Newcomers like Jordan Marshall and Mason Curtis saw meaningful minutes for Michigan football in 2024 and left a lasting impression on this year's class to replicate. Another Marshall that will be running out of the tunnel this season is a name to monitor, as well as others, whose fate is not to redshirt in 2025.
Nate Marshall-DE
Marshall has got to be considered as one of the 10 defensive lineman who will be in rotation this fall. He's going to be projected to start in 2026 and is the most anticipated freshman to watch on defense. Marshall is the only one of the three who enrolled late, but that shouldn't stop him from burning a redshirt. His learning curve should be matured with Derrick Moore, TJ Guy and others teaching him.
Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng-LB
The linebacking core is a little more crowded, but Owusu-Boateng could get his feet wet on special teams until he cracks the two-deep. Owusu-Boateng's experience in the spring will only help his chances at nipping at the heels of the starters and backups for more playing time. By this time next year, we may be talking about him as a bona fide starter.
Avery Gach-OL
Four of the five spots on the Michigan football offensive line seem to be figured out in some way or another, but there is an opening at one of the guard positions. Gach won't start, but he could earn some reps in practice, which could translate to gametime against a New Mexico or Central Michigan. The nastiness that he plays with cannot be ignored, and Allen Trieu compares him to Ben Bredeson. And Michigan patrons know that the Bredesons didn't come to Ann Arbor to hold the clipboards.
Gach already has the body to tussle in the trenches, but he has to compete with other freshmen who have the same aspirations. Sophomore Andrew Sprague is a great mentor to guide him to similar results if his intentions are the same as Sprague's.