Between the incoming freshmen and transfers, Michigan Football’s roster will look quite a bit different than last year. Today, we rank the top-10 most important additions for the 2025 season:
When you lose All-Americans, national champions and all around outstanding athletes such as Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Will Johnson, and Colston Loveland, you’re bound to see a dip in production. Fortunately for Michigan, Sherrone Moore and company have been able to recruit top talent in the portal and in the high school ranks to replace them.
Today, we look at the most important additions to the 2025 roster.
Honorable Mentions: WR Andrew Marsh, WR Anthony Simpson, OL Andrew Babalola, DE Nate Marshall, and S TJ Metcalf
Marsh and Simpson arrive with the hopes of improving Michigan’s wide receiver room after a disastrous 2024. Simpson is not heralded among transfers, but should provide a solid floor. Meanwhile, Marsh has a much higher ceiling and very well could be Michigan’s most talented wide receiver right now. True freshman offensive lineman rarely play in their first year at Michigan, but Babalola may be the exception — don’t be shocked to see him crack the two-deep.
Defensively, flipping Marshall from Auburn could prove to be the most important offseason development. If not for the upperclassmen edge rushers on the roster already, Marshall would be much higher on this list. Finally, Metcalf could also see some action in the secondary as an up-and-coming versatile defensive back.
10. CB Shamari Earls
Earls was a rare recruiting flip from Georgia to Michigan. He could be next in the long list of recent Michigan cornerbacks who have thrived, such as Jourdan Lewis, David Long, Ambry Thomas and Will Johnson. Given that Johnson is leaving for the NFL and Aamir Hall is out of eligibility, there is playing time to be had at CB2 opposite Jyaire Hill.
9. CB Caleb Anderson
Earls’ biggest competition for the open starting spot is Anderson, a transfer from Louisiana. While not on anyone’s NFL Draft boards, Anderson is innately familiar with LaMar Morgan, as he played for him for multiple years. Michigan’s staff has also shown a propensity for starting veteran transfers in the secondary (see: Josh Wallace, Hall, etc.). Look for Anderson to have the early lead over Earls for the CB2 spot.
8. LB Troy Bowles
I’m a firm believer Bowles would be talked about significantly more had Michigan lost either Ernest Hausmann or Jaishawn Barham. With both returning, finding playing time could be difficult for Bowles. With that said, he is a smart, refined player who should still see the field fairly often. He’ll look to start in 2026 while being a complementary piece in 2025.
7. DT Tre Williams
Williams has battled injuries throughout his career, but is a force to be reckoned with on the interior when healthy. The Clemson transfer provides meaningful depth at the very least, and his presence should allow Rayshaun Benny and others to shine and stay well rested.
6. QB Mikey Keene
Keene’s familiarity with Chip Lindsey’s system could pay huge dividends. In the short term, Keene provides Michigan with a high floor at the quarterback position which could help weather the storm, particularly in the early season matchup with Oklahoma. In the long run, most expect Bryce Underwood to take over. Who better than an experienced quarterback with time under his belt in the new system to mentor the freshman phenom?
5. DT Damon Payne
As we said above with Williams, you can never have enough depth at defensive tackle. Payne is a bit more steady than Williams and will likely be the first tackle off the bench for the Wolverines, and he could even be a starter. A former five-star, Payne was solid but not spectacular at Alabama. By spending his final season at Michigan, Payne ensures the defensive line can continue to be dominant.
4. WR Donaven McCulley
McCulley comes to Michigan under very odd circumstances. His transfer from Indiana to Michigan has seemed to be in the cards for a couple years, but finally came to fruition this offseason. The tall, rangy receiver doesn’t quite have the stats to back up the hype, but he’s expected to step into a prominent role right away. His 6-foot-5 height alone should help stretch the field a bit more than last season.
3. RB Justice Haynes
Haynes is an immensely talented player, as confirmed by his rating as the top running back in the portal this year. Michigan fans are salivating at the idea of a one-two punch of Haynes and Jordan Marshall. Given what we all know about Sherrone Moore and the Michigan offense, expect Haynes to touch the ball early and often.
2. OL Lawrence Hattar
The ultimate wildcard, Hattar was an All-American at the D-II level at Ferris State. Up-transferring is always difficult, but Hattar seems well positioned to do so. Given Michigan’s lack of guard depth, it’s not out of the realm of possibility he starts at left guard. If he washes out, we might regret putting him this high on the list, but his potential is too great to have him any lower.
1. QB Bryce Underwood
Who else could it be? Underwood may not start right away, but he is the undisputed gem of the recruiting class no matter how you slice it. He is the highest rated high school recruit to ever commit to the Wolverines. The immensely talented passer is strong, consistent and accurate, and can even be lethal as a runner. His impact will likely be seen in 2025, where he could see playing time as early as Week 1 depending on how fall camp goes.