The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1536962
O F F E N S I V E L I N E M E N THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 79 offense with a team-wide average of 5.6 yards per carry his senior year. • A three-star recruit, the No. 601 overall pros- pect and No. 39 offensive tackle in the country and the No. 23 player in Ohio in 2024, per the On3 Industry Ranking. ANDREW SPRAGUE • OT So. • Kansas City, Mo. Ht.: 6-8 • Wt.: 305 • Appeared in 4 games and made 1 start (vs. Alabama) at right tackle in 2024. • Selected to the 2024 NBC Sports All-American Bowl • Was named to the Class 6 Missouri All-State first team in both 2022 and '23. • Played both offensive and defensive line and also competed in basketball. • The No. 107 overall player in the 2024 class was a four-star recruit, the No. 7 offensive tackle in the nation and the fifth-best prospect in Missouri. NEWCOMERS LAWRENCE HATTAR • OG Gr. • Livonia, Mich. Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 335 • Spent four seasons at Ferris State (2021-24), appearing in 27 total games. • Helped the Bulldogs win three Division II NCAA championships in the last four seasons (2021, '22, '24). • Started all 15 games in 2024. • First-team All-American in 2024 (AFCA and D2Football.com). • Elite 100 Team by D2Football.com. • First-team all-conference in 2024. • Attended Livonia Churchill High and was a multi-year starter. • No. 527 overall player, No. 56 IOL in 2025 transfer portal class, per On3 Industry Ranking. BRADY NORTON • OT Jr. • Mission Viejo, Calif. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 275 • Enrolled at U-M in January 2025. • Spent the last two seasons at Cal Poly, transferred in De- cember 2024. • Appeared in 15 games with 11 starts in his Mustangs career. • FCS Football Central Freshman All-American in 2024. • Allowed 0 sacks and 3 total pressures on 444 pass blocking reps in 2024. • Appeared in 4 games, preserving his redshirt, during 2023 season. • Attended Mission Viejo High, also playing rugby. • No. 150 overall player in transfer portal, No. 15 IOL, according to On3. ANDREW BABALOLA • OT Fr. • Overland Park, Kan. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 300 • Enrolled at U-M in January 2025. • Attended Blue Valley North- west High. • Began playing football in 2023 during junior season and was a two-year starter on the of- fensive line. • Former AAU and high school basketball player. Class 6A All-State honorable men- tion in basketball by Sports in Kansas. Highest-rated recruit in Kansas since 2009, ac- cording to MaxPreps. • Five-star prospect and highest-rated offensive tackle signee at U-M in internet era (No. 16 overall, On3 Industry Ranking), No. 3 offensive tackle and top-ranked player in Kansas. AVERY GACH • OG Fr. • Franklin, Mich. Ht: 6-5 • Wt.: 287 • Enrolled at U-M in January 2025. • Attended Wylie E. Groves HS. • First-ever two-time captain under head coach Brendan Flaherty (25 years) during junior and senior seasons. • Four-year starter at tackle. • Helped Groves to 12-1 record with MHSAA state semifinals appearance in 2024. • Also lettered in baseball as a freshman and sophomore and track and field as a junior. • Rivals 5-Star Camp Offensive Lineman MVP • 2023 Detroit Free Press and Detroit News dream teams. • Four-star signee, No. 302 player nationally, No. 20 IOL and fourth-best player in Michi- gan, per On3 Industry Ranking. TY HAYWOOD • OT Fr. • Denton, Texas Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 285 • Attended Ryan High. • 2025 Navy All-American Bowl participant. • 2024 first-team All-District at tackle. • 2023 TWSA Class 5A All-State honorable men- tion. • Helped Raiders to Class 5A Division I semifinal with 13-2 record in 2024. • Credited with 58 pancake blocks and 0 sacks allowed in 2023. • Also participated in track and field (shot put). • Four-star prospect ranked 48th nationally in 2025 class, No. 8 offensive tackle and 11th- best player in Texas, per On3 Industry Ranking. KADEN STRAYHORN • C Fr. • Novi, Mich. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 299 • Enrolled at U-M in January 2025. • Attended IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. • Two-year starter in three seasons at IMG, started at right tackle as a senior. • Saw action at center in 2022. • Also a wrestler and track and field thrower; Junior Olympian. • Attended Detroit Catholic Central as a fresh- man before transferring. • 2023 MaxPreps Junior All-American Second Team. • No. 579 overall player, No. 48 IOL and 76th- ranked player in Florida, per On3 Industry Ranking. ❱ ❱ X-FACTOR X-FACTOR It is not often a five-star signee is mentioned as an X-factor or a dark horse to contribute, but ANDREW BABALOLA fits the billing as someone who could vault up the offensive line pecking order with a strong showing in fall camp. U-M's left tackle battle has a few potential candidates, but if the talented and cerebral young offensive lineman shows he is ready, he could make a legitimate push for a starting job this fall. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN