The Michigan football program has released its official roster for the 2026 season, bringing us updated heights, weights and jersey numbers. Here are the most notable takeaways.
The freshman class looks really impressive on paper
There are a lot of exciting players in Michigan’s true freshman class, which ranked just outside the Top 10 on the Rivals Industry Rankings. For example, defensive end Carter Meadows is listed at 6-foot-7 and 252 pounds. The former five-star recruit was the highest ranked defensive player in the Wolverines’ 2026 class, so
it’s nice to see him come to Ann Arbor in shape at a healthy weight. Look for him to carve out a role right away.
Elsewhere, wide receivers Salesi Moa (6-foot-2, 186 pounds) and Travis Johnson (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) also have great measurables and a lot of potential. Moa very well could be featured heavily in the return game this year, while Johnson could make some noise in the two-deep on offense alongside Moa.
Tight end Mason Bonner checks in at 6-foot-7 and 229 pounds. He isn’t expected to play a major role this year, but his future prospects are exciting considering his measurables and the good things that offensive coordinator Jason Beck has said about him this fall camp.
Other numbers that stand out include offensive lineman Tommy Fraumann (6-foot-8, 279 pounds), offensive lineman Malakai Lee (6-foot-7, 359 pounds), defensive tackle Alister Vallejo (6-foot-3, 307 pounds) and linebackers Aden Reeder (6-foot-2, 223 pounds), Markel Dabney (6-foot, 241 pounds) and Kaden Catchings (6-foot-1, 220 pounds).
Jersey number updates, and numbers for the new guys
Along with the updated measurables, several players are sporting new jersey numbers heading into the season.
- Senior safety Chris Bracy has changed from No. 20 to No. 7
- Wide receiver J.J. Buchanan has changed from No. 13 to No. 6
- Wide receiver Travis Johnson has changed from No. 86 to No. 13 (perhaps he was waiting on Buchanan to change his number before he could acquire the No. 13 jersey)
And now for all the newbies who weren’t here in the spring…
- No. 14: DE Carter Meadows
- No. 16: QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi
- No. 18: TE Mason Bonner
- No. 22: WR Braydon Alford
- No. 33: P Cam Brown
- No. 35: LB Ndi Etta
- No. 40: TE Jimmy Pisani
- No. 41: DE Tariq Boney
- No. 43: LS Jack Treuletaar
- No. 44: LB Nathaniel Staehling
- No. 56: DT Alister Vallejo
- No. 58: OL Malakai Lee
- No. 79: OL Tommy Fraumann
- No. 97: DT Titan Davis
Weight changes
As far as weight fluctuations go, there are a couple of significant ones worth highlighting heading into the season. One of the more impressive changes is freshman linebacker Markel Dabney, who was 225 pounds this spring but is now 241 pounds. That 16-pound weight gain is the biggest of the offseason for the Wolverines and signals a player who has taken his development seriously since arriving in Ann Arbor.
Other notable weight gains include sophomore defensive tackle Travis Moten (up 15 pounds from 315 to 330), freshman offensive lineman Marky Walbridge (up 15 pounds from 285 to 300) and junior edge rusher Lugard Edokpayi (up 13 pounds from 250 to 263). And for all you fans of the backup quarterback position, freshman Tommy Carr gained 10 pounds since the spring and is now 195 pounds.
On the other side of the ledger, junior defensive tackle Ted Hammond made the most dramatic change — dropping 24 pounds from 294 to 270. That kind of weight loss at the defensive tackle position typically signals a move toward a quicker, more disruptive interior presence rather than a pure run-stopper.
Other notable weight decreases include junior offensive lineman Luke Hamilton (down 21 pounds from 319 to 298), sophomore linebacker Chase Taylor (down 15 pounds from 237 to 222), junior defensive tackle Deyvid Palepale (down 13 pounds from 335 to 322) and sophomore edge rusher Benny Patterson III (down 13 pounds from 270 to 257).
With fall camp now underway, these roster updates give us our first real look at where the program stands physically heading into the 2026 season. The numbers are encouraging, but now it’s time to see how that all will translate on the field.
