Michigan Football: Predicting Wolverines’ 2021 depth chart

D-Line

Starters: Luiji Vilain, Braiden McGregor, Chris Hinton, Mazi Smith

Backups: Donovan Jeter, Kris Jenkins, David Ojabo (edge), Julius Welschof, Jaylen Harrell

The defensive line and defensive end in particular will be hit harder than any other position group for Michigan football with the postponement of the season to spring.

A recent mock draft had Kwity Paye going 14th overall and Aidan Hutchinson is also likely to be an early-round draft pick. Hutchinson had 69 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 10 tackles for loss, in addition to five pass deflections.

Paye has also put together two productive seasons at Michigan and finished last year with 12.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

Paye and Hutchinson aren’t one-trick ponies either, they both have the ability to stand up and play against the run.

But in a good way, incoming freshman Braiden McGregor will get more time to rest his knee, which will be good because he, Luiji Vilain and David Ojabo might be the top-three pass rushers.

Vilain was a highly-touted four-star recruit and he flashed a little last season with seven tackles, a tackle for loss and a sack. But this spring, much more will be needed.