said he would be a backup quarterback (LINK). He completed 0/5 passes for 1 interception.
TTB Rating: N/A

Warren was a walk-on quarterback in the 2021 class - the same class as J.J. McCarthy - and he might be closer to the starting quarterback position than any other walk-on since Nick Sheridan in 2008. After overcoming a serious illness in high school, he was probably written off by many people. But his talent has always been there, and he looked decent in 2022. Unfortunately, an undisclosed injury seemed to sap him a little bit in 2023, and he did not perform well. Going 0-for-5 with 1 interception for the season is . . . well . . . there's really no way to gloss over it: it's about as bad as it gets.

But that 2023 performance was probably the pendulum swinging a little too far in the negative direction. Warren was back to looking pretty good in the 2024 spring game, throwing two touchdown passes - one a deep ball to Kendrick Bell and one a scrambling dart to Frederick Moore that Moore turned into a touchdown. Spring games aren't the same as fall Saturdays in the Big House - or the Horseshoe - but there's no getting past the fact that Warren has the physical talent to perform.

Word coming out of practices is that Warren is the best passer on the team. What he lacks is experience and playmaking ability with his feet. He's a decent athlete and more mobile than Cade McNamara, but he's not a runner. Michigan's offense will look much different with Warren behind center rather than Orji. All signs seem to be pointing toward Orji to be the starter in 2024, but if he falters or gets injured, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Warren getting a shot. Seventh year senior Jack Tuttle is also in the mix, but Tuttle has supposedly been dealing with an injury during camp - and he's often been injured in his career - so it seems like Warren has taken control of the #2 spot.

Prediction: Backup quarterback

2024 Season Countdown: #30 Marlin Klein

 

Marlin Klein (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Marlin Klein
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 247 lbs.
High school: Rabun Gap (GA) Nacoochee
Position: Tight end
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #17
Last year: I ranked Klein #77 and said he would be a backup tight end (LINK). He played in ten games and caught 1 pass for 8 yards.
TTB Rating: 81

Klein has been buried on the depth chart for the past couple seasons behind a pretty good group of tight ends. Last year it was Colston Loveland, A.J. Barner, and Matt Hibner, among others, ahead of him on the depth chart. Barner went to the NFL, and Hibner attempted to find greener pastures at SMU (Hibner caught 1 pass for 19 yards in a win over Nevada last night). Klein, meanwhile, despite positive reports on his athleticism, had yet to reach a point where he could be put on the field.

This off-season the hype train for Klein has picked up speed, largely based on his size and athleticism. He reportedly broke off a long touchdown catch and run in a scrimmage recently, and one insider report pegged him as one of the fastest players on the team. Even if he doesn't truly rank quite at the top, that's still an impressive comment about a player who's 6'6" and 247 pounds.

Replacing Barner's 620 snaps from 2023 is going to be a group effort. Klein isn't going to go from playing 37 snaps to 620. But he does appear to be TE2 on this roster, and that should be a few hundred snaps. Zack Marshall and Deakon Tonielli are a couple others who could see decent roles, not to mention 6'6", 245 lb. freshman Brady Prieskorn. The group has one proven player (Loveland) and a bunch of question marks. I ranked Barner #22 last year, so I don't have as much confidence in Klein, but we should still see the Germany native quite a bit this fall.

Prediction: Part-time starting tight end; 15 catches for 200 yards and 1 touchdown

2024 Season Countdown: #31 Aamir Hall

 

Aamir Hall

Name: Aamir Hall
Height: 6’1"
Weight: 201 lbs.
High school: Baltimore (MD) Mt. St. Joseph
Position: Cornerback
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #12
Last year: Hall played at Albany. He made 63 tackles, 5 interceptions, and 15 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: N/A

Michigan suffered a lot of attrition from the defensive backfield following the 2023 football season. Along with losing Mike Sainristil and Josh Wallace to the NFL, Cam Calhoun (Utah) and D.J. Waller (Kentucky) transferred. And that doesn't even bring into account the safety position. Waller probably would have been the #3 guy in 2024 and possibly would have had a chance to beat out Jyaire Hill for the #2 spot. So the Wolverines coaching staff went into the portal to get Ricky Johnson from UNLV and Hall from Albany.

Hall was a standout at Albany last year and was named an FCS All-American. Albany has a history of sending decent transfers up to the FBS level, including Florida State defensive end Jared Verse, who was picked in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. Hall probably won't be a first round pick in 2025, but he appears to be a worthwhile addition. Word out of camp is that Hill will be CB2 this fall, and Hall appears to be the next guy in. That means Hall will still play quite a bit this fall. Keshaun Harris got the third-most outside corner snaps for Michigan in 2023, and that amounted to 158 snaps.

Based on what I've seen of Hall from Albany, he's an aggressive corner with good size. I don't think he's going to be intimidated by the move up to FCS, and physically he seems like he's going to hold up well. His athleticism seems adequate, too. The biggest thing is going to be how he adjusts to Michigan's defense, disguising coverages, etc., and that's difficult to predict based on past film. Again, the word out of camp is that he's hit the ground running and should be ready to roll as the third corner against Fresno State.

Prediction: Backup cornerback