2026 Season Countdown: #21-25

 

Zack Marshall (image via PFF/X)

#21. Nathan Efobi - OG - Atlanta (GA) South Forsyth: Efobi is a 6'4", 303 lb. fourth-year player with nineteen games of experience under his belt, including five starts last season. He started early in the year before losing his job to Jake Guarnera, and then Efobi started again in the Cheez-It Bowl against Texas. The offensive line has been pretty difficult to peg in the off-season because of a new staff and a lot of talent. The Wolverines have several players with starting experience returning (Efobi, Guarnera, Blake Frazier, Evan Link, Andrew Sprague, Brady Norton) and a couple young guys (mainly Andrew Babalola, but also including Avery Gach and Marky Walbridge) who have been earning solid reviews from practice. Efobi looks like the probably starter at right guard, but things could change with about three weeks left until the season opener.

#22. Zack Marshall - TE - Carlsbad (CA) Carlsbad: Marshall is a 6'5", 245 lb. fourth-year guy who seems to have become a senior very quickly. He caught 16 passes for 199 yards and 1 touchdown in 2025 and was named the team's Most Improved Offensive Player. I'll admit I didn't give Marshall high marks coming out of high school, but the way he represents himself, talks about Michigan, and is respected by his teammates suggests he does things right off the field and has worked his way into being the projected starting tight end going into 2026. He started three games last year and came out of nowhere to catch 5 passes for 72 yards and 1 touchdown against Washington. Prior to that game, he had made 3 catches for 29 yards up through six weeks of the season. Michigan has other capable tight ends, plus the Rhino position to add to the mix, so Marshall may not be an every-down staple in the Wolverines offense. But we should see him on the field quite a bit this fall.

#23. Chase Taylor - LB - Ellenwood (GA) Stockbridge: Taylor is a 6'2", 222 lb. inside linebacker who made 10 tackles as a true freshman last season. He came in light during the 2025 cycle, right around 200 pounds, and has since added a decent chunk of weight. Michigan recently released its fall roster and most of the linebackers seem light, which makes me a little bit concerned for their Big Ten viability going into the 2026 season. I would like to see a guy who's 6'2" to be at least 230 lbs. if he's going to be playable, and Taylor obviously isn't there right now. It seems like Taylor could be a starter at inside linebacker, but there are a few options for the position, including Troy Bowles and Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng.

#24. Dominic Nichols - DE - Frederick (MD) Oakdale: Nichols is a 6'5", 245 lb. defensive end who played in twelve games last season, making 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 1 sack. Entering his third season on campus, he has been mentioned as possibly the best pass rusher on the team, which is saying something considering the presence of Utah transfer John Henry Daley. I'm open to that possibility, but we haven't really seen it show up on the game field yet, so I'm cautiously optimistic. Michigan seems to have a few good options at the edge positions, including Nate Marshall, Cam Brandt, and Lugard Edokpayi. (NOTE: Another player who has recently started getting a lot of buzz is freshman Tariq Boney.) Nichols could emerge as a starter who's a terror off the edge, or maybe he's still just rotating behind one or two other guys. My guess is that we see him play a pretty big role as a quality backup.

#25. Nico Crawford - LS - Dublin (OH) Scioto: Crawford is a 6'0", 230 lb. fifth year senior who has played in 37 career games through his career, one that has spanned Charlotte, Illinois, and two seasons at Pitt. Now on his fourth school year in five years, he would seem to be the best bet to start at long snapper for the Wolverines in 2026. Michigan does have some other options, including sophomore transfer Gavin Magorien, but Crawford has the most experience. Hopefully this is approximately the last time we talk about long snappers for the next several months.