Spring ball is all about momentum. Who’s trending up, who’s slipping, and where the real opportunities are being snatched. Michigan’s roster has gone through a ton of change this offseason, and while some position groups look reloaded, others are clearly entering a bit of a reset.
Here’s where things stand heading into the onset of spring practice.
Quarterbacks — Stock Up
Everything here starts with Bryce Underwood, and right now, the arrow is pointing up.
New offensive coordinator Jason Beck has already made it clear Michigan
plans to unlock more of Underwood’s game, especially his ability to create with his legs. That’s a big deal because for as much as he flashed as a passer last season, it often felt like he was being held back from playing freely. Now, the expectation is a more confident, more aggressive version of Underwood in a system built around him.
The only hesitation here is depth. Behind Underwood, things are a little murky, especially with the unknown status of transfer Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, who is not currently on the spring roster. That leaves Michigan with LSU transfer Colin Hurley, redshirt freshman Chase Herbstreit and true freshman Tommy Carr — who all have zero career snaps — as the backup options.
Still, if QB1 takes the expected leap, this group is in a much better place than it was a year ago.
Running Backs — TBD
This one’s tricky. On one hand, losing Justice Haynes is not nothing. That’s a proven, high-level player walking out the door, and replacing that is never automatic. On the other hand, Jordan Marshall already showed he can carry the load. When he stepped into the RB1 role, he looked every bit like a feature back in the Big Ten.
Behind Marshall, Savion Hiter has real freshman buzz and seems to be someone who could contribute immediately. Bryson Kuzdzal has already proven he can provide meaningful snaps.
There’s talent here, just not a ton of certainty yet in terms of a stock up/down label. This group could end up being a strength, but it could also take a few weeks to figure itself out.
Wide Receivers — Stock Up
This might be one of the biggest glow-ups on the entire roster. Michigan’s receiver room looks deeper, more versatile and just flat-out better than it did a year ago. Andrew Marsh continues to set the tone, while transfers J.J. Buchanan and Jaime Ffrench bring a mix of physicality and explosiveness this offense has been missing.
There’s real competition here now, a nice change-of-pace for this offense. Instead of trying to piece together production, Michigan has multiple legitimate options that can go up and make a play in a variety of ways. That’s exactly what this unit needs.
Tight Ends — Stock Down
This one feels familiar. Michigan is essentially running it back with the same group from last year — minus starter Marlin Klein — and there are still questions. There’s some solid talent here, but not a ton of proven difference-makers.
It’s not a total disaster, but the tight end group in Ann Arbor is as weak as it’s been (on paper at least) in a long time. Compared other position groups that clearly improved, this one feels like it still needs help, or at least someone to emerge quickly.
Offensive Line — Stock Up
The offensive line might be one of the safest bets on the entire team. Michigan returns a ton of experience up front offensively. Guys like Andrew Sprague, Evan Link, Jake Guarnera and Blake Frazier have all played meaningful snaps, and the return of Andrew Babalola from injury (eventually) only makes it better.
There’s also real flexibility here. The staff has multiple combinations it can roll out, and with depth pieces like Nathan Efobi, Brady Norton and Avery Gach in the mix, this group could realistically go eight or nine deep without a massive drop-off. This a group that could quietly carry the offense late in the season the way winning lines do.
Defensive Line — Stock Down
There’s no way around it — this group took a hit.
Michigan lost key contributors like Rayshaun Benny, Tre Williams and Damon Payne, which is a lot of production and depth to replace. Now, the Wolverines are going to lean heavily on guys like Trey Pierce, Jonah Lea’ea and Enow Etta.
There’s potential there, for sure. But there’s also a lot more “we’ll see.” New defensive line coach Larry Black has a vision, but this group is going to have to grow up quickly to keep up in the Big Ten.
Defensive End — Stock Down
Defensive end feels like just as big of a toss-up as the defensive line at this point. Michigan lost Derrick Moore, Jaishawn Barham and T.J. Guy this offseason, and the hope now is Utah transfer John Henry Daley returns healthy and becomes the guy they think he can be.
But behind him? It’s a lot of youth and projection. Nate Marshall, Dominic Nichols, Cameron Brandt — there are names, but not a ton of proven consistency. Expect some growing pains here.
Linebacker — Stock Down
This is another group that took major losses. Jimmy Rolder, Ernest Hausmann and Cole Sullivan are all gone. There are players still in the room with talent, and defensive coordinator Jay Hill has already pointed to a few guys showing promise this spring like Troy Bowles and Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, but there’s no replacing that level of experience overnight.
This group feels like it’s in transition.
Cornerback — Stock Up
Quietly one of the strongest spots on the defense. Michigan lost a couple of pieces, but the additions — especially Utah transfer Smith Snowden — combined with returning players like Zeke Berry, Jyaire Hill and Shamari Earls give this group real depth and experience.
Hill has already expressed confidence in this unit, and it’s easy to see why.
Safety — TBD
This one could go either way. On paper, there’s a lot to like. Rod Moore is working his way back and could be a difference-maker if fully healthy. Mason Curtis is still around, while Jordan Young stuck around. Memphis transfer Chris Bracy adds quality depth and experience.
Oklahoma transfer Taylor Tatum — who originally came in as a running back, but has since moved to safety — being in the mix also adds to the intrigue. This group definitely has upside, but it also has questions that won’t be answered until we see it all come together.
