Jake Guarnera and Andrew Sprague are known starters leading up to the 2026 Michigan football season opener. The other three spots are up for grabs, and Nathan Efobi appears to be the fourth name in the mix, along with a trio of returners who are all vying to be the left tackle of the present for Bryce Underwood.
Two are coming off the injured list, and the other finished last season as the last man standing.
3 tackles battling for one coveted spot
Andrew Babalola has the most pure talent of the three competitors. There have been no updates about his injury status, although it will be one year in August since he tore his ACL. He could either bounce back with no limitations and slide right in or let it heal like Rod Moore did and take the long road back to recovery. Phil Steele's intel says that Babalola can be the starter on September 5th.
Evan Link spent the most time at left tackle over the past two seasons. He struggled in his first go-around and eventually got injured against Washington in 2025, where he never returned to the lineup. Some have speculated that he would be better off if he moved inside to guard.
When Link was healthy, the offense had five straight games where someone topped the 100-yard mark. In the two losses with Link inserted into the rotation, the line gave up four total sacks. Plus, Michigan's passing attack was steadier on paper with Link in the trenches. It will be hard to sideline him, even with all that experience.
Blake Frazier stepped in for Link when he got put on the shelf. Jordan Marshall had his best effort on the ground with Frazier leading the way in the Northwestern victory. Reports are that Frazier has bulked up in the offseason in hopes of landing the job of protecting Underwood's blindside. Back in spring practice Frazier was repping with the ones because of the previously mentioned injuries to his fierce competition.
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