Michigan Football: 5 players impressing Jim Harbaugh this spring

Luiji Vilain is moving his way up the depth chart

Luiji Vilain is a name that Michigan football fans are certainly familiar with as he came to the Wolverines as a top-60 player back in the 2017 recruiting class. Unfortunately, injuries have hampered his career but now he is healthy and moving up to the depth chart.

Vilain is a 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive end and he could definitely help fill the shoes of the departed Rashan Gary if he is able to avoid getting hurt again. The kid is immensely talented and was nearly a five-star prospect when he signed with the Wolverines.

Now would be a great time for time to live up to that potential and thus far this spring, it sounds like he’s starting to be productive.

“Luiji Vilain is now in the two-deep and backing up Kwity Paye, while [freshman defensive tackle] Mazi Smith is backing up Carlo Kemp,” Harbaugh said on his podcast.

Getting through spring workouts and the scrimmage would be huge for Vilain, who is entering his third year with the program but has yet to see the field.