The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545685
D E F E N S I V E L I N E M E N 92 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW • Selected to the Polynesian Bowl. • Slotted as a four-star, the No. 123 overall player and No. 15 defensive lineman nation- ally and 22nd-best prospect in Texas by the Rivals Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL Sacks 2023 3/0 1 0 0 2024 10/1 4 0.5 0.5 2025 13/0 15 2.5 0.5 Totals 26/1 20 3.0 1 TED HAMMOND • DT Jr. • Cincinnati Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 294 • Appeared in one game in 2025. • Didn't compete in any games as a freshman in 2024. • Attended Cincinnati St. Xavier High School, recording 38 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks during his senior year. • Also played basketball, baseball and com- peted as a swimmer. • Three-star recruit, No. 441 overall player and 42nd-ranked defensive lineman nationally and 15th-ranked player in Ohio, per the Ri- vals Industry Ranking. JULIUS HOLLY • DE So. • Alpharetta, Ga. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 230 • Played in one game in 2025. • Played in only two games as a prep senior due to injury, after totaling 57 tackles with 8 for loss his junior year. • Checked in as a three-star recruit, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. Rated as the No. 42 edge in the 2025 class and No. 55 player in Georgia. BOBBY KANKA • DT So. • Howell, Mich. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 305 • Played in one game in 2025, recording a tackle for loss against Central Michigan. • Became the first-ever fresh- man to start on varsity at Howell High School and spent all four years at that level, posting 38 tackles and 8 sacks as a senior. • Selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. • The Rivals Industry Ranking listed him as a three-star and the No. 57 defensive lineman in the country, plus the 10th-best player in Michigan. NATE MARSHALL • DE So. • Oak Park, Ill. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 240 • Appeared in 11 games in 2025, recording 6 tackles with 1 kickoff return. • Selected to the 2025 Navy All-American Bowl. • Named 2024 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 7A first-team all- state. • The four-star recruit was listed as the No. 40 prospect and No. 4 edge in the nation, along with the third-best player in Illinois in the class of 2025, per the Rivals Industry Ranking. TRAVIS MOTEN • DT So. • Louisville, Ky. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 315 • Appeared in one game on the defensive line in 2025. • Tallied 95 tackles, including 30 for loss with 19.5 sacks, as a prep senior. • A four-star prospect, Moten ranked as the No. 303 player and No. 29 defensive lineman in the nation in 2025, according to the Rivals Industry. Ranking. DOMINIC NICHOLS • DE Jr. • Frederick, Md. Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 255 • Appeared in 12 games with 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 1 sack in 2025. • Michigan's Scout Team Player of the Year on defense, Nichols appeared in five games in 2024 — including four on the defensive line — and registered 3 tackles with 1 forced fumble. • Retained his redshirt since he played in only four regular-season contests. • Attended Oakdale High School, helping lead the program to the 2023 3A Maryland state championship and a 14-0 record in 2023. • Oakdale's all-time leader in sacks (27), tackles for loss (51) and QB pressures (143), recording 206 career tackles. • Three-star recruit, No. 424 overall player and No. 40 edge in the country and the 15th- ranked player in Maryland, per Rivals Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL Sacks 2024 5/0 3 0 0 2025 12/0 19 5.5 1 Total 17/0 22 5.5 1 DEYVID PALEPALE • DT Jr. • Anchorage, Alaska Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 335 • Played in two games in 2025. • Didn't see game action as a freshman in 2024. • Played two seasons at Hemp- field High in Pennsylvania and transferred to Manheim (Penn.) High as a senior. • Played in two games in 2023 before suffering a season-ending injury. • Recorded 49 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and 1 interception as a junior, also recov- ered 2 fumbles and returned 1 for touchdown. • Named a Polynesian Bowl All-Star. • Rivals Industry Ranking of three stars and the No. 77 defensive lineman in the class. BENNY PATTERSON III • DE So. • Newburgh, Ind. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 270 • Appeared in five games on special teams with two ap- pearances off the edge. • Named Scout Team Defensive Player of the Week in preparing the offense for the win at Nebraska in September. • Credited with 70 tackles — including 14 for loss and 7 sacks — as a prep senior. • Ranked as a four-star prospect, the No. 282 overall player and No. 32 edge rusher in the 2025 class, per the Rivals Industry Ranking. TREY PIERCE • DT Sr. • Chicago Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 310 • Started all 13 games in 2025 with 30 tackles and 1 tackle for loss. • Honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by the media. • Named the team's co-Most Improved Player on Defense. • Competed in 13 outings with one start (against Alabama) in 2024, notching 7 tackles. • Appeared in 13 games, making 2 total tackles, in 2023. • Notched 58 tackles with 19 stops for loss and 3.5 sacks as a prep senior at Brother Rice High. • Named first-team all-state by The News-Ga- zette (Champaign-Urbana) and to the Chicago Sun-Times All-Area team as a senior in 2022. • A three-star prospect, the No. 53 defensive lineman in the country and the seventh- best player in Illinois, per the Rivals Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL Sacks 2023 13/0 2 0 0 2024 13/1 7 0 0 2025 13/13 30 1 0 Total 39/14 39 1 0 NEWCOMERS McHALE BLADE • DE Fr. • Country Club Hills, Ill. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 245 • Attended Simeon Career Academy in 2024-25. • Spent first two years at Coun- try Club Hills Hillcrest High in 2022-23. • Credited with 12 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles in 2025. • PrepStar Top 300 All-American. • Three-star prospect, No. 416 overall recruit,