Year after year, Michigan’s defense has been one of the best in the country. Even though the team didn’t perform its best last season, the defense was still respectable and turned up the heat in the final few games.
Michigan’s impressive season was fueled by the star power of its defensive line with Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant and Josaiah Stewart. Those guys are now all in the NFL, as is cornerback Will Johnson who was among the nation’s best when healthy. Even without them, Michigan is still poised
to be one of the better defenses in the conference in year two under Wink Martindale.
A big reason for the optimism is the depth it appears to have at every position. In any given game, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see upwards of 20-25 players to see on the field. That’s why today, we’ll be sifting through the roster to familiarize you with some of the lesser known players that will likely make an impact this year.
DL – Dominic Nichols, Cameron Brandt, Enow Etta, Trey Pierce, Ike Iwunnah and Nate Marshall
Derrick Moore and T.J. Guy have gotten much of the shine this offseason, and for good reason. There was a bit of worry at the end of the season the edge group would be lacking in depth, but it appears those fears have been calmed a bit. Dominic Nichols and Cameron Brandt are now the next guys up on the depth chart, and Nichols especially has been on the rise since spring ball.
Nichols joined the program as a freshman last year, and now that he’s up to about 260 pounds, he is ready to make an impact on defense. Meanwhile, Brandt is entering his junior year after a quietly productive 2024 where he finished with three sacks and 13 tackles. These two should more than be able to serve as depth behind Moore and Guy.
Another name to watch is freshman edge rusher Nate Marshall, who despite enrolling this summer has made a good impact on the coaching staff thus far. If he sees the field, he’d likely see snaps off the edge.
The story is similar at defensive tackle. For much of the offseason, we’ve heard Rasyhaun Benny, Tre Williams and Damon Payne Jr. listed as the leaders in the clubhouse. But this is one of the more physically demanding positions on the field, so Michigan is in good hands with plenty of playable guys to rotate in behind them.
Trey Pierce and Enow Etta have been getting mentioned since last year as players that impress the coaching staff, and both will likely take on a bigger role. They’re both entering their junior years, so this year will be critical as they make their auditions to be potential starters in 2026. Meanwhile, Ike Iwunnah is entering his senior year after having seven tackles last year — he’ll get plenty of snaps as well.
LB – Jimmy Rolder, Cole Sullivan and Chase Taylor
Linebacker is probably the position fans should feel most confident about heading into the season. Jaishawn Barham and Ernest Hausmann are both back to start and should be in consideration for All-Big Ten honors by the end of the year.
Of course, they won’t be asked to play 100 percent of the snaps and there are still a few guys that could see the field regularly at this position. The most experienced of the group is Jimmy Rolder, who’s entering his fourth season with the program but has yet to take on a big role. He enters the year as LB3, but could be passed over if the young guys behind him keep rising.
One of those guys is sophomore Cole Sullivan, who has been impressing the coaching staff since last season. He played mostly special teams last year, but will take on a larger role with the defense. Chase Taylor, a freshman who enrolled early, has also been turning some heads in fall camp. It might be a long shot for him to see anything more than a special teams role early on, but keep him in the back of your mind for later in the year.
CB – Jo’Ziah Edmond, Shamari Earls, Caleb Anderson and Jayden Sanders
Michigan’s secondary is overflowing with depth, and there are realistically 10 guys or so that could contribute in any given game between the corner and safety spots.
Starting with the cornerbacks, Jo’Ziah Edmond is a name that’s been getting some buzz throughout fall camp. “JoJo,” as his teammates call him, is entering his sophomore year and began to get a bit more playing time late last season. According to players in fall camp, he has recorded two pick-sixes so far and has looked the part of a guy that can make a second-year leap.
Sticking with the theme of youth, Shamari Earls and Jayden Sanders are both true true freshmen that have been making an impression as well. Earls has been with the program since January and brings impressive size at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, but it sounds like he still has a ways to go with the mental side of the game. As for Sanders, he’s been drawing some positive reviews as well, but he likely won’t be in consideration for playing time until later in they year or next year.
Michigan also brought in a veteran transfer at corner for the third straight year. This time, it’s Caleb Anderson — who previously played under LaMar Morgan at Louisiana. He’s another player that brings plenty of size to the table at 6-foot-3, and his veteran presence as a sixth-year player will be important considering all the youth around him.
S – Mason Curtis, Jaden Mangham and Tevis Metcalf
Brandyn Hillman and T.J. Metcalf have been getting much of the attention when it comes to the safety spots this year, but based on recent comments from Wink Martindale, Metcalf has been showing some real versatility this fall. Based on the fact the Wolverines have been cycling various guys through the nickel spot, it wouldn’t be so far-fetched to think that’s where Metcalf will start.
If that’s the case, sophomore Mason Curtis could be in line for a much bigger role than anticipated. Curtis is quite the specimen at 6-foot-5, and he took on a bigger role down the stretch last year and could be a breakout candidate if he gets even more playing time this year.
In addition to Curtis, Jaden Mangham could be a candidate to for a larger role if Metcalf is playing nickel. Mangham is entering his second year with the program after previously starring at Michigan State. He didn’t see the field much due to injury last year, but has been making a good impression on those around him in camp.
Finally, Tevis Metcalf, T.J.’s younger brother, could be in line for a big role this year as well depending on where his older brother is playing. Tevis had drawn some positive reviews earlier in the offseason and played the nickel spot in the spring game, even recording an interception against Bryce Underwood. At this point, it might be a stretch for him to be a starter, but he’ll be in consideration.
