Five players that need to step up for Michigan during spring practices

Spring football represents a prime opportunity for players to climb the depth chart and assert their claims as contributors for the upcoming season. Here are five players we hope take that leap for Michigan in the coming weeks:

With spring football just a few weeks away, the Michigan coaching staff will be getting its first look at its team in preparation for the 2025 season. Each year, spring football offers a chance for new guys to assert themselves as contributors for the upcoming season, which will be especially important this year given the amount of players departing for the NFL Draft . Guys like Mason Graham, Will Johnson, Josaiah Stewart and more have left big shoes to fill, but now is the time for their understudies to make the most of their new opportunities.

Today, we examine five players returning from the 2024 team that we believe will need to have some big performances during spring practice this year.

WR Fredrick Moore

Michigan struggled to find its footing at the receiver position in 2024 after Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson departed for the NFL. Tyler Morris (now at Indiana) and Semaj Morgan were looked to as potentially strong options in the passing game, but both underwhelmed by combining for just 387 receiving yards.

Another guy that could’ve factored into the equation was Fredrick Moore, who was considered the third receiver on the depth chart entering the year. He had a strong spring prior to the season, and particularly a strong spring game where he showcased some serious speed.

Moore didn’t get nearly as many snaps as Morris or Morgan in 2024, but with another year’s experience under his belt, he could climb the depth chart with another strong offseason. He has the speed and tools to be a threat in the pass game, but he’ll need to put it together in the coming weeks. Other receivers like Channing Goodwin and Kendrick Bell could also be on Moore’s heels this spring.

OT Andrew Sprague

Michigan’s offensive line in 2024 was a far cry from the Joe Moore Award-winning units we’ve seen in years past. Now, Sherrone Moore and Grant Newsome will look to build the group back up to its dominant ways, and Andrew Sprague could be a big factor.

Sprague got his first start of the season in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama after Myles Hinton opted out. He played 67 snaps in the game and earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 63.3, which was the fifth-highest mark for Michigan’s offensive players that day.

Sprague could currently be penciled in as a starter for 2025, and he certainly earned it with his performance against a dominant defensive front. Spring ball will be a great time for him to tighten his grip on the left tackle spot and take the next step in his development in the hopes he can fortify Michigan’s offensive line of the future.

Edge Dominic Nichols

Dominic Nichols might not have entered Michigan with much fanfare as a lowly three-star recruit, but he impressed the coaching staff before the season began in 2024. He was sitting behind guys like Josaiah Stewart, T.J. Guy and Derrick Moore on the depth chart last season, but with Stewart now heading to the next level, Nichols has the chance to emerge.

Nichols came to Ann Arbor a little on the smaller side, but has since bulked up to 261 pounds to go with his 6-foot-5 frame. Back in November, defensive line coach Lou Esposito said Nichols would be a “special player,” citing his improvements in hand usage, football IQ and run defense since arriving on campus.

There’s still a chance Nichols could face some competition up front with Moore, Guy and Cameron Brandt still around, as well as Jaishawn Barham’s possible shift edge. But with a solid spring, he could earn himself some more playing time next season.

LB Jimmy Rolder

Speaking of Barham, if he ends up moving positions, off-ball linebacker could be a position of importance for Michigan moving forward. Ernest Hausmann is back for his senior season, but so is Jimmy Rolder, who could have the chance to emerge as a starter in 2025.

Rolder came to Michigan and immediately got on the field as a special teams player, getting an increased workload at linebacker each year. In 2024, he registered 26 tackles while continuing to get reps on special teams.

Now with plenty of experience in Michigan’s defensive system and less competition around him on the depth chart, Rolder has the chance to take another step forward this spring in an effort to earn even more playing time. Let’s hope he can take the leap to raise the ceiling of Michigan’s 2025 defense.

CB Jo’Ziah Edmond

Michigan’s secondary had its fair share of ups and downs in 2024, and that was even when Will Johnson was healthy and locking down half the field. Plenty of guys got playing time once Johnson went down, while Makari Paige (safety to nickel) and Zeke Berry (nickel to corner) even played different positions.

The Wolverines will need some more stability in 2025 to help slow down opposing passing attacks. Enter Jo’Ziah Edmond, a rising sophomore who will have the chance to compete for a starting job this spring. Edmond played mostly on special teams in 2024, but earned some snaps defensively late in the year, impressing in the snaps he played.

With Johnson and Aamir Hall out of the fold, as well as Paige and Quinten Johnson out of eligibility, Jyaire Hill and Berry represent the lone returning starters in the secondary from last year. Both showed some inconsistencies last season, opening the door for Edmond to emerge as a starter. If he’s able to take a step forward this spring, he can help raise Michigan’s defensive ceiling.

Other players to watch this spring: WR Channing Goodwin, WR Kendrick Bell, TE Marlin Klein, DL Enow Etta, DL Trey Pierce, edge Cameron Brandt, LB Cole Sullivan