Michigan Football 2016 Defensive Line Preview

Nov 7, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive end Taco Charlton (33) celebrates after he sacks Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Hayden Rettig (11) in the fourth quarter at Michigan Stadium. Michigan won 46-16. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

Michigan football is going to have one of the most dominant defensive lines in the country this season. Here’s a look at what the unit has to offer.

The Michigan football defensive line is on a path to dominate once again this season. Between the proven talent that’s returning, injured players who are back at full force, and a deep incoming freshman class, there’s no reason to be reserved with your expectations in 2016.

The line, which Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports ranked as the best in the country, took only one significant hit from last season with Willie Henry going to the Baltimore Ravens.

The big sensation on the line this offseason has been first-year freshman Rashan Gary, ranked as the No. 1 overall player in the 2016 recruiting class.

And then you take a look at the players returning and start to realize Michigan has something special brewing up front, and it’s part of a defense that’s going to be one of the best in the Big Ten this season.

Ryan Glasgow, Chris Wormley, Bryan Mone—they’re studs. Glasgow is coming off a shoulder injury that ended his 2015 season, a loss that no doubt hurt the Wolverines in the middle. Mone was absent all of last season with a leg injury. He’ll be back as well.

So take all of what Michigan’s defensive front did a season ago, and then factor in two run-stuffers up the middle. The Wolverines are in good shape, and we’re still not even sure what to fully expect.

I’ve got a problem when it comes to projecting starters along the line because it’s such a deep unit, and a number of players could be both inside and outside, or flip-flopped. With that in mind, I’ll give it a crack.

Strong-Side Defensive End: Chris Wormley

Weak-Side Defensive End: Taco Charlton

Defensive Tackle: Bryan Mone

Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle: Ryan Glasgow

Here’s what the Wolverines are working with this season.

Next: DE Chris Wormley

Nov 28, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) runs the ball Michigan Wolverines defensive end Chris Wormley (43) over to defend in the first quarter at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /

DE Chris Wormley

Make room for Chris Wormley, who burst onto the scene last season with 14.5 tackles for loss. This will be his fifth and final season for the Wolverines, and he’s going to play a big role once again in this line’s relentless pursuit of the quarterback, something it did very well in 2015.

At 6-foot-6, 302 pounds, Wormley is a lanky defensive end and carries with him a good repertoire of moves (though it’s an area that needs refined). He’s a powerful human being too. A for-sure NFL player after this season, Wormley could be the biggest threat to every team Michigan plays this season.

The crazy thing about it is Wormley made over half of his career starts last season. He entered 2015 with seven starts and then got the nod in 10 more. He showed the Big Ten last year that he’s almost as good as they come; after this season, he could be a household name.

One thing Wormley could do to escalate himself to that point, and ultimately become a top-notch rusher off the edge, is find a steady level of production.

He had some games where he was all over the place, making the plays that got him this attention. Other games, like the one against Michigan State, Wormley didn’t show up in that same kind of big way.

What’s true, though, is that Wormley is on track to be Michigan’s best producer on the defensive line this season.

Next: DE Taco Charlton

Jan 1, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines safety Jarrod Wilson (22) and defensive end Taco Charlton (33) celebrate his interception against the Florida Gators during the second quarter in the 2016 Citrus Bowl at Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports /

DE Taco Charlton

Taco Charlton cut some weight this offseason and has to be itching to do something big for his senior season.

He’s only made four starts in his three-year career (three of which came last season), but he’s in position to be on the end opposite of Wormley. (Or it could be the opposite way. Like I said, there are way too many possibilities.)

Charlton looked really impressive last season, playing in all 13 games and recording 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He’s not quite as refined of an edge rusher as Wormley, but the comparison practically draws itself. They share a very similar size and skill set. Perhaps what Charlton does in 2016 will be reminiscent of what Wormley did in 2015.

But if Wormley needs to cut the dips in his game, Charlton’s problem is even more exaggerated.

Charlton can cross off just about everything that’s needed in an edge rusher: size, strength, footwork. One thing that’s been lacking from his game, though, is the ability to start something and then not fall off.

From snap to snap, it’s not exactly clear which Charlton Michigan is getting.

“I’m going to set my expectations higher than anyone else can set them,” Charlton said this offseason.

Charlton has played all over the line during his Michigan career, but this season, under new defensive coordinator Don Brown, look for him at that weak-side edge spot, where he seems to be best suited.

Next: DT Bryan Mone

Aug 30, 2014; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive tackle Bryan Mone (90) pressures Appalachian State Mountaineers quarterback Kameron Bryant (5) in the first half at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

DT Bryan Mone

This tackle position is a complete toss-up. On one hand, there’s Maurice Hurst, who had an excellent 2015 season with 35 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He might be the safe pick to start at tackle, but I’m going to take a bit of a leap here and choose Bryan Mone.

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Mone missed all of last season with a leg injury, but Harbaugh admitted that the staff was very high on him.

“He was one of our top players last year,” Harbaugh said. “We ranked the team going into training camp from one to 125 and Mone was three. Unfortunately had the injury early in camp but he’s always been that kind of guy.”

At 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, Mone carries a little better size than Hurst (6-foot-2, 282 pounds). Not that size alone is enough to determine who gets the job, but Mone’s upside is definitely helped there.

There’s some disagreement even on our staff as to who gets this job. Like I said, though, I’m taking a leap, trusting Mone has come back and built himself up to the the player Michigan’s staff believed was No. 3 on the entire defense last offseason.

Next: DT/NG Ryan Glasgow

Nov 1, 2014; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Ryan Glasgow (96) recovers a fumble by Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Zander Diamont (12) in the third quarter at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

DT/NG Ryan Glasgow

Here’s where Michigan is getting the most back from last season. The Wolverines featured a top run defense until Glasgow went down for the year against Rutgers with a torn pectoral muscle.

Glasgow left an enormous hole in the interior of Michigan’s defensive line, and it was felt for the rest of the season, as teams like Indiana and Ohio State had no trouble running through what was a stout defensive front.

Now back and healthy, the fifth-year Glasgow will once again be anchoring the inside of the line (along with either Mone or Hurst), which means the Wolverines will be back to having that run defense that was put on display for a good chunk of last season.

“My strength is basically all the way back,” Glasgow said in June. “I’d say probably 95% of my chest/shoulder strength is back already, which I’m pretty happy with, it’s only been 6½, seven months. Conditioning’s good, everything’s going well right now.”

Glasgow’s brother, Graham Glasgow, was drafted in the third round of the recent NFL draft by the Detroit Lions, meaning the two will be able to stay relatively close, and the younger Glasgow will be able to keep up with a personal trainer of sorts.

While the excitement is building for edge rushers like Taco Charlton and Chris Wormley, the importance of Glasgow’s return puts the rest of it in a shadow.

Next: Other Contributors

Jan 1, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive end Lawrence Marshall (93) in the 2016 Citrus Bowl after the game at Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium. Michigan won 41-7. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Other Contributors

As I said in the beginning, Michigan’s defensive line has many ways it could align this season, and it includes names I haven’t brought up yet.

Matthew Godin will fin in nicely behind either Mone or Glasgow (or both) on the inside. Like Glasgow, Godin is entering his fifth season with the Wolverines. In 2015 he appeared in 11 games and made 2.5 tackles for loss.

Chase Winovich, a junior, looks like he’ll line up behind Charlton on the depth chart at the weak-side end spot. Winovich got his first taste of action last season, appearing in six games.

And then there’s Rashan Gary, who some believe could be starting right away. I won’t dismiss the possibility, but it’s not like the Wolverines’ defensive front is depleted. There’s no doubt he’ll be a contributor—maybe a significant one, and early—but I think it’ll take more time for him to fill out well enough to be a starter.

Next: Top 10 running backs in Michigan history

What Michigan has on its defensive line this season is something just about every other college football team wishes it had. At the least, it’ll be fun to watch; at most, it’ll be truly special.

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