Edge rusher TJ Guy stepped up for Michigan this past season and became a key rotational piece. Now at the top of the depth chart alongside Derrick Moore, Guy’s role will be even larger in 2025, with expectations being even higher:
TJ Guy has exhibited a lot of patience. When he joined the Michigan Wolverines in 2021, he didn’t immediately slot into a considerable role. Instead, he redshirted after playing in two games. He bided his time, slowly working his way up.
And that finally paid off for him this past fall.
Entering the 2024 season, Guy was a popular pick as a breakout candidate for the Wolverines. And as many anticipated, he delivered. Earning a substantial increase in snaps, Guy proved himself as a key contributor, totaling 32 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and six quarterback hits, playing in all 13 games.
As impressive as this past year was for Guy, next season could take him to new heights. After slowly working his way up the depth chart, Guy served as a key rotational piece for Michigan behind Josaiah Stewart in 2024. Now with Stewart bound for the NFL Draft , Guy has reached the top of the mountain. Finally, he is poised to be a starting contributor.
With that, Guy’s role for Michigan is bound to evolve. Guy’s decision to return for one final season was major news for the Wolverines given what he showed in 2024. Along with Guy, Derrick Moore is returning as well, making Guy and Moore a strong edge duo and fixtures along the defensive line.
Guy already has two starts under his belt, slotting in when Michigan faced Minnesota and Washington this past year. He proved why he deserved those starts, tallying eight tackles and 2.5 sacks in those two games alone. Those performances allude to what 2025 can entail for him, especially given the additional experience he gained in the eight games following those starts.
Because 2024 was such a massive step for Guy, there’s a lot he can take away from the season and work on to elevate his game even further. With the flashes he showed throughout the campaign, studying his film can help sustain those flashes and provide more consistency.
They way in which Guy ended the season hints at his ability to be consistent going forward. In Michigan’s final three games of the season, he had eight tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss — in the prior nine games, he combined for 2.5 tackles for loss. With his strong finish to the season, Guy showed he’s capable of consistency, which he can build off in 2025.
The most significant shift in his role going into next year is how the Wolverines will lean on him. With Stewart gone, Guy needs to step up and perform at a high level at all times. It’s an unfamiliar position for Guy, but with his performance in 2024, he has the experience to take on that responsibility. If he can carry his strong finish into the coming season and focus on sustaining the flashes he already displayed, he can become a crucial piece for Michigan.
There’s no question his role will increase in 2025, especially in terms of how the Wolverines will rely on him heavily. The question that remains heading into the offseason is how Guy performs with the spotlight finally on him.
He didn’t remain patient and do all that waiting for nothing. Odds are, Guy will be more than ready for the challenges ahead.