Way Too Early 2025 Depth Chart: Late December 2024

Derrick Moore (image via NY Times)

The following depth chart has removed these listed players from the roster:

• QB Jayden Denegal (transfer portal)
• QB Alex Orji (transfer portal)
• QB Jack Tuttle (retirement/graduation)
• RB Cole Cabana (transfer portal)
• RB Tavierre Dunlap (transfer portal)
• RB Donovan Edwards (graduation)
• RB Kalel Mullings (graduation)
• WR C.J. Charleston (graduation)
• WR Tyler Morris (transfer portal)
• TE Colston Loveland (NFL draft)
• OT Tristan Bounds (transfer portal)
• OT Andrew Gentry (transfer portal)
• OT Myles Hinton (graduation)
• OT Jeffrey Persi (graduation)
• OG Dominick Giudice (transfer portal)
• OG Josh Priebe (graduation)
• C Raheem Anderson II (transfer portal)
• DE Breeon Ishmail (transfer portal)
• DE Josaiah Stewart (graduation)
• DT Mason Graham (NFL draft)
• DT Kenneth Grant (NFL draft)
• LB Micah Pollard (transfer portal)
• CB Aamir Hall (graduation)
• CB Will Johnson (NFL draft)
• CB Myles Pollard (transfer portal)
• S Quinten Johnson (graduation)
• S Rod Moore (graduation)
• S Makari Paige (graduation)
• S Wesley Walker (graduation)
• K Adam Samaha (transfer portal)
• P Tommy Doman (transfer portal)

It assumes that every currently rostered player and every currently committed prospect will be here in the fall of 2025, which is obviously not true.

Hit the jump for the depth chart.

2024 Ex-Wolverine Player Updates: Post-season

 

Alan Bowman

Andrel Anthony, WR (Oklahoma Duke): Anthony had injury issues over his time in Norman and made just 1 catch for 4 yards this past season. He transferred to Duke after the season.

Jeremiah Beasley, LB (Missouri): Beasley made 7 tackles while playing in eleven games as a freshman.

Tristan Bounds, OT (Arizona): Bounds played just one offensive snap for Michigan this year and transferred to Arizona after the season.

Hit the jump for more.

Justice Haynes, Wolverine

 

Justice Haynes (image via Gary Cosby, Jr./USA Today)

Alabama transfer running back Justice Haynes has committed to Michigan as of Christmas Eve.

Haynes is a rising third-year player with two years of eligibility remaining. Standing 5'11" and 210 pounds, he rushed for 448 yards on 79 carries and scored 7 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2024. He was a backup to Jamarion Miller and was #3 in rushing yards behind quarterback Jalen Milroe and Miller. As a freshman in 2023, he ran 25 times for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Haynes was a 5-star, the #3 running back, and #29 overall in the class of 2023 out of Buford (GA) Buford. Michigan has recruited several players from Buford over the years, but their best signee was running back Christian Turner (who transferred to Wake Forest and then Indiana).

Of all the players in the portal, Haynes was one of the guys I wanted most because it's pretty clear to see how he will translate to Michigan's offense. Michigan likes downhill running backs, and Chip Lindsey had success with a pretty similar back at North Carolina in Omarion Hampton. (Hampton is a little bigger at a listed 6'0", 220 lbs.) Haynes has quick feet, gets north-south quickly, does a good job of following his blocks, and also has contact balance.

Side note: I also was hoping to land Kentucky transfer Keeshawn Silver as a big nose tackle and Washington State QB John Mateer; Silver is headed to USC, and Mateer was a pipe dream, anyway, but decided to follow his offensive coordinator to Oklahoma.

Anyway, Haynes should leap to the front of the line at the running back position and make a good 1-2 punch with Jordan Marshall. I'll channel my inner Fred Jackson and say Haynes looks like De'Veon Smith . . . but fast! I like both Haynes and Marshall, and the Wolverines should have one of the best backfields in the Big Ten. Cole Cabana (Minnesota) and Tavierre Dunlap (Eastern Michigan) both decided to transfer after the season, but the program will have third-year back Benjamin Hall, second-year player Micah Ka'apana, and newly signed Jasper Parker and Donovan Johnson in addition to Haynes and Marshall.

Haynes is the second Alabama player to transfer to Michigan this cycle, joining defensive tackle Damon Payne. Michigan lost safety Keon Sabb to the Crimson Tide last off-season.

Damon Payne, Wolverine

 

Damon Payne (#44, image via USA Today)

Alabama transfer Damon Payne committed to Michigan last week.

Payne is listed at 6'4" and 313 lbs. He made 14 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss this past season with the Crimson Tide while playing in twelve games. Altogether, he has 30 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks over four seasons at Alabama. He was a 5-star, the #7 defensive lineman, and #24 overall in the class of 2021.

Payne is originally from Belleville (MI) Belleville and was offered by Michigan coming out of high school, but the Wolverines' strained relationship with Belleville made his recruitment basically a non-starter. Michigan has landed a couple Belleville products in recent years (Andre Seldon in 2020, Jeremiah Beasley in 2024), but both of them transferred before making any kind of impact; a few other Belleville products have committed but then decommitted, such as Aaron Alexander (UMass to Michigan State to Arkansas State) and Myles Rowser (Campbell to New Mexico to Arizona State).

Despite the 5-star ranking, Payne never made much of an impact at Alabama. After redshirting in 2021, he played mostly a backup role and managed just 2 total tackles for loss. With one year of eligibility remaining and Belleville superstar quarterback Bryce Underwood signing with the Wolverines for 2025, it seems Payne wanted to finish out his career near home and with a chance to make an impact.

Michigan is losing Mason Graham to the NFL and very likely could also lose Kenneth Grant to the draft, as well. Payne could potentially be a nose tackle starter next to 3-tech Rayshaun Benny. Other players in the mix to play include Trey Pierce and Ike Iwunnah, but Michigan seems to be looking for at least one more defensive tackle in the transfer portal. Payne managed an overall grade of just 62.3 in 2024 according to Pro Football Focus, so he will likely be a significant step down from Graham/Grant. He was the #4 highest graded Defensive Interior player on Alabama's team with 100+ snaps (Payne played 288 snaps) on the season, so he's a playable entity but not a standout.

Mikey Keene, Wolverine

 

Mikey Keene

Fresno State transfer quarterback Mikey Keene has committed to Michigan. He has one season of eligibility remaining.

Keene is a 5'11", 200-pounder who spent two years at UCF before transferring to Fresno for the 2023-2024 seasons. When he was at UCF with Gus Malzahn as head coach, new Michigan offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey was his offensive coordinator for one season, a 2022 campaign that saw Keene complete 60/83 passes (72.3%) for 647 yards, 7.8 yards/attempt, 6 touchdowns, and 1 interception.

Hit the jump for more.

Brady Norton, Wolverine

 

Brady Norton (image via X)

Cal Poly offensive lineman Brady Norton committed to Michigan on Monday. He picked the Wolverines over an offer from Ohio State.

Norton was listed at 6'3" and 275 pounds while at Cal Poly as a redshirt freshman this past season, but commitment reports list him at 6'4" and 290 pounds. He graded out as Pro Football Focus's top FCS offensive lineman for the 2024 season.

With limited film from the FCS level, I don't have a lot of insights into Norton. I've watched a few clips here and there, and I'm impressed by his quickness. I think Michigan fans might be impressed by how well he moves once he puts on a winged helmet. We'll also be waiting to see how he measures up when he arrives on campus. Even if he is indeed 290 pounds, that's a little bit light to expect much of a contribution upon arrival. He might need a year to comfortably get in the 300-310 pound range to make him a little more playable.

Norton reportedly has long arms, which could make him an option at tackle; I like his feet for the tackle position, but those can also be put to good use if the coaches plan to pull him from the guard spot. Again, the athletic ability is there, but the size might be more of the determining factor for which position he plays.

Norton has played just one season of college football after redshirting in 2023, so he has three years of eligibility remaining. The last FCS transfer Michigan took was cornerback Aamir Hall prior to the 2024 season, and Hall ended up making a couple interceptions and being a de facto starter with Will Johnson missing half the season. I don't expect such an immediate impact from Norton, but he could be a solid player down the road.

T.J. Metcalf, Wolverine

 

T.J. Metcalf (image via Hank Layton/NWA Democrat Gazette)

Arkansas safety T.J. Metcalf, a cousin of NFL wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, committed to Michigan on Monday night after visiting over the weekend. He and his younger brother Tevis are both now Wolverines. (I'll address Tevis in a separate post.)

T.J. is a 6'1", 200 lb. safety who made 57 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 3 interceptions, and 7 pass breakups playing a deep safety role for the Razorbacks. He made 2 interceptions against Auburn, which made Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze tear his hair out and publicly call out (former Michigan State) quarterback Peyton Thorne. One interception was a tipped ball that bounced up into the air, and the other was a diving catch. Metcalf's other interception was against UAB.

Metcalf has a strong build and should be an asset both as a tackler and a coverage guy down the road. While his performances have been up and down, he should get better coaching at Michigan than he got at Arkansas. With Michigan losing both Quinten Johnson and Makari Paige to graduation, along with key backup Wesley Walker, there's room for immediate help. I would probably pencil in Metcalf as a starter at free safety, though there is potential for Rod Moore to return in 2025, which could shake up the lineup or the depth chart.

Metcalf was a 3-star, the #51 safety, and #541 overall in the class of 2023. Michigan had offered him out of Pinson (AL) Valley, along with Florida State, Miami, Penn State, and Tennessee, among others.