11 thoughts on Michigan’s 11 scholarship EDGEs entering the summer

The Michigan Wolverines are firmly out of the spring ball phase of building and into an evaluation period and summer workouts. Head coach Sherrone Moore got to see what his first team in Ann Arbor could look like, and now a foundation is set ahead of fall camp.

Michigan’s defensive identity should remain fairly similar under completely new leadership on that side of the ball, headlined by coordinator Wink Martindale. The talent remains in place in a scheme that should closely mirror what U-M was doing the last three years under Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter.

With that in mind, here are thoughts on each scholarship EDGE entering the summer and where they might factor into the short and long-term vision of the program.

Senior Kechaun Bennett

We have not seen a ton of Bennett (6-4, 257) in his Michigan career, appearing in only 15 games in his three years with the program. Mind you, that is going to happen when you play behind Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, Mike Morris, Jaylen Harrell, Braiden McGregor, Josaiah Stewart and Derrick Moore. This year is much kinder to guys looking to make an impact with snaps up for grabs, and there is still room for a fourth pass rusher to emerge in the rotation this year with Stewart, Moore and the next guy on our list leading the way. He could factor into that battle.

Senior TJ Guy

Few players on the Michigan defense have the opportunity that Guy (6-4, 250) has ahead of him this year. He has appeared in 23 career games and has flashed a bit each time he hits the field, making 16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and recording 2 sacks in his career thus far. On a team with less depth we probably see him hit the field much earlier in his career. This year, he still likely plays behind Stewart and Moore but is expected to be firmly in the pass rush rotation as the third guy in the mix. Guy will play a lot this year, which gives him a chance to be a Dude (h/t Don Brown).

Senior Tyler McLaurin

McLaurin (6-3, 247) did not see game action last season and has played in only six total games since arriving in Ann Arbor in 2021. A lot of what applies in the Bennett writeup applies here, though he seems unlikely to have much of a role this season outside of on the scout team and special teams.

Senior Josaiah Stewart

Stewart (6-2, 245) was a godsend last year as a transfer from Coastal Carolina, where he helped round out the rotation and give Michigan an impact player off the edge. He played in all 15 games, recording 38 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. From a body-type perspective, he brings something a little different to the group as a squattier pass rusher with more explosion and bend than a lot of his peers. He has drawn comparisons to Hasson Reddick, who was a first-round pick out of Temple in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Junior Derrick Moore

Last season, Moore (6-3, 258) appeared in all 15 games and recorded 34 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, 4 quarterback hurries, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown at Maryland. For a guy who was a top-40 recruit in the 2022 class, he probably wishes he played a bit more the last two years, but this season should open himself up for an even bigger impact on the defense. He and Stewart and the unquestioned top two on the roster, and Moore has taken his physical development seriously by dropping weight in hopes to be a little bendier and explosive off the edge. He’s an All-Big Ten talent with All-American upside.

Sophomore Cameron Brandt

Brandt (6-4, 277) played in 14 games as a true freshman last year and could factor into the mix at EDGE4 this fall in the rotation with Stewart, Moore and Guy. One cannot help but wonder if his long-term projection might be in a similar mold to that of Kris Jenkins, though. Coming out of high school, speed and explosiveness were not exactly trademarks of his, but he looks like he has the body type to be a 4i/3-tech type of player on the interior of the defensive line. Brandt has some room to add weight to his frame, so it will be interesting to see where he comes in ahead of fall camp.

Sophomore Breeon Ishmail

This is one of my favorite projects on the Michigan roster. He came to Michigan in 2023 as a 216-pound EDGE rusher and by the time August hit, he measured in at 6-4, 262 pounds. Ishmail is insanely raw and a sideline-to-sideline athlete, but still might be a year away from factoring into serious playing time, but we got a glimpse of him during the spring game and it looks like he maintained his athleticism despite the big weight gain. The coaching staff likes to bet on traits on the recruiting trail, and he has a ton of them. Can they develop him into something? Actual game reps could be beneficial in mop-up time this season.

Sophomore Aymeric Koumba

Koumba stands at 6-6, 254 pounds and is another developmental EDGE from the 2023 class. The French native has a long way to go to hone his game and turn himself into a contributor, but former defensive line coach Mike Elston acted with a ton of conviction in his evaluation. His frame and athleticism make him a lottery ticket worth keeping an eye on, but international prospects can be incredibly hit or miss given level of competition question marks. He and Ishmail’s development behind the scenes is something we will keep in the back of our minds this year.

Freshman Devon Baxter

Standing at 6-6, 235 pounds, the four-star signee is another athletic traits-heavy developmental prospect that Michigan will take its time with. A lot of his work with strength coach Justin Tress will be the focus for him this year, but Michigan loves his attitude and mentality. Betting on upside and development is the staff’s M.O., and it has proven to be a smart one at EDGE. He is another exciting lotto ticket.

Freshman Lugard Edokpayi

On3 is higher on Edokpayi (6-6, 225) than the other major outlets by a wide margin, naming him the nation’s No. 40 overall player in the 2024 class. He did not start playing football until his junior year of high school and was a converted basketball star, but his length and athleticism stand out, and he has a 7-foot-1 wingspan. He will need to add weight, but of all the young players in the room, it feels like he has the highest ceiling. But the jury is out on him for at least a year or two.

Freshman Dominic Nichols

Standing at 6-5, 255 pounds, Nichols participated in spring ball and was fairly impressive in the spring game, making a nice play on a 3rd and 5 situation where he brought down massive running back Ben Hall for a tackle for loss. He is more of a bruising, physical type of EDGE in a similar mold to a Mike Morris compared to his peers, adding some nice contract to what the future of this room might look like.

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