Michigan Football: 5 Wolverines who will break out on defense

The Michigan football team has a ton of young talent on both sides of the ball and here is a look at five guys who can breakout on defense in 2019.

Since Jim Harbaugh took over as the head coach of Michigan football, the one thing that has been consistently good for the Wolverines is the defense.

That doesn’t mean there haven’t been issues and disappointments — the last two games of 2018 stand out when that comes to mind, but for the most part, Michigan football has been spectacular on defense, especially since Don Brown has been the defensive coordinator.

Every year, teams lose players to graduation, transfers and the NFL and Michigan is no different. Rashan Gary, Devin Bush, Chase Winovich and David Long are all headed to the NFL and three of those guys are underclassmen.

Bush was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 and his production, as well as his overall impact on the defense, will be the most difficult to replace or replicate. However, the pass rush by Gary and Winovich was also critical.

Being able to put pressure on the quarterback is a key part of any good defense and during the last few seasons, Michigan football has been one of the top pass rushing teams in the country.

While Josh Uche and Kwity Paye showed flashes last season, along with some others, there are still questions to be answered. The good news is that the Wolverines have plenty of defensive talent waiting in the wings and with that in mind, here are five guys who will breakout in 2019.