The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545685
O F F E N S I V E L I N E M E N 78 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ate assistant from 2002-04, before serving as the defensive coordinator (2005-07) and head coach (2008) at Troy Athens High School in Michigan. A Maumee, Ohio, native, Harding played of- fensive line at Toledo, where he was a first-team All-MAC selection and captain in 2000 for a team that finished the regular season No. 25 in the Associated Press poll. RETURNING PLAYERS ANDREW BABALOLA • OT So. • Overland Park, Kan. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 315 • Enrolled at U-M in January 2025. • Missed his freshman season with a torn ACL suffered in fall camp. • Highest-rated recruit from Kansas since 2009, according to MaxPreps. • Five-star prospect rated as the No. 16 pros- pect overall and the No. 3 offensive tackle nationally and the top-ranked player in Kan- sas in the Rivals Industry Ranking. BROOKS BAHR • OG Sr. • Lake Forest, Ill. Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 312 • Logged snaps in two games in 2025 and was named S c o u t Te a m O f f e n s i v e Player of the Week against C e n t r a l M i c h i g a n a n d Northwestern. • Did not see game action in 2023 or 2024. • Switched from defensive line before 2024 season. • Combined for 95 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 5 sacks and a forced fumble in his junior and senior seasons at Loyola Academy. • Tabbed as a three-star recruit and the 12th- best player in Illinois in the 2023 class, per Rivals Industry Ranking. MANUEL BEIGEL • OL Jr. • Frankfurt, Germany Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 312 • Switched from defensive tackle to offensive line in spring 2026. • Appeared in one game while redshirting in 2024 and seven in 2025, recording 1 tackle as a sophomore. • Attended high school at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut in 2022 and 2023 after coming to the United States. • A three-star recruit, the No. 870 overall re- cruit and No 82 defensive lineman in the country, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. NATHAN EFOBI • OG Sr. • Atlanta Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 312 • Played in 13 outings in 2025 with five starts (all at left guard), posting a 66.9 over- all PFF rating. • Appeared in six games with an appearance at left guard in 2024. • Redshirted his freshman season in 2023. • Voted team captain during senior season at South Forsyth High. • Part of a team that went to the Region 6 Class 7A state title game during his junior year. • Two-time first-team Region 6-7A All-Region selection as a prep. • Also played defensive line and lettered in track and field, finishing fourth in the shot put at the 2022 Georgia 7A championship meet with a throw of 52 feet, 8.75 inches. • Four-star recruit, No. 117 player and 10th- ranked interior offensive lineman in the 2023 class, according to On3. BLAKE FRAZIER • OT Jr. • Austin, Texas Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 295 • Played in all 13 contests with eight starts (six at left tackle and two in an extra lineman package) in 2025, registering a 64.4 overall PFF rating. • Did not see game action in 2024. • Unanimous selection as the Texas 25-6A All- District Offensive Lineman of the Year and member of Dave Campbell's Texas Football Whataburger Super Team as a prep senior. • Son of former U-M center Steve Frazier, a 1997 national champion who played for the Wolverines from 1995-99. • Regarded as a four-star prospect and the nation's No. 164 overall player in the 2024 class, per the Rivals Industry Ranking. Also checked in as the No. 11 offensive tackle nationally and 27th-best recruit in Texas. AVERY GACH • OG So. • Franklin, Mich. Ht: 6-5 • Wt.: 308 • Enrolled at U-M in January 2025 and appeared in five games on special teams, in- cluding the Citrus Bowl vs. Texas, while preserving his redshirt during his freshman campaign. • First-ever two-time captain under head coach Brendan Flaherty (25 years) during Seniors Evan Link (71) and Nathan Efobi (55) are the top two on the depth chart at left guard enter- ing fall camp. Link has started 18 career games at tackle, while Efobi has five starts at guard. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL