Michigan football fans got their first glimpse of Bryce Underwood Saturday in the spring game. There were ups and downs, but that's to be expected.
Quarterback development isn't linear. Underwood had some solid moments, threw a touchdown pass, and also had to work with a lot of backups, who won't be on the field with him this season.
Will Underwood be the starting quarterback for Michigan football? What will the offensive line look like? We'll address those questions and more with our post-spring depth chart.
Quarterback
Starter: Bryce Underwood Backups: Mikey Keene, Brendan Sullivan, Jadyn Davis
The fact that Underwood has gotten more reps this spring will only help his development. Michigan football needs Mikey Keene to get healthy, but adding a transfer like Brendan Sullivan would be a nice insurance policy. He could add a running element to the offense too.
Jadyn Davis didn't look like a quarterback capable of starting. He looks like a miss at this point and someone that's probably leaving via the transfer portal at some point.
Running backs
Starter: Jordan Marshall Backups: Justice Haynes, CJ Hester
There probably won't be a huge difference in the workloads of Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes this season. Haynes had a 26-yard run. He's explosive and averaged nearly six yards per attempt while at Alabama.
The dude can play. Marshall can too, though, and if the Wolverines can add to their offensive line in the transfer portal, they could have an elite running game.
Michigan football might have the best running-back tandem in the Big Ten. Chester, a transfer portal addition from UMass, will be another quality addition. He rushed for 74 yards last season against Georgia. He can add something, especially if there's an injury.
Wide Receiver
Starters: Donaven McCulley, Fred Moore, Channing Goodwin and Semaj Morgan Backups: Anthony Simpson, I'Marion Stewart, Andrew Marsh, Jamar Browder
The Wolverines need another wide receiver. There haven't been many rumblings about wide receiver additions, however, you'd have to think Michigan football will target at least one.
Whether it's a player in the slot, or the outside, they need another playmaker. Anthony Simpson, another UMass transfer, will join the team for the fall. He had nearly 800 receiving yards two years ago, so there's a chance this room could be much better than people expect.
Tight end
Starter: Marlin Klein Backups: Hogan Hansen and Jalen Hoffman; H-back: Max Bredeson
Marlin Klein is poised to be the next NFL tight end for Michigan football. Klein and Hogan Hansen, who flashed last season as a receiver, will both play key roles in 2025.
Max Bredeson is a weapon as a blocker, and is better as a receiver than most realize. He should have 10-20 receptions easily this season. When you add Hansen and Klein to a receiver room that inlcudes McCullley and Moore, there are weapons, but another needs to emerge or be added via the portal.
Offensive line
Starters: Brady Norton, Giovanni El-Hadi, Greg Crippen, Evan Link, and Andrew Sprague
Backups: Andrew Babalola, Ty Haywood, Jake Guarnera, Nathan Ebofi, Blake Frazier
Left tackle is a huge concern. It's possible that Andrew Babalola can grow into the job before the season starts. Michigan football might have to have a baptism by fire at left tackle and quarterback.
That's not ideal, but both players are the highest-rated in Michigan football history at their positions. Reinforcements are needed from the transfer portal. Brady Norton could end up winning the left tackle job. He played there at Cal-Poly. He doesn't have ideal size, but sometimes, having a guy who can get in the way and not allow the sacks where the QB has no shot is all that's needed.
Underwood's mobility and decision-making should help the offensive line. But it's a concern heading into the fall camp.
Defensive line
Starters: Rayshaun Benny, Tre Williams, Damon Payne; Backups: Ike Iwunnah, Enow Etta and Trey Pierce
We are going to have the EDGE players in a different category. Etta could play both spots, as well as some five technique, which we have also folded into this role.
Williams, Benny, Payne, and Etta are the four defensive lineman I expect to see the most snaps next season. Benny will at least be a day-two pick. Williams has maybe the most upside of anyone in the group, while Payne is a run stuffer.
Etta has a lot of unrealized potential, too. He seems a year away from being dominant. Iwunnah and Pierce played well in the bowl game against Alabama, so even without Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, Michigan football is loaded up front on defense.
EDGE
Starters: Derrick Moore, T.J. Guy; Backups: Dominic Nichols, Jaishawn Barham, and Cam Brandt
Between Derrick Moore, T.J. Guy, and Cameron Brandt, the Wolverines have 17 tackles for loss coming back, along with 13.5 sacks from this position group.
The pass rush won't be a problem. Dominic Nichols looked ready to contribute regularly in 2025. Brandt, Moore, and Guy should all have increased production thanks to more snaps, and Barham can be effective in pass-rush opportunities.
Wink Martindale will have a lot to work with and most of the time, the defense should be able to get home with just four.
Linebacker
Starters: Ernest Hausmann, Jaishawn Barham; Backups; Cole Sullivan and Jimmy Rolder
Michigan football is as deep at linebacker as it has been in years. Barham could have been playing in the NFL next season. The same is probably true for Hausmann. They will each be playing for the Wolverines this season.
The tandem led the team in tackles last season in addition to a combined three sacks and 11 tackles for loss. Hausmann really took a step forward.
Cole Sullivan had a strong spring. He would be a starter for most Big Ten teams. The same can be said for Rolder. All four should get extensive snaps, but Sullivan is the breakout candidate.
Cornerback
Starters: Zeke Berry and Jyaire Hill; Backups: Shamari Earls, Tevis Metcalf, Jo'Ziah Edmond, and Jeremiah Lowe.
Berry and Hill are locked in as the starters. They have a ton of upside, especially now that they have a year of experirence under their belt with Martindale. He knows what they can do and what they can't.
Lowe, Earls, Metcalf, and Edmonds have all shown signs of being able to contribute. We'll see how it shakes out. The cornerback depth is satisfactory, though.
Nickel: TJ Metcalf or Mason Curtis
TJ Metcalf had three interceptions last season and seven pass breakups for Arkansas in addition to 57 tackles over the past two seasons.
The Arkansas transfer nearly had an interception in the spring game. He seems like a perfect nickel. Mason Curtis feels like an ideal guy to play in big nickel situations. Rod Moore could be an option here, too, but I prefer him as the deep middle.
Safety
Starters: Rod Moore and Brandyn Hillman; Backups: Mason Curtis and Jaden Mangham
Michigan football should be loaded in the secondary if Rod Moore is 100 percent this fall. Sherrone Moore has said he will be. There could be some time to adjust back to playing, however, the Wolverines have tons of depth/options.
That's why Ja'Den McBurrows probably transferred. There's a logjam at cornerback and nickel. The two-deep at safty is impressive, too. Hillman is the enforcer and one of the hardest hitters in college football.
Special teams
K: Dominic Zvada; P: Luke Bauer; LS: Trent Middleton; KR: Jordan Marshall; PR Semaj Morgan
Michigan could still add a returner, but Morgan and Marshall are the only guys back with experience from last season. Zvada was a weapon. He'll need to be one once again for a team with an elite defense and a young quarterback.