5 position battles to watch for Michigan football heading into fall camp

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PALO ALTO, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Center Drake Nugent #60 of the Stanford Cardinal calls the blocking during a Pac-12 college football game against the USC Trojans played on September 10, 2022 at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, /

Offensive line

Michigan football fans should feel really good about the offensive line after listening to Jim Harbaugh this week.

Fans should have already felt good but Harbaugh’s comment of “10 starters for five spots” was notable I thought in terms of the kind of quality depth Michigan has.

There are seven players that could be headed to the NFL draft after this season and all of those guys will be batting for starting jobs.

In terms of center, Harbaugh said that Michigan had two potential All-Big Ten players in Drake Nugent, a transfer from Stanford, and Greg Crippen.

Karsen Barnhart, Trente Jones, and Myles Hinton are all in the mix to play right tackle. Hinton could play left tackle too or could be the swing tackle. All should get some playing time this season and that doesn’t even include Raheem Anderson or Giovanni El-Hadi.

It’s insane how loaded the Wolverines are up front. Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan are going to be the starting guards. That much we know. LaDarius Henderson and the others mentioned could all be in the mix at both tackle spots.

My prediction is Henderson, Nugent, and Barnhart for the open spots to go with the two elite guards, but truly, Michigan football can’t go wrong and the snaps will reflect that the staff feels like it has 10 starters.

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