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 90 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW for the Utes last year, notching 38 tack- les, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a sack, while Palepale, now 6-2, 335 pounds, dropped significant weight and notched 3 tack- les in the April 18 scrimmage, disrupting several other plays. "Jonah Lea'ea is a dog, and Deyvid Palepale is just a beast. We've been seeing it in practice, and everybody else is going to notice this year," Pierce said. "Palepale is a freak athlete who puts his head down and just works at defensive tackle." "Deyvid's in that rotation," Whitting- ham confirmed. "He's at least 330, 340 pounds, tough to move, and he's got some quickness." With developing depth in sophomores Bobby Kanka (6-4, 305) and Travis Mo- ten (6-6, 315) pushing them, this group seems more than capable of hanging with the big boys on the schedule. Defensive Ends Showing Great Improvement Despite having two edges go in the first three rounds of this year's draft, Michi- gan's pass rushers weren't exactly domi- nant in 2025. After Derrick Moore (10 sacks), no end had more than 4 sacks, and this year's defense will be asked to apply more pressure on the quarterback with guys who are less proven. Enter Powell, who played for Whitting- ham and coached under him for 11 seasons at Utah, first as a line coach (2016-18), then defensive ends (2019-25) and helped put eight players in the NFL during his tenure. An outstanding recruiter, Powell also made an immediate impact this spring with U-M's returnees. "He's such a lovable guy and coach," se- nior defensive end Cam Brandt said. "He's been getting after us on and off the field, making sure we're doing the right things and attacking, and being competitive each day in practice. He's been a great person to learn from." "Maybe it's because I'm a bit older and see things differently now, but I made a big jump with the help of his coaching," junior Dominic Nichols added. "He will always have your back, and it just makes you want to play harder for him. I'm a fan of Coach Powell." And Powell of him. Ditto Whittingham, who believes Nichols has another gear he can reach, something the previous staff used to communicate, as well. The ju- nior has the athleticism and get-off to be an outstanding pass rusher, and though he's only notched 1 career sack, the 6-5, 255-pounder will have every opportunity to get to the quarterback this year. Nichols showed glimpses of his play- making ability with 5.5 tackles for loss a year ago among his 19 total stops, ap- pearing in 12 games on the edge. He was tough to block this spring, Whittingham reported. "Dom Nichols is coming into his own. He's a force out there," the coach said. "He's 6-4 plus and 260 pounds, and he really has a great first step in pass rushing skills. "He's a guy that I think has a chance to be All-Big Ten before he's finished here. I think he's that good, and it's up to him how good he can be. If he continues to work hard and put everything into it, then he's going to play this game for a long time." As of now, though, he's not even as- sured to be a starter. Though the roster won't be set until August, most believe Brandt will get the nod on one side, while 2025 Utah All-American and transfer John Henry Daley will undoubtedly start on the other, assuming he's healthy. The 6-4, 255-pounder is working his way back from an Achilles injury suffered late last year. Daley notched 48 tackles, 17.5 for loss, and 11.5 sacks in a breakout season. He was working out in a limited capacity this spring, running in early June and on track to return. Of those who participated, two stood out. "Dom was great this spring," Hill said. "The ones who really stood out to me were Dom and Cam Brandt. Those guys both played really well. Add John Henry Daley to the mix, and you've got a first- team All-American from last year."' Brandt played in all 13 games with one start at edge a year ago and notched 22 tackles, including 1.5 for loss with a half sack. "Cam Brandt had a really nice spring. He was consistent for us all spring long," Whittingham said. "He dropped 5 or 10 pounds, and it really helped his game. It gave him more quickness and a little more burst off the edge." As for Daley … his former teammate, Utah transfer Smith Snowden, said Michigan fans are in for a treat. "The dude has a freaking motor. He can go," Snowden said. "He's recover- ing really well. The process is going great for him. Once he gets healthy and all the pieces come together, this is going to be a really good squad." Three others with great potential will U-M Defensive Linemen Drafted In Last Three Years Player Position Year Rd. Pick Team Mason Graham DT 2025 1 5 Cleveland Browns Kenneth Grant DT 2025 1 13 Miami Dolphins Derrick Moore EDGE 2026 2 44 Detroit Lions Kris Jenkins DT 2024 2 49 Cincinnati Bengals Josaiah Stewart EDGE 2024 3 90 Los Angeles Rams Jaishawn Barham EDGE 2026 3 92 Dallas Cowboys Rayshaun Benny DT 2026 7 250 Baltimore Ravens Jaylen Harrell EDGE 2024 7 252 Tennessee Titans Junior defensive end Dominic Nichols demon- strated his playmaking ability with 5.5 tackles for loss a year ago among his 19 total stops, appearing in 12 games on the edge. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL