Michigan had plenty of depth in 2023 to win the national championship, With guys like Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant headed to the NFL, how are the Wolverines looking depth-wise heading into 2025? Is it enough to make a College Football Playoff run?
The 2023 Michigan Wolverines had one of the most complete teams in college football en route to the National Championship. Team 144 had talent up and down the roster, but even if a guy or two went down with an injury, the Wolverines were deep enough to make up for any potential losses.
Teams need depth to make a run in the College Football Playoff, and even more so to win it all. So does Michigan have the depth in 2025 to make a run in the playoff?
Offense
The depth in the quarterback room has greatly improved this offseason. Bringing in Bryce Underwood to battle with former Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene is vastly better than the Davis Warren-Alex Orji battle from last offseason. Jadyn Davis is also still on the roster, and the redshirt freshman isn’t afraid to compete.
At running back, will be relying on two solid options in Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes. Marshall had an impressive 100-yard outing against Alabama, and Haynes will pair up nicely with him. Michigan will also have a few young guys to work into the mix, like Ben Hall and Micah Ka’apana, so depth shouldn’t be an issue at running back.
The wide receiver room improved with some portal additions this winter in Donaven McCulley (Indiana) and Anthony Simpson (UMass), but depth concerns remain. However, the Wolverines won’t need too many big plays from the receivers if the tight ends get utilized enough. Marlin Klein and Hogan Hansen proved their value last year, and Brady Prieskorn has a ton of potential as well.
Finally, while some of the guys returning on the offensive line will have more experience, it doesn’t feel like the Wolverines added enough pieces in the event someone gets injured, particularly at tackle. Michigan will need the starters to take a big step forward this season if they’re going to improve along the line.
Defense
The defensive line lost major talent in Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant and Josaiah Stewart, but they still have enough experience to successfully rotate guys. TJ Guy and Derrick Moore both ended 2024 on a high note against Alabama, so both of them being back is huge. Additionally, Rayshaun Benny being paired up on the inside with transfers Tre Williams and Damon Payne Jr. will alleviate some of the concern of Graham and Grant going to the NFL.
Michigan has a lot of talent and experience returning at linebacker. Starters Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham — who may get some snaps at edge rusher — are back for another season. Jimmy Rolder, Cole Sullivan and Jaydon provide quality depth while true freshman Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng gets the hang of things at the college level.
One of the nice things about the 2024 season is the team had to rely on some younger and inexperienced players after major injuries. Now Michigan has guys like Brandyn Hillman, Zeke Berry and Jyaire Hill coming back with plentiful experience, and Rod Moore’s return makes the secondary even better. The staff focused on adding some secondary players in the transfer portal — as well as a stellar incoming freshman class — while also having young players with potential like Mason Curtis.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, there are still questions and concerns about depth as of late-February. It seems like Michigan has good options to start at most positions, but we’ll have to wait and see who really makes a leap in 2025.
On the other hand, Michigan has more talent and depth at the quarterback position as opposed to last year, and that can really take a team far if the coaches manage it well. While the Wolverines have the starting pieces to make a run in the playoff, I’m still waiting to see if they’ll have the depth to win games late in the year, but I’m optimistic after the way the Wolverines finished the 2024 season without key starters.
What do you think about Michigan’s depth heading into the fall? Do they have what it takes to make a playoff run? Let us know in the comments!