On paper, Michigan football has an excellent roster going into 2025. The Wolverines will have a defense that should be better than the one that completely shut down Alabama in the ReliaQuest bowl. Wink Martindale is returning after flirting with the NFL, and really found his stride at the end of 2024. The defense should be a top five unit at least in the nation.
The Wolverines will have an elite running game with Jordan Marshall and Alabama transfer Justice Haynes, and bring in a generational quarterback in Bryce Underwood. They also bring back the best kicker in the country. It's an almost perfect roster. Almost. For Michigan football to truly have a shot at reaching its national championship goals in 2025, it will need improvements on the offensive line and wide receiver rooms.
The Spring Portal could be a blessing
Starting on April 16th, players will have another opportunity to enter the transfer portal. Michigan football could end up being the biggest beneficiary of this period. The Wolverines know the immense talent they have and know that with just a few more pieces, 2025 could be a national championship-contending season. Other players know that, too.
I'd expect that players who may be considering transferring are gauging Michigan's interest through agents, which is the unfortunate reality of today's game. Another factor that could work in Michigan's favor here is its strict transfer credit policy. Players who may have been interested in Michigan during the Winter transfer period may now have the credits needed to graduate from their school and therefore transfer to Michigan.
The Spring transfer period is usually relatively forgotten about, but it could be huge for Michigan this season. With the glowing reports coming out of Ann Arbor surrounding quarterback Bryce Underwood, Michigan knows it needs to surround him with the best talent possible. I'd expect that they're preparing to potentially spend lots of money for the best transfers available.
If the Wolverines are able to add a difference maker at receiver and a few quality offensive linemen, there really aren't any glaring weaknesses on this team. I don't think it's a stretch at all to say that Bryce Underwood could have a freshman season comparable to that of Trevor Lawrence, ending it with a national championship victory.
But Trevor Lawrence had a lot of NFL talent playing with him on offense, and Michigan football will need to give Bryce that same opportunity if it wants to have a chance at hoisting a trophy at the end of the season. This is definitely something to watch closely as we approach April. A good portal haul could be the difference between missing the playoffs and winning the playoffs.