Three Michigan football freshmen who have already enrolled in the university, who are not named Bryce Underwood, also have a precious oppurtunity to hear their names crack the starting lineup this autumn. Redshirting them shouldn't be an option because they already are in the two-deep of the depth chart. With the commit-a-palooza that is currently ongoing for the maize and blue, here are a few names to ponder.
Andrew Babalola
Babalola will push Evan Link and might even overtake him by mid to late season. Link's struggles will give Babalola a realistic shot. He will be Underwood's blindside protector for three years. It won't be every rep, but together the offense has the potential to elevate beyond the mundane ground and pound.
His classmate Ty Haywood doesn't partake in practice until fall and has a steeper hill to climb if he projects to right tackle.
Andrew Marsh
With Zion Robinson and others entering the fold in 2026, Marsh has to speed up his process to get on the field this year. He's gained some traction in spring and is going to be nipping at the heels of the starters. Channing Goodwin was Underwood's favorite target in the spring game, but Marsh caught a glimpse of the connection too.
It's a big if, but if Marsh can catch it consistently, he'll easily surpass Fredrick Moore and Semaj Morgan in no time. Wolverine chronicle on twitter expects big things out the Texas native.
Sharmari Earls
With the cornerback situation outside of Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry still murky, Earls has a chance to see the gridiron early and often if he performs well in camp. He should be a primary backup to Hill or Berry if one of them goes down with an injury. He'll be a starter in 2026, so he will just be a year ahead of schedule anyway.
Factor in a surprise or two, like Mason Curtis was a year ago, and playing as a freshman at Michigan is no longer just a dream. Figuring out who those names are is something the coaches will wait to release to the public.