12 thoughts on Michigan’s 12 defensive tackles entering 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 DT entering the summer and where they might factor into the short and long-term vision of the program.

Senior Rayshaun Benny

Benny put together his best season in a Michigan unform last year before an ankle injury suffered in the Rose Bowl, which has made this an offseason of recovery for him. We know that Michigan has a pair of stars at the top of the depth chart in Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham, but there will be rotation and if Benny is healthy, he could play a prominent role. Last year, he had 27 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, a sack, 2 passes defended and a forced fumble.

Senior Ike Iwunnah

Iwunnah has not seen game action during his Michigan career but could fight for the DT 4 role in fall camp. At 6-3, 313 pounds, he has made almost his entire impact in Ann Arbor as a member of the scout team.

Junior Kenneth Grant

Michigan has a fringe first-round talent in Grant, who at 6-3, 339 moves much faster than any man that size should. The Wolverines have the type of player in Grant that overwhelmed them when they saw Georgia in 2021, drawing comparisons to Jordan Davis, a first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022. That he still has a chance to take his talent to the next level is scary given his 29 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hurries, 5 passes defended, and interception and fumble recovery last season. Grant nearly single-handedly changed the national title game, overwhelming a Washington offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award and throwing future first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. off his game under-center.

Junior Mason Graham

Coming out of high school, Graham was seen as physically maxed out without much upside as others, but with a high floor. He showed that off the bat, starting in base packages as a rookie. But it seems like every game out, that high floor found a way to get higher. Heading into his third season, Graham is considered a potential top-five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which speaks to not only his work ethic, but the fact that an already-strong toolkit coming out of high school could get even stronger. Graham was the Defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl win over Alabama, and his presence and disruption is going to make the tip of the spear that is the Michigan defense almost, if not more dangerous in 2024.

Junior Alessandro Lorenzetti

Lorenzetti has not seen any playing time over his first two years at Michigan, switching from offensive to defensive line in the process. He has been a bit of an enigma dating back to the recruiting process, and there has not been much buzz on where he stands in the pecking order. That typically means there is not much of an impact being counted on here.

Sophomore Brooks Bahr

Bahr took a redshirt year last season and did not appear in any games. Heading into his sophomore season, he’s put on some good weight and is up to 6-5, 298 pounds. Long-term, he could be a moveable piece up front from the three-technique on out, but might still need another year in the lab to hone his skillset now that he’s at a good playing weight for his role.

Sophomore Enow Etta

Etta has been one of the more intriguing buzzworthy names this offseason. Recruited as an EDGE, the new defensive staff also kicked him inside a bit during spring camp and he seems like he is being groomed for a role this season. At 6-5, 295, last year’s top-ranked signee could be the a candidate to be one of the first players off the bench in the defensive line rotation.

Sophomore Trey Pierce

Appearing in 13 games last season – 7 of which came on the defensive line – Pierce could be another player that cracks the competition for playing time behind Grant and Graham. He was banged up a bit during spring practice, and the staff was in on a few defensive tackle targets in the transfer portal. Whether health-related or not, that might mean Pierce is a player to check in on a year or so from now.

Freshman Manuel Beigel

Former defensive line coach Mike Elston had a knack for finding diamonds in the the rough, and Beigel was a guy who acted with a ton of conviction on during the recruiting process. The German product played a lot of offensive line in his career with good physicality and athleticism but is a true project that is going to take time. The traits he brings, including a sub 4.9 40-yard dash and long arms, make him a lotto ticket for this group. He is going to take some time.

Freshman Ted Hammond

Hammond is a blue-collar prospect who projects to play the three-technique for Michigan in time. He does a lot of similar things on the field that Bahr does and has a high motor and good football IQ. This will be a year of growth for him physically, and he could also be a future player at either the 4i or five-technique spots along the defensive line.

Freshman Deyvid Palepale

Another “pound the table” guy for Elston on the recruiting trail, Palepale was ranked in the 800s by most recruiting services and might not wow anyone from that standpoint. Shorter arms seem to be holding him back, as well as continuing to work on his conditioning. He fires off the ball quickly and has good athleticism, but has to keep learning how to win without using that as an advantage. Our EJ Holland has been a big fan of his game and thinks he can surprise.

Freshman Owen Wafle

Wafle was a favorite on the trail of Holland’s, citing his physical profile and tenacity as reasons why he could be more college-ready than we might think, a la Graham. He’s a technician who should wind up being a factor in the defensive line rotation sooner rather than later. There is a high floor here with a workmanlike attitude that makes him a perfect fit in Ann Arbor.

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