With the regular season complete and Michigan sitting at 9-3, the final PFF grades tell a story that mirrors what we saw on Saturdays: a young roster growing in real time, a defense that tried its best to carry the load, and an offense that flashed upside while navigating inevitable growing pains.
Before attention fully shifts to the program’s next chapter, a deep dive into Pro Football Focus grades and snap counts should offer a clear snapshot of who delivered, who developed, and where Michigan’s
foundation for the future is taking shape.
Offensive snap counts/overall grades (20-snap minimum)
- Jordan Marshall — 314 | 85.5
- Justice Haynes — 286 | 81.0
- Andrew Marsh — 458 | 78.7
- Bryce Underwood — 741 | 74.0
- Bryson Kuzdzal — 120 | 72.6
- Max Bredeson — 310 | 72.1
- Hogan Hansen — 53 | 71.7
- Andrew Sprague — 740 | 69.4
- Jake Guarnera — 624 | 68.7
- Donaven McCulley — 632 | 68.5
- Zack Marshall — 235 | 67.0
- Jasper Parker — 47 | 66.5
- Blake Frazier — 419 | 65.6
- Jalen Hoffman — 107 | 64.2
- Giovanni El-Hadi — 537 | 64.1
- Greg Crippen — 759 | 63.8
- Evan Link — 373 | 63.3
- Nathan Efobi — 266 | 62.3
- Marlin Klein — 359 | 60.4
- Peyton O’Leary — 21 | 60.3
- Anthony Simpson — 24 | 60.1
- Kendrick Bell — 76 | 58.4
- Brady Norton — 118 | 57.9
- Deakon Tonielli — 73 | 57.2
- Semaj Morgan — 302 | 56.9
- Channing Goodwin — 312 | 53.0
- Jamar Browder — 55 | 44.5
- Jadyn Davis — 34 | 27.5
Offensive Overview
Michigan’s offense leaned heavily on its backfield, where Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes formed one of the Big Ten’s most productive tandems. Haynes served as the lead back through Week 9 before suffering an injury against Michigan State, finishing the regular season with an 81.2 PFF grade to go along with 857 yards and 10 touchdowns on 121 carries. Once Marshall took over, the offense didn’t missed a beat. He closed the regular season with 932 yards and 10 scores on 150 carries while earning an elite 85.5 PFF grade, the highest of any offensive player.
When the passing game did find its rhythm, it did so behind true freshman wideout Andrew Marsh, who emerged as Bryce Underwood’s most reliable target and finished with a team-leading 81.3 grade in the passing game.
Speaking of Underwood, the raw numbers only tell part of the story. His 74.0 grade reflects a freshman quarterback navigating Big Ten defenses with limited margin for error. There were clear valleys, but the steady improvement in pocket management and decision-making over the course of the season suggests Michigan’s long-term investment remains well placed.
Up front, Max Bredeson once again set the tone as Michigan’s most dependable blocker, leading the Wolverines’ 2025 offense in both pass (78.0) and run blocking (84.3). In relief action, Nathan Efobi also posted Michigan’s best pass-blocking grade among offensive linemen, a team whose entire line graded above a 62.0 in pass protection this season
Defensive snap counts/overall grades (20-snap minimum)
- Derrick Moore — 440 | 89.7
- Rayshaun Benny — 415 | 80.2
- Jyaire Hill — 649 | 78.6
- Jaishawn Barham — 375 | 78.1
- Mason Curtis — 369 | 77.6
- Jimmy Rolder — 481 | 76.6
- Brandyn Hillman — 522 | 74.9
- Jayden Sanders — 291 | 74.8
- Trey Pierce — 361 | 74.8
- Chibi Anwunah — 22 | 74.3
- Dominic Nichols — 167 | 73.6
- Manuel Biegel — 41 | 71.4
- Ike Inwunnah — 38 | 69.7
- TJ Guy — 325 | 69.1
- Tre Williams — 301 | 68.5
- TJ Metcalf — 655 | 68.4
- Zeke Berry — 510 | 68.2
- Ernest Hausmann — 495 | 67.8
- Elijah Dotson — 81 | 64.1
- Nate Marshall — 62 | 64.0
- Rod Moore — 85 | 64.0
- Jacob Oden — 44 | 63.7
- Damon Payne — 316 | 63.4
- Enow Etta — 272 | 62.9
- Lugard Edokpayi — 23 | 62.4
- Jaden Mangham — 323 | 61.1
- Chase Taylor — 61 | 61.0
- Jordan Young — 104 | 60.6
- Troy Bowles — 199 | 60.6
- Cole Sullivan — 281 | 60.3
- Cameron Brandt — 363 | 59.7
- Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng — 61 | 57.0
- Shamari Earls — 60 | 54.6
- Caleb Anderson — 69 | 54.5
- Jo’Ziah Edmond — 28 | 44.2
Michigan’s defense once again set the standard, and it started with Derrick Moore. His 92.2 pass rush grade wasn’t just elite by team standards — it placed him in the top-10 among all edge defenders in college football. Moore’s 89.7 overall grade led the team by a wide margin, and his presence consistently altered games.
On the ground, Rayshaun Benny and Jaishawn Barham anchored Michigan’s run defense. Barham’s run-stopping efficiency stood out all season, while Benny quietly delivered the most consistent interior presence on the roster.
Michigan’s defensive backfield quietly emerged as one of the steadier units on the roster, headlined by Brandyn Hillman, who led the entire defense with an 80.9 coverage grade. Jyaire Hill and Mason Curtis joined Hillman as the only defensive backs to post coverage grades higher than 77.0, a reflection of a secondary that often held up even when the pass rush failed to consistently get home.
Injuries often forced younger players like Jayden Sanders and Dominic Nichols into expanded roles, but their grades reflect a defense that rarely collapsed despite rotating personnel. Even among the lower-graded defenders, the snap counts show Michigan prioritized development, often trusting underclassmen in high-leverage moments.
Final Thoughts
Michigan didn’t live up to expectations for some this season, but the underlying data paints a far clearer picture than the team’s final loss to Ohio State might suggest. This was always going to be a youthful team that endured growing pains and leaned on defensive consistency; it handled business against teams it was expected to beat and laid a foundation for growth.
With one game still to play, these numbers suggest if Michigan can avoid a mass exodus come transfer portal season, it may be closer to contention next year than the 2025 losses alone imply. Ten wins remain on the table, and more importantly, so does momentum heading into what figures to be a transformative offseason.
