The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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D E F E N S I V E L I N E M E N THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 89 POSITION COACH Defensive line coach Lou Es- posito is entering his second season with the program. Head coach Sherrone Moore hired him away from Memphis in spring 2024, after a short off- season stint as co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. He spent the previous 14 seasons coaching in the state of Michigan. In 2024, Esposito coached three top-100 draft picks — a pair of first-rounders in Mason Gra- ham (No. 5, Cleveland Browns) and Kenneth Grant (No. 13, Miami Dolphins), plus edge Jo- saiah Stewart (No. 90, third round, Los Angeles Rams). Esposito was the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Western Michigan from 2017-23, which was his second stint in Kalama- zoo. He was previously with the Broncos from 2010-12. Two of his former WMU players were selected in the 2023 NFL Draft: Braden Fiske (second round, Los Angeles Rams) and Marshawn Knee- land (second round, Dallas Cowboys). Prior to his second stint at Western Michigan, Esposito was the first head coach in the history of Davenport University (2014-16). His time at Davenport was preceded by a stint as Ferris State's defensive coordinator in 2013. Other coaching stops include the Mem- phis XPlorers (AFL) from 2002-03 and Saint Joseph's College, serving as defensive coordi- nator in 2004 and head coach from 2005-09. RETURNING PLAYERS DEVON BAXTER • EDGE So. • Clinton, Md. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 240 • Did not see game action as a freshman. • Made 55 tackles with 13 sacks, 9 passes defended and 3 fumble recoveries as a prep senior. • Four-star prospect, No. 242 player nation- ally, 29th-best edge and No. 9 player in Maryland, per the On3 Industry Ranking. MANUEL BEIGEL • DT So. • Frankfurt, Germany Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 300 • Made his college debut by logging 3 defensive snaps against Arkansas State in 2024 but retained his red- shirt. • Attended Choate Rosemary Hall School in Connecticut, contributing 10 tackles and 4 sacks as a senior. He played on both the of- fensive and defensive lines. • Primarily played soccer before transitioning to football in 2020. • Three-star prospect, No. 82 defensive line- man, per On3 Industry Ranking. RAYSHAUN BENNY • DT Gr. • Detroit Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 296 • Played in 11 games with two starts, totaling 29 tackles with 3.5 for loss, 1.5 sacks and 2 pass breakups as a se- nior in 2024. • Appeared in 14 games with 27 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2 passes defended and 1 forced fumble in 2023. • Saw action in 13 contests in 2022 and re- corded 13 tackles, including 2 against Penn State. • Played in three games in 2021 and made 3 tackles. • Was named to The Detroit News Dream "His progress has been great, and now it's at the point mentally where we're flipping him in a couple of positions," Es- posito said. "You can just watch him and know he's a great pass rusher. His biggest thing is, getting strong enough, physi- cal enough, mature enough, confident enough to play the run game like he plays the pass game. He's starting to do that." Brandt stands as an old hand, who managed 13 tackles in 13 games a year ago as a sophomore. Those included 3 sacks and 4 tackles for loss, with a sack and fumble recovery against Alabama. "Cam Brandt is just like a starter," Es- posito said. "He's played so much foot- ball here." Four sophomores to keep an eye on are defensive tackles Deyvid Palepale and Man- uel Beigel, along with edges Lugard Edok- payi and Devon Baxter, Esposito noted. "Those guys have been doing a good job," Esposito said. "They have bright futures ahead of them and they've been playing well. The consistency piece for the young guys is the hardest thing. "You watch film on a young guy, and I don't care what position it is. They flash, and you think, 'Oh my, that's why I recruited them.' And then the next play, they're sup- posed to go left and they go right. "Being consistent with technique is the most important thing. That's what we keep trying to pound into these guys. Technique, technique, technique. We're going to get off blocks, we're going to play with good hands, we're going to play with good pad level, and we're going to do the fundamental things to win games." Those who have been around have learned plenty. They plan to turn it into rough going for anyone trying to move the football efficiently against U-M in 2025. ❑ U-M Defensive Linemen Drafted In Last Five Years Player Position Year Rd. Pick Team Aidan Hutchinson EDGE 2022 1 2 Detroit Lions Mason Graham DT 2025 1 5 Cleveland Browns Kenneth Grant DT 2025 1 13 Miami Dolphins Kwity Paye EDGE 2021 1 21 Indianapolis Colts Mazi Smith DT 2023 1 26 Dallas Cowboys David Ojabo EDGE 2022 2 45 Baltimore Ravens Kris Jenkins DT 2024 2 49 Cincinnati Bengals Josaiah Stewart EDGE 2025 3 90 Los Angeles Rams Mike Morris EDGE 2023 5 151 Seattle Seahawks Jaylen Harrell EDGE 2024 7 252 Tennessee Titans DEFENSIVE LINEMEN TACKLE 0 Tré Williams (6-2, 315), Gr. 17 Enow Etta (6-5, 308), Jr. 44 Damon Payne Jr. (6-4, 303), Gr. 54 Deyvid Palepale (6-2, 335), So. 55 Rayshaun Benny (6-4, 296), Gr. 57 Travis Moten (6-6, 296), Fr. 76 Manuel Beigel (6-5, 300), So. 85 Ted Hammond (6-5, 282), So. 92 Ike Iwunnah (6-3, 313), Gr. 95 Trey Pierce (6-2, 315), Jr. 99 Bobby Kanka (6-4, 289), Fr. — Benny Patterson (6-2, 240), Fr. EDGE 4 TJ Guy (6-4, 250), Gr. 8 Derrick Moore (6-3, 256), Sr. 27 Tyler McLaurin (6-3, 252), Gr. 33 Dominic Nichols (6-5, 261, So. 37 Julius Holly (6-4, 224), Fr. 82 Devon Baxter (6-6, 240), So. 88 Lugard Edokpayi (6-7, 232), So. 91 Cameron Brandt (6-4, 265), Jr. — Nate Marshall (6-3, 240), Fr.