Why another 5-star freshman can be special for Michigan

Bryce Underwood is expected to be the Michigan football starting quarterback for the season opener against New Mexico, however, his left tackle is still an open question.

Evan Link started at left tackle during the bowl game. He got some reps there during the spring, along with former Cal-Poly transfer Brady Norton.

It wouldn't be surprising if either of those guys ended up as the starter. However, another name to keep in mind is Andrew Babalola, the other five-star signee for the Michigan Wolverines in the 2025 recruiting class.

Babalola, who is from Kansas, just like Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore, is 6-foot-6, 300 pounds. He's also the highest-rated offensive tackle in program history, in addition to being the No. 1 overall pick during the spring game draft back in April.

The left tackle of the future has the chance to be special. He's got all the tools to be a top-10 NFL draft pick, just like the quarterback he will be protecting for the next two or three seasons.

It takes more than raw talent to be special, though. According to Juan Castillo, the new assistant offensive line coach for the Wolverines, who has more than a decade of NFL coaching experience, Babalola has what it takes, even beyond talent.

Why Michigan football five-star freshman can be special

"He’s the kind of kid that does all the extra work. To me, offensive line play is about doing the extra work. That’s how you become special. If you just do what everybody else does, you’re not gonna be that kind of offensive guy," Castillo said of Babalola via the 'In the Trenches' podcast.

It's good to hear that Babalola does the "extra" work. We'll see how much he improves from the spring to the fall, but it wouldn't surprise me if he was the starting tackle by season's end. Andrew Sprague has things locked down on the right side, and if Michigan football hits on Babalola, they will be set at offensive tackle for years to come.