Even though the 2025 Michigan football season is still nearly six months away, spring ball is starting soon, and truth be told, it's never too early to look ahead.
The 2025 season will be a fascinating one for the Wolverines. They were 8-5 last season, thanks to an elite defense. Michigan could be losing as many as four-first round picks from the 2024 roster, as well as a numerous other NFL-caliber players such as Myles Hinton, Donovan Edwards, Kalel Mullings, and Josaiah Stewart.
Yet, there isn't a lack of talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The ReliaQuest Bowl showed us that. Michigan football then retained all of its key players in the transfer portal, as well as making some key additions.
Bryce Underwood is the key X-factor. We don't know if it will be him or Mikey Keene starting the season as the quarterback. There are questions on the offensive line, and at wide receiver, too.
Keeping all that in mind, here are some way-too-early predictions for Michigan football in 2025.
Bryce Underwood starts the majority of games at QB
It will be difficult for Michigan football to keep Bryce Underwood on the sidelines. Players and coaches have had high praise for him so far, while he's also been compared to Cam Newton and Vince Young.
Mikey Keene has thrown for over 6,000 yards in his career. He's a proven veteran, and if Underwood still needs a little seasoning, I could see him starting the season as the quarterback, only to be supplanted later.
Underwood will have a role right away, just like J.J. McCarthy did back in 2024. The situation is similar but it will play out differently as Bryce will take over the starting job, maybe even before conference play begins.
Justice Haynes will have a 1,000-yard season
Just like last season, the Wolverines have two candidates to be 1,000-yard rushers next season. It's hard to know who wil be the starting running back. There is likely to be a 50/50 split between carries, similar to the way the season started with Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards.
There's a good chance both players are in the range of 800 - 1,000 yards during the 2025 season. Haynes averaged 5.7 yards per attempt in two seasons with Alabama but didn't get enough carries to make a major impact.
That won't be the case this season. I could see each back getting between 150 and 200 carries. An RB1 will emerge at some point, and my money is on Haynes, who in a 13-game season, will hit the thousand-yard mark.
Donaven McCulley will be a pleasant surprise
In his first full season playing wide receiver for Indiana in 2023, the former quarterback Donaven McCulley (6-5, 200) was a standout for the Hoosiers with 48 receptions for 648 yards. McCulley had five Big Ten games with at least 67 yards receiving. He had eight games that season with at least four receptions.
McCulley isn't a superstar. He's not going to remind people of some of the receivers Ohio State has had, however, McCulley could be just fine as the Wolverines No. 1.
Fred Moore needs to step up. So do Semaj Morgan and Anthony Simpson, a transfer from UMass, who also had 792 receiving yards in 2023 before catching just three passes last season due to injury.
McCulley can be a dude. He's got size and has proven production in the Big Ten. Paired with what should be an above-average running game and Bryce Underwood, McCulley will be a pleasant surprise with 700-800 receiving yards in 2025.
The best defense in the Big Ten
This might be the most bold prediction. It's also the one that I'm the most confident in. Michigan football will lead the Big Ten in scoring defense next season.
Wink Martindale took a minute to adjust to the college game, but there's a reason he's among the highest-paid coordinators in college football. There's also a reason a few NFL teams were sniffing around.
Frankly, those NFL teams probably didn't want to meet his price tag. Yet, with the entire defensive line that played in the bowl game returning, along with the linebackers and guys in the secondary such as Zeke Berry, Jyaire Hill, Rod Moore, and Brandyn Hillman, the Wolverines should be fine on the back end, too.
Derrick Moore and TJ Guy will be an elite pass-rush duo. Jaishawn Barham should also have an elite season as a linebacker/EDGE and I don't see any defense being better than Michigan's in 2025.
Michigan will be on the playoff bubble
There are too many unknowns right now for me to say that Michigan football will be a playoff team next season. The schedule isn't as daunting as 2024, but it's not easy.
There are road games against Oklahoma, Nebraska, USC, Michigan State, Northwestern, and Maryland. None of those are guaranteed wins. The Wolverines should win all of their home games, at least leading into the Ohio State.
As talented as Underwood is, the offensive line has some concerns and wide receivers does too. Some growing pains should be expected too.
Therefore, I see the Wolverines being in playoff contention going into the Ohio State game with eight or nine wins and beating Ohio State, or not, will be the difference between making the 12-team playoff and playing in the Citrus Bowl.