If Michigan's defense is going to be as good as it has been the past few seasons, the Wolverines are going to have some players to level up in 2026.
There are some talented players on the roster for next season, on all three levels of the defense. However, there's no doubt that the pass rush is a concern. It's one of a few concerns, along with defensive tackle and linebacker.
Kyle Whittingham did an excellent job retaining and adding talent from the transfer portal. Whether it's the 2026 high school class or players added in the portal, Michigan has reinforcements coming.
John Henry Daley had 11.5 sacks last season for Utah. He should be a quality replacement for Derrick Moore as long as he's healthy by the time the season starts. That could be a stretch.
Breakout candidate emergin already for Michigan football
Another name to know, though, is Dominic Nichols.
The 6-foot-5, 260-pound EDGE played in 12 games last season for Michigan football. He was credited with 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and a sack.
Nichols is one of the returning players up front, along with Cameron Brandt and Nate Marshall, among others, who are expected to have bigger roles next season. Nichols had some solid moments last season. The future is bright. At least it could be.
According to Trevor McCue of Rivals, Nichols has been "generating buzz" during winter workouts, suggesting that Nichols could be in line for a breakout season.
Nichols has flashed at times. He needs to develop more consistent pass-rush moves, but he has held up well against the run for the most part. The fact that Nichols is generating buzz and looking like a breakaout candidate is exactly what you want during the spring/winter workouts.
It doens't guarantee a breakout performance, but it's better than hearing the alternative.