The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1534644
❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS NUMBERS AND QUOTES BY CLAYTON SAYFIE Guys know that last year wasn't us. This year, we gotta be more vocal, more about it, more about that action. We got the guys for it. Just gotta come together, really. It was a long year [in 2024]. We had a lot of draft picks, all new faces, a new team, really, under [head] Coach [Sherrone] Moore. It's our year to bounce back and do what Michigan has always done." — Junior Nathan Efobi on the offensive line's intent on turning around its fortunes in 2025 22 Points for four-star Michigan shooting guard signee TREY MCKENNEY to help Team USA post a 124-114 victory over Team World at the Nike Hoop Summit. McKenney shot 7 of 9 from the field, 3 of 3 from three-point range and 4 of 5 from the free throw line. He also contributed 4 rebounds and 1 assist. 10 First-round NFL Draft picks for Michigan since 2016, and the Wolverines are projected to have up to four in 2025 in defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, tight end COLSTON LOVELAND and cornerback Will Johnson. The 10 over the last nine drafts are defensive back Jabrill Peppers (No. 25 in 2017), defensive end Taco Charlton (No. 28 in 2017), linebacker Devin Bush Jr. (No. 10 in 2019), outside linebacker Rashan Gary (No. 12 in 2019), center Cesar Ruiz (No. 24 in 2020), defensive end Kwity Paye (No. 21 in 2021), defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (No. 2 in 2022), de- fensive back Dax Hill (No. 31 in 2022), defensive tackle Mazi Smith (No. 26 in 2023) and quarterback J.J. McCarthy (No. 10 in 2024). 6 Straight 6 Straight NCAA Tournament appearances have led to a run of at least the Sweet 16 for Michigan men's bas- ketball. The Wolverines made five consecutive Sweet 16s from 2017-22 (the 2020 tournament was not played), missed the Big Dance in 2023 and 2024 but returned to the second weekend of MARCH MADNESS this year. A No. 5 seed, Michigan beat UC San Diego, 68-65, and Texas A&M, 91-79, in Denver, before falling to Auburn, 78-65, in the South Regional semifinal in Atlanta. 1st Is where Michigan is ranked among the most popular teams in college football, per The Athletic. The out- let's "unscientific methodology" used nine catego- ries to make its determinations: TV viewership (7 points on a 10-point scale), Google searches (7), social media (8), home attendance (10), StubHub ticket sales (10), merchandise sales (9), football revenue (8), online wagering (0) and living alumni (8). The Wolverines finished 10 points ahead of second-place Ohio State. Rk. Team Points 1. Michigan 67.0 2. Ohio State 57.0 3. Alabama 56.5 4. Georgia 55.0 5. Texas 49.5 6. Penn State 36.0 7. Tennessee 29.5 8. Notre Dame 28.5 9. LSU 23.0 10. Texas A&M 12.0 16 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MAY 2025 PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER PHOTO COURTESY NIKE HOOP SUMMIT