Michigan football depth chart to start fall camp: Defense, special teams

The Michigan Wolverines football returns plenty of talent from a unit that ranked seventh nationally by allowing just 16.1 points per game in 2022. Here’s a look at our projection for where the depth chart stands at the beginning of fall camp, which started Wednesday (Aug. 2).

Defensive line

PositionEDGEDEDTNTEDGE1.Senior Braiden McGregor6-6, 267Senior Kris Jenkins6-3, 305Sophomore Mason Graham6-3, 318Sophomore Kenneth Grant6-3, 339Senior Jaylen Harrell6-4, 2422.Sophomore Derrick Moore6-3, 258Junior Rayshaun Benny6-4, 296Junior Rayshaun Benny6-4, 296Graduate Cam Goode6-1, 314Junior Josaiah Stewart6-1, 2453.Junior TJ Guy6-4, 250Junior Kechaun Bennett6-4, 257

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said that he feels he has four starting EDGEs, and the Wolverines may have to keep those position battles going into the season. It seems fairly wide open, though we do give McGregor an edge on the field side and Harrell a slight advantage on the boundary. Moore and Stewart, though, are breakout candidates and will have big roles regardless.

Grant is considered Michigan’s starting nose tackle when the Wolverines are in their base 3-4 defense, but Graham will see most of the snaps there when they only have two down lineman in the game, which is the case on the majority of plays. Benny is next in line to start — and he’ll play a lot — and Jenkins is locked in as the starter at end/3-tech. After Goode, there’s a significant drop-off.

Linebacker

PositionMIKEWILL1.Sophomore Junior Colson6-3, 247Graduate Michael Barrett6-0, 2392.Sophomore Ernest Hausmann6-2, 237Sophomore Jimmy Rolder6-2, 2333.Junior Jaydon Hood6-1, 225Sophomore Micah Pollard6-2, 221

Michigan significantly improved its depth at linebacker to the point where senior Kalel Mullings can stick at running back. Colson and Barrett have the edge for now, but Hausmann will push for playing time (and could steal some snaps from Barrett). Rolder will be in the rotation, from what we’ve been told by Michigan sources. Pollard has bulked up after impressing in practice (and on special teams in games) last season. Hood appeared to make a move in the spring.

Defensive back

PositionCBSSFSNICKELCB1.Sophomore Will Johnson6-2, 202Senior Makari Paige6-4, 208Junior Rod Moore6-0, 198Graduate Mike Sainristil5-10, 182Graduate Josh Wallace6-0, 1902.Sophomore Myles Pollard6-1, 190Sophomore Zeke Berry5-11, 192Graduate Quinten Johnson5-11, 200Junior Ja’Den McBurrows5-11, 200Sophomore Amorion Walker6-3, 1803.OR Freshman Jyaire Hill6-2, 181Sophomore Keon Sabb6-1, 208Sophomore Kody Jones5-11, 195OR Junior Ja’Den McBurrows5-11, 200

We’re still watching whether or not Michigan will have a healthy Will Johnson in the first game; regardless, though, he’s at the top of the cornerback depth chart and could potentially put together an elite season. In order of likelihood to start / receive the next most snaps at that position, we’d say it’s Wallace, Walker and McBurrows. Pollard and Hill trail that trio, in our opinion. The wildcard is Sainristil, who we believe will play some at outside cornerback in addition to his duties as a nickel. He’s a stop gap there, and it’d be ideal if one or two of the others emerged on the outside.

Michigan has more depth at safety than many might believe, after Berry and Sabb made moves up the depth chart in the spring. Quinten Johnson has been around a long time at Michigan and adds some experience.

Special teams

PositionPKPLSKRPR1.
Graduate James Turner6-0, 196Junior Tommy Doman6-4, 215Graduate William Wagner6-2, 255Senior Roman Wilson6-0, 192Senior Roman Wilson6-0, 1922.Junior Tommy Doman6-4, 215Sophomore Hudson Hollenbeck6-2, 208Senior Greg Tarr6-2, 205Freshman Cole Cabana6-0, 198Freshman Semaj Morgan5-10, 1763.OR Freshman Adam Samaha5-11, 185

Turner, a Lousville kicker, is “ahead” in the place kicker battle, per Michigan’s head coach, and we don’t expect him to give that job up. Doman is potentially “special” at punter, all but locked in there. Wagner is considered one of the top long snappers in the country.

The returner spots are where things get interesting. Wilson was Michigan’s kick returner most of last season when healthy, but he’ll have a bigger role on the offense, and we could see them wanting to limit his workload. It’s truly wide open as to who will compete at both kick and punt returner, but especially the latter position.

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