2025 Season Countdown: #41-45

 

Shamari Earls (image via On3)

45. P Hudson Hollenbeck (RS Jr.): The 6'2", 206-pounder filled in well for Tommy Doman last season after Doman decided to transfer. He punted 6 times for 277 yards (46.2 yards/punt), put two of those punts inside the 20-yard line, and also served as the holder for Dominic Zvada at times. I wouldn't have been too surprised if Michigan went into 2025 with Hollenbeck as the punter, but they brought in Missouri starter Luke Bauer. I have to believe Bauer is the frontrunner for the job, but Hollenbeck is a good all-around backup who can punt, hold, and kick off. Last year's rank: #44a.

44. TE Jalen Hoffman (RS Jr.): Hoffman played in all thirteen games last year, including two on offense. He was backing up Max Bredeson, so there's a reason he didn't play much. But Hoffman burst onto the scene this spring, catching an 88-yard touchdown from Bryce Underwood on his way to 7 catches for 148 yards overall. Maybe Hoffman is one of those guys who flashes in the spring game and doesn't do much beyond that, but he looks like a legitimate receiving option out of the backfield. Last year's rank: #72.

43. DT Enow Etta (RS So.): Etta spent the 2023 season playing edge before bulking up to play inside last year. The experiment didn't go that well in 2024: he started one game but was largely ineffective and made just 4 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1 pass breakup overall across ten games. Word coming from the coaches suggests Etta has taken the next step in his development. It would be nice to get some pass rush from the interior, where Rayshaun Benny does well to get after the quarterback but not many other guys do. Etta should be a key backup and stays right here at #43, the same spot he was last season. Last year's rank: #43.

42. CB Shamari Earls (Fr.): Earls (4-star, #13 CB, #88 overall) is the rare young cornerback who looks not only physically ready to play, but perhaps more developed than many veteran college corners. Listed at 6'2" and 203 lbs., he appeared in the spring game and physically looked like Will Johnson. Earls's recruiting rankings might be a little depressed because he missed his senior season due to injury, but he should step in and play pretty early. While he probably won't begin the season as a starter, he may progress to that point throughout the year. Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry should be the starting corners, but with Berry's ability to play other positions, the coaching staff could do some position switching if Earls is ready.

41. WR Peyton O'Leary (RS Sr.): O'Leary has progressed throughout his career from walk-on to a six-game starter in 2024, when he was in his fourth year in the program. He caught 10 passes for 102 yards and notched his second career touchdown. At 6'3" and 203 lbs., O'Leary provided/provides some of the size that was largely lacking at the receiver position, but Michigan address that issue with signing Indiana transfer Donaven McCulley this off-season. O'Leary's upside is limited, but he should still be heavily in the rotation. Last year's rank: #60.

2025 Season Countdown: #46-50

Andrew Babalola

50. DT Ike Iwunnah (RS Sr.): Iwunnah was a nice little success story in 2024. In a pretty rare career swing, he went from not playing at all in his first three years to being a pretty key rotation player in the defensive line as a redshirt junior. Michigan was very talented at defensive tackle last year but pretty thin outside of Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and Rayshaun Benny. The great defensive lines over the past few years have had to play about five guys on the interior pretty regularly, and Iwunnah broke into that rotation, making 8 tackles and 1 tackle for loss. This season should see more of the same with Benny and Trey Pierce back, along with transfers Damon Payne (Alabama) and Tre Williams (Clemson). Last year's rank: #83.

49. WR Anthony Simpson (RS Sr.): Simpson transferred in from UMass after starting his career at Arizona, playing two seasons at each stop. Altogether, he has a respectable 68 receptions for 910 yards and 3 touchdowns in his college career, but most of that (57 catches, 792 yards, all 3 TDs) came in 2023 for the Minutement. The 5'11", 184-pounder could be a bit of a gadget guy and might provide some run-after-catch abilities. I don't expect him to start, but there's a possibility that he could play a similar role to what we saw from Semaj Morgan during the 2023 national championship season.

48. S Jacob Oden (So.): Oden earned his way onto special teams late in the season, playing in four games and preserving his redshirt. The 6'1", 196-pounder could be a bit of an insurance policy in 2025, depending on the health of former starter Rod Moore, who missed all of 2024 with an injury. Michigan lost starter Makari Paige and heavy contributor Quinten Johnson, bumping up Oden, Brandyn Hillman, and Jaden Mangham, the last of whom transferred from Michigan State prior to last season. Oden will probably start seeing some time on defense this fall. Last year's rank: #87.

47. OT Andrew Babalola (Fr.): Aside from quarterback - where freshman Bryce Underwood seems likely to starter over Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene - the left tackle battle is probably the most interesting one on the team. Babalola (5-star, #3 OT, #16 overall) is listed at 6'6" and 300 lbs. on Michigan's roster and could potentially be the starting left tackle by season's end. But he's contending with redshirt sophomore Andrew Link, who started at right tackle last season, and redshirt freshman Blake Frazier. Link appears to be the nominal starter going into fall, and Sam Webb thinks Frazier will win the job. Regardless, Babalola should get some playing time this fall and will probably be the front-runner to start in 2026.

46. S Mason Curtis (So.): Curtis is one of the most interesting players on the roster when it comes to figuring out how to rank him and how much he will play. He looked like a possible edge player as a recruit, then a linebacker, and then settled in somewhat at safety last season, playing in five games at safety and making 8 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 interception. At 6'5" and 200 lbs., he looks a little odd at safety but he could potentially be a "big nickel" this season if/when Michigan decides to deploy that look. Last year's rank: #112.

2025 Season Countdown: #51-55

 

Jaydon Hood

55. TE Zack Marshall (RS So.): Marshall played in all thirteen games last season, mostly on special teams; he played in just four games on offense and didn't record any stats other than 1 special teams tackle. I expect Michigan's new offensive coordinator to incorporate a little bit more spread to the offense to give Bryce Underwood room to operate, so I think the tight end position will be de-emphasized some. Marshall will be backing up the likes of Marlin Klein and Max Bredeson, and it appears second-year player Hogan Hansen and former walk-on Jalen Hoffman have also passed him up. Last year's rank: #47a.

54. LB Jaydon Hood (RS Sr.): To be perfectly honest, I was surprised when Jaydon Hood made it through the transfer portal window without trying to go somewhere else. That's not an indictment of his talent, but a nod to the other talented linebackers Michigan has kept bringing in, including Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham as transfers, along with Cole Sullivan and Jimmy Rolder as recruits. Toss in Georgia transfer Troy Bowles and it seemed like Hood would have had good reason to play his final year elsewhere. But he played linebacker in eight games last year, making 9 tackles and 1 tackle for loss, so there's still potential for him to play a meaningful backup role and on special teams. Last year's rank: #41.

53. CB Jo'Ziah Edmond (So.): I had trouble finding where to rank Edmond, a 6'1", 180 lb. second-year player whom the coaches were very high on when he arrived in 2024. He played in eight total games, including four at cornerback, and made 2 tackles on the year. On the one hand, burning a redshirt for a backup role usually indicates a significant role the next year. On the other hand, Michigan brought in the Metcalf brothers from Arkansas, moved Zeke Berry to cornerback full-time, and also landed an elite player in 2025 recruit Shamari Earls. Edmond could be anywhere from the third corner behind Berry and Jyaire Hill to the sixth corner behind those two and Earls, Jeremiah Lowe, and Tevis Metcalf. Last year's rank: #78.

52. WR Kendrick Bell (RS So.): Bell was a high school quarterback who transitioned to wide receiver in 2023, and he did play more in 2024 than I expected, making 7 catches for 70 yards. The wide receiver spot is up in the air, but I didn't see much last year that makes me excited for his role in 2025. I may be reading too much into this, but there was also a recent interview of Sherrone Moore where he was mentioning receivers and forgot to mention the 6'2", 191 lb. Bell until asked specifically, so I think Bell's role will be minor this year. Last year's rank: #55.

51. WR C.J. Charleston (6th): Charleston played in ten games and started two last year for the Wolverines, making 1 catch for 22 yards. A leg injury late in the season ended his campaign, and he somewhat unexpectedly decided to return for 2025. I tend to think he returned with an eye on playing as much or more in 2025, but his role was largely as a blocker and a guy who could be put in motion. With transfers like Donaven McCulley and Anthony Simpson stepping in, I'm not sure there's much opportunity for Charleston to take on a big role, but he's experienced, the coaches seemed to like his toughness, and he can contribute on specials. Last year's rank: #46.

2025 Season Countdown: #56-60

 

Andrew Marsh

60. OT Connor Jones (RS Jr.): Jones is listed at 6'6", 320 lbs. in his fourth year in the program. Whereas there was some buzz around him earlier in his career, he seems to have fallen behind several other players at this point. He's not mentioned in the running to play much, but he is a backup option who could eat up some snaps during mop-up duty. He has played in just three games up to this point in his career. Last year's rank:#66.

59. WR Andrew Marsh (Fr.): Marsh (4-star, #16 WR, #117 overall) is a wild card for the 2025 season. He could do anything from lead the team in receiving to redshirt without playing much. At 6'0" and 175 lbs., he doesn't have overwhelming size and he's not necessarily a blazer, either. But the buzz has been strong about him looking like the best receiver on the field at various times. I tend to think it will be at least 2026 before we see him fully unleashed, but the potential is there for him to outplay the #59 ranking this season.

58. CB Caleb Anderson (6th): Anderson spent his first five seasons at Louisiana, where he was at one time coached by defensive backs coach Lamar Morgan. He made thirteen starts during his five years there, including four last year when he made 18 tackles. Injuries have been a bit of an issue, and that continued in the spring after he transferred in. I don't know what to expect from Anderson, but there is a track record of defensive backs transferring in to Michigan and not playing much, including Wayne Lyons (Stanford) and Casey Hughes (Utah). And while there are success stories, too (Josh Wallace from UMass, Aamir Hall from Albany), I lean more toward the talented defensive backs beating out the experience of Anderson. But it's nice to have a 6'3", 200-pounder with five years of experience under his belt.

57. QB Jake Garcia (RS Sr.): Garcia committed to Michigan this spring after bouncing around from Miami to Missouri to East Carolina. A highly touted high school quarterback, he has not played up to his ranking (4-star, #8 QB, #48 overall in 2021) and has managed just 60.6% completions, 2,376 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions while playing in fifteen total games over four years. At 6'4" and 203 lbs., he's a good athlete with a decent arm. I don't expect him to beat out Bryce Underwood or Mikey Keene (unless Keene's spring injury lingers), but he is a step up athletically from Davis Warren. In other words, Michigan should be better at quarterback in 2025 than they were in 2024 even if they get down to their third QB.

56. RB John Volker (RS Sr.): Volker is a 6'0", 210 lb. back who spent the past four seasons at Princeton. Probably best used as a short yardage back in his upcoming year at Michigan, he ran for 514 yards and 7 touchdowns on 89 carries last season. He does have 75- and 51-yard runs over the past couple seasons in the Ivy League, so there's potential for some bigger plays, but that speed will likely be negated at the Big Ten level. I think the players vying for the third running back job are all fairly equal overall, but I see Volker as the best option ahead of C.J. Hester, Micah Ka'apana, Donovan Johnson, and Jasper Parker.

2025 Season Countdown: #61-65

 

Nate Marshall

65. RB Micah Ka'apana (RS Fr.): As expected for last season, Ka'apana took a redshirt after playing in just two games. He looked tiny - and still doesn't look very big - but was able to catch a jet sweep pass for 4 yards against Northwestern. He looked decent in the spring on a few runs, but he just doesn't have the strength at this point to power through tackles. He's probably another year or two away from contributing in a big way, but his quickness and pass catching skills may prove to be valuable since the top couple backs are known more for being powerful and tough. Last year's rank: #94.

64. DE Nate Marshall (Fr.): Marshall (4-star, #3 edge, and #43 overall) seems to be flying under the radar a little bit for being the #43 overall recruit in the 2025 class, but my hunch is that might change once the fall comes. Unlike a couple of the skinny edges Michigan landed in 2024 (Lugard Edokpayi, Devon Baxter), Marshall was listed at 6'4" and 265 lbs. as a recruit and should come in more ready to play, somewhat like Derrick Moore in 2022. Moore was listed at 6'3", 279 lbs. as a freshman and has slimmed down, but I think Marshall is more athletic. He probably won't break into the top four of Moore, T.J. Guy, Cam Brandt, and Dominic Nichols, but he should get some playing time to whet our appetites for 2026 and beyond.

63. DE Tyler McLaurin (RS Sr.): Over McLaurin's first three seasons at Michigan, he played in just five games. He was listed in his third year as a 227 lb. edge player, which wasn't going to work. This spring he was listed at a reasonable 252 lbs., and while he's not talented enough to see much playing time on defense, that at least makes him a somewhat viable option in a pinch. The 2024 season saw an uptick in playing time on special teams, where he played in all thirteen games. I expect that to continue in 2025. Last year's rank: #67.

62. WR Channing Goodwin (RS Fr.): Listed at 6'1" and 185 lbs., Goodwin returns in 2025 after playing in four games and preserving his redshirt in 2024. He played a little on special teams and a little at receiver. From what we saw in the spring game, I still think Goodwin is a possession receiver at best at this point. He does seem like someone the coaches trust to do the right thing, so I imagine he'll be a guy who plays quite a bit in 2025 but without getting targeted much.

61. WR Joe Taylor (RS Sr.): Taylor is a former walk-on who was named Special Teams Player of the Year for Michigan in 2024. He does a little bit of everything and returned 4 kickoffs for 69 yards, caught 1 pass for 9 yards, made 4 tackles, and forced 1 fumble. I keep hoping Michigan will find someone else to put deep to return kickoffs because, while Taylor is supposedly one of the fastest players on the team, he just doesn't have much wiggle or tackle breaking ability. Regardless of whether Michigan finds someone with a little more potential or not, Taylor will undoubtedly play quite a bit on specials.

2025 Season Countdown: #66-70

 

Kainoa Winston

70. S Kainoa Winston (Fr.): Winston (4-star, #10 safety, #96 overall) has the disadvantage of not enrolling early, but he's a speedy player who hits hard and was a top-100 recruit in the class of 2025. There has been a lot of talk about Arkansas transfer Tevis Metcalf, and perhaps for good reason, but I think Winston could emerge on special teams and perhaps at nickel toward the end of the season if the opportunity arises.

69. S Nico Andrighetto (RS Jr.): The 5'9", 190 lb. walk-on played in four games last season and notched a half-sack against Northwestern. He will probably be a regular on special teams this season, though I don't expect him to contribute much on defense unless it's garbage time. Last year's rank: #100.

68. LB Troy Bowles (RS So.): The son of NFL coach Todd Bowles, Troy spent the past two seasons at Georgia, where he played a total of seven games and made 5 total tackles. He played in just two contests last year, taking a redshirt before transferring to Ann Arbor for his third season. Michigan has some solid depth at inside linebacker, and I suppose that includes Bowles, whom Michigan recruited out of high school. With Jimmy Rolder, Cole Sullivan, and Jaydon Hood backing up Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham, I don't think there will be many snaps left for the 6'0", 220 lb. Bowles this season.

67b. K Stuart Blake (RS Fr.): Blake is a 6'1", 179 lb. kicker from Jenkintown (PA) Jenkintown who was on the team but did not play in 2024. Michigan was somewhat active in the transfer portal this off-season after losing punter Tommy Doman to transfer, but they didn't bring in much placekicking help other than a flyer on Beckham Sunderland (see below). Perhaps that shows some confidence in Blake's abilities, but special teams are anyone's guess.

67a. K Beckham Sunderland (RS So.): Sunderland is a former MLS - that's soccer, folks - player who was a goalkeeper before embarking in a college kicking career at Texas State. Last season he was a backup kicker, but he sent 6 out of 8 kickoffs for touchbacks and also went 1/1 on extra points. His best chance to get on the field is probably as a kickoff specialist, but I have no idea how the competition for that job will shake out.

66. LS Dan Rosenberg (RS So): Rosenberg is a 6'0", 245 lb. player who was a former starting long snapper at Holy Cross. He threw his name into the transfer portal this off-season, but as far as I know, he has yet to find a landing spot. He was on Michigan's spring roster, and for now, I'll assume that he stays in Ann Arbor. With Greg Tarr the almost certain starter this fall, the backup job comes down to Rosenberg - who has the most experience - and Evan Boutorwick and James Kavouklis. 

2025 Season Countdown: #71-75

 

Jadyn Davis (image via USA Today)

75. QB Jadyn Davis (RS Fr.): Davis was the #112 overall prospect in the class of 2024, but going into his second year at Michigan, he still has a lot of mechanical things to improve, particularly his long delivery. I would have ranked him higher in this year's countdown if not for the late arrival of Jake Garcia, but I think Garcia's college experience will push him ahead. My guess is that Davis will be #4 on the depth chart behind Bryce Underwood, Mikey Keene, and Garcia. Last year's rank: #97.

74. TE Deakon Tonielli (RS So.): Well, I overshot Last year on Tonielli, ranking him #45 and thinking he would be essentially the #3 tight end behind Colston Loveland and Marlin Klein. Instead, Hogan Hansen took that role while Tonielli earned Scout Team Player of the Week honors twice. This year it seems like the tight end role will be diminished a little bit, and also there has been an emergence of Jalen Hoffman at the H-back position. I would also like to see Tonielli a little heavier on the fall roster, because he was 6'5", 238 lbs. on the spring roster. Last year's rank: #45.

73. CB Jeremiah Lowe (RS Fr.): Lowe didn't play at all in 2024, taking a redshirt. This spring he was listed at 5'11" and 177 lbs. and was sort of an afterthought with the arrival of early enrollee Shamari Earls and a couple transfers in the defensive backfield. Lowe then made 2 interceptions in the spring game to put himself on the radar. I'm not ready to buy into him being a heavy contributor in Michigan's defense, but there were plays to be made in the spring game and he made them. (He also had another nice pass breakup that was almost an interception.) Perhaps we'll see him play a backup role in the hopes of becoming a bigger contributor in 2026. Last year's rank: #107.

72. OT Ty Haywood (Fr.): Haywood is just a freshman, and it's tough to get on the field as a freshman offensive lineman. However, he was #39 overall in the 247 Composite and flipped from Alabama. He's a legit player but might need some time to develop after enrolling over the summer (unlike classmate Andrew Babalola who arrived in January). I don't expect Haywood to compete for a starting job in 2025, but he could have an Andrew Sprague-like freshman year where he shows up late and then vies for a starting job in 2026.

71. RB C.J. Hester (RS Jr.): Hester is a transfer from UMass and led the Minutemen in rushing attempts in 2024, running 119 times for 529 yards and 4 touchdowns. At 5'11" and 195 pounds, he's an adequate back but not particularly fast, elusive, or powerful. Michigan has a deep but largely unproven backfield this season, and Hester will probably be a relatively minor contributor behind Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes.