Michigan football fall camp starts on August 4th. That's when Kyle Whittingham's first season as the head coach truly begins as we ramp up to Week 1.
Whittingham compared his team to a Christmas present, because you just don't know what you are going to get. Michigan football fans don't know exactly what they'll get from the Wolverines, who won nine games last season and have arguably a top-10 roster, or at least a top-15 roster.
Looking past players like Bryce Underwood, who will be under the microscope during fall camp, here are four Wolverines with the most to gain.
Andrew Babalola: Can win the left tackle job
What former five-star Andrew Babalola has to gain during fall camp is easy: the left tackle job. Kyle Whittingham praised the 6-foot-6, 314-pound tackle on Thursday. Whittingham also said he didn't see Babalola moving inside to play guard.
Babalola is 100 percent, after suffering an ACL injury in fall camp last season. Blake Frazier finished the 2025 season as the left tackle, but Whittingham suggested he was a player who could move inside.
However, that's not going to happen unless Babalola takes the bull by the horns. As the highest-ranked recruit in program history on the offensive line, if he looks the part this fall, he should be the Week 1 left tackle for the Wolverines.
Tommy Carr: Can secure QB2 for 2026 season
Kyle Whittingham said at Big Ten Media Days that Tommy Carr was the clear backup quarterback. The grandson of Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr, surely looked the part during the spring. He's an accurate passer with the ability to move. He showed a lot of moxy during the spring.
However, Michigan will have veteran Braden Nicolosi, who has a bunch of starts on his resume from Colorado State. It wouldn't be bad to have a veteran in the mix, but with the way Carr moves, he could be a solid backup to Underwood, and someone who could get some extra snaps, especially as a runner.
Benny Patterson: A spot in EDGE rotation
One of the most underrated players on the Michigan football roster is Benny Patterson, a 6-foot-2 270-pound defensive end. Patterson saw limited action last season as a freshman, but his name has been generating buzz this offseason as a possible contributor in year two.
Trey Pierce only added to that this week when the Michigan defensive tackle said at Big Ten Media Days, calling Patterson a "freak,"
“The young guy that sticks out to me the most in the weight room is Benny Patterson. The kid is a freak show. It’s actually ridiculous. He’s probably the biggest bench and squat of the whole D-line — D-tackles and EDGEs. Yeah, freak show," Pierce said.
Having success in the weight room doesn't mean it will happen on the field. Patterson doesn't have ideal size for a true EDGE, but Mike Morris didn't either. This coaching staff will find a way to make it work, and after John Henry Daley, things feel wide open.
Cameron Brandt, Nate Marshall and Carter Meadows should all be in the mix. There are others, too, but Benney Patterson is another that could emerge as a pass-rush threat this season.
Nathaniel Staehling: Spot in LB rotation
Linebacker remains a concern heading into fall camp for Michigan football. There are some quality options, but more depth is needed, which is where the former North Dakota State linebacker comes in.
Staehling had three incterceptions last season for the Bison. He's 6-foot-2, 238-pounds, and seems solid all three phases. Whittingham talked him up on Thursday, too.
Michigan needs more proven bodies in that room, and Staehling has the chance this fall to lockdown a role as a one of the top contributors at inside linebacker.
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