The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1546232
SEPTEMBER 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 23 DEFENSIVE END No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Remaining 8 Dom Nichols 6-5 245 Jr./3 9 Cam Brandt 6-3 270 Sr./2 Note: Brandt has the most experience among Michigan's returning defensive ends, but Nichols has been praised as one of the team's top players at the position all offseason. Expect both veterans to play a lot of snaps this fall. DEFENSIVE END No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Remaining 90 John Henry Daley 6-5 252 Sr./2 88 Lugard Edokpayi 6-7 263 Jr./3 Note: Daley, who has been cleared by doctors after an Achilles injury sustained last November, is completely healthy and trending toward playing in the opener against Western Michigan. Edokpayi is listed behind him, but there are a number of players also in the mix for play- ing time, including freshman Carter Meadows and sophomores Benny Patterson III and Nate Marshall. DEFENSIVE TACKLE No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Remaining 17 Enow Etta 6-5 328 Sr./2 91 Jonah Lea'ea 6-5 290 Sr./2 Note: Etta has been mentioned as a starter by the coaching staff, but Lea'ea is right at that caliber, too, having led Utah in interior defensive line snaps last fall. Both will figure heavily into the rotation. DEFENSIVE TACKLE No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Remaining 95 Trey Pierce 6-2 310 Sr./2 54 Deyvid Palepale 6-2 322 Jr./3 or 99 Bobby Kanka 6-4 295 So./4 Note: Pierce is Michigan's only returning starter on the defensive line and has become one of the top leaders on the defense. The fourth and fifth D-tackles in the rotation are projected to be Palepale and Kanka. LINEBACKER No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Remaining 29 Chase Taylor 6-2 222 So./4 18 Troy Bowles 6-0 224 Sr./2 Note: Taylor has been described by defensive coordinator Jay Hill as the most improved player on the defense this offseason and has consistently been mentioned as the top linebacker. Bowles has the most experience among returning Wolverines at the position and is expected to play a role. LINEBACKER No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Remaining 44 Nathaniel Staehling 6-3 241 Gr./1 12 Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng 6-1 216 So./4 Note: Staehling, who transferred in from North Dakota State where he competed at the FCS level, missed this spring with a shoulder injury. Since getting healthy this summer, though, he has been lauded for his athleticism and instincts. Owusu-Boateng is in the mix to rotate in, as well. NICKEL BACK No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Remaining 3 Smith Snowden 5-10 188 Sr./2 10 Zeke Berry 5-11 188 Gr./1 Note: According to head coach Kyle Whittingham, Snowden and Berry will each play nickel in addition to outside corner depending on the situation. CORNERBACK No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Remaining 10 Zeke Berry 5-11 188 Gr./1 2 Shamari Earls 6-2 195 So./4 Note: Berry will be a starter for a third season in a row, while Earls has been described as the next cornerback up behind Berry, Snowden and senior Jyaire Hill. CORNERBACK No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Remaining 0 Jyaire Hill 6-2 190 Sr./2 16 Jo'Ziah Edmond 6-1 185 Jr./3 Note: Hill is on the Jim Thorpe Award watch list and cemented as a starter, while Edmond has served as a backup each of the last two seasons. SAFETY No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Remaining 7 Chris Bracy 6-1 200 Jr./2 6 Jordan Young 5-11 193 So./4 Note: Bracy broke out at the end of nonconference play at Memphis last season and has been standing out during practice so far as a Wolverine. Young made key plays down the stretch last fall and can provide both depth and versatility. SAFETY No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Remaining 1 Rod Moore 5-11 190 Gr./1 25 Mason Curtis 6-4 215 Jr./3 Note: Moore was on a "pitch count" early on during fall camp, but he's been cleared and is expected to play for the Wolverines all season. Curtis has a lot of experience as a backup who should see rotational snaps. The Wolverine's 2026 Projected Depth Chart — Defense GAME PREVIEW: NEW MEXICO OFFENSE No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 19 Bryce Underwood 6-4 228 Fr./4 2 Jadyn Davis 6-1 207 So./4 22 Justice Haynes 5-11 210 Jr./2 23 Jordan Marshall 5-11 216 So./4 Channing Goodwin 6-1 197 So./4 Fredrick Moore 6-1 191 Jr./2 Donaven McCulley 6-5 215 Gr./1 Kendrick Bell 6-2 205 Jr./3 Andrew Marsh 6-0 190 Fr./4 Semaj Morgan 5-10 174 Jr./2 Anthony Simpson 5-11 186 Gr./1 Marlin Klein 6-6 250 Sr./2 Zack Marshall 6-4 245 Jr./3 Max Bredeson 6-2 250 Gr./1 Jalen Hoffman 6-3 245 Jr./3 Evan Link 6-6 324 Jr./3 Blake Frazier 6-6 295 So./4 Giovanni El-Hadi 6-5 315 Gr./1 Lawrence Hattar 6-5 335 Gr./1 Greg Crippen 6-4 309 Gr./1 Jake Guarnera 6-4 311 So./4 Brady Norton 6-4 312 Jr./3 Nathan Efobi 6-3 312 Jr./3 Andrew Sprague 6-8 315 So./4 Blake Frazier 6-6 295 So./4 Haywood 6-5 316 Fr./4 DEFENSE Pos. No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Edge 4 TJ Guy 6-4 250 Gr./1 33 Dominic Nichols 6-5 255 So./4 Edge 8 Derrick Moore 6-3 260 Sr./1 9 Cameron Brandt 6-4 270 Jr./2 Nose 0 Tré Williams 6-2 320 Gr./1 or 95 Trey Pierce 6-2 310 Jr./2 DT 26 Rayshaun Benny 6-4 305 Gr./1 44 Damon Payne Jr. 6-4 311 Gr./1 Mike 15 Ernest Hausmann 6-2 235 Sr./1 30 Jimmy Rolder 6-2 240 Sr./2 Will 1 Jaishawn Barham 6-3 243 Sr./1 23 Cole Sullivan 6-3 230 So./3 Nickel 7 TJ Metcalf 6-1 200 Jr./2 25 Mason Curtis 6-5 211 So./3 CB 10 Zeke Berry 5-11 196 Sr./2 16 Jo'Ziah Edmond 6-1 185 So./3 CB 20 Jyaire Hill 6-2 190 Jr./3 13 Caleb Anderson 6-3 200 Gr./1 or 2 Shamari Earls 6-2 205 Fr./4 SS 19 Rod Moore 6-0 198 Gr./1 25 Mason Curtis 6-5 211 So./3 or 7 TJ Metcalf 6-1 200 Jr./2 FS 6 Brandyn Hillman 6-0 200 Jr./2 3 Jaden Mangham 6-2 195 Sr./2 SPECIAL TEAMS Pos. No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. K 96 Dominic Zvada 6-3 187 Sr./1 92 Beckham Sunderland 6-1 216 Sr./2 P 90 Hudson Hollenbeck 6-2 206 Sr./2 93 Hunter Robertson 6-4 205 Jr./2 LS 45 Greg Tarr 6-2 220 Gr./1 67 Trent Middleton 6-2 225 Jr./3 KR 4 Andrew Marsh 6-0 190 Fr./4 0 Semaj Morgan 5-10 174 Jr./2 PR 0 Semaj Morgan 5-10 174 Jr./2 4 Andrew Marsh 6-0 190 Fr./4 The Wolverine's Projected Michigan Depth Chart 2025 U-M FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent Time (TV) Aug. 30 NEW MEXICO 7:30 p.m. (NBC) Sept. 6 at Oklahoma 7:30 p.m. (ABC) Sept. 13 CENTRAL MICHIGAN 12 p.m. (BTN) Sept. 20 at Nebraska 3:30 p.m. (CBS) Oct. 4 WISCONSIN 12 or 3:30 p.m. (TBA) Oct. 11 at USC TBA Oct. 18 WASHINGTON TBA Oct. 25 at Michigan State TBA Nov. 1 PURDUE TBA Nov. 15 vs. Northwestern* TBA Nov. 22 at Maryland TBA Nov. 29 OHIO STATE 12 p.m. (FOX) * at Wrigley Field in Chicago