Spring ball always gives us a rough outline of what a roster could be. But if you zoom out and look at Michigan heading into 2026, some units feel a little more plug-and-play than others.
Here’s how Michigan’s position groups are stacking up this spring, ranked in order of confidence.
1. Running Back
Justice Haynes may be gone, but the running back position is still in a great place. Jordan Marshall has proven he can handle a full workload and be a true Big Ten feature back. There was never a moment last season when
the game felt too big for him.
Factor in five-star freshman Savion Hiter, and suddenly this room has that familiar Michigan feel again. Physical, deep enough, and capable of taking over games in November. If Hiter proves he’s that guy early, this group could once again make national noise. And even if he doesn’t right away, a one-two punch of Marshall and Bryson Kuzdzal has already proven it’s enough to carry the identity of the offense.
2. Wide Receiver
Undoubtedly the biggest glow-up on the roster. Michigan is already slated to field more than 1,500 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns worth of production in 2026, and that’s before you even factor in highly touted true freshmen Salesi Moa and Travis Johnson. SOphomore Andrew Marsh has already proven he’s a star you can lean on, and everything out of spring suggests he’s only getting better.
Then come the additions: J.J. Buchanan, Jaime Ffrench and Moa — all bringing different skillsets that this offense desperately needed. Buchanan alone adds size and versatility that this team so desperately needed, and he’s already talked openly about how well this group complements each other and how much he believes in Bryce Underwood.
So far, this group is looking less like a “hope someone steps up” room and more like a “pick your matchup” room. A massive shift.
3. Offensive Line
If you’re looking for a safe bet on the roster, it’s probably this group. The coaching change to Jim Harding alone is enough to skyrocket confidence here, but the real story is the returning production. Andrew Sprague, Jake Guarnera, Evan Link and Blake Frazier — these are guys who have played legitimate snaps and stuck together through a chaotic offseason.
There’s also depth. Michigan could realistically rotate six, seven, even eight guys without a huge drop-off, especially with Andrew Babalola returning to the mix and guys with experience like Nathan Efobi and Brady Norton pushing for time. Harding has already praised their work ethic and cohesion, and if that translates once the pads come on, this group has the potential to quietly carry the offense.
4. Cornerback
Likely one of the best units on the defense, and possibly the team as a whole, is the cornerbacks.
The math here is simple enough. Take two multi-year starters in Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry, add in Utah transfer Smith Snowden, and suddenly you’ve got one of the best, most experienced trios at the position in the Big Ten. This is a group that doesn’t need a ton of projecting. These guys have played. They’ve produced. And in Jay Hill’s scheme — which is expected to free up the secondary to make more plays — that matters even more.
If it weren’t for a lack of proven depth behind those names, the confidence in this position could easily be higher, but there’s still a real argument that this is Michigan’s most dependable defensive unit right now.
5. Defensive Line
This is where things start to shift from confidence to cautious optimism. On paper, this group should be good. Trey Pierce is a returning starter who logged a ton of snaps last year. Enow Etta has already shown he can impact the game, and Jonah Lea’ea comes in as a starter from Utah.
That’s a solid interior trio rotation. But there’s no ignoring the experience that was lost in Rayshaun Benny, Damon Payne Jr. and Tre Williams. That’s a ton of production walking out the door, accounting for a significant chunk of last year’s snaps. The pieces are still there, but it’ll be nice to actually see it work.
6. Quarterback
This one is entirely dependent on one thing: the leap.
Year 2 of Bryce Underwood, paired with offensive coordinator Jason Beck and quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr., is enough to inspire confidence. The tools are obvious — arm talent, mobility, leadership— and Beck’s system is designed to unlock more of it, especially his ability to create.
There’s already buzz from teammates that Underwood is poised for a huge leap, and if that happens, this ranking will look way too low in hindsight. But there’s still a “prove it” element here. And behind him? Depth is a legitimate question mark, especially with transfer Colin Hurley no longer being with the program.
7. Safety
This group feels like a coin flip. The addition of Chris Bracy is a big one. He brings experience and stability to a room that needs it following multiple departures. Rod Moore’s return could also be a game-changer if he’s fully healthy, but that’s nothing to hang your hat on.
Then you’ve got names like Mason Curtis and Jordan Young, who both contributed heavily in 2025 and could take on larger roles. There’s upside here, but there are also a lot of “ifs.”
8. Defensive End
If John Henry Daley coming off a major injury doesn’t turn out to be Aidan Hutchinson, then Michigan may be in some real trouble at defensive end.
Before his injury, Daley was putting up monster numbers — 11.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss — and looked like one of the most disruptive edge rushers in the country. The expectation is he’ll be fully cleared by June 1, and if that comes to fruition, he becomes the obvious centerpiece of this unit.
But here’s the problem — if he’s not that guy right away or if he deals with further sidelining from injury in 2026, things get very shaky. Nate Marshall, Dominic Nichols and Cameron Brandt have potential, but there’s also a heavy reliance on development and projection. That’s a dangerous place to be at a premium position.
9. Tight End
For a unit that was already fairly underwhelming in 2025, Michigan didn’t do much to change the outlook. In fact, losing Marlin Klein only adds to the concern. There are players like Zack Marshall, Deakon Tonielli and Hogan Hansen who can all step up, and you’ll probably get a few moments where those guys make a play when called upon. But as a consistent, reliable threat? It’s tough to see that as of today.
10. Linebacker
There’s some potential here…but that’s about it. And for a position this important, that’s not exactly comforting.
Michigan lost a ton of production — Ernest Hausmann, Jimmy Rolder, Jaishawn Barham, Cole Sullivan — and replacing that production doesn’t happen overnight. Troy Bowles is the most proven piece returning, and he’s going to be leaned on heavily.
The addition of experienced players like North Dakota State transfer Nathaniel Staehling adds to the position battle, and there are younger guys with upside like sophomores Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Chase Taylor, but this group is very clearly in transition.
This one is a big-time wait-and-see.
What would your rankings look like? Throw them down in the comments section!
