Jyaire Hill
The former four-star cornerback stepped into a starting role last season. He missed a game down the stretch, but had enough good moments that CBS Sports projected him as a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Hill is 6-foot-2, 185 pounds. He played in 12 games, had 35 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, a sack, nine pass breakups, and an interception.
After a year of seasoning, Hill has a chance to be an elite, lockdown corner. That's what Michigan needs. That's probably the only thing the Wolverines are missing. Zeke Berry did a hell of a job as the No. 2 last season.
It feels like that's his role and he played well against Ohio State, and Alabama. But when trying to figure out who will cover Jeremiah Smith and receivers like him, Hill is the guy.
The depth is also thin at cornerback, so that makes Hill even more Indispensable.
Rod Moore
Another essential player for Michigan football this season is Rod Moore. He skipped a chance to enter the 2024 NFL draft, when he would have been an early-round draft pick.
However, he suffered a season-ending knee injury. There is still optimism that he'll be 100 percent by the time the season starts.
Even if Moore misses a few games, as long as he's 100 percent by September or so, Michigan will be just fine. Moore has started running again, and it's been more than a year since his injury.
Once he gets confident, Michigan will have its centerfielder back. Brandyn Hillman will be the enforcer, but Moore has a knack for erasing big plays. That his super power, and Michigan needs that player back this season if the defense is going to reach its full potential.